For 10 years I spent most of my time riding young horses and preparing them for futurities. While I enjoyed my time doing this, the cycle of starting a horse, getting them ready to the point someone else can compete on them, and then selling them became mentally exhausting for me.
That’s when I decided to keep one of my finished horses and compete on him for a while. It was nice to have a little consistency when it came time to run. Having a finished horse around helped my mentality. It gave me the confidence I needed to be at the top of my game. But most importantly, competing on a seasoned mount gave me the opportunity to reflect as a rider. It reminded me how I can keep my cool when it comes time to compete and perform to the best of my ability.
Jordon Briggs on growing Up Western
1. Get in Sync
When working with young barrel horses, you don’t normally make multiple runs in a month. This makes the training process a little longer. And if you do run too many times, it can become overwhelming and cause more problems in the long run.
When I had a chance to compete on a more finished horse, I was able to run barrels multiple times in a short amount of time. It helped me get in sync with my horse and quickly connect. This helped set us up for success at some of the country’s biggest events.
2. Own Up to Mistakes
I remember standing in the alleyway at an event and falling apart mentally before I was supposed to make my run. It resulted in a poor performance. But I didn’t let that hold me back. I used that experience as motivation.
When things go wrong, you can’t keep doing the same thing and expecting a different result. You need to own up to your mistakes and know if you want to improve, you’re going to have to change up your routine and figure out where mistakes are happening. If things don’t go according to plan, learn from those mistakes, and make changes before the next time you get in the saddle. It could be something as simple as a quick tack adjustment or something to do with your riding that might take a few weeks to figure out.
3. Be Prepared
What gives me confidence as a competitor is to be prepared for the day. I’m not going to do well if I don’t plan for my ride. When you enter an event, you need to be prepared to go before you even leave your barn. You should be riding your horse and doing your homework. You need to trust in your training and believe in what you do and how you ride. When it comes time to perform, you want to focus on your horse’s strengths. But when you’re at home, spend more time on working on your weaknesses.
Just like people, your horse is always going to have strengths and weaknesses, but by working on those weaknesses at home, you’re going to help him be the best he can be when it matters.
4. Focus on Yourself
The worst thing you can do before you go into an arena, whether it’s to run barrels or compete in a pattern event like ranch riding, is watch other riders go before you and change your game plan to match what they do. If you start to get anxious watching others ride before you, maybe spend enough time in the arena to learn where the pattern is set and figure out your game plan, and then head back to the barn to spend time with your horse before you get in the saddle.
However, some people, myself included, are much more relaxed when they can watch everyone compete. I like to do it because it helps me prepare for my run and get a feel for what the ground looks like. Plus, I find myself trying to stay busy if I sit at my trailer and find myself getting on my horse too early.
At the end of the day, have a game plan and do what’s best for you to keep your confidence high when it comes time to compete.
