Breathe Right For Better Horse Riding

becomes clearer and your horse now able to turn off his own fightorflight alarm can get his attention focused back on you.  
You will manage your thoughts more effectively. When the fight or flight alarm kicks in guess what you are focused on? Potential danger. What is scary and what can I do about it? 
How will I survive? These thoughts are not positivefocused they are threatfocused and tend to be negative. What if I make a mistake? What if the judge doesnt like my horse? What if I make a fool of myself? When you reset your breath and replenish the oxygen to your brain it will be easier to think more clearly and purposefully. You will be able to direct your thoughts back to your riding and your goals. This will give you a greater sense of control which in turn will lead to greater feelings of confidence.
To begin sit comfortably on a chair or bed and place one hand on your stomach and one hand on your chest. Breathe normally. At first just watch and pay attention. Ask yourself a few questions about your breaths you can call them the three Fs How far down does it go?
How fast? 
How full does it seem? 
Which hand seems to move the most? If you are breathing shallowly it will be the hand on your chest. If you are using your diaphragm if will be your lower hand. Now rate your overall feeling of relaxation on a scale from one to ten one being the most relaxed. This is your relaxation number.
Next start to apply some direction to your breathing.
Focus on dropping your breathing low as if you are breathing through your feet. As you are inhaling it may be helpful to imagine that you are filling up three separate sections of your lungs. First concentrate on your abdomen making it expand with air. Next fill the middle portion of your lungs by expanding the chest cavity and raising the rib cage and chest. Finally allow the upper portion of your lungs to be filled and you will notice your upper chest expand and your shoulders rise slightly. When you feel full begin to exhale by pulling the abdomen in this is what pulls the diaphragm up and you should notice your shoulders and upper chest drop as the air begins to leave your lungs. Make sure the exhalation