Cardiff School of Sport DISSERTATION ASSESSMENT PROFORMA: Empirical 1 Bethany Jarvis Student Name: Student ID: 20003502

Cardiff School of Sport DISSERTATION ASSESSMENT PROFORMA: Empirical 1 Bethany Jarvis Student name: Student ID: 20003502

Programme: SES

AN INVESTIGATION INTO THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN ANXIETY AND Dissertation title: PERFORMANCE AMONGST HORSE RIDERS DURING A DREESAGE COMPETITION

Supervisor: Dr. Richard Neil

Comments Section

Title and Abstract (5%) Title to include: A concise indication of the research question/problem. Abstract to include: A concise summary of the empirical study undertaken.

Introduction and literature review (25%) To include: outline of context (theoretical/conceptual/applied) for the question; analysis of findings of previous related research including gaps in the literature and relevant contributions; logical flow to, and clear presentation of the research problem/ question; an indication of any research expectations, (i.e., hypotheses if applicable).

Methods and Research Design (15%) To include: details of the research design and justification for the methods applied; participant details; comprehensive replicable protocol.

Results and Analysis (15%) 2

To include: description and justification of data treatment/ data analysis procedures; appropriate presentation of analysed data within text and in tables or figures; description of critical findings.

Discussion and Conclusions (30%) 2 To include: collation of information and ideas and evaluation of those ideas relative to the extant literature/concept/theory and research question/problem; adoption of a personal position on the study by linking and combining different elements of the data reported; discussion of the real-life impact of your research findings for coaches and/or practitioners (i.e. practical implications); discussion of the limitations and a critical reflection of the approach/process adopted; and indication of potential improvements and future developments building on the study; and a conclusion which summarises the relationship between the research question and the major findings.

Presentation (10%) To include: academic writing style; depth, scope and accuracy of referencing in the text and final reference list; clarity in organisation, formatting and visual presentation

1 This form should be used for both quantitative and qualitative dissertations. The descriptors associated with both quantitative and qualitative dissertations should be referred to by both students and markers. 2 There is scope within qualitative dissertations for the RESULTS and DISCUSSION sections to be presented as a combined section followed by an appropriate CONCLUSION. The mark distribution and criteria across these two sections should be aggregated in those circumstances.

CARDIFF METROPOLITAN UNIVERSITY Prifysgol Fetropolitan Caerdydd

CARDIFF SCHOOL OF SPORT

DEGREE OF BACHELOR OF SCIENCE (HONOURS)

SPORT AND EXERCISE SCIENCE

2013-14

AN INVESTIGATION INTO THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN ANXIETY AND PERFORMANCE AMONGST HORSE RIDERS DURING A DREESAGE COMPETITION

Psychology

Bethany Jarvis

St20003502

AN INVESTIGATION INTO THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN ANXIETY AND PERFORMANCE AMONGST HORSE RIDERS DURING A DREESAGE COMPETITION

Cardiff Metropolitan University Prifysgol Fetropolitan Caerdydd

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By submitting this document, I certify that the whole of this work is the result of my individual effort, that all quotations from books and journals have been acknowledged, and that the word count given below is a true and accurate record of the words contained (omitting contents pages, acknowledgements, indices, tables, figures, plates, reference list and appendices).

Word count: 11,992

Name: Bethany Sian Jarvis

Date: 20/03/14

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CONTENTS

Chapter Page

1 Introduction 1

2 Literature Review 4

3 Methodology 16

4 Results 21

5 Discussion 38

References 46

Appendix A Interview Guide

Appendix B Transcripts

Appendix C Example of Dressage Test Score Sheet

Appendix D Result Table

Appendix E Ethics Status

CONTENTS OF TABLES

Table Title Page

4.2.1 Anxiety and Performance Profile of Participant One 18

4.3.1 Anxiety and Performance Profile of Participant Two 21

4.4.1 Anxiety and Performance Profile of Participant Three 23

4.5.1 Anxiety and Performance Profile of Participant Four 26

4.6.1 Anxiety and Performance Profile of Participant Five 28

4.7.1 Anxiety and Performance Profile of Participant Six 31

CONTENTS OF FIGURES

Figure Title Page

2.2.1: Yerkes and Dodson’s (1908) Inverted U Theory 6

(McMorris, 2004)

2.2.2: Hull’s (1943) equation of Drive Theory. (Jarvis, 2006) 7

2.2.3: Fazey and Hardy’s (1988) Cusp Catastrophe Theory 9

(Kerr, 1997)

2.2.4: Hanin (1980) Individual Zone of Optimal Functioning 10

(Weinberg and Gould, 2011)

ACKNOWLEGMENTS

I’d like to thank and express my gratitude to my advisor, Dr. Richard Neil. Your cool, calm and collected manner towards tackling issues has kept me level headed throughout this process. I appreciate your efforts towards an unfamiliar sport for you and the patience to understand equestrianism. Not only have you advised me academically, you have displayed an interest of care beyond your advisory role, which I greatly appreciate.

I would also like to thank all the participants who were involved in the study. Without their involvement the study would not have been able to take place. I am truly grateful for the cooperation and willingness to participant in my study.

ABSTRACT

Objective: The purpose of the study was to investigate the relationship between anxiety and performance amongst horse riders during a dressage competition via a qualitative approach. Method: Six recreational horse riders were interviewed alongside a dressage test score sheet provided by the participants. Semi-structured interviews were carried out to gather information about participant’s anxiety and performance of both the horse and rider at different sections of a dressage competition. Results and Conclusions: The findings of the study highlighted that when anxiety was high, performance was negatively affected and when anxiety was low, performance was at its greatest. It was identified the importance of the influence both the horse and rider had on one another as each one’s anxiety was easily translated through to one another, causing a negative effect to performance as a whole. It was therefore taken into consideration the challenging role a rider has to be able to control the horse’s anxiety as well as their own.

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1 INTRODUCTION

In the review the relationship between anxiety and performance will be discussed. It will focus on defining anxiety as well as the various relationships anxiety and performance have. It will look into the different theories that have been developed over time that explore this relationship within sport. The theories and previous research will also be reviewed specific to equestrianism.

1.2 ANXIETY AND PERFORMANCE RELATIONSHIP IN SPORT

Within sport it is common knowledge that anxiety and performance have various relationships. There have been many theories and models developed over time to help gain knowledge and understanding about the function of this relationship. For example, a vast amount of research has considered how anxiety affects performance, either in a beneficial or debilitative way.

1.3 ANXIETY AND PERFORMANCE RELATIONSHIP IN EQUESTRIANISM

Within equestrianism anxiety is commonly experienced and can have both a positive and negative effect to performance. It is important to understand that each discipline within equestrianism encounters different demands and failure to cope with these can often result in anxiety and poor performance from both the horse and rider. To successfully ride and compete a horse, mental focus is required as well as skill and understanding of equine behaviour (Dosil, 2006). Dressage requires harmony between horse and rider to produce an aesthetically pleasing test. Calmness and relaxation are the requirements to create an effortless picture of the horse and rider working together. Having a negative mental state could inhibit focus of the rider, which could translate through to the horse. The disciplines which requires a jumping element whether it be show jumping, the cross country phase of eventing or team chasing, requires more energy. Show jumping still requires calmness between horse and rider but controlled energy needs to be established, meaning more arousal is required in comparison to dressage. In relation to anxiety it is important to acknowledge that any performance carried out is a combination of both horse and rider. Equines are very intelligent and sensitive animals. They are creatures of habit. This means that when they are out of their usual environment they can experience anxiety just like humans. Horses are extremely sensitive, meaning

1 they can be nervous and highly reactive paying great attention and alertness to their environment. (McBane, 2012). Therefore equine riders have the challenging task of managing the anxiety levels for both themselves and the horse.

CHAPTER TWO LITERATURE REVIEW

2.1 DEFINING ANXIETY

2.1.1 ANXIETY IN SPORT

Anxiety was defined as a negative emotional state with feelings of nervousness, worry, apprehension associated with activation or arousal of the body from a reaction to a stimulus perceived as dangerous. (Spielberger,1972; Weinberg and Gould, 2011). Anxiety can be divided into many sub headings focusing on the different conceptualisations. The following section will give insight into these.

2.1.2 STATE AND TRAIT ANXIETY

Early insights into anxiety divided the concept into state and trait components. State anxiety refers to an existing or immediate emotional state characterised by apprehension and tension which varies in intensity and fluctuates over time. Trait anxiety is a relatively stable behavioural disposition that responds to a wide range of situations which are perceived as threatening to the individual with increased activity to the autonomic nervous system. (Barnes et al., 2002; Spielberger et al., 1971; Spielberger, 1996). The State-Trait theory of anxiety was developed by Spielberger (1966) due to previous research only focusing on trait anxiety without consideration of situational specific anxiety (state). Previous researchers argued that anxiety responses were situation specific, meaning better predictions of performance would be obtained using situation specific measurement devices (Hardy et al., 1996, p. 142). From Spielberger’s (1966) theory, researchers developed the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (Spielberger et al., 1971). The STAI was proposed to provide a reliable measure of both state and trait anxiety intensity. Kendall (1978) stated that the central notion of the model was individuals with high levels of trait anxiety had a greater tendency to perceive situations as threatening (p. 280). A drawback of the STAI was that it was seen to be tedious and repetitive as the 40 question inventory was long and took time to complete (Marteau and Bekker, 1992).

Due to the issues with the STAI another inventory was developed focusing on trait anxiety in relation to sport. The Sport Competition Anxiety Test (SCAT) was a self-rating inventory developed by Martens (1977) to measure the effects of anxiety on performance. A main problem of the test was that it was intended to measure trait anxiety due to the questions referring to how the individual felt before

3 competing, but concerns grew that it was actually measuring state anxiety. (Brand et al., 1988; Jarvis, 2006).

Understanding whether a dressage rider shows state or trait anxiety is an important factor to know. To explain, it could be beneficial to know whether an individual experiences situational anxiety (i.e. showing signs of anxiety during a specific movement of a dressage test), or whether they possess a continual level of anxiety where they are experiencing trait anxiety at all times. This will allow fluctuation differences of anxiety amongst individual horse riders to be identified.

2.1.3 MULTIDIMENSIONAL ANXIETY

Cognitive anxiety was defined by Morris et al., (1981) as ‘negative expectations and cognitive concerns about one’s self, the situation at hand and the potential consequences’ (p. 541). Morris et al., (1981) defined somatic anxiety ‘as one’s perception of the physiological elements of the anxiety experience’ It includes unpleasant feelings of tension, nervousness, rapid heart rate, nausea and sweating (p. 541).The Multidimensional Anxiety Theory (MAT) considered both cognitive and somatic anxiety as well as self confidence. The MAT developed by Martens et al., (1990a) predicted that cognitive and somatic anxiety were triggered by different antecedents. Cognitive anxiety and performance displayed a negative linear relationship. Whereas, somatic anxiety affected performance in a curvilinear way. With regards to self confidence, it was seen as a separate cognitive component that had been found to have a positive linear relationship with performance. (Burton, 1988; Craft et al., 2003; Hardy et al., 1996). The Competitive State Anxiety Inventory-2 (CSAI-2) was developed (Martens et al., 1990b) in order to understand and assess the multidimensional aspects of anxiety. The CSAI-2 was a 27 item measure, split into three subsections: cognitive anxiety, somatic anxiety and self confidence. Questions focused on how athletes were feeling at a current time. A previous study (Burton, 1988) involved elite level swimmers required to complete the CSAI-2 prior to competition. The results showed that cognitive anxiety was more consistent and strongly related to performance rather than somatic anxiety. Another study involved pistol shooters to complete the CSAI-2 (Gould et al., 1987).The study found that no relationship was established between cognitive anxiety and performance. However the study found that there was a negative relationship

4 between self confidence and performance. Although the model incorporated many elements of anxiety, researchers highlighted that the theory treated them as separate entities (Craft et al., 2003; Humara, 1999). Many researchers continued to investigate the use of the theories related to multidimensional anxiety. Craft et al., (2003) stated that some researchers argued that cognitive and somatic anxiety were not independent of one another, and that cognitive anxiety could either facilitate or debilitate performance dependant on the physiological arousal levels of the individual. It was also stated that a limitation of the CSAI-2 was issues with operational definitions of performance. It was also suggested that athletic performance could be measured in many ways meaning that different categories could differentiate levels of anxiety.

With regards to equine riders, establishing whether they are experiencing somatic or cognitive anxiety needs to be carried out, in order to assess performance. Communication from rider is vital to help identify anxiety being experienced (i.e. either cognitive or somatic)

2.2 ANXIETY AND PERFORMANCE THEORIES

2.2.1 INVERTED U THEORY

As many previous studies have stated there is an important relationship between anxiety and performance. The inverted U theory (Oxendine, 1970; Yerkes and Dodson, 1908;) was used to discuss the curvilinear relationship between anxiety and performance. Hardy et al., (1996) stated that the theory advocated that anxiety affected performance as changes in anxiety were associated with changes in arousal. The theory highlights that performance was best at moderate levels of arousal. Having too low or too high an arousal level would debilitate performance. Understanding individual arousal levels would be vital to help maximise optimal performance. Being over aroused needs to be controlled through the individual’s anxiety levels in order to calm and relax the individual. However some individuals require more arousal to aid performance and ‘psych’ themselves up.

Figure 2.2.1: Yerkes and Dodson’s (1908) Inverted U Theory (McMorris, 2004)

The inverted U hypothesis considered skill level and sport experience. Hanin (2000) stated that a skilled athlete should be able to harness higher anxiety than a less skilled athlete (p. 96). It is therefore important to know the skill level and experience of a sporting individual to achieve optimal anxiety which would best facilitate performance. However, a drawback of this hypothesis was that it did not account for the difference in performance of athletes who are exposed to the same stressor. The hypothesis suggested that when performers went beyond optimal arousal, performance decreased dramatically rather than gradually,(see figure 2.2.1) meaning it was then difficult to achieve mediocre levels of performance. A suggested alteration of the shape was to be the ‘Inverted V’ shape as it showed clearly that when optimal arousal was reached performance dropped dramatically (Arent and Landers, 2003). It was important to understand that small reductions to anxiety did not make a significant difference to performance levels. It is important not to become over aroused as performance levels would not be benefited An important factor regarding the hypothesis was manipulating arousal levels was vital in understanding the anxiety-performance relationship. However the manipulated arousal levels needed to be relative to each individual and their arousal levels. It is therefore vital for athletes to have the ability to manage and control these levels to allow optimal performance. The hypothesis was a model of the anxiety-performance relationship and it provided a partial account of the distinction between cognitive and somatic state anxiety (Arent and Landers, 2003; Hardy and Parfitt, 1991;Humara, 1999).

Over arousal can be seen with many dressage riders and their horse, where performance is affected in a negative way. However, in some cases performance can be re-established through a variety of relaxation methods which involve calming the horse and the rider to help reduce arousal levels. Some cases do not re- establish performance as the Inverted U theory explains.

2.2.2 DRIVE THEORY

There have been many previous studies that have been developed over the years to explain the anxiety-performance relationship within sport. Another theory that was introduced in the early development of the anxiety-performance relationship was the Drive Theory (Spence and Spence, 1966). The theory proposed that an increase in ‘drive’ or arousal was associated with a linear relationship to performance. The theory was previously proposed by Hull (1943). The application to sporting performance was relatively simple. Jarvis (2006) highlighted that the theory consisted of three factors that influenced performance: complexity of the task, arousal and learned habits. Greater the arousal of an individual the more likely a dominant response to the situation would be adopted. The dominant response was also known as habit (p. 121). It was argued that performance was a multiplicative function of habit strength and drive. Habit was defined as the hierarchical ordering of correct or incorrect responses to a specific skill (Hackfort and Spielberger, 1989).

Performance = Arousal x Habit

Figure 2.2.2: Hull’s (1943) equation of Drive Theory. (Jarvis, 2006)

The higher the arousal, the higher the performance level. It is important to understand that if the task was too complex the dominant response would not be correct resulting in arousal inhibiting performance. Jarvis (2006) also stated that the theory was extremely useful in understanding why elite performers excelled in competitive situations compared to novice performers. As much of a benefit this theory had with the understanding of the anxiety-performance relationship, it did not explain how performance could be negatively affected due to over arousal. Another drawback was that it failed to consider the type of arousal experienced and the psychological factors accompanying arousal such as cognitive anxiety (Jarvis, 2006, p.121). It was also difficult specifying habit strength and habit hierarchies in applied sport settings. This resulted in the measurement of the dominant response being inconsistent (Hackfort and Spielberger, 1989)

2.2.3 CATASTROPHE THEORY

The Catastrophe Theory (Fazey and Hardy, 1988) was another model often used to understanding the anxiety-performance relationship. The purpose of the model investigated the interactive effects of physiological arousal and cognitive anxiety upon performance (Fazey and Hardy, 1988; Hardy and Parfitt, 1991). The model incorporated physiological arousal rather than somatic anxiety as predictor variable, as previous studies have investigated. Unlike the MAT, this model incorporates cognitive anxiety and physiological arousal on performance as an interactive effect rather than investigating the separate effects. (Hardy, 1996, p. 150)The use of physiological arousal rather than somatic anxiety was adopted as physiological arousal could direct performance as a result of individual interpretation of the physiological symptoms that were experienced (Humara, 1999, p. 3). The ‘cusp catastrophe’ generates a three dimensional non-linear behaviour surface with two predictor variables and one dependant variable. The model proposed that cognitive anxiety acted as a splitting factor which determined whether the effects of physiological were small, smooth, large or catastrophic. When cognitive anxiety was low, the relationship between physiological arousal and performance should be similar to the Inverted U shape (Oxedine, 1970). When physiological arousal was high there was a negative correlation between cognitive anxiety and performance. Low physiological arousal resulted in cognitive anxiety enhancing performance. However, when cognitive anxiety was high the physiological arousal could either

8 have a positive or negative effect to performance dependant on the levels of physiological arousal and the ability of the individual to cope with the levels of arousal.

Figure 2.2.3: Fazey and Hardy’s (1988) Cusp Catastrophe Theory (Kerr, 1997)

Increasing the physiological arousal and performance from high levels of cognitive anxiety to a certain point was beneficial. However, when a certain point was reached rapid deterioration in performance occurred or a catastrophe, (see figure 2.2.3). Previous research contended that physiological arousal and cognitive anxiety influenced performance. Other research suggested that the combination of cognitive anxiety and somatic anxiety influenced performance more effectively. Within the Hardy et al., (1996) study it was highlighted that the effects of self confidence influenced performance. The use of self confidence created variance in performance, meaning that cognitive anxiety and self confidence were two separate constructs (Gould and Udry, 1994; Hardy and Parfitt, 1991). Self confidence is an important aspect of an individual’s psychological make-up. High levels of self confidence are vital for elite athletes and often distinguish between successful and non successful athletes. Previous literature highlighted the gender difference of self confidence which needs to be taken into consideration regardless of the fact that men and women compete at an equal level in most equine disciples. It was suggested from previous studies women reported lower levels of self confidence across all sports (Clifton and Gill, 1994; Gould et al., 1981;).

2.2.4 INDIVIDUAL ZONES OF OPTIMAL FUNCTIONING

The individual zones of optimal functioning (IZOF) was another theory developed with the concern of the anxiety-performance relationship (Hanin, 1980; Spielberger and Diaz-Guerrero,1986). The theory differs from many other models and theories used to understand this relationship as it took into account individual differences in response to anxiety. Hanin’s (1980) approach was to understand that every sporting individual had their own optimal pre-performance anxiety zone, in which performance would be at its best. If the individual lies outside their optimal zone, performance would be impaired (Hardy et al., 1996). Referring to figure 2.2.4 it is able to understand that the zones consist of low, moderate and high levels of anxiety. Randle and Weinberg (1997) highlighted that within team sports, athletes who had higher IZOF compared to individual athletes who had a higher IZOF. It was important for athletes and coaches to know what zone would produce optimal performance as it can be determined whether an athlete needed to relax and ‘psych’ themselves up so that they were in the correct IZOF.

Figure 2.2.4: Hanin (1980) Individual Zone of Optimal Functioning (Weinberg and Gould, 2011)

Hardy et al., (1996) discussed the characteristic feature of the theory, as individual differences in optimal anxiety levels could not be predicted from tasks or performer’s level of experience. It could be determined from direct repeated measurement of anxiety, subsequent performance or retrospective recall of anxiety levels prior to peak performance (p.147). Pargman (2006) identified that athletes were able to employ the use of heart rate monitors in order to learn the heart’s

10 rhythm during performance to help provide an indication of overall psychological activation (p. 13) This would be useful in sports where accuracy is key, such as Archery and Shooting. Studies that have adopted this theory (Hagvet and Hanin, 2007; Inlay et al., 1995; Robazza et al., 2004) discovered that performance was more successful when athletes were in the correct IZOF compared to when they were working outside the individual zones. An implication found that the model was that emotion was restricted to one single construct. Allowing the measurement of a configuration of emotion constructs would help examine how optimal grouping of emotions would account for success or failure of performance. The five basic dimensions (form, content, intensity, time and context) were identified in Robazza et al., (2004) study to describe individually optimal and dysfunctional structure of the dynamics of performance related to emotional experiences. The use of retrospective recall by athletes could cause a problem as the athletes are required to recall previous experiences rather than measuring anxiety prior to competition. This could be difficult for athletes to recall the exact level of anxiety at a crucial time of competition. This also suggests that the use of self assessing one’s IZOF could cause problems (Shaw et al., 2005)

2.3 EQUINE SPECIFIC RESEARCH

Within many equine studies it has been commonly identified the main challenge for equine riders is that they do not merely depend on their performance ability, but the horse's ability too. This is therefore an important factor to consider with the developed partnership of the horse and rider to be able to produce a quality performance as a partnership. (Dosil, 2006; Wolframm and Micklewright, 2011). One main issue, is that human’s dominant way of communication is verbally, this therefore causes a problem as communication between horse and rider has to be established in a non verbal manner, this is achieved through body language and aids (leg, hand and body). Dierendonck and Goodwin 2005; Dosil, 2006). Horses have the ability, from their natural instinct to sense other’s feelings whether this is other equines or the rider. It is important to understand that human anxiety such as muscular tension can translate through to the horse and encourage the dominant natural response to occur, this being the flight response and the sense of danger (Wolframm and Micklewright, 2011).An equestrian rider needs to be able to relax and have a soft body that moves with the horse instead of against it. Having a stiff

11 body due to somatic symptoms of stressful situations can potentially injure the horse, and put strain on the horse’s back.(Trotter and Endler, 1999, p. 872)

Whitaker et al. (2012) investigated gender differences in elite show jumping. It compared the success of performance among both genders competing at international elite level. The sample group consisted of 810 competitors. It discovered that more males competed in all leagues. There were no significant differences between genders across populations. The overall understanding gained from the study was that differences in physiology, morphology and psychology between genders were unlikely to affect final performance among elite show jumpers. This study only focused of gender differences within show jumping, the following study took into account gender differences, but also examined state and trait anxiety within a competitive situation.

Wolframm and Micklewright’s (2011) study focused on riding individuals competing in dressage, show jumping and eventing. The aim of the study was to investigate the effect of trait anxiety components and pre-competitive arousal intensity and arousal in equestrian competitions. The data collection consisted of participants completing the Competitive Trait Anxiety Inventory and the Competitive State Anxiety Inventory one hour prior to competition. The study focused on gender discipline interactions for state and trait anxiety measures. It also investigated whether pre-competitive arousal was considered facilitative or debilitative. No significant gender discipline interaction was found. The dependant variables were analysed separately. The main finding was that there was a gender difference for loss of focus within the different disciplines. There was a weak relationship between trait cognitive anxiety and loss of focus. The study provided an additional support to the notion that psychological components play an important role in equestrian performance. The main point made for future research was to gain a better understanding of the different dynamics that underlies the horse–rider interaction and ultimately, performance. This study did not take into account the relationship between horse and rider. However Bridgeman (2009) did attempt to link the horse and rider relationship with regards to overall performance.

Bridgeman (2009) research study investigated the working relationship between horse and rider during training and competition for equestrian sports. This study consisted of five adult riders between the ages of 23-52. This study investigated the cross country phase of eventing and dressage. It took use of the Multidimensional Anxiety Theory (Martens et al.,1990a), a conceptual framework represented in anxiety measures used within the equestrian sport. The study hypothesised that riders experiencing cognitive and somatic anxiety may have influenced aspects of the working relationship with the horse that could have influenced the overall performance. It consisted of two phases in the methodology. One investigated horse-rider pairs during their usual training routine. The other investigated horse-rider pairs during the cross country phase of an eventing competition. Analysis of emotional experience of anxiety showed that a moderate sized effect was found between training environments to competitive environments. A limitation of this study was that inspection of the data patterns did not support speculation that higher levels of anxiety were associated with poorer working relationships or horse temperament.

CHAPTER THREE

METHODOLOGY

3.1 INTRODUCTION

In order to understand the relationship between anxiety and performance amongst sporting individuals a qualitative research design was implemented. This chapter describes the required criteria of the sample group, the instrumentation used and the procedure carried out in order the help the data analysis process

3.2 PATRICIPANTS

A purposeful sample group was used within this study in order to find information relevant to the purpose of the study. The criteria consisted of participants of both genders, as men and woman compete on an equally in dressage. Participants were to be experienced horse riders who compete regularly. Participants were to be within the ages of 18 and 40. The sample size was six participants. This was a suitable sample group size as it was not too large to allow good quality interviews to take place with possible issues with regards to time scale. Yet large enough sample size to produce valid results. As the study had a qualitative approach, participant’s were expected to provide extended answers and information, this therefore required a sample size much smaller than an quantitative study in order to extract this vital information (Weiss, 1994, p. 3)

3.3 INSTRUMENTATION

This section identifies the instrumentation includes in order to complete the data collection. The instrumentation consisted of dressage score sheets, interview guide and interview.

3.3.1 DRESSAGE SCORE SHEET

The dressage score sheet was of any level (i.e. Basic Levels: Introductory, Preliminary, Novice. Intermediate Levels: Elementary, Medium, Advanced Medium. FEI Levels: Pre-Saint Georges, Intermediate 1, Intermediate 2 and Grand-Prix). The dressage score sheets allowed judges to give marks out of 10 for each movement in the test with each test including on average between 15 to 25 movements. The score sheet also includes collective marks, which consist of the horse’s way of going such as paces (i.e. freedom and regularity), that is walk, trot and canter. Impulsion (i.e. the desire to move forward, elasticity of the back and engagement of the hindquarters).

Submission (i.e. confidence, harmony, acceptance of the bridle and lightness of the forehand). It also scores the rider for position and seat, correctness and effect of the aids. The use of the dressage score sheet was used to help highlight any signs of anxiety such as observational comments made by the judge such as ‘tension’ or ‘rushed’ and whether the marks of each movement was effected by different factors. The discussion of the test was also used to identify the different components of anxiety (somatic and cognitive) and whether they resulted in a positive or negative outcome towards performance.

3.3.2 INTERVIEW GUIDE

An interview guide was developed specific to anxiety and performance for competitive dressage riders. The purpose of the interview was to gain depth of understanding about individual riders and the anxiety they experienced during a dressage test in a competitive situation, and the effects anxiety has to the overall performance of both horse and rider. The guide was used alongside a dressage score sheet during the interview. This allowed structure to be maintained and ensured certain themes were covered. It keeps both the interviewer and participant focused on the particular subject, however it still allows the discovery of new themes to emerge (Andrews et al., 2005, p. 108). Keeping to the order of the dressage score sheet was important to maintain. This allowed easier analysis of how the performance developed as it progressed through each movement. Questions within the guide included how participants scored anxiety levels, causes of anxiety, the symptoms experienced, horse behaviour and how they coped and interpreted anxiety at different points of the test. The test was split into warm up, start, middle and end of the test. It was important to ensure interview questions allowed participants to respond without being influenced by the interviewer. It was also important to create a comfortable atmosphere between interviewer and participant by starting the interview asking participants questions about their horse riding experiences. Beginning the interview with a straight forward question allowed a rapport to be built (Andrews, 2005, p118).

3.3.3 INTERVIEW PROCEDURE

The interview was conducted around a dressage score sheet given to every competitor after they have been judged for each test in a competition alongside the interview guide. Before the interview began participants were able to look over the review sheet to understand the purpose. Participants were informed that the interview could be stopped at any point, or not have to answer questions they did not wish to answer. Participants were asked to provide a most recent test that they remember well in order to minimise recall problems. All interviews were conducted one to one, in a comfortable and quiet area to avoid distractions. The interviews were recorded so transcribing could take place to allow detailed analysis, Anonymity was assured, to ensure the participant felt comfortable taking part. It was important to establish rapport with participants. Qualitative studies mostly include open ended questions, with less structure compared to quantitative based studies (Thomas et al., 2011, p. 357).

3.4 RELIABILITY AND VALIDITY

Within a qualitative research design it is vital to achieve trustworthiness via validity and reliability. Validity can be viewed in two ways, internally and externally. Internal validity was explained as ‘internally coherent, openness and credibility’ External validity was therefore described in terms of appropriateness and completeness. (Lapan et al., 2012). It is important to develop a reliable and valid research design so that it can be used for future use with effectiveness and efficiency.

In order to achieve validity and reliability the following were considered:

- Standardized interview guide provided for all participants -All participants were interviewed by the same person - A pilot interview was carried out to ensure familiarisation of the interview process - The same questions were asked to all participants to ensure consistency -Transcripts were written up as soon as possible after concluding interview and doubled checked by both interviewer and participant to ensure consistency and correctness for data analysis.

3.5 DATA ANALYSIS

Data analysis within qualitative studies consists of sorting analysis, categorization, interpretation and theory construction (Thomas et al., 2011). This chapter involved transcriptions of each interview to be created. The author read transcripts several times to ensure correctness of write up process and to gain understanding of the findings and themes that emerged from each interview .An advantage of transcribing interviews oneself is that it increases the familiarity and aids interpretation of the data (Andrews et al., 2005, p. 125). Once transcriptions had been completed a coding system was implemented. The purpose of coding and analysis was to make sense of the mass of data that rapidly accumulated. A coding system creates structure throughout the analysis of all interview transcripts (Patton, 1990; Andrews, 2005). The coding system was used to identify the various anxiety levels, the symptoms of anxiety, behaviour of both horse and rider, coping and provided quotes extracted from the transcripts at different points of the test. Overall percentage scores were also noted, from the dressage score sheets. This was to help understand the purpose of the study as it showed whether the anxiety levels of each participant resulted in a good or poor score in relation to participant’s average percentage.

CHAPTER FOUR RESULTS

4.1 INTRODUCTION

Within this chapter each participant was assessed individually. Given the purpose of the study and the approach adopted each participant’s findings will be presented separately. The results are presented in a table with a body of text included to expand on the illustrated findings. Quotes extracted from the interview transcripts will be used to illuminate experiences provided in each table. Each table consists of the warm up, start, middle and end of the test. It identifies the title of the dressage test and the final score (%) for the dressage test. The table shows participant’s anxiety scores and symptoms, the causes and interpretation of anxiety, the horse’s behaviour, coping and performance scores.

4.2 PARTICIPANT ONE

Table 4.2.1 Anxiety and Performance Profile of Participant One

Stage Anxiety Anxiety Causes Interpretation Horse Coping Judge’s Performance of Score Symptoms of Anxiety of Anxiety Behaviour Comment Scores Competition Warm Up 6 Tense Donkeys in Good Lacking Good n/a n/a field Concentration upsetting horse Start 3 Calm Perform- Good Calm Good Trot was hurried 6.5 ance and became flat

Middle 5 Panic Horse Bad Tense Good Some difference 5.8 Disliking in medium trot but Judge rushed End 6 Tense Not able to Good Tense Good Rhythm and 5.7 relax from paces became a horse little quick and disliking hurried judge

4.2.2 WARM UP

Participant one had an anxiety score of six during the warm up for the Novice 22 test. It was identified the participant was experiencing tension, caused by donkeys upsetting the horse. ‘I was a little tense. The warm up ring was next to a field of donkeys, my horse doesn’t like donkeys so he was very tense and could only use half the school to keep him away from them.’ The participant interpreted the anxiety as a facilitative factor to performance, as experiencing butterflies was normal for the participant and used it to focus on the warm up ‘I was okay, I could feel

18 butterflies in my stomach, but that is normal for me.' During the warm up, the horse was lacking concentration due to the donkeys. ‘He would go nicely for a bit, he was getting distracted so he wasn’t concentrating.’ Participant one coped well with the anxiety experienced during the warm up as there were relaxation techniques used, ‘I find I have to have a couple of deep breaths which makes it go away.’

4.2.3 START OF TEST

The participant scored a three for the anxiety levels. The participant was feeling calm due to the performance going well. ‘I’d say the anxiety levels were low because nothing had gone wrong at this point.’ The interpretation of anxiety was positive towards performance as the participant focused towards concentrating on the test. ‘The butterflies had gone, but it’s sometimes hard to think about how I’m feeling because I’m concentrating on how he is going.’ The horse was calm at this point during the test. ‘I was happy with how he was going so I was feeling good.’ The judge’s comment made was the ‘trot became flat’ meaning not there was enough energy. Participant one coped well with the anxiety through a relaxation technique ‘I try to take a deep breath, because he’s so sensitive, he can feel if I’m tense.’ The average performance score for the beginning movements was 6.5.

4.2.4 MIDDLE OF TEST

The participant scored a five for anxiety levels. The symptom experienced by participant was panic. This was caused by the horse disliking the judge as the judge was sat by a table at the end of the arena. The judge is normally sat in a car, away from the edge. ‘Alf wasn’t used to it so he got scared about that.' The participant’s feeling towards the performance and how the horse reacted to the judge was 'oh god this is awful!’ The interpretation of anxiety during this stage of the test was negative. The anxiety from the horse did not benefit performance. ‘I tried my best to calm him down but you’re not allowed to talk to your horse during a test.’ Talking to the horse is a relaxation technique for both horse and rider. The judge observed that the medium work was poor. ‘Some difference shown but rushed.’ The participant identified that the horse was showing signs of tension, ‘He had his quarters in the on the circle. He was very tense.’ However, the participant coped well with the situation, by another relaxation technique. ‘I had to pat him, which I guess helped me calm

19 down as well as I was feeling less anxious as he settled down.’ The average score for performance during the middle of the test was 5.8.

4.2.5 END OF TEST

The participant scored a six for the anxiety levels. The symptom that was experienced by the participant was tension. This was caused by not being able to relax from the middle section of the test, where the horse disliked the judge. ‘I guess the moment with him not liking the judge and me getting tense about it affected the rest of the test as we weren’t able to relax as a partnership.’ The participant interpreted the anxiety negatively. ‘I wasn’t able to get back to a nice chilled way of going, but it happens and that’s my horse so I’ve got to learn how to deal with it.’ During the end section, the horse was showing signs of tension. ‘He can be quite a hot horse, so returning back to chilled mode was difficult, it takes time to develop this as a partnership.’ The participant coped well with the anxiety levels at this point mentally, ‘I felt that I was fairly calm in my head but tense through my body.’ The overall comment made by judge was the rhythm and paces were rushed due to the horse being tense. The average mark for the end movements was 5.7. The overall score as a percentage for the Novice 22 test was 60.7%.

4.3 PARTICIPANT TWO

Table 4.3.1 Anxiety and Performance Profile of Participant Two

Stage Anxiety Anxiety Causes Interpretation Horse Coping Judge’s Performance of Scores Symptoms of Anxiety of Anxiety Behaviour Comment Scores Competition Warm Up 7 Anxious Canter Bad Forward Bad n/a n/a too onward in Canter bound Start 6 Nausea/ Pressure Bad Calm Good Very 7.8 Awkward of others accurate watching and rhythm maintained

Middle 2 Disappointed Performan Bad Forward to Good a little 6.5 ce going avoid work onward downhill bound lost and balance through turn

End 9 Relieved/ Returning Bad Excited Good canter 5.2 Tension to Trot became a little onward bound and pony lost balance

4.3.2 WARM UP

Participant two scored a seven for the anxiety levels during the warm up for the Preliminary 10 test. The participant was experiencing anxiety, caused by the canter work being onward bound. ‘I wasn’t nervous but I could feel the canter wasn’t great, so I was anxious about that.’ The participant interpreted the anxiety in a negative way. ‘If I don’t know the test, I’m worse with people watching me'. During the warm up, the horse was too forward in the canter, ‘The canter was quite onward bound’. The participant was not coping well during the warm up, due to the horse struggling with the canter work ‘There was a lot of canter to the left and right, the right was a lot worse.’

4.3.3 START OF TEST

The participant’s anxiety score was a six. The participant identified that the symptoms experienced were nausea and awkwardness, caused by the pressure of others watching. ‘I felt sick because everyone was looking at me, it’s an awkward feeling.’ The interpretation of anxiety was negative towards the overall performance as there were too many aspects to consider. ‘I’ve got to do this, but there were too many things to think about.’ At this point the horse was calm. ‘It was all going quite nicely because that rein was a lot easier.’ The participant here is referring to the direction in which they are travelling around the arena (i.e. clockwise or anticlockwise). The judge observed that the test was being accurately ridden and rhythm was maintained. The participant was able to cope well with the anxiety due to an increase in concentration. ‘I was mainly focused on where I was going rather than what she was doing.’ The average performance score for the start of the test was 7.8.

4.3.4 MIDDLE OF TEST

The participant’s anxiety levels were a two. The participant was feeling disappointed as the performance was going downhill. ‘I came out of the movement it started to go downhill, I was anxious and disappointed.’ The participant interpreted the anxiety as debilitative towards performance. ‘I tried to calm down for the next movement and get her back to me, but it went downhill after that.’ The horse was forward due to avoiding working correctly. ‘The canter wasn’t very strong, so she’s on her forehand a lot.’ The judge picked up on the horse’s behaviour and noted that balance was lost due to the canter. Participant two was able to cope with the anxiety experienced, the use of self talk was used at this point. ‘Just take a deep breath and think about her not the test, just to have five seconds to clear my head.’ The average performance mark for this point of the test was 6.5.

4.3.5 END OF TEST

The participant’s anxiety levels increased to a nine. The symptoms present at this point were tension and relief. The tension was caused by the canter work and the relief was when the participant retuned to trot. ‘I was just glad it was over.’ This meaning the canter work, ‘and carried on doing the test, so I can relax again.’ The participant interpreted the anxiety negatively towards performance. ‘I had more anxiety over the canter work.’ The horse was displaying signs of excitement. ‘She was quite hairy after the canter and she was excited.’ The participant coped well with the anxiety ‘None of the transitions to canter were good but the second one was a lot more difficult, we both just lost concentration. She had the wrong strike off which stressed me and then stressed her out.’ The average performance score at this point was 5.2. The overall comment made but the judge was the canter work made the horse lose balance The overall score given for this test (Preliminary 10) was 64.5%.

4.4 PARTICIPANT THREE

Table 4.4.1: Anxiety and Performance Profile of Participant Three

Stage of Anxiety Anxiety Causes of Interpretations Horse Coping Judge’s Performance Competition Scores Symptoms Anxiety of Anxiety Behaviour Comment Scores Warm Up 8 Sweaty Difficult Bad Tense Good n/a n/a Palms/ Horse Butterflies/ Nausea/ Over Thinking Start 8 Anxious to Difficult Good Tense Bad Nodding head 4.8 start Horse and unsteady contact

Middle 6 Scared Difficult Bad Misbehaving Good snatching at 4.6 Horse rein, not on bit but began to submit in trot

End 8 Anticipation Canter Good Misbehaving Good she wasn’t 4.5 transition being helpful coming up today and patient rider

4.4.2 WARM UP

Participant three had an anxiety score of eight during the warm up for the Novice Eventing 2006 test. The anxiety symptoms present at this point were butterflies in the stomach, nausea, and over thinking. This was caused by a difficult horse. ‘All of those symptoms, I go very quiet, I don’t want to talk to anyone, I’m just going through in my head the test, just really nervous and anxious.’ The participant interpreted the anxiety symptoms negatively. ‘I’m frustrated of the realization that it’s not a going to be a good day.’ The horse’s behaviour during the warm up was tense. ‘I was trying to work in Topaz (the horse), calm her, and settle her in new surroundings.’ Participant three coped well with the anxiety during the warm up. ‘I know that the horse’s symptoms are through my anxiety so trying to calm myself down would help settle the horse.’

4.4.3 START OF THE TEST

The participant scored an eight for anxiety. The participant was anxious to start; this was caused by a difficult horse. ‘The sick feeling had gone, but more anxious waiting to start.’ The participant interpreted the anxiety as a facilitative factor towards performance. ‘A good eight but I’m happy at being at that level if I wasn’t anxious I’d be in trouble.’ At the beginning of the test the horse was showing signs of tension, the participant is using a relaxation technique to alleviate this. ‘I’m trying to sing to Topaz or talk to her, just trying to keep her calm.’ The judge picked up on the unsteady contact between horse and rider. The participant didn’t cope well with the anxiety during the beginning movements of the test. ‘The nerves got the better of me and that’s coming out through Topaz by her head throwing.’ The average mark achieved at the beginning of the test was 4.8

4.4.4 MIDDLE OF TEST

The participant had an anxiety level score of six. The symptom of anxiety present at this point was scared. This was caused by a difficult horse. ‘I’m petrified that she’s going to do something stupid.’ The participant interpreted this anxiety as a negative aspect towards performance at this point. ‘The transition into it we always struggle with there’s not a lot I can do, just frustrated.’ At this point it was emerged that the horse was misbehaving. ‘There’s no control over her head, it’s her time to do what she wants.’ The judge comment was the ‘horse snatching rein but beginning to submit; However, the participant coped well with the situation during the middle section. ‘Frustration, in the warm up ring the canter was going really well and now it’s not, but that’s not unusual.’ Meaning this reaction from the horse is normal. The average mark of performance scores at this stage was 4.6.

4.4.5 END OF TEST

The participant had an anxiety score of eight during the end section. The anxiety symptom present was anticipation. This was caused by a canter transition coming up. ‘I’m more positive in the trot but coming up to the next movement the anxiety is building up again because we’re going back into canter.’ The interpretations of the anxiety present at this point was good. ‘I’ve already built up with the previous canter with the anxiety, so frustration rather than actual nerves.’ The horse at this point was misbehaving. ‘Topaz flung her head up in the air and isn’t in a correct canter rhythm.’ The participant was able to cope well with the anxiety at this stage. ‘I’m used to this reaction. I’d began to take more control with Topaz submitting and working together then to have a nice rhythm.’ The average mark for performance score at this stage was 4.8. The overall comment made but the judge took credit for the rider’s patience due to the horse not submitting. The overall mark given for the participant in the Novice Eventing 2006 test was 46.07%.

4.5 PARTICIPANT FOUR

Table 4.5.1: Anxiety and Performance Profile of Participant Four

Stage Anxiety Anxiety Causes of Interpretations Horse Coping Judge’s Performance of Scores Symptoms Anxiety of Anxiety Behaviour Comment Scores Competition Warm Up 7 Upset/ Two Bad Unsettled Bad n/a n/a Nervous companions being separated Start 2 Confident Horse Good Unsettled Good distracted but 5.8 Performing very straight Good

Middle 3 Anxious Canter Work Good Strong Bad running on and 4.3 poking nose

End 2 Chilled Walk Good Well Behaved Good pity because I’m 5 Movement sure he could do a really nice test, good on you for sticking with it

4.5.2 WARM UP

During the warm up for the Preliminary four test, the participant anxiety score was seven. The anxiety symptoms present at this point were upset and nervousness. This was caused by the two horses that are companions being separated. ‘I was very nervous. He was neighing to the other horse all the time. He was getting a little bit flustered, which then makes me flustered.’ The participant interpreted the anxiety symptoms present at this point negatively. ‘I don’t like being nervous, I get quite stressed then I don’t feel right.’ The horse at this point was unsettled. ‘I was trying to work him in as best I could but he was getting flustered.’ The participant wasn’t coping well during the warm up. ‘I was getting a little bit upset because I felt he wasn’t going well.’

4.5.3 START OF TEST

The participant had a two for anxiety. The participant was feeling confident due to the horse performing well. ‘I was feeling confident at that point, you know you’ve done a lovely straight line because the horse is straight in front of the judge.’ The participant interpreted the low levels of anxiety positively towards performance. ‘I tend not to get nervous when I’m competing unless I’m really stressed about something.’ The horse was unsettled during the start of the test. ‘As soon as he turned and we started to do movements it was like everything went out the window with him, and the anxiety levels went.’ The judge picked up on the horse being unsettled. The participant coped well with the anxiety during this stage. ‘I was feeling better, a bit more relaxed from the lovely straight line.’ The average performance score for the beginning movements of the test was 5.8.

4.5.4 MIDDLE OF TEST

The participant’s anxiety score was a three in general. The participant however was feeling anxious about the canter work. ‘I was very anxious to get the canter over with.’ The participant interpreted the anxiety positively; as the canter work was weak the participant felt determined to attempt it and not let the horse break out of the canter early. ‘The canter was a bit hair-raising but I was trying to keep it. The judge’s comments were running on and motoring on but I didn’t want him to fall back into trot.’ The horse’s behaviour during the middle section of the test was showing signs of becoming strong. ‘The canter was a bit hairy, and he wasn’t focused at all.’ The participant didn’t cope well with the anxiety. ‘The concentration wasn’t there his mind wasn’t in the arena, he was outside with Bronnie in the lorry because she was neighing to him, that was stressing me a little bit’. The average performance score for the middle section of the test was 4.3.

4.5.5 END OF TEST

The participant’s anxiety levels remained a low two. The participant was feeling chilled, due to the walk movements. ‘The anxiety had come down again when I was walking, around a three.’ The participant interpreted the anxiety levels as a positive, as they were prepared for the second canter. ‘The stress levels weren’t so high in this canter as the other one because I knew the other one was unbalanced.’ The horse was well behaved during this part of the test. ‘I was happy he hadn’t bucked, or reared.’ The participant was able to cope well with the anxiety present at this stage. ‘I knew it was coming to the end of the test and a bit more relieved then.’ The overall comment from the judge complimented the rider’s effort to stick with the canter work. The average performance mark for the end movements was a five. The overall score as a percentage for the Preliminary four test was 52.72.

4.6 PARTICIPANT FIVE

Table 4.6.1: Anxiety and Performance Profile for Participant Five

Stage Anxiety Anxiety Causes of Interpretation Horse Coping Judge’s Performance of Level Symptoms Anxiety of Anxiety Behaviour Comment Scores Competition

Warm Up 8 Tension Warm up Bad Unpredict- Bad n/a n/a Arena too able Small Start 3 Anticipation/ Sound of the Good Calm Good Losing quarters 6.8 Pit in bell going off on turn but Stomach generally soft

Middle 4 Disappoint- Walk Good Tense Good A little resistant 6.4 ment movement and hollowed to wasn’t great trot

End 9 Anxious Canter Work/ Bad Bucked Bad Disobedience 6.6 Disobedience and tense from horse

4.6.2 WARM UP

For the warm up to Preliminary 12, participant five scored a eight for the anxiety levels. The symptom present at this point was tension, caused by the warm up arena being too small for the participant to concentrate. ‘It was in an outdoor school which was quite small, I like to zone off into our own world but I had to deal with not crashing into other competitors.’ The participant interpreted the anxiety negatively towards performance due to an inability to relax. ‘I just couldn’t relax fully in the warm up ring.’ The horse’s behaviour was identified as unpredictable during the warm up. ‘I went up the long side he threw a buck and chucked me off.’ The participant coped well during this section of the competition as they gave themselves time to calm down by keeping focused on working the horse quietly.

‘I had to keep him moving so he had something to think about but nothing too complicated that would upset him. This helped me cool down too as I was focusing on him constantly moving, so with a bit of time we’d returned to normal.’

4.6.3 START OF TEST

The participant scored a three for the anxiety levels. The participant was experiencing anticipation and a horrible feeling in the stomach caused by the sound of the bell, signifying the test can begin. ‘It’s the anticipation of waiting for the bell to ring, when I hear the bell my stomach drops, it’s horrible.’ The participant interpreted the anxiety as a positive towards performance, as once the test had began the rider was able to calm down. ‘I’ve got to tell myself, right get on with it and stop worrying and, start focusing on the test.’ The participant identified that the horse was calm. ‘He was nice and chilled, which allowed me to relax.’ The comments from judge identified that the horse was calm and soft in the contact. The participant coped well with the anxiety during the beginning movements, as the performance from the horse was good it allowed the participant to focus on solely their anxiety levels at this point. ‘I’d say I was coping well and was confident with how he was performing.’ The performance score for the beginning of the test was 6.8.

4.6.4 MIDDLE OF TEST

The participant’s anxiety score was a four. The participant was experiencing disappointment, this was caused by the performance of the walk movement being poor. ‘It hadn’t gone as well as I would have liked but just disappointed rather than my anxiety levels increasing.’ The participant interpreted the anxiety as good. ‘There was no point getting stressed about it, this is where I thought about riding each movement separately.’ It was identified that the horse was tense. ‘I guess he wasn’t relaxed during the test.’ The judge picked up on this resistance and that the horse hollowed to trot. The participant coped well during the middle section of the test, as they didn’t dwell on the previous movement and moved on to focusing on the next movement. ‘It’s done now, I can’t do it again, I just focused on my next movement by trying to get him to move forward and moving nicely.’ The performance score during this point of the test as an average was 6.4.

4.6.5 END OF TEST

As the test progressed to the end movements, the participant’s anxiety levels increased to a nine. The anxiety symptoms present at this point were anticipation and panic. This was caused by the canter work and the horse being disobedient. ‘I’m usually a bit apprehensive coming up to the transition and then become tense myself, this builds up as the canter continues regardless of whether the transition was nice or not.’ The rider interpreted the anxiety at this point as a negative factor towards performance as the participant was not in a comfortable situation from the horse bucking, resulting in the participant being thrown up the horse’s neck. ‘I was thinking, don’t fall off! You automatically get eliminated if you fall off during a test, so I was panicking a bit.’ It was emerged from the interview that at this point of the test the horse was misbehaving and bucked during the test.

‘Without thinking I gave him a good prod with my spurs which made him throw his toys out of the pram and bucked, again. I wasn’t expecting this and he threw me forward onto his neck with no stirrups or reins, I was just clinging on.’

The participant did not cope well at this point of the test because it could not be predicted what the horse would do next. Relaxation techniques were attempted but not successful.

‘Because he had already chucked me off in the warm up ring with a random buck it was a little moment of déjà vu but it was just running through my head don’t fall off! I just had to have a few seconds to get my reins and stirrups sorted then took a deep breath.’

The overall comment form judge was, ‘some pleasing moments, well sat from the buck.’ The average performance score at this point of the test was 7.8. The overall mark given for the Preliminary 12 test was 66%.

4.7 PARTICIPANT SIX

Table 4.7.1 Anxiety and Performance Profile of Participant Six

Stage of Anxiety Anxiety Causes of Interpretation Horse Coping Judge’s Performance Competition Levels Symptoms Anxiety of Anxiety Behaviour Comment Scores Warm Up 8 Worry Young Good Typical Good n/a n/a Horse Youngster, unsettled, lacking concentration

Start 7 Comfortable Accepts that Good Typical Good Unsteady in 6.8 horse will Youngster, head and struggle unsettled, lacking hesitant concentration before E

Middle 6 Concen- Canter Work Good Typical Bad unsteady in 6.4 trating/ Youngster, head Tension unsettled, lacking concentration

End 7 Anxious Canter Work Bad Typical Bad little 6.6 Youngster, unsettled unsettled, lacking some concentration unsteadines s in head, very attractive mare

4.7.2 WARM UP

During the warm up for the Preliminary 13 test, the participant had an anxiety score of eight. The participant was experiencing worry due to riding a young horse. ‘I’m thinking have I entered this a bit too soon. I’m very much aware that she’s not established enough.’ The participant interpreted the anxiety in a good way. ‘I’m trying to focus on if she’s not forward enough in the warm up then she’s going to be less forward in the ring, I’m really trying to get it good in the practise ring.’ The horse was young and was displaying typical youngster ways such as being unsettled and unable to concentrate fully. ‘I feel she’s not concentrating, she’s distracted by something in the gallery and not willing to go in an outline and relax.’ The participant was able to cope well during the warm up, as the participant is focusing the anxiety towards the horse moving well. ‘I’m trying to get it good in the practise ring before I go in.’

4.7.3 START OF TEST

The participant scored a seven for the anxiety levels. The participant was feeling comfortable with the performance as the rider accepted that the horse will struggle due to it being a youngster.

‘She’s a young horse and doesn’t like to take the contact at all; she’s quite short in the neck as well, so her conformation is a challenge. She will draw back and not take the contact forward, and as you try to take the contact she will then just shake her head in resistance.’

The participant interpreted the anxiety in a positive way. ‘I’m confident especially in the trot .She is much more established in the trot like you would expect for a young horse.’ The horse’s behaviour at this point was typical of a youngster. ‘There was a slight bit of panic coming if I feel she’s not concentrating.’ The participant was able to cope well during the first few movements of the test. ‘I tend to think you want to get the canter over and done with and hope they’re not asking for too much canter work.’ The average mark achieve for the start section of the test was 6.8.

4.7.4 MIDDLE OF TEST

The participant scored a six for the anxiety levels. The rider had high concentration and was experiencing tension. This was caused by the canter work within the test. ‘I think my attention is concentrating more on her at this point, I find my thighs clamp and my pelvis can’t move with the rhythm of the horse in the canter.’ The participant interpreted the anxiety well, as they were aware that the performance wasn’t going to be at its best due to the young horse. ‘This is what we were expecting so not too bad. You want to get the canter over and done with.’ The rider highlighted that the horse was showing signs of being a young horse during this point.

‘She has a good walk when she relaxes but I do feel the walk can be quite difficult, you want them to march forward but you’re afraid to put your leg on because they’ll break into trot. Particularly the transition she struggles to balance herself form the trot to the canter transition and tends to run through the bridle and not sit and push from behind.’

The rider did not cope well during the middle section of the test, due to a specific movement that created pressure from the judge watching. ‘I don’t like the walk I think it’s because everything slows down and there’s more time for the judge to study you.’ The average mark for performance at this point of the test was 6.4.

4.7.5 END OF TEST

As the test progressed into the final movements, the rider’s anxiety score was a seven. The participant was feeling anxious about the canter transition on a 20m circle.

‘You have to pick up the canter in the middle of the school and its one of the less likely places you would naturally pick up canter, you always tend to go in the corner especially with a young horse. I’m quite anxious that she’s not drifting and she’s going to respond to the aids which she didn’t.’

The rider did not interpret the anxiety well during the canter work. ‘Oh god no you’ve got to canter again now.’ The horse’s behaviour was again a typical youngster but improving the way of going from the beginning of the test. ‘I think she’s riding much more strongly forward and making a better trot down the centre line than to begin with.’ The rider was not able to cope well during the end section of the test, due to the horse leaving the arena affecting the rider’s concentration. ‘It’s still in my mind we left the arena, that carried on for a little while.’ The average mark scored for performance during the last section of the test was 6.6. Overall the judge commented that the horse was unsteady in head and unsettled through. The overall mark achieved for this horse and rider combination for Preliminary 13 was 65%.

CHAPTER FIVE DISCUSSION

5.1 INTRODUCTION

This chapter will begin with insight into key findings of the study, discussed in relation to previous research and theory. This chapter will then focus on the practical implications born from the finding, the strengths and limitations of the study with recommendations provided for future research. The final section of this chapter will conclude the major findings emerged from the study.

5.2 KEY FINDINGS

The purpose of the study was to gain understanding about the relationship between anxiety and performance amongst horse riders during a dressage competition. The study identified levels of anxiety intensity and associated symptoms during different sections of the dressage test. The participant’s interpretation of the reported anxiety and how they coped with the symptoms was also demonstrated. The horse’s behaviour was recorded as the study took into account the influence the horse and rider had on each other during the dressage test. It was emerged that various factors influenced participants’ anxiety levels and whether it had a facilitative or debilitative effect on overall performance.

From analysing the data it emerged that there were some common findings amongst the participants. For example the majority of participants interpreted the anxiety through all stages of the test as a positive towards performance. The findings highlighted that the ability to cope differed amongst the participants throughout the stages of the competition. The data showed that performance was best when anxiety was at its lowest and performance was poor where anxiety was high. The most common behaviour from the horse was tension and misbehaviour caused by both the participant’s anxiety and the competition situation. The main cause of the anxiety was the canter work which was a movement that caused anxiety to increase with participants experiencing anticipation for when the canter work was coming up in the test. However all participants were most comfortable in the trot, and used the free walk movement as a time to reduce the anxiety levels. This was because the free walk was a time for the horse to rest. As it is a slow paced movement the participants had time to reduce the anxiety levels. Benson’s (1975) proposal on relaxation method identified elements underlying the elicitation of a relaxation responses. A quiet environment, which allows the reduction of external distractions.

A dressage test has a quiet surrounding which helps relaxation of both horse and rider, the free walk can provide time to eliminate the external factors causing distraction. A comfortable position, to reduce undue muscular tension. This can be seen within the free walk as the horse stretches down and increases the stride length of the walk it allows the rider to flow more easily with the rhythm of the horse.

The participants experienced state anxiety during the competition, state anxiety refers to apprehension and tension which varies in intensity and fluctuates over time as a result of uncertain threat (Barnes et al., 2002; Spielberger et al., 1971; Spielberger, 1996). As the behaviour of the horses throughout the test was unpredictable, this caused fluctuations in anxiety as the horse’s behaviour affected the participant’s anxiety levels due to the inability to predict what the horse will do.

All participants displayed a large range of symptoms, both cognitive and somatic. These symptoms ranged from muscular tension through the body (somatic) to over thinking (cognitive). A constant theme emerged was that participant’s symptoms of anxiety was easily translated through to the horse, causing a negative effect to the horse’s behaviour (i.e. tension or misbehaviour). It is therefore important to take into account the horse-rider relationship as both easily influence one another’s behaviour and anxiety, which previous studies have attempted to include (Bridgeman 2009). Riders, therefore, have the challenging ability of understanding and controlling the horse’s anxiety as well as their own.

Participants who predicted the response of the horse to a particular movement caused tension between horse and rider. This resulted in a continual cycle of influencing one another’s feelings negatively. This is due to either the rider or the horse picking up on the other’s anxiety creating anxiety for themselves. This relates to Morris et al., (1981) study, specifically cognitive anxiety. As the participants were predicting a negative response about the horse’s behaviour to a particular movement the potential consequences of predicting the behaviour of the horse has a negative effect to the overall performance.

Martens et al., (1990a) Multidimensional Anxiety Theory prediction that cognitive and somatic anxiety were triggered by different antecedents has been demonstrated within this study. Cognitive anxiety was a common finding caused by anticipation. Whereas participants experienced more somatic anxiety caused mainly by the behaviour of the horse.

The dressage test was split into sections; warm up, start, middle and end. This allowed easier understanding of anxiety fluctuations at different sections of the test. During the warm up participants experienced high anxiety levels. Cognitive anxiety was a common finding during the warm up as the anticipation of waiting for the bell increased anxiety levels. The participants experienced worry from the horse’s behaviour.

The start of the test illustrated relatively low levels of anxiety. Many of the cognitive anxiety symptoms had disappeared from the warm up. The main symptom of anxiety identified from the transcripts was butterflies in the stomach. The somatic anxiety symptoms correspond with Morris et al., (1981) study of somatic anxiety. Performance scores were highest during the start section. The majority of the horses during the start of the test were fairly calm, with participants coping very well at this stage.

As the test progressed to the middle section, the anxiety levels were again relatively low in general. However, the anxiety symptoms consisted of panic, fear, tension and disappointment. The factors that caused the symptoms during the middle movements of the test were misbehaviour from the horse and canter work. The horse’s behaviour at this point had altered from calm to strong and forward going with signs of tension. Many of the participants were coping well with the present anxiety at this stage of the competition.

As the test continued to the end movements of the test, the anxiety levels were varied amongst the participants. Most had very high levels of anxiety, with symptoms of panic and tension caused by misbehaviour from horse, such as bucking the rider out of the saddle and the second canter. All participants coped well will the anxiety levels being experienced during the end sections of the test. All participants were relieved to have finished the test.

5.3 PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS

From the findings collected, it is clear that the study contributes to the existing research of the anxiety-performance relationship. The study has shown that when anxiety was too high during the dressage test, the performance levels of the participants and the horse was negatively affected.

An effective method for applied sports psychologists would be to provide methods in which to reduce the anxiety levels experienced during the dressage test and therefore, facilitate performance. Maynard et al., (1995a; 1995b) studies focused on cognitive and somatic intervention strategies on competition state anxiety and performance in semi- professional soccer players. The findings showed that performers who reported a greater usage of relaxation strategies experienced lower levels of anxiety and interpreted symptoms as more beneficial to performance.

The study has identified the differentiation of somatic and cognitive anxiety symptoms and intensity experienced during different sections of the dressage test and how each performer interpreted it differently. It is therefore important for sports psychologists to determine how to control the anxiety in order to benefit each rider’s performance. Another study focusing on anxiety and relaxation is Fletcher and Hanton (2001) study, which investigated the relationship between competitive anxiety responses and psychological skills. The findings of the study identified overall significant differences in competitive anxiety response between relaxation, self-talk and imagery groups. The study highlighted that swimmers demonstrating high usage of relaxation strategies during competition had lower levels of intensity and had more facilitative interpretations of cognitive and somatic anxiety. The use of such strategies amongst horse riders during a dressage competition would benefit performance, as emerged from the data analysis some participants have identified ways in which to reduce their anxiety levels during a certain situation in a dressage test.

Thus the use of relaxation techniques amongst horse riders will reduce the anxiety levels, allowing performance to be improved as the findings suggested that high anxiety levels debilitated overall performance.

5.4 STRENGTHS AND LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY

Many previous equine studies focused on more than one discipline within equestrianism (Bridgeman, 2009; Wolframm and Micklewright, 2011), whereas this study purely focused on dressage, allowing a more detailed analysis of the discipline to take place. This is because it focused in on the anxiety and performance relationship at different stages of the dressage test. However, the involvement of other disciplines within equestrianism other than purely focusing on dressage would expand this study greatly as using the same sample group with another discipline alongside dressage would identify how each participant has similar or different anxiety across the different disciplines.

This study also took into consideration the sensitivity of the influence both the horse and rider have on one another, as the overall performance of a dressage test should be a combination of both the horse and rider working in harmony. However to expand on the current findings, the horse’s influence should be investigated further. Having all participants ride the same test on the same horse would help understand if participants are affected by the competitive situation or the horse they are riding. To focus on this area further, a way to assess participant’s anxiety during a dressage competition would be to ride the same test on a variety of different horses. This would help understand if the horse they are riding has a crucial impact to the rider’s anxiety levels. Visser et al., (2008) study investigated the effects of personality of riders and temperament of horses on cooperation between horse and rider. The study found that more emotionally reactive horses (i.e. flighty and sensitive to the environment) showed more evasive behaviour during riding. Riders preferred to ride horses that were attentive to the rider’s aids. The findings of this study highlighted that rider’s personalities did not significantly affect cooperation between horse and rider, but cooperation was effected by rider’s personality to the more emotionally reactive horses.

A unique aspect of the study was the use of participant’s dressage score sheets during the interview process. This helped the analysis of how anxiety fluctuates at different points during the dressage test as it maintained structure and order for both the interview process and the analysis. However, an issue that occurred was that not all participant’s dressage score sheets were recent. This was

38 therefore dependent on the memory of the participant to recall how they were feeling throughout the test. To overcome this issue, the data collection process could include video analysis of a test so that participants could use the recording of the test to prompt a response. Therefore the difficulty of retrospective recall from participants to be able to think back about the anxiety experienced during the test would be would easier. (Shaw et al., 2005).

The study took into account the intensity and symptoms of anxiety, how the participant interpreted and coped with the anxiety and the horse’s behaviour. Not only did it focus on all these aspects, it split the dressage test, including the warm up into three sections; warm up, start, middle and end. This allowed the discovery of how participant’s anxiety fluctuated or was maintained through each stage of the test. However, to contribute to knowledge further, -a concept to consider would be to assess anxiety in a training situation as well as a competitive situation which other studies have attempted to do (Bridgman, 2009). Assessing participant’s anxiety levels during a training situation and a competitive situation of the same test would highlight whether riders experience more or less anxiety in a competition situation compared to a training setting, which either effects performance negatively or positively.

The qualitative approach to the study resulted in the sample size being relatively small, this allowed for detailed interviews and analysis to take place. However a larger sample size would have been more beneficial to study to identify any other key themes, or whether the same findings would be represented regardless of sample size due to the qualitative design of the study. The use of a larger sample size potentially would have allowed a larger range of difficulty of tests. This would be beneficial as it would highlight if more advanced riders experienced different symptoms of anxiety and whether they coped differently. A potential concept that would benefit future research to the anxiety-performance relationship within equestrianism is the comparison of gender difference, as equestrianism is a rare sport where both men and women compete again each other equally. Therefore, it would be an interesting angle to investigate the similarities and differences of genders with regards to anxiety and performance.

5.5 CONCLUSION

The main purpose of the study was to identify the relationship between anxiety and performance amongst horse riders during a dressage competition. The study identified that performance was at its greatest when anxiety levels were low. When anxiety levels were high, performance was negatively affected for both the horse and rider. The findings showed the significance of the influence both the horse and rider have on one another that can affect the performance as a whole. This is because both the horse and rider’s feeling are easily translated across to each other. It is therefore important to understand how the horse ridden in the test works (i.e. the temperament of the horse) and how to respond and deal with the horse’s behaviour to control both the rider’s anxiety levels as well as those of the horse.

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APPENDIX

A) Dressage Score Sheet B) Interview Guide C) Interview Transcripts D) Data Analysis Table E) Ethics Status

APPENDIX A

A-1

APPENDIX B

Cardiff School of Sport

Cardiff Metropolitan University

Interview Guide Understanding Anxiety and Performance of Horse Riders During a Competition Dressage Test

B-1

Interview Guide

General

Verify that participant is comfortable with the interview being recorded

Begin interview by asking the participant a little about themselves and their horse riding experiences to create a rapport between participant and interviewer.

How long they have been riding?

How long they have been riding the horse that they rode in the test.

What their main discipline is?

Review the dressage score sheet and state the name of the dressage test that will be used.

Test review

Scores out for 10 how participant is feeling?

Anxiety/Nervous/ Coping/Confidence

How were they feeling during the warm up, waiting for the judge to ring the bell for you to enter the arena? Nervous/Anxious/Confident?

Begin with entry score, work out whether that normal them and the horse, better or worse? Okay, so how did you feel at this point? Were you feeling positive, negative? Were you apprehensive about how the rest of the test will ride or are you feeling confident about you and the horse’s performance so far?

State any comments made by judge

Continue through each movement of the test

Focus of asking participant about their anxiety scores out of 10 at different sections of the test, to establish any fluctuations

Talk about the collective marks given, specifically the riders position, seat, correctness and effect of the aids

Were the anxiety symptoms beneficial or debilitative towards performance?

Review the horse’s behaviour throughout. Did the horse effect the rider, and visa versa?

Did the participant cope well?

Concluding Points

Repeat the main points that have been identified from interview

Thank Participant for taking part

B-1 APPENDIX C INTERVIEW ONE

B: Okay so tell me a little bit about you and your horse? How long have you had your horse? What discipline do you mostly compete him at?

P1: Well I’ve had my horse for three years now. I competed him at Affiliated Dressage mostly, but I do like to jump him when I can just so he doesn’t get bored. He’s eight years old, very sensitive boy who is very good at stressing himself out.

B: Okay, in general how do you deal with him stressing out?

P1: Well all I can do is to keep myself chilled, I find that dropping the reins and patting him on the neck helps him calm down.

B: Good, well that’s good that you are able to deal with the situation. How do you score on average with your dressage tests?

P1: I’d say we usually score between 60and 70% which is good; anything about 60% is considered a good score, so it’s good that we are reasonably consistent with our scores.

B: It seems like you know your horse very well. Let’s have a look at your test now. We are looking at the 2007 Novice 22 test.

P1: Yeah

B: So when you were warming up how were you feeling for the test?

P1: I’d say I was a little tense. The warm up ring is next to a field of donkeys, which wasn’t helpful as my horse doesn’t like donkeys so he was very tense and could only use half the school to keep him away from them.

B: Okay that’s a bit of a pain, how was the performance of you and your horse going during the warm up?

P1: It was reasonable, he would go nicely for a bit, but he was getting distracted so he wasn’t concentrating to his best.

B: Okay so when you entered the ring how were you feeling then? Tense, nervous or were you fairly calm?

P1: I was okay, I could feel butterflies in my stomach, but that’s normal for me.

B: Okay so you were experiencing somatic anxiety, which are physical thing such as butterflies in your stomach or sweaty palms, like feeling sick and tension through your body. Out of 10, 10 being the highest, how intense were the butterflies in your stomach?

P1: I definitely had butterflies. Umm probably around a six, like they weren’t effecting Alfie but I could feel them in my stomach, I find I have to have a couple of deep breaths which makes it go away.

C-1 B: Good. Right you had a seven for your entry, which is described on the scale of marks as ‘fairly good’. Would you say this is average score for you, above or below your normal mark for proceeding down the centre line?

P1: Ummm, usually score a little lower than that I’d normally say a six, he usually tilts his head to the side which reduces our mark, so yeah I was happy with a seven.

B: Good that’s a good start to the test, were your butterflies still present?

P1: Umm, I don’t think so, it’s sometimes hard to think about how I’m feeling because I’m concentrating on how he is going if you get me.

B: Yeah umm I understand. So how would you say your anxiety levels were at this point? A mark out of 10, 10 being the highest?

P1: Well I’m guessing I’d say they were low because nothing had gone wrong at this point, so I’d probably say a three to four.

B: okay so would you say you were feeling fairly confident or not?

P1: Yeah I was happy with how he was going so yeah I was feeling good.

B: Great, your next two marks were a six which is satisfactory, the observation comments made by the judge were trot on the 15m circle was a ‘touched hurried’ in the trot and the trot became flat on the second half circle 10m over X. How did the performance feel with these movements?

P1: Umm yeah the half circle score is normal for us; we tend to lose the flow when we change the bend of our circle.

B: Okay so were you feeling a little tense or apprehensive coming to this movement as you know that it’s not an easy movement for you and your horse?

P1: Yeah I try to take a deep breath, like because he’s so sensitive, like he can feel if I’m tense so he’s a bit like oh god something’s happening if he’s getting tense so then he gets tense himself. So it’s hard but I’ve got to keep myself calm so I don’t affect him.

B: Okay so cool, calm and collected is how you want to feel?

P1: Yeah well I try to, it doesn’t always happen but got to make the effort not to get too tense and stressed out or it would be a bit of a disaster.

B: Okay so you had a seven for the change the rein in medium, umm with a comment of well tried. Is this a good score for you, or not?

P1: Yeah it was actually, it’s a hard movement for me as I need to push him on to extend but because I’m only in a snaffle he’s a bit like yeah lets go so tends to run and get wound up.

C-1 B: Yeah I can see that your next moment was scored a six and the comment was ‘some difference but rushed.’

P1: Yeah having two changes of the rein in medium was a bit hard for us.

B: So from your first medium, the next medium was a bit tense and rushed? Were you feeling nervous at this point?

P1: Yeah I was feeling a bit apprehensive coming round the corner because I knew when it came to pushing him forward I know he’s going to be tense.

B: So the second mark was affected through you being nervous about him being tense and wound up?

P1: Yeah, I know it’s a bit of a viscous circle, I get tense because I know he’s getting exited so then he gets tense, which makes me more tense if you get what I mean, so it’s important for me to be chilled, can’t say I achieve being calm all the time, it’s hard.

B: Yeah just like a continual cycle then. Right, your next movement was a four which is insufficient, tell me what happened here?

P1: Umm yeah it was a long arena so the judge couldn’t fit her car in the arena like they normally do so was just on a table and chair which Alfie wasn’t used to so he got scared about that. We did our circle with his quarters in the whole time. So he was very tense.

B: So umm what was going through your head at this point?

P1: Umm oh god this is awful!

B: Well that’s understandable, how did you cope with the situation?

P1: Well I tried my best to calm him down but you’re not allowed to talk to your horse during a test, but you are allowed to pat them, so if I was warming him up I would drop the rein and pat him but I wasn’t going to give him the rein otherwise he would be buggering off with me. I had to pat him, which I guess helped me calm down as well as I was feeling less anxiety as he settled down if you get me.

B: Good, so how were you feeling, did your butterflies re-appear?

P1: No I definitely didn’t have butterflies, I don’t when I’m doing the test it just before I go in I get them. I was tense I guess, my body wasn’t relaxed I’m guessing my shoulders were up tight and almost hunched over.

B: So how did you cope with your next movement, which was show some medium canter?

C-1 P1:Uuuugh yeah not the nicest of movements to do after he’s had a little paddy, again it’s like the medium trot, I have to push him on which is hard to get him back in a calm manner.

B: Well the comment was modest medium, which is positive. Umm Then your next movement scored a seven so have your anxiety levels returned to normal now? As the performance marks have gone back up. Umm give a mark out of 10 for your anxiety levels at this point during the test?

P1: Yeah id say we had both calmed down now and returned to normal, he can be quite a hot horse, so returning back to chilled mode was difficult, takes time to develop this as a partnership, like if something upset him he’d take a good half hour to get over it but I don’t exactly have that time during a test. I’d give myself a five or six for my anxiety levels, like it’s not too much but it’s still there.

B: Okay so your next few movements are either a five or a six, are you happy with these scores or not?

P1: No, I’d rather be getting sevens or eights, but I guess the little moment with him not liking the judge and me getting all tense about it affected the rest of the test as we weren’t able to relax as a partnership.

B: Okay so your anxiety got the better of you which affected the performance for not just you but you and the horse.

P1: Yeah wasn’t able to get back to a nice chilled way of going, but it happens and that’s my horse for you so I’ve got to learn how to deal with it.

B: Good, you are aware that your performance is being affected from you and your horse’s anxiety levels getting too high.

P1: Yeah.

B: You had a seven for your position, seat, correctivness and effects of aids which is fairly good. Do you think you coped well with how your horse went and how he reacted to the judge?

P1: Yeah I think I was quite quick to realize I had to calm him down as soon as I could by patting him, but then just the rest of the test which was affected by him having a moment. That was a shame but I feel that I was fairly calm in my head but probably was tense through my body, like I know I was probably a little hesitant to use my leg as I thought it would wind him up again.

B: Okay so you’d say you were experiencing more somatic anxiety like tension through your body rather than in your head which you think you’re quite chilled. So umm well that completes the interview. It seems like you’ve got a lot to think about during a test, for yourself and the horse. It seems like you need to be able to control

C-1 the levels of your anxiety as that’s something you can control but you can’t control what’s going to be there on the day or what is going to spook your horse.

P1: Yeah exactly, I can’t prevent that, they are animals at the end of the day, not robots. So yeah I think the best thing I can do is to be able to control my tension and anxiety levels which hopefully he’ll pick up on and help him relax too.

B: Yeah, that’s good, thank you for taking part in the test and wish you luck to you and your horse for future tests.

P1: Yep No worries, thank you.

C-1 INTERVIEW TWO

B: Okay so before we begin the test, tell me a little bit about you and your horse riding experience, like how long have you been riding and how long you’ve been riding the horse in this test?

P2: Umm, I’ve been riding for seven years; umm I’ve had Tiff for about four years I think, umm…

B: Just in general, like how, what do you mainly compete her at?

P2: Oh umm it was normally hunter trials and eventing umm but then I went through a phase when I started doing a bit of dressage and I quite enjoyed it.

B: Yeah.

P2: So I did more of it then, and got better.

B: Okay, umm, so what are you like in general when you compete are you a nervous person?

P2: Umm I’m nervous when I go out, um it depends what I’m doing like dressage I get nervous.

B: Yeah.

P2: Umm, like if I don’t know the test, if I know the test and done it a few times I’m alright.

B: Yeah so like practise helps you.

P2: Yeah, umm I’m worse with people I know are watching me, I find it more nerving compared to people I don’t know.

B: Yeah okay.

P2: Yeah I don’t like show jumping either, makes me quite nervous.

B: Yeah that’s got different things to make you nervous isn’t it? Uumm so, for this test we are looking at the prelim 10, yeah umm, so how were you feeling when you were warming up for this, were you like nervous, or quite confident with how you were going?

P2: Umm, I wasn’t nervous but I could feel the canter wasn’t great, it was quite onward bound and stuff, umm she wasn’t putting a lot of effort into it so I was a bit thing about that.

B: So were you feeling a bit anxious about that?

P2: Yeah.

B: A bit worried about that?

P2: Yeah.

B: So was there lots of canter in the test that you were apprehensive about doing?

P2: Umm yeah, there was a lot of umm, canters to the left and right, the right was a lot worse.

B: Yeah.

P2: Umm but it didn’t really happen.

B: Okay, umm, so when you were being called to go in and you were trotting round the arena before you entered the ring, how were you feeling?

P2: Before I entered the ring, I felt okay.

B: Yeah.

P2: But when I was called I felt nervous, but soon as I was in there I was fine.

B: Okay so, out of 10, 10 being the highest, what would you say your anxiety levels would be just before you went in?

P2: About a seven probably.

B: A seven, yeah okay, umm so when the bell rang, and you had to enter in working trot and proceed down the centre line, were any, like were you feeling sick, or sweaty palms, tension through your body?

P2: umm yeah a little, I felt more sick and awkwardness because everyone was looking at you if you get me, an awkward feeling.

B: were you, umm were things ticking over in your head, were you thinking too much or?

P2: Umm yeah like thinking got to do this go to do this, like too many things to think about.

B: Yeah so did you find it hard to block things out and concentrate?

P2: Yeah.

B: yeah okay, so you had an eight for you entry which the observations comment was very accurate and on the scale of marks an eight is a good. So were you happy with how that went?

P2: Yeah I was happy with the entry; umm it was quite good she was very straight umm yeah it was quite a nice entry.

B: So did you feel quite comfortable and confident?

C-2 P2: As soon as I did the entry it felt better, I got into it then.

B: Yeah, did you feel like you were able to relax more?

P2: Yeah as soon as I started I was fine.

B: Yeah good, I can see that your next movement was umm working trot half circle right 10m diameter returning to the track at B and you had an eight again, and the comments were accurately ridden and rhythm maintained. So that’s obviously very positive and good that you maintained your eight mark from you entry, so again how were you feeling?

P2: Umm the same as the start really, it was all going quite nicely, umm because the, that rein was a lot easier that time, umm…

B: So the right rein is easier for you?

P2: Yeah, apart from the canter.

B: Yeah okay apart from canter work, okay so, were you still feeling a bit sick and things going on in your head or were you like focused on the test and able to block it out?

P2: I was focused on the test but I was mainly focused on where I was going rather than what she was doing, just trying to remember it.

B: Okay, yeah, umm so were you completely blocked out other people watching you when?

P2: Yeah.

B: Okay good, umm your next movement was again an eight with lovely rhythm, so again that’s same that you maintained that, umm then your, the fourth movement, was working trot half circle left 10m diameter returning to the track at E, which was a seven, which is a point less than the other half circle, it needed to bend more on the half circle, so because that’s on the left rein isn’t it, you said that that’s a bit more harder for you?

P2: Yeah.

B: Umm, so how were you feeling, like were you a bit apprehensive going into this movement?

P2: I was fine going into it, but after I came out of the movement it felt it, then it started to go a little bit downhill a bit

B: So you felt, a bit like oh that wasn’t very good?

P2: Yeah, I was anxious and disappointed.

C-2 B: Yeah disappointed, how would you give yourself a mark out of 10 for your anxiety levels after that movement, 10 being highest?

P2: Umm I'd say about a six then.

B: Good okay, umm and then your next movement was a six for circle right 20m diameter, which was a funny shaped circle , so what happened there, who’s fault was that?

P2: Mine probably, not concentrating and the anxiety.

B: Yeah so what umm, would you say the previous movement unsettled you?

P2: Yeah.

B: Concentrating in that rather than the shape of your circle?

P2: Yeah it made it all go a bit dodgy.

B: Yeah so you had lost concentration.

P2: Yeah.

B: Okay, umm so would you say you were a bit more anxious or like again more disappointed that?

P2: I felt like, umm…sort my sort of calm down for the next one and just get her back to me but again it went downhill after that.

B: Yeah so what did you do to allow yourself to calm down?

P2: Just take a deep breath and think about her and not the test, just have five seconds and clear my head, and then carry on doing it.

B: Yeah that’s good, so just like a little deep breath and get over it. Um so your next movement went up to a seven which was lovely rhythm and that was a turn left, uhhh turn right turn left in working trot, so was it harder for you to turn left was it?

P2: Yeah.

B: Because you struggle with the left in the trot but that’s good that you said that you had calmed down and had that five seconds to say right okay get over it but obviously your mark had gone back up to a seven then, so were you feeling a little bit more settled and comfortable?

P2: Yeah

B: Good, so your next movement then, was a circle left 20m which was a six, umm oh working canter left sorry and 20m circle , so ran to canter, a little onward bound so tell me a little bit about what happened here?

C-2 P2: Umm basically her canter, at this point her canter wasn’t very strong, so she’s on her forehand a lot, so it was just getting her to bring herself back but in the test it’s quite hard to do because everyone is watching you and you’ve just got to think about riding the test rather than improving her.

B: Yeah, so were you feeling little apprehensive when it came to the transition of the canter?

P2: Umm towards the transition I wasn’t but when I was going through it like I could feel it getting worse my anxiety was going up.

B: Yeah so out of 10, 10 being highest again?

P2: About a five at the start then towards then end then I’d say more of a seven.

B: Yeah okay, so what was going on in your head, were you thinking oh god?

P2: I was thinking she’s going to stop and go back to trot because it felt like it was more going down but she did manage to go to the end but it wasn’t a very nice collected canter.

B: Okay, umm so your next movement was in working canter change the rein and F working trot was a seven and it said lost balance through turn but maintained canter to end. So yeah that’s basically what you’ve just said, that she was able to keep the canter but it wasn’t as good at it could be. So would you say you were you quite relived when it came to the trot that the canter was over?

P2: Yeah, I was just glad it was over and carried on doing it, so I can relax again.

B: Yeah so did you have that little five seconds to chill?

P2: Yeah, but she was quite hairy after the canter and excitement.

B: So got a bit excited about it, do you find that made you more anxious?

P2: Yeah it made me more umm like in a way have more anxiety over it like anxious about it.

B: Yeah like were you, would you say you were tense through your body?

P2: Yeah my body was tense, I was blocking, so I sort of, my body came loose and allowing the movement too much which made her rush.

B: Okay, umm your next movement was A medium walk, uugh change the rein in free walk on a long rein and M medium walk which was scored a five which on the scale of marks is sufficient and the judges comment was some nice stretch but really to B, so how do you normally score in your change the rein in a free walk on a long rein, were you happy with that score?

C-2 P2: No, normally I would get about a an eight or so or a seven because she does normally stretch down quite nicely.

B: So that’s quite a low mark for you?

P2: Yeah that is a low mark for us.

B: So what was not normal about that to get a lower mark than you normally do?

P2: She just wasn’t stretching as much as she was because the canter she was pulling down so she was stretching in the canter so she hadn’t earned the stretch if you get me like she hadn’t wanted to go down because she had the stretch already, normally she appreciates the stretch and goes down lower for you at that point in the test.

B: Okay, so how is this movement for you is it like a time to…

P2: It’s my time to relax and look around and forget about her and think about what I’ve got to do next.

B: Yeah so it’s just like a little chill moment for you and her to get over what’s happened in the test so far. So would you say your anxiety were fairly low at this point?

P2: Yeah they went down to about to a two probably.

B: Okay that’s good, umm so your next movement then was working trot at C turn left turn right, that was seven which was rushing slightly. So was she a bit…

P2: Yeah that was me with my anxiety , knowing that I had to go straight from the walk to the trot, so I pushed her forward too much which made her rush but she wasn’t out of control and was on the bit so it did come a lot better than it had before compared to the canter.

B: So yeah that’s good, so had your, like your psyched up had gone up…

P2: Yeah…

B: a bit higher because you had gone from a nice chilled, relaxed walk to a trot so you had to umm concentrate more and think about more things?

P2: Yeah just a lot of things on your mind like at that point because you’re coming towards the end of the test and you just want to get it over and done with.

B: Yeah okay, so then the working canter right and then a circle right 20m was a three, which is a fairly bad on the scale of marks and the comments were ran to canter, wrong strike off, twice and not corrected. Tell me what happened here?

P2: Umm when I asked for the canter umm we had the wrong canter lead umm so that made me, I was stressed about that then and I didn’t have a lot of time to

C-2 change it so I went back to, calm myself a little bit, went back to trot then asked again and it was still on the wrong leg umm for most of the circle then it just sort of went downhill, the right rein is a lot more difficult with the canter.

B: Okay so were you quite apprehensive?

P2: Yeah, yeah that was the, id say I was on a good nine for apprehension on that one.

B: Yeah so your anxiety levels…

P2: Yeah that’s what I got stressed towards that.

B: Yeah so when you said you tried the first time and she went off on the wrong strike, what was going through your head at this point?

P2: How embarrassing, I felt embarrassed.

B: So the influence of people watching…

P2: Yeah everyone around...

B: So an error in your performance, and then when you tried it again, what was going through your head then again?

P2: I thought just need to get it now, got to concentrate a lot on it, got it but the canter was still, because she was so stressed, because we had wound each other up it was faster and still onward bound.

B: So you influence each other’s stress levels?

P2: Yeah.

B: Cos like she got stressed and made you stressed, so it’s like a viscous circle would you say?

P2: Yeah.

B: Umm so how would you compare you stress levels from the first attempt of your canter to your second attempt, would you say it was higher in the?

P2: It was a lot lower my second attempt than the first one, none of them were really good but the seconds one was a lot more difficult umm we both just lost concentration she had the wrong strike off which stressed me and then just stressed her out so.

B: Yeah so it was translated into her.

P2: Yeah.

B: So did you finally get the correct lead or not?

C-2 P2: Yeah on the, towards the straight line yeah, the circle no, but it was coming out the circle then going umm EHCM in the top after A managed to get the canter.

B: Okay, so you had achieved it?

P2: Yeah.

B: so you had to go through that anxious and stressy moment, umm I can see from that working canter on the straight you had a six and it was a little onward bound so after your attempts of trying to get the canter, once you got it she was a little rushed and, was she a bit wound up and…

P2: Yeah, she was strong umm her breathing increased as well so she was blowing heavier…

B: Yeah…

P2: Through her nostrils umm.

B: How did that translate to you?

P2: It made me, umm, it makes me feel a little but helpless in a way because you just don’t, you can’t, you can’t stop in the way you would normally do if you wanted to slow down that’s all contained and…

B: So if that happened like in a schooling situation not a test how…

P2: Oh, I would have made her stop there and then umm and not think anything of it, and then correct it correctly, umm and then sorted the issue but in the test you can’t you just go to go with what you got.

B: Yeah.

P2: So.

B: So yeah, then to finish we had down the centre line, at G halt and you had a five, umm and it said overshot the centre line but fairly straight, half not established. So would you say because the halt wasn’t established she wasn’t really relaxed and was still a bit wound up?

P2: Yeah the umm the impulsion increased and she turned the impulsion to speed then.

B: Yeah too much.

P2: Yeah and I just couldn’t stop, like in the end I pulled hard and made her stop it wouldn’t be very graceful , so I just had to carry on going umm.

B: Yeah so you compromised riding her correctly to hopefully score a better mark than doing it nicely.

C-2 P2: Yeah.

B: So your collective marks, you had seven for your paces, umm seven for your impulsion, six for submission and then a seven for your position, seat and correctness of the aid and the overall comments was a super pony, test started really well but canter became a little onward bound and pony lost balance, shame about wrong strike off, well done. So does that generally is true to what you thought how you rode it?

P2: Yeah I agree with the comments.

B: Yeah so how were you feeling when you saluted and finished the test?

P2: Not positive at all, umm.

B: Were you relived that it had finished?

P2: Yeah I was glad it was over but I wish I could have done it again.

B: Were you happy in general or just disappointed?

P2: I was disappointed; yeah I was really disappointed by the end of the test.

B: Yeah.

P2: Umm, but then I found that a lot of people had, they had the same sort of problems, and they almost had worst tests than mine.

B: Okay, so the comparison of other people?

P2: Yeah it made me feel better.

B: Yeah okay umm so in general it’s just the canter work is a bit stressful for you and your pony.

P2: Yeah.

B: But when you’re going nicely, it is nice and you’re nice and chilled and calm.

P2: Yeah when it’s going nice I can relax and she relaxes and it just goes together.

B: Just have your little moments where it gets a bit stressful. So how would you say you cope in general with these stressful situations in a competition?

P2: Umm I don’t think I cope well in competitions, because I can’t ride as I normally do, so I do get more stressed umm whereas at home there would be no one watching me, like if there was it doesn’t mean anything if you mess up because you can just carry on and do it again the next day, yeah so I don’t think I cope well in competitions, just the stress and expectations from other people.

C-2 B: Yeah expectations. Okay that’s good, well that completes the test and thank you very much, and wish you and your horse good luck in future tests.

P2: It's okay.

C-2 INTEREVIEW THREE

B: Okay umm so before we begin looking at the score sheet tell me little bit about your horse riding experiences.

P3: Umm I’ve mainly just done umm sort of pony club levels I regularly compete in triathlons and tet-trathalons so that involves cross country umm I’ve gone to umm an area level with those.

B: Yeah.

P3: Umm I’ve taken part in eventing and lot of show jumping again pony club sort of to area level.

B: Yeah how umm long have you been riding?

P3: Umm I had my first pony when we were; I was about 10, so right through until 18/19 now.

B: Okay, and tell me a little bit uugh, how long have you had the horse in the test that you were riding?

P3: Umm at this point umm I’d bought Topaz in 2006 so two years now I’ve had her.

B: Okay, when you compete in horse riding like dressage competitions what are you like, are you a nervous person or quite confident?

P3: Oh no very, very nervous, very anxious before competing whether it’s cross- country or sort of a dressage sort of competition.

B: So just generally competing in competitions regardless of what is going on?

P3: Yeah.

B: Umm what kind of anxiety are you experiencing, like do you have sweaty palms and butterflies in your stomach and feeling sick or have you got things ticking over in your head?

P3: Umm all of those symptoms, go very quiet don’t want to talk to anyone umm just going through over and over in my head the test or the course, nothing any sort of negative thoughts just, just really nervous and anxious inside.

B: Okay so when you were warming up for this test, which is the pony club novice eventing test 2006, what were, how were you feeling when you were warming up?

P3: Umm… I’d spent quite a lot of time, quite a few, and hour or so just trying to work in Topaz, calm her, settle her in new surroundings, umm I feel like not quite as prepared for this test as I should be she’s quite, she’s feeling my anxiety so she’s quite on edge as well lots of head throwing around and just disobedience really.

B: So is that making you more nervous?

C-3 P3: Umm not more nervous probably more frustrated that, and then sort of realization that it’s not a going to be a good day.

B: Okay, so how do you deal with that, if she was being a bit unwilling?

P3: Umm trying to stay calm obviously not trying to get irritated more by her but probably just trying to spend more time trying to work her in trying to settle her and umm just trying not to lose my rag at my horse.

B: So you found that you were finding spending more time, going, to make her move calmly rather than working properly, just focusing on keeping calm?

P3: Umm yeah I’d say so yeah, kind of keep, I know that her symptoms are through my anxiety so trying to calm myself down which would then help settle her then, rather than just going through the test, I’d just try to keep myself calm and settle her.

B: Yeah, umm when you were, had been called and you were running, trotting round the arena before the bell rang were any more symptoms present or had any symptoms gone away of your anxiety?

P3: Umm probably the sick feeling had gone by then umm more sort of more anxious waiting to start umm normally at this point I’m trying to umm sing to Topaz or talk to her and just trying to keep her calm sort of get her and myself in the zone then to do our first bit down the centre line.

B: Yeah, what would you give yourself out of 10, 10 being the highest for your anxiety levels at this point?

P3: A good eight but then I’m happy at being at that level if I wasn’t anxious I’d be more in trouble.

B: Yeah you like being psyched up?

P3: Yeah, I’m almost enjoy that sort of nerves; it’s a different nerves to when I’m warming up.

B: Yeah, a positive nervous?

P3: Yeah, yeah.

B: And the desire to want to do well.

P3: Yeah.

B: Yeah, okay so when you entered the, in working trot and proceed down the centre line without halting, you were scored a four, which is insufficient and the judge’s comments were nodding head and irregular through turn, is a four umm your average mark for your centre line entry?

C-3 P3: Umm no I’d say that’s a bit below my normal, from normal tests but again its dependent, it’s completely dependent on the judge I think there nerves got the better of me and that’s coming out through Topaz through the head, head throwing.

B: Yeah so how did that make you feel then heading towards your next movement which was circle right 20m at B?

P3: Umm I suppose I didn’t know the score then so for me Topaz doing that is a normal thing so not any more like thrown off by it just got to get on with it is what happens to me, umm but no I…

B: So it didn’t feel…

P3: Yeah it didn’t feel like that was the end sort of thing.

B: Okay, umm and then your next movement was scored a five which is a point more and was marked as sufficient umm the comments were unsteady contact so do you find that you’d done a couple of movements and you were becoming a bit more settled maybe?

P3: Umm potentially yeah, sort of perhaps Topaz and myself had actually realized we were in the, in the competition now.

B: Yeah

P3: So just trying to settle and overcome that first sort of, sort of movements.

B: So what would you give yourself a mark out of 10 for your anxiety levels now at this point now you’re at the beginning on your test?

P3: Probably still at an eight.

B: Yeah.

P3: Sort of the first few movement still at an eight sort of a bit more time settled into it.

B: And were there any more anxiety symptoms present like butterflies or had the sickness come back?

P3: No all the same sort of sickness wasn’t there just sort of the anxiety, nervousness and butterflies in the stomach sort of because you’re competing now.

B: Yeah, so your next two movements were also scored a five, and then your sixth movement was a circle left 20m diameter which had gone up to a six which is satisfactory and the judge’s comments were needs to take more even contact so your scores are improving as you’re progressing through the test, are you and your horse therefore getting more relaxed?

C-3 P3: Possibly yeah umm sort of the marks are indicating that whether sort of come over the first few movements then possibly because she is settling I’m settling with my nerves which is sort of a nice constant circle there if I’m working well she is as well.

B: Yeah so umm how would you say you were coping at this point like were you nervous or confident?

P3: Umm definitely never any confidence in a dressage test umm I’d say sort of just in the zone possibly going through the motions maybe but not, not, anxiety isn’t increasing at all if not probably levelling off and reducing.

B: Okay that’s good, umm so why don’t you ever feel confident in a dressage test?

P3: Umm I think the combination of my horse and I don’t help each other I’m quite anxious, anxious competitor like even outside of horse riding and then I think that my horse is very, very sensitive to that sort of feeling.

B: Yeah, so translates through to her easily?

P3: Yeah, and umm dressage isn’t either of our forte’s its more show jumping umm so whether that puts more pressure on me I don’t know, yeah it’s just not our…

B: Okay.

P3: Our choice of event.

B: So do you feel it’s a stressful competition for you?

P3: Umm I wouldn’t say stressful it’s just not, not enjoyable sort of event for us.

B: Okay, umm so then your transition to medium walk was a six with a fair walk and the free rein change the rein was a five and it said snatching at rein, positive steps, so like the free walk is meant to allow the horse to umm chill and not have to have to think about things too much just have a little two minutes to change the rein and chill, do you find that this movement helps you?

P3: Umm possibly helps my horse but normally when I’m thinking this I’m just petrified that she’s going to do something stupid like try and trot through it or…

B: So you’ve given her the rein and you think she’s just going to take it and run?

P3: Yeah.

B: Okay so it’s not a relaxed, chilled…

P3: No it’s not a true long rein really.

B: Yeah, umm then your next movement was back up to trot which was a five, umm with no comment made, umm then the next movement was circle right 20m with

C-3 transition to canter after crossing the line, the centre line for the second time, which was a four, which again is insufficient, and it was highlighted correct rhythm, tempo and suppleness, so what is the canter like for you is it more, is it a better movement than the trot and the walk or is it…

P3: No its probably the worst out of the three movements umm more the transition into it we always struggle with umm and then sort of there’s no sort of control over her head there its sort of her movement to do what she wants and there’s not a lot I can do, just frustration, bit of a poor movement.

B: So coming into your circle, on your circle you know you’ve got to make the transition to canter were you feeling a bit apprehensive coming into this movement?

P3: Umm probably, I imagine its sort of builds up inside and obviously Topaz picking up on that and then as sort of make the transition into canter; yeah I imagine it sort of builds up and…

B: So what would you mark yourself out of 10 coming into this movement for your anxiety levels?

P3: Umm sort of at this point there’s not much anxiety in me so like before the transition I’d probably say sort of a five whereas coming, building up in the head to the canter I’d probably go up to a six then.

B: Okay so then your BAE working canter scored a three so that’s a mark less and the scales of marks is ranked at fairly bad, tell me what’s happening here?

P3: Umm I imagine Topaz is lifting her head she’s uugh not really on a smooth sort of rhythm it’s quite jittery, I struggle to remember but I imagine that’s the usual thing and I’m pulling on the reins so she’s pulling back and sort of a bit of a war going on there I imagine.

B: Okay so is there any positive feelings about this?

P3: Umm probably not, no, not an enjoyable part of the test going into canter because we both know it’s not our strongest, strongest movement.

B: Yeah, so would you say you were coping fine with it because you’re used to it, or…

P3: Yeah, like frustration probably , possibly in the warm up ring the canter was going really well and then now it’s not but no sort of not an unusual sort of feeling sort of just a…

B: So you’re used to her in the canter work?

P3: Yeah used to this reaction.

C-3 B: Okay, umm then you came back to trot and your scores have gone up two points to a five, umm so were you quite relieved when you came back to the trot?

P3: Yeah definitely, yeah relieved to have slowed down the pace and perhaps have a bit more control and a bit there.

B: Yeah so what would you say your anxiety scores were out of 10 now?

P3: Probably gone back to a four or five.

B: Okay that’s good that you’ve come back and calmed down, umm then your next movement was circle right, half circle right 20m diameter towards X and it was scored a four with not on bit and again correct rhythm and tempo was underlined, so at this had she now realised she’d come back to trot and you had a bit more control over her, it was getting a bit, a bit of a fight between you two?

P3: Umm possibly yeah, could be that she hadn’t quite settled down from the canter yet.

B: Yeah and then again your next movement was a four again umm then the 15th movement was followed by half circle left 20m diameter to A and it had gone back up to a five now, umm and then your following movement was scored a five again and the judge’s comments were began to submit into trot, so does that mean, that is obvious that your horse is coming back to you and actually working correctly than being hollow and not on the bit, so would you say that this had calmed and you’d both settled a bit at this point?

P3: Yeah definitely perhaps I’d began to take more control then and perhaps do it through the trot and then Topaz submitting then and working together then to have a nice rhythm, more shape.

B: So were you feeling more positive at this point?

P3: Umm potentially, yeah more positive compared to the canter but probably coming up to the next movement anxiety is building up again because we’re going back into canter.

B: Okay, yeah so I can see that the next movement was canter and you were scored a two which is bad and it was against hand, so umm tell me what happened here?

P3: Umm as normal a sticky transition into canter, I imagine Topaz flung her head up in the air and not really probably in a canter rhythm more sort of just lifting her feet up in weird and wonderful sequence then me again just in frustration that it’s not happened and that having a negative effect on Topaz again.

B: So again mark yourself out of 10 for your anxiety levels at this point?

C-3 P3: Hmm probably at this point no more just more frustration at this point I’ve already built up with the previous canter with the anxiety, so just more frustration rather than actual nerves.

B: Okay so you like predicted that this was going to happen so you prepared yourself for it?

P3: Yeah, yeah.

B: Okay, so then your next movement have both gone to a five and then your halt and salute was a six which is a satisfactory.

P3: Yeah.

B: And the comments were above the bit, so as you turned down the centre line to come to your halt and salute how were you feeling?

P3: Umm probably relieved that its coming to an end, umm sort of probably disappointed in the performance from both of umm yeah probably just relief that its almost over but then I imagine as we’ve come to that halt I’ve got to give that salute and taking my hands off the reins and Topaz just flung her head up again.

B: Yeah, okay then your collective marks you had a five for your paces, an eight for your impulsion, oh no sorry that’s a four, it’s a double mark umm a three for your submission, so they’re relatively quite low but that’s to do with your horse, the impulsion was, it said the suppleness of the back and lacking engagement so from obviously her not, you not being relaxed therefore her being tense not allowed to her step through under herself correctly and then with the submission, the acceptance of the bridle and lightness of the forehand has been underlined so again that’s with her being hollow and umm above the bit and then the rider’s position was marked a six for the seat, correctness and effects of the aids and the overall mark was poor you he wasn’t being helpful today and then it said patient for your rider position, seat, correctness mark so the judge could obviously see that your horse wasn’t cooperating to the best that she could and scored you well for your rider mark, so were you happy that you’d been appreciated that you had been fairly patient with your horse even though, because she was being difficult?

P3: Yeah I suppose it is nice to see that perhaps someone else does recognise that I do have a difficult horse sometimes, umm but yeah, no completely understand the comments and accept them.

B: So then the main points for you as a competitor is just mainly experiencing lots of frustration.

P3: Yeah.

B: Umm and that your anxiety marks had fluctuated during different points of the test with different aspects being more difficult for you, such as the canter

C-3 P3: Yeah

B: Umm so that completes the test and just thank you very much for your time.

P3: No problem.

C-3 INTERVIEW FOUR

B: Okay so tell me a little bit about you and your horse experience so like how long have you been riding?

P4: I’ve been riding since I was about three years old, umm dad actually bought me my first horse from uuugh a sale umm I don’t really remember it much but my first pony then I remember was when I was about eight and her name was candy and she was a wicked little devil umm she actually taught me to ride, she wasn’t umm a fast pony she was quite a quiet pony that you could do anything with umm and I remember winning a best turned out in umm Kenfig Hill Pony Club show down in Llaleston there uhhh many many years ago and uhh and it was just awesome the feeling of just winning something.

B: Umm so what do you normally compete at now?

P4: Umm at dressage at the moment and uuugh showing in under saddle section D’s or Mountain and Moorland because we tend to keep the Welsh cobs so it tends to be the only those type of classes umm I haven’t done any cross country or anything because obviously they’re youngsters at the moment and I’ve got to fetch them on first before I get to that sort of level that I can work any further.

B: So how long have you had the horse that you’re riding in the test?

P4: Dai’o we’ve had from a yearling, he is umm six year old this year so he’ll be coming up to five years that we’ve had him, umm broken him in, fetched him on and umm basically we broke him as a three year old, mouthed him, turned him away because we had another horse we broke and then we fetched him back in as a four year old which I wouldn’t recommend, cos it uuugh, he, it didn’t work with Dai’o, it wasn’t, he needed to be broken, ridden on and fetched on and worked with umm he’s working well now umm since a four year old, well I say he was late four year old, he was coming into his fifth year when I started working him properly cos its only been last year that I really started working him once I sold Jess which was June last year.

B: Yeah.

P4: So he’s been back working probably I’d say six or seven months.

B: Umm what are you like as a competitor when you’re in competitions, are you nervous, confident?

P4: Well I don’t think I’m nervous but yet before I compete the night before I tend to not sleep very well because I’m thinking about what test I’ve got to ride and uuumm what I’ve got to do.

B: Yeah.

P4: Umm more so in the dressage I think I tend to get more nervous than if I go to a show.

C-4 B: Yeah.

P4: Because umm I’ve got to remember where I’m riding and I like to learn my test beforehand I don’t like to go there and have someone read my test out, I like to know a test off by heart, but I tend to get quite nervous and go to the toilet quite a lot umm in the morning before I actually get there umm I think it’s getting easier because I was late, I didn’t compete when I was younger so much its only in the past sort of, let me think now, umm say 15 years, the last 15 years and I think I was worse when I first started because it was all new to me, it is getting a little bit easier but I’m, I do get nervous now, I got to say it because I do, umm…

B: Do you like being nervous?

P4: No.

B: No?

P4: No I don’t, no because umm I get quite stressed then and then I don’t feel right , and I can get a headache as well which then makes me sort of, how can I say I feel as if I can’t do anything then once I’ve got a headache.

B: Okay.

P4: Umm, but I’ve sort of got myself into a routine now where I sort of think well if I go there as long as I enjoy it I don’t care .

B: Yeah.

P4: If the horse behaves that’s all I’m asking.

B: Yeah.

P4: Umm I’ve gone, once I stop enjoying it I don’t want to do it anymore.

B: Yeah.

P4: Because I think that people take competition work so, well it makes you stressed because you intensify it all it gives, you know like you want to win and I mean as long as I’m placed where I should be in the showing classes and it’s fairly judged I’m happy.

B: Yeah.

P4: And, and if my horse has gone well I’m happy but if the horse is misbehaving badly which touch wood they don’t tend to umm then you know its trial and error with him you tend to how can I say the dressage is more stressful I think than the showing.

B: Okay.

C-4 P4: When I go to the showing I tend to relax a bit more I think it’s because you’ve got other people round you and riding in the ring.

B: Yeah, so just on your own in the dressage?

P4: Yeah when you’re on your own in the dressage it’s all on you but I’ve sort of got to the point where now I just blank everybody out, outside the arena.

B: Yeah.

P4: And I think well as long as the horse goes well.

B: Yeah so just focus on you?

P4: Yeah once I get on the horse its weird because before I get to the competition I’m nervous.

B: Yeah.

P4: Once I get on the horse and start riding and working him in its like as if it disappears.

B: Yeah as if you’re concentrating on?

P4: Yeah concentrating on how I’m doing and how he’s going and how I want him to go.

B: Yeah.

P4: That it sorts of disappears a bit so I’m not, I don’t, I’m not stressed when I’m on the horse its actually knowing that I’m going to compete.

B: Okay, so when you were warming up for this test, which is the Prelim 4, how were you feeling? How was your horse going?

P4: Right, umm very nervous obviously because it was his first dressage test umm I took Bronnie the other horse with us which wasn’t a good idea because he was neighing to her all the time?

B: Yeah.

P4: Umm I was trying to work him in as best I could but obviously he was getting a little bit flustered, which then makes me flustered , which then I was getting a little bit upset because I felt he wasn’t going well.

B: Yeah.

P4: And we weren’t going to do any good in there, umm but we did warm up and we did make it in to there.

B: Yeah.

C-4 P4: And I was obviously nervous to a point where I thought oh my god he’s going to mess this up totally, and when I took him in then he, he did neigh, neighed constantly through the test.

B: Yeah.

P4: But he did the test, I was totally exhausted because I had to ride him so hard because he was so busy, his head was so busy calling to the other horse.

B: Yeah.

P4: That I had to keep him going, going and going, that I was totally exhausted afterwards.

B: Okay so umm out of, doing your warm up out of 10, 10 being highest what would you say your anxiety levels like your stress?

P4: Oh umm I would say at least seven.

B: Seven.

P4: Yeah.

B: Did they change when you went into the ring starting, like just trotting round?

P4: Yeah, yes definitely I think they came down then to about four.

B: Okay, so then when you went in and the bell rang and you went down the centre line and had a seven.

P4: Yeah.

B: And that is a fairly good.

P4: Yeah.

B: And the comments were very, very straight, were you happy with this, were you feeling confident?

P4: Yeah I was feeling confident at that point.

B: Yeah.

P4: Feeling better bit more relaxed and everything and I thought oh that was a lovely straight line.

B: Yeah.

P4: And you know you’ve done a lovely straight line cos the horse is straight in front of the judge, until we turned off then and umm he started moving his head and…

C-4 B: So what was your anxiety level again at this point? After you had done your centre line and happy with how…

P4: Ahh I think they were, sort of came down again, umm I think maybe a two or a three.

B: So really comfortable and confident?

P4: Oh yeah.

B: Good.

P4: Definitely.

B: So then your next movement was circle right 20m umm and at BFA working trot and it was scored a five.

P4: Hmm.

B: It was above bit, above bit and hollow.

P4: Hmm.

B: So is this not how you wanted it to go?

P4: No… definitely not umm I thought that he was going to relax obviously as he’d come up the centre line and it was a lovely centre line and he was quite relaxed at that point which I thought but obviously not and as soon as he turned then he started to do movements it was like everything went out the window with him it was, and the anxiety levels went (noise indicating anxiety levels went up).

B: So did you feel like you were tense through your body or were things going on in your head?

P4: Definitely, yeah thinking oh my god this isn’t going right.

B: Yeah.

P4: Yeah.

B: Umm were there any signs of butterflies in your stomach or feeling sick?

P4: Uugh not sick, I do get butterflies.

B: Yeah.

P4: But umm not so much when I’m riding the test it’s usually beforehand.

B: So like the anticipation?

C-4 P4: Yeah anticipation of it all, not when I’m riding, I tend to don’t get them unless I’m really, really stressed about something.

B: Yeah, umm so your next movement was down the centre line again and at C turn left and it was a six and said calling and distracted but very, very straight, so again it was straight so happy with that.

P4: Yeah, I was happy with the straightness but obviously I was umm a little bit annoyed with him calling.

B: Yeah so would you say your anxiety levels had gone up from your, beginning of the test?

P4: Umm no I would say they were about the same because the previous manoeuvre that we’d had where they’d gone obviously I wasn’t anxious at the start.

B: Yeah.

P4: Because we had a very good line then they went up a bit then I think they just sort of stayed around the same level then.

B: Yeah, okay so then the next movement, the next two movements again were scored a five which is sufficient.

P4: Hmm yeah.

B: And the comments were calling with head high and ran to canter.

P4: Yeah.

B: Umm what’s the canter work like for you, were you apprehensive or were you quite…?

P4: Yes I was quite apprehensive about it because he’d not been balancing himself in his canter work so I knew that the canter work was going to be the worst bit of the test.

B: So were you feeling quite anxious going into the canter?

P4: Yeah, yeah and I think that’s why he ran into the canter rather than it, took off into it.

B: So your nerves translated into him?

P4: Translated into him yeah.

B: Okay, umm and then your next movement, two movements, umm circle left 20m scored a four which is insufficient and running on and poking nose, so again this is canter work.

C-4 P4: Yeah.

B: So was it all a bit hairy?

P4: Yeah it was a bit hair-raising yeah but it was just trying to keep it, they’ve given remarks running on and motoring on, umm it was because I didn’t want him to fall back into trot.

B: Yeah.

P4: So I felt like the only way I could keep him going was leg on and make him go, rather than sort of just sit there and leave him come back and fall back into trot so hence the motoring.

B: So would you say you were anxious to get it over and done with or just…

P4: Yes very!

B: Or just going through the motions?

P4: No very anxious to get it over with.

B: Yeah, so then you went back down to working trot and it said unbalanced to trot, so that was from the canter being a bit hairy?

P4: Yeah hairy, yeah.

B: Umm so then when you came back to trot were you a bit relived that you had got it done with?

P4: Yes, yeah definitely, definitely, stress levels definitely went down.

B: Yeah.

P4: Thank god that’s over.

B: Umm then you had A medium walk B half circle left 10m then X circle right half circle 10m which was a four again and it said calling and hurrying.

P4: Hmm.

B: So again was he a bit unsettled and…

P4: Yeah he was a bit, he was just, he wasn’t focused at all.

B: Yeah.

P4: On the test.

B: So lacking concentration?

C-4 P4: Concentration wasn’t there he just wasn’t in the arena, he was like outside with Bronnie in the box because she was neighing to him, obviously that was stressing me a little bit because my father told me not to take her see.

B: Yeah.

P4: So really , but you don’t know what to do, the thing is you want them to be able to go two together so you can, but then again they’ve got to learn that one’s got to stay in the box so its, it was a bit of a learning process as well for him.

B: Yeah okay.

P4: So I knew he was going to do it but obviously the stress levels get up when.

B: Yeah.

P4: He’s calling all the time to her outside.

B: So because it was a walk movement, so it was a nice stead pace, did this give you chance to have a bit of a deep breath and chill?

P4: Yeah.

B: Yeah.

P4: Yeah to actually breathe.

B: So what would you say your anxiety levels were here out of 10?

P4: Umm I think they had come down again I would say when I was walking maybe around about a three.

B: Yeah so quite happy?

P4: Yeah.

B: Okay so then your next movement was E working trot between H and C working canter right then CMB working canter and it was a five.

P4: Yeah.

B: And then it said ran to canter again.

P4: Yeah this canter this leg he was always better on the ménage so knew he was going to go better on this leg.

B: Yeah.

P4: So the stress levels weren’t so high in this canter as the other one because I knew in the other one he was unbalanced.

C-4 B: Yeah.

P4: And he was going to come back to trot if I didn’t keep my leg on him.

B: Yeah so on this one you weren’t anticipating that it wasn’t going…

P4: Yeah I’d anticipated, sometimes I do think if, like back home they’re not going well at a certain thing.

B: Yeah.

P4: I do tend to take it with me to the show ring and think oh they’re not going to do this well.

B: Yeah, so a little bit happier in this canter?

P4: Yeah.

B: Okay so then your circle right 20m was a five and it was poking nose and motoring on so again were you trying to keep him from falling back to trot?

P4: Yeah falling back to trot.

B: So were you quite happy to finish this canter as well?

P4: Yes, very.

B: Yeah.

P4: Very happy to finish the canter.

B: Umm okay then your transition to working trot was a five, with poking nose and strong and unbalanced trot, so again happy to finish was it?

P4: Hmm, yeah very happy.

B: Would you say you had calmed down in the trot?

P4: Yeah I knew it was coming to the end of the test and I think you’re just a bit more relived then.

B: Yeah.

P4: And your stress levels tend to come down then towards the end of the test because you know that it’s not going to be long until it’s over with.

B: Yeah.

P4: And the fact that he hadn’t bucked he hadn’t umm reared or done anything stupid was just a bonus to me.

B: Yeah, so were you feeling a bit exhausted and tired of your anxiety levels?

C-4 P4: Absolutely knackered.

B: Yeah.

P4: Yeah couldn’t breathe hardly breathe I was totally exhausted from it all; I could have done with some oxygen.

B: Umm so you medium walk and change the rein in a free walk on a long rein umm A down the centre line scored a five and it said distracted and calling and no stretch down. So what, in general, is a five a good mark for you in the free walk?

P4: Free walk to be honest with you I don’t really know what they’re looking for, are they looking for lengthening stride because I’ve had horses that put their heads down on the floor and have walked exactly the same well they feel as if they’re going at the same pace, and I’ve had a brilliant mark.

B: Yeah.

P4: Just because their heads are on the floor, other times then I’ve had a horse that’s kept its head up but sort of when you when you’re going in the free walk the stride lengthens.

B: Yeah.

P4: So it’s a bit longer and I’ve had a terrible mark and I’ve thought well I thought a free walk was where, yeah they go to stretch down but also the, the stride should lengthen as if it’s…

B: Yeah they want to seek the rein and extend their stride length.

P4: Yeah, so I’m really not quite sure what each judge is looking for in the free walk so, umm I was happy with him on the day just didn’t you know, misbehave and obviously first test and I was just really pleased with him and as I say it was coming to the end of the test and I just…

B: Yeah so the free walk is like meant to be like a chance for them to have a breather.

P4: Yeah.

B: So did you find that, that helps you as well to just…

P4: Sometimes, umm sometimes not because I used to have a horse where you’d do the free walk and you give him the rein when it went to take it back and didn’t come back to the rein so that was quite stressful.

B: Yeah.

P4: At that when I had him because I’d be more stressed after the free walk trying to get his head back down for him to work into a contact again.

C-4 B: Yeah.

P4: But Dai’o is very good he will take the rein back so, yeah so I was quite happy with Dai’o.

B: Yeah okay, and then you final movement was D working trot and G halt, immobility, salute which was a five and it said turned early not quite on centre line, good square halt. So how did you feel when you halted and saluted?

P4: Uugh relived.

B: Relieved

P4: Yeah absolutely relived and stress levels went out the window.

B: So quite happy to finish?

P4: Yeah, yeah but really happy with him for obviously, he tried his best I couldn’t have asked for any more of him, it was my fault that id taken the other horse and that he was neighing and maybe he would have had better marks if I hadn’t of taken the other horse.

B: Yeah.

P4: But that was me adding stress to him then.

B: Yeah, okay so then your collective marks you had six for your paces, impulsion was a six, submission was a five and then your rider mark was a six, then the overall comments were pity because I’m sure he could do a really nice test, good on you for sticking with it, he didn’t call in his canter work.

P4: No he didn’t, when he cantered he stopped, he stopped whinnying.

B: Yeah so found that he had to concentrate in the canter?

P4: Yeah he had to concentrate a bit more because he was obviously, and I was keeping him going for him not to fall back into his trot.

B: Yeah

P4: So he didn’t have chance to whinny because I was making him go forward.

B: Yeah okay, so…

P4: I felt she was very fair in that because yes, yes I am sure he could do a really nice test, which he has done since, and you know umm sticking to it…

B: Yeah, it was good that she complimented your effort, yeah.

P4: Yeah.

C-4 B: So, happy that is a true reflection of how it felt?

P4: Yeah how it went, and how it went.

B: So just the main pointers of him are concentration and the canter work that effected your anxiety levels.

P4: Yeah just a bit, but I knew about them before I went so I think that if you’re conscious of it before you go into something.

B: It’s going to be affected.

P4: It’s going to affect you when you’re actually doing it.

B: Yeah.

P4: So your stress levels are going to be higher when you know you’re going to go into that canter work and you think oh my god is he going to take off on the right leg, is he going to stay in canter.

B: Yeah so lots of things to worry you.

P4: Yeah lots of things going round in your head at that point, when you know.

B: Need to be more of a positive thinker.

P4: Yes.

B: Right that completes the test and thank you for taking part.

P4: You’re welcome.

C-4 INTERVIEW FIVE

B: Before we go into full discussion about the test, I would like to make sure that you have read and understood the interview guide provided?

P5: Yeah I’m happy with it.

B: Great, now tell me a little bit about you and your horse? How long have you had him?

P5: Umm my horse is called Toffee, I’ve had him for five years now, umm I started riding when I was about seven and Toffee had brought my confidence on loads, we like to hunt and uumm and enter eventing competitions.

B: Yeah, right, in general how do you cope in equestrian competitive situations? Are you a nervous person? Do you like to be nervous? Or are you confident? Does it affect your performance positively or negatively?

P5: I’m generally a confident person anyway but in competitions I do get really nervous umm but I like that because I think it keeps me focused and it doesn’t affect my concentration so I can perform positively.

B: Okay, umm so we are going to look through the Prelim 12 test yeah?

P5: Yeah.

B: So tell me a little bit about your warm up?

P5: Umm well it was in an outdoor school which was uugh quite small. In some competitions like the pony club areas the warm up area is just an open field. Umm I usually like to go off in a corner somewhere on my own where I can just focus on me and Toff. Umm like just zone off into our own world and not get distracted by others is how I’d like to warm every time if I could. Sadly this warm up ring was quite small which meant I had to deal with not crashing into other competitors that were warming up too, which was a real pain.

B: Were you feeling a bit unfocused by not being able to zone out?

P5: Yeah well I would zone out and then I’d end up crashing into someone which just ended up with me trying to get him going back nicely again.

B: How were you feeling trying to get him going back nicely? Were you tense?

P5: Yeah I guess I just couldn’t relax fully so was tense as well. There were too many things going on, like remembering to look up to see where I was going so I wouldn’t ride into people.

B: So would you say you were satisfied with your warm up?

C-5 P5: Well it was going okay, umm I finally had him and myself chilled because the school had a few less riders in it then so I had a bit of time to do some working in with him, then as I went up the long side he threw a buck and chucked me off.

B: Oh dear, well I know that you got back on at some point otherwise we wouldn’t have this test to discuss. So how were you feeling when you got back in the saddle?

P5: Umm a little defeated, like id spend all that time getting us chilled then when I got back on he was all tense and not moving forward and freely, this made me tense up and I was anxious then that I wasn’t going to have enough time to calm us both down before it was my time to ride the test. I mostly remember being annoyed that when he threw me I’d managed to get my white jodhpurs covered in muddy sand, and I couldn’t really get that out of my head.

B: So you mentioned you were anxious? Out of 10, 10 being the highest how would you mark you anxiety levels?

P5: Umm well before I’d say they were probably a four or five, but after the buck they were around a seven or eight. I was worried and almost panicking that I wasn’t going enough time to chill before I was called.

B: What did you do to reduce those anxiety levels?

P5: Just had to keep him moving so he had something to think about but nothing too complicated that would sort of fry his brain and upset him. Umm I think this helped me cool down too as I was focusing on him constantly moving, so with a bit of time we’d returned to normal. I was able to really zone out then because the school only had one other person in it and I think she was scared to come near us just in case he threw another buck so I didn’t have to worry about looking where I was going.

B: Good, right when you entered the school how were you feeling? Nervous? Exciting? Apprehensive or confident?

P5: Umm fairly confident, but nervous at the same time. I was happy that we had settled down and I knew of the other competitors and I was likely to beat them, and this judge usually scores me well from pervious tests. But then that creates a bit of pressure, like I need to reach these expectations if you get me?

B: Yeah, not wanting to be cocky and complacent. Were you experiencing any other signs of anxiety such as sweaty palms, nausea, butterflies, or tension?

P5: Umm I suppose I had a bit of a lump in my throat, and a pit in my stomach, I always get that before I enter the ring though, it’s like the nervous wait just trotting round waiting for the bell.

B: So what mark would you give yourself for this moment of the competition out of 10 for you anxiety levels?

C-5 P5: Umm they’re probably at their highest, around an eight. It’s just the build up of waiting and the anticipation of waiting for the bell to ring, and then when I hear the bell, my stomach drops, it’s horrible.

B: So hearing the noise of the bell sets everything off?

P5: Yeah only for a few seconds then I’ve got to tell myself, right get on with it and stop worrying about it, start thinking about focusing on the test.

B: Good, you’ve got a way to control that moment of panic. So, for you entry you had a six, which on the scale of marks is classed as satisfactory. The judge’s comments were losing quarters between A and X. Were you happy with this mark? What mark do you score on average for your entry?

P5: Umm yeah I was reasonably happy, I guess. I say that’s pretty average for me so I wasn’t expecting a mark around there, was expecting a mark around there sorry. I knew his quarters were beginning to swing out but I found that if I left him to it rather than starting a battle to correct it was the best option, if I corrected it, it could have caused tension between us and that would have ruined the rest of the test.

B: Okay so you were thinking of the performance as a whole?

P5: Uugh yeah, I know in a dressage test you’re meant to ride each movement and forget about how good or bad the previous movement went and focus on the next ummm but because it was the first movement I had to make that decision there and then, compromise my entry for the rest of the test.

B: Your next three movements were scored a seven, which is fairly good. The comment made for the circle right 20m was generally soft. How was the test going at this point? Were you coping well, feeling confident or anxious?

P5: Yeah I was really happy with how he was moving, he was nice and chilled, which allowed me to relax, so yeah I say I was coping well and was confident with how he was performing.

B: So what mark would you give yourself out of 10 for your anxiety levels at this point during the test?

P5: Oh definitely a low mark, a three. It was going really nicely, I was enjoying myself as I was going through each movement how I wanted it to go, in a nice and calm manner, almost so that I could sit there and not do too much if you get me, obviously I am doing the work to make him move correctly I’m not just the passenger that steers, I have to work to make him work nicely, we just weren’t having a battle, just happy working together as a partnership.

B: The next movement was medium walk with two 10m half circles, you were scored a six, with the comment of lost some forwardness to start.

C-5 P5: Yeah the walk isn’t out strong point, he tends to assume that when we walk he can have the rein and plod along as if we were in a free walk, so the half circles usually consist of us having a little fight, he becomes a little lazy which I’m not used to as he’s such a forward going horse.

B: Then the free walk was a six with the comment of could stretch down more.

P5: Yeah this movement we usually score a seven or an eight, so I think the two half circles upset him so he couldn’t relax fully meaning he didn’t want to stretch down and take the rein. I usually like this movement as it gives us to get over what’s happened so far, like that’s what we do when we’re schooling, if we’re having a fight dropping down to walk and giving him the rein for five minutes to calm us both down helps so I use this movement in the test to have a chill. He usually appreciates the free walk as he’s keen to take the rein and drag his nose along the floor for a few seconds, but I guess he wasn’t relaxed during the test.

B: The transition up to trot was a six with a little tense as the comment.

P5: Yeah again this is due to us struggling with the walk so it wasn’t a smooth transition, and the fact that he likes his free walks and likes to take advantage of it to chill so he’s a bit reluctant to come back to an outline so have a bit of a moment of me trying to get him back and him trying to say no.

B: So what were you anxiety levels like at this point?

P5: They weren’t that high, like I knew I wasn’t, it hadn’t gone as well as I would have liked it to but just more disappointed rather than my anxiety levels increasing, like there was no point getting stressed about it, this is where I thought about riding each movement, like it’s done now, can’t do it again and just focused on my next movement and trying to get him to move forward and moving nicely.

B: So a lot of decision making takes place during the test?

P5: Yeah I can’t plan obviously how he’s going to perform, I can practise all I like but it’s how it goes on the day, I quite often decide how I’m going to do my halt at the end of the test during the test, like if it’s gone well and he’s behaved ill take a steady half halt, and not upset him, but if the test hasn’t gone well ill think well I’ve got nothing to lose, so I’ll take a risky halt to say whoa to him and ensure the square halt even though it will probably upset him and it won’t look that pretty.

B: Sounds like you’ve got to think on your feet, and have options for how the overall performance is going. Your canter work was scored a seven, is this good or bad for you on average?

P5: Quite good actually, his trot is definitely his best pace and the canter can be a bit iffy, he tends to get tense. He usually hollows so it’s not a pretty site; I know this makes me tense.

C-5 B: How does that translate to you and your anxiety levels?

P5: Well I’m usually a bit apprehensive coming up to the transition and then normally become tense myself and builds up as the canter continues regardless of whether the transition is nice or not as I know the longer we stay in canter the more a get tense and he just builds up and gets stress. So yeah I was really happy with his canter work at this point.

B: Your downwards transition was scored a six, with the comment of hollowed to trot.

P5: Yeah this is quite common for us, he doesn’t want to come back to the trot so a little bit of tension happens between us making the transition messy, with some silly pace of half way between canter and trot rather than a true step of canter straight to a step of trot.

B: So were you happy to come back to the trot?

P5: Yeah I knew the transition would be messy but I knew I’d be a lot happier in the trot because I know he moves nicely in the trot and doesn’t run with me like he does in the canter and I’m calmest when trotting.

B: Then again your second canter was scored a seven, but the circle was a point lower at a six, with the comment of a little resistant.

P5: Yeah the right canter is a little worse than my left, we tend to get more tense but I was generally happy with how the canter was going for us, so I expected a lower mark for my second canter as he wasn’t as relaxed as he could have been.

B: I can see that the change of rein in canter with a transition to trot just after x was scored a six with an asterisk in the comment box with disobedience and tense, what happened here?

P5: We came round the corner after coming out of the circle and when it came to changing the rein he dropped out of canter, so without thinking I gave him a good prod with my spurs umm which made him throw his toys out of the pram and had a paddy by bucking, again. I wasn’t expecting this and he threw me forward onto his neck with no stirrups or reins, just clinging on, luckily this time I didn’t hit the deck like I did in the warm up as he threw me up his neck rather than out the side door.

B: So tell me what was going through your head at this crucial point?

P5: Don’t fall off! You automatically get eliminated if you fall off during a test, so I was panicking a bit. He had come to a dead halt, and I was thinking if he puts his head down, I’ll be on the floor and be eliminated which would have been so frustrating as I had almost finished the test. I had a moment to get myself off his neck and back in the saddle. To be fair I was lucky he just stood still otherwise id have a bigger challenge to stay on if he walked or tried putting his head down. So I managed to get myself composed again and kicked on for the trot.

C-5 B: What were you anxiety levels like out of 10 then?

P5: Fairly high, probably an eight or nine, like because he had already chucked me off in the warm up ring with a random buck so it was a little moment of déjà vu but it was just running through my head don’t fall off, don’t fall off!

B: And what did you do to compose yourself and carry on?

P5: Well I just had to have a few seconds to get my reins and stirrups sorted then took a deep breath, I can’t remember whether the bell rang or not, because they normally do if you go wrong. I think I blocked everything out at that point and was just wasn’t concerned, just concerned sorry about falling off and staying on for as long as I could. I was just relieved that I had managed to stay on, like I would have been so annoyed at myself and probably more at Toff if I had fallen off so close to the end of the test, even if I had the best score in the world.

B: So once you carried on, your next movement was MCE trot and half circle left 10m to X and it was scored a seven.

P5: Yeah we went back up to a seven luckily, I think this was because I had the rest of the test, rest of the diagonal and the short side to get back to normal and relax again with him moving nicely.

B: So were you anxiety levels high or low now?

P5: They had gone down from the nine during the buck but they were still around a seven, just the adrenaline of him having his strop was still pumping through me and I guess I was a little bit apprehensive that I’d upset him by prodding him that if I gave him too much leg he might throw in another buck because he was obviously in that sort of mood on the day.

B: Then your halt was a seven, which is fairly good. How were you feeling when you halted and saluted to the judge?

P5: Umm well I was a bit of both, I was really happy with how he’d gone for most of the test, but then frustrated and disappointed that he threw the buck in, and more frustrated with him that the buck was so near the end of the test, but that’s the way horses are, can’t really predict their every movement just got to take it as it comes.

B: Yeah that’s understandable, right the collective marks were a seven for paces, seven for impulsion, six for submission and eight for rider’s position seat, correctness of aids and effects of the aids. The overall comment made by the judge was some really pleasing moments just needs a little more consistency in outline and softness. Well sat and controlled in second canter, nicely done. Were you happy with these marks and comments?

P5: Umm yeah I think that it was a true reflection of how it felt to ride and how it looked from a viewer’s perspective. I was really happy to get an 8 for my riders

C-5 collective, so felt good about that, nice that my riding efforts were picked up on in a positive way and appreciated, it so frustrating seeing riders that have a lovely horse that moves so well, and then the riders are awful at riding and look so scruffy on a horse, they’re usually just passengers that steer the horse where to go during the test rather than work for it.

B: So the overall observations made from this interview is that there is a lot of fluctuation of your anxiety levels dependent on how your performance of you and your horse is going with a lot of last minute decisions being made to compromise other movements to benefit the whole picture. You also seem to like a thorough warm up where you like to zone off and forget about everyone else, so that is a bit component that can affect your way of going in the test.

P5: Yeah I guess I’m really chilled when it’s going nicely and a bit tense and stressed out when it’s not going too well. That’s the way it goes with him, he never rides two test the same, always something different to keep me on my toes and keep me thinking, but I guess that’s the challenge I enjoy. I know I’m always most nervous waiting for the bell whilst I’m trotting round, I hate the anticipation on waiting to start, the pressure gets to me a little, umm I definitely have a set way in how I like to warm up, but it works for me and Toff so I’ve got to do it, even if it does mean crashing into people.

B: Good, you to strive and step up to a challenge of having the ability to tackle it as they come to you there and then without having time to think about it. Yeah we all have our own way of doing things, and having a set routine that helps you and the overall performance. Well that completes the test, thank you for taking part, and would like to wish you and your horse good luck for future competitions.

P5: No worries, thank you very much.

C-5 INTERVIEW SIX

B: Okay so tell me a little bit about you and your horse riding experience, like how long have you been riding?

P6: Okay I started riding when I was about umm, seven at my aunties farm occasionally, then I got my own pony when I was nine, umm kept her until I was about 13, when I went straight on to a racehorse bought from Ascot sales to race and he was 15’3, umm so I did a little bit of flat racing until I got too heavy and bought a point to pointer from Malvern sales and went point to pointing, not having any real jumping experience before that just wanted to do it, and I would say that I had a lot of confidence rather than ability and that kind of saw me through, I believed I could do it, yeah, and then he retired after three years of racing and I kind of didn’t do much riding for a while, had some children after about seven years I bought a thoroughbred, three year old, that used to race on the flat and started retraining her for dressage and show jumping and decided I quite liked competing and wanted to go in that direction so I had lessons on flat and show jumping with her. Umm sold her within about a year umm and bought a six year old just broken stallion. Umm and I have schooled and training him now for the last six years probably on flat, with eventing in mind. And over the last few years I have done my BHS exams, I have NVQ level 2, umm PPT, teacher for teaching and I’m working towards stage three and my AI teaching instructor exam.

B: Okay so, what do you normally compete at these days?

P6: Umm my horse has been lame, he had an injury for two years ago, so he’s only just come back to competing but it would be in dressage, show jumping, cross country, with you know the aim for eventing.

B: So quite across the board?

P6: Yeah.

B: Umm so when you are competing what are you like as a person, are you quite nervous or confident?

P6: Yeah, very, very nervous and it’s not the task I have to do, you know I’m not nervous of the jumps, not nervous of the test. I’m nervous of the fact that it’s a competition and very aware that, I think it stems back to when I was a child I didn’t compete very much at all with my pony we didn’t have a horsebox or anything.

B: So not used to the environment of it?

P6: No, not at all, and yeah it does really affect me.

B: Does it come through your body, like are you feeling sick, butterflies in your stomach?

P6: Yeah, nervous tummy, adrenaline, yeah runs through the body then the muscles feel sort of like weak.

C-6 B: Yeah, are things ticking over in your head, like you’re thinking too much?

P6: No, I tend to freeze.

B: Yeah.

P6: And make really silly mistakes, like come down the centre line, umm on the left diagonal because I’ve come in on the left diagonal and I know I’ve got to change to the right at C, change the diagonal, then go left, instead of right, umm.

B: Just completely blank?

P6: Yeah, yeah completely stupid, and half way through the test ill think, oh my god I haven’t, I’ve missed something.

B: Yeah.

P6: And go to go and do it and then go oh no, I did it actually, then carry on.

B: Yeah.

P6: And go towards the wrong fence, get distracted easily, if something goes wrong over a fence or right and it takes my attention oh that was good…

B: Focus on that?

P6: Focus on that and forget where I was going.

B: Okay, so like lose concentration?

P6: Yeah.

B: Yeah okay so warming up for this test, which is the Prelim 13, how were you feeling warming up for this test?

P6: Umm I was on a young horse for this occasion and umm I feel like she’s going quite well but I’m also very much aware that she’s probably not established enough at this point.

B: So is that worrying you?

P6: Umm yeah, I’m probably thinking have I entered this a bit too soon? Perhaps I should of put a bit more work in first, umm and I’m also focusing on, I’m trying to focus on if she’s not forward enough out her then she’s going to be less forward in there, so you know really trying to get it good in the practise ring before I can go in.

B: Yeah, so okay, then when you were called in and you were trotting round waiting for the bell, how were you feeling then?

C-6 P6: Umm slight bit of panic coming if I feel she’s umm she’s not concentrating, she’s distracted by somebody in the gallery or something and um she’s umm not willing to go into the outline and relax.

B: Yeah.

P6: It’s like oh god you know, we’ve got to start in a minute, and run out of time.

B: Okay so out of 10, 10 being the highest, what would you give yourself for your anxiety levels at this point?

P6: Umm on her id say probably about eight.

B: So quite high?

P6: Quite high, seven to eight because umm with her I suppose because she’s young I kind of feel well you can’t really expect too much and she’s only young and tend to get more anxious on the experienced ones who I know to be quite difficult and unpredictable .

B: Yeah.

P6: The unpredictability worries me more.

B: Okay, so then you went down the centre line without halting and at C turn right and you were marked a six, which is satisfactory and the judge’s comment was unsteady in head. So is this normal your centre line with this horse?

P6: Yes, yeah this would by typical of her, she’s a young horse and doesn’t like to take the contact at all she tends, she’s quite short in the neck as well, so conformationally she’s challenged, umm and she will draw back and not take the contact forward, and as you try to take the contact she will then just shake her head around a little bit in resistance so yeah.

B: So were you worried about this or were you, you knew it was going to be like that?

P6: No, no I was expecting that I think so, yeah.

B: So that hadn’t worried you too much.

P6: No .

B: Okay then your next movement was MB working trot and B circle right 20m and BF working trot which was scored a seven, which is fairly good, and the comment was hesitant before E. Was she not going forward?

P6: Yeah I don’t think she, she had spotted something in the gallery because that’s sort of the gallery side there.

B: So like concentration levels…

C-6 P6: Yeah and she obviously backed off and reluctant to go forward then because she'd got distracted.

B: Yeah, okay so then your next movement again was scored a seven and then the fourth movement was an eight which was HE working trot E circle left 20m and in second half over centre line, give and retake the reins and then eight is scored a good and said balanced well on give and retake, so were you apprehensive coming into this movement because you had to give the contact to her?

P6: Umm a little bit but umm she’s probably umm the type of horse who does better in this because she doesn’t lean on your hand and reliant on you to hold her in an outline umm she’s not likely to fall on her nose when you give and retake, like some will lose and their balance.

B: Yeah.

P6: So you know where her sort of reluctance to take the contact has impeded us at some of the other movements it actually sort of benefited us there.

B: Yeah.

P6: And we scored accordingly then.

B: So were you quite comfortable and confident at this point because you obviously had a good mark and improved two marks since the first movement.

P6: Yeah, I’m confident especially in the trot. She’s much more established in the trot like you would expect for a young horse .

B: Yeah.

P6: So the canter tends to be harder for her.

B: Okay, so then your next movement EK working trot and A circle left 20m and before X working canter left and then you were scored a six which is satisfactory and it said running steps, poked nose to canter, so again you said the canter is difficult for you with this horse?

P6: Yeah, yeah particularly the transition umm she sorts of struggles to balance herself form the trot to the canter transition and tends to run through the bridle a little bit and not sit behind and push from behind.

B: Yeah, so you said you knew the canter work wasn’t as positive as the trot, were you a bit apprehensive coming into this movement?

P6: Yeah I tend to think umm you know want to get the canter over and done with and hope they’re not asking for too much canter work in the test.

B: Yeah.

C-6 P6: Because we know that’s where we’re going to lose our marks, you know trot is pretty good and established now and that’s where we would get our marks so.

B: Yeah, so what would you say your anxiety levels were here? Out of 10

P6: Umm probably about a seven, a little bit less than when we started because I think my attention is concentrating a little bit more on her at this point, and umm so yeah to know that well, this is kind of what we were expecting so not too bad.

B: Yeah, okay so the next movement again was just working canter and six and unsteady in head umm and then the next movement was C circle left 20m and before X working canter trot which was scored a seven, so were you quite relieved to come back to the trot?

P6: Yeah definitely, definitely glad to get the canter over and done with and umm to come back to what we’re comfortable with.

B: So would you say your anxiety levels had dropped a bit then?

P6: Umm yes, sort of umm a sigh of relief almost internally uuugh relax and it’s done now.

B: So would you say you’re quite tense through your body with the canter?

P6: Yeah definitely, and umm I think probably you know umm an observation I’ve made myself is that then the thighs clamp and the pelvis umm can’t move with the rhythm of the horse in the canter.

B: So like muscular tension?

P6: Yeah, yeah.

B: So were you still feeling sick and horrible feeling in your stomach at this point?

P6: No that tends to go umm once I’m doing the job.

B: Yeah.

P6: Tends to be before.

B: Okay, so like the anticipation of waiting to go?

P6: Yeah

B: Affects it. Okay so your next movement was between C and H medium walk which was scored a six, again which is satisfactory and it said hesitant before H. So what is the walk like for you?

C-6 P6: Umm she umm she has a good walk when she relaxes but I do feel the walk can be quite difficult, you want them to march forward but you’re almost afraid to put your because they’ll jog umm break into trot umm.

B: So a bit hesitant to ask for too much?

P6: Yeah.

B: Yeah, so are you quite relaxed in the walk, or is it a bit stressful because focusing on them not breaking into trot but not being too lazy.

P6: Yeah, I don’t like the walk I think it’s because everything slows down .

B: Yeah.

P6: And there’s more time for them to study you.

B: Yeah okay, so just the pressure of the judges watching you?

P6: Yeah, yeah and I think if you can’t get that right, god help you.

B: So then your next movement was change the rein in a free walk on a long rein and it scored a five, which is sufficient, and is said active steps, stretch shown, more needed. So what is the free walk like for you?

P6: I prefer the free walk.

B: To a medium walk?

P6: Yeah to a medium walk, umm I probably would have thought on this occasion this was quite harsh that she gave me a five for that.

B: So that’s not a usual mark for the free walk?

P6: No, no I would have expected to score higher, especially as it, what tends to lose you marks in the free walk is the not going forward enough and not enough purpose and umm hollow and no stretch shown, whereas she’s marked me as having active steps and stretch shown and yet only given me a five.

B: So quite a low mark?

P6: Yeah, so at this point I probably wasn’t aware that I hadn’t scored so well and would have been quite happy.

B: Quite happy?

P6: Yeah.

B: So it the free walk like a time for you and your horse just to chill.

P6: Yeah.

C-6 B: Just for a couple of seconds?

P6: Yeah.

B: So were you anxiety levels low at this point?

P6: Yeah on her yeah low, fine umm on my other horse at this point, umm because he drops behind the leg throughout the test it’s knowing that I’m going to have to pick him up again.

B: Yeah.

P6: He’s not going to be as responsive, so I kind of don’t like the free walk on him.

B: Yeah, but like it on this horse?

P6: Yeah, with this horse it was fine.

B: So then your F medium walk between F and A working trot which was scored an eight, which is good, which is, you’ve gone from a five to an eight which is a good step up.

P6: Yeah.

B: So were you happy that she came back into an outline and…

P6: Yeah really pleased because sometimes tension creeps in and you go, when you pick the reins up again but umm from the free walk, so umm yeah obviously she didn’t, she stayed relaxed and then we were back up in trot which is our favourite pace I imagine.

B: Yeah, so are you quite calm and confident again because everything was going nicely again?

P6: Yeah.

B: Good, so then your next movement was A circle right 20m diameter before X working canter right and then you’ve gone down to a six.

P6: Yeah.

B: And then the comment said running steps to canter and lack of balance, so again is this the canter work you’re struggling with?

P6: Yeah particularly in this movement because you have to pick up the canter right in the middle of the school.

B: Yeah.

P6: So umm, you’ve got no boards to sort of help you.

C-6 B: Yeah.

P6: And umm probably you know one of the less likely places you would naturally pick up canter, you always tend to go in the corner especially with a young horse.

B: Yeah so were you quite anxious?

P6: Yeah, quite anxious that she’s not drifting and she’s going to respond to the aids which she didn’t.

B: So how were you feeling coming in asking for the transition?

P6: Oh god no you’ve got to canter again now.

B: Yeah so quite stressed?

P6: Yeah.

B: Okay and then the around the arena working canter again was scored a six and it said losing arena E to H.

P6: Between E and H yeah I think she’s probably drifted lost her balance and left the arena which would of most definitely put the my anxiety levels high.

B: Yeah okay, then next movement was circle right 20m before X working trot, which was scored a six, so again were you happy to come back to the trot?

P6: Yeah relieved to come back to the trot and I’m glad that the canter bit is over.

B: So had your anxiety levels decreased a bit?

P6: Yeah definitely be thinking oh god that’s behind us but I imagine umm it’s still in my mind oh god we left the arena, you know and that would have carried on for a little while.

B: Yeah.

P6: Yeah and probably, distracted me and umm my preparation would have been effected then.

B: Okay, so like for your next movement.

P6: Yeah the next movement.

B: So then your next movement was change the rein in working trot and A down the centre line and it was scored a seven so again it’s a mark more than your canter work and said unsteady in head to A.

P6: Yeah.

C-6 B: So because it’s coming to the end of the test were you a bit anxious to get it over and done with or were you quite calm?

P6: Umm probably starting to get that relief of oh god it’s nearly over thank god and we’re back in trot so umm I think she’s riding much more strongly forward and umm making a better trot down the centre line than to begin with.

B: Yeah, and then your halt, immobility, salute was scored an eight and it was a good square halt that’s a nice mark to finish on.

P6: Yeah.

B: So how did you feel when you finally halted?

P6: Really please, yeah really pleased with the, how well she halted, because being a youngster she tends to drift umm onto her weaker side.

B: Yeah.

P6: Umm so the fact that she got, umm got a really good square halt in that circumstances was really pleased and relived.

B: Yeah umm so then your collective marks you had six for your paces, seven for impulsion, six for submission and then for your rider’s position, seat, correctness and effects of the aids was a seven and the overall comment made by the judge was today a little unsettled some unsteadiness in head, very attractive mare, well tried. So were you happy that this was a true reflection of how the test rode and felt?

P6: Yeah, really pleased I think the judge was pretty fair because she used a good range of marks which is you know was representative of how we did, she marked us well in the trot and umm you know the only one I would have felt a little disappointed about was the free walk.

B: Okay, but fairly satisfied.

P6: Umm yeah for a young horse pretty good.

B: So then just the main points were that the canter work is where you’re most stressed and anxious.

P6: Yeah.

B: Just because of her lack of education and balance.

P6: Yeah, and I probably umm and be honest and admit that it’s not my best pace either.

B: Yeah, okay, well that completes the test, and thank you very much for taking part.

P6: It’s okay, you’re welcome.

C-6 APPENDIX D

Stage of Anxiety Anxiety Causes of Interpretation Horse Judge’s Performance Participant competition score Symptoms Anxiety Quotes of Anxiety Quotes Behaviour Quotes Coping Quotes Comment Scores I’d say I was a tense. The n/a warm up ring is next to a field he would go nicely for of donkeys, my horse doesn’t a bit, but he was Donkey's in field like donkeys so he was very I was okay, I could feel getting distracted so next to warm up tense and could only use half butterflies in my he wasn’t I find I have to have a couple of ring upsetting the school to keep him away stomach, but that is Lacking concentrating to his deep breaths which makes it go 1 Warm Up 6 Tense horse from them' Good normal for me.' concentration best' Good away n/a n/a

like if I don’t know the I wasn’t nervous but I could test' 'umm I’m worse with I could feel the canter umm yeah, there was a lot of umm, Canter too feel the canter wasn’t great, people I know are Forward in wasn’t great, it was canters to the left and right, the 2 Warm Up 7 Anxious onward bound so I was anxious about that. Bad watching me' canter quite onward bound Bad right was a lot worse n/a n/a

all of those symptoms, go very quiet don’t want to talk to I know that her symptoms are Sweaty anyone umm just going through my anxiety so trying to palms, through over in my head the frustrated that, and then trying to work in calm myself down which would then butterflies, test, nothing any sort of sort of realization that it’s Topaz, calm her, help settle her then, rather than just feeling sick, negative thoughts just really not a going to be a good settle her in new going through the test, id just try to 3 Warm Up 8 over thinking Difficult Horse nervous and anxious Bad day Tense surroundings Good keep myself calm and settle her n/a very nervous I took Bronnie n/a the other horse with us which wasn’t a good idea because he was neighing to her all the time' 'he was getting flustered, which then makes I was trying to work me flustered , which then I No I don’t, no because him in as best I could was getting a little bit upset umm I get quite stressed but obviously he was Upset and Two companions because I felt he wasn’t going then and then I don’t feel getting a little bit I was getting a little bit upset 4 Warm Up 7 Nervous being separated well' Bad right Unsettled flustered, Bad because I felt he wasn’t going well n/a n/a

well it was in an outdoor I had to keep him moving so he had school which was uugh quite something to think about. This Warm up arena small' 'like just zone off into then as I went up the helped me cool down too as I was too small, not our own world' 'I had to deal long side he threw a focusing on him constantly moving, being able to with not crashing into other Yeah I guess I just buck and chucked me so with a bit of time we’d returned 5 Warm Up 8 Tense zone off competitors' Bad couldn’t relax fully Unpredictable off. Bad to normal n/a n/a

I was on a young she’s not forward horse and I feel like enough out her then Typical she’s going quite well she’s not concentrating, she’s she’s going to be less Youngster but I’m also very much distracted by somebody in the forward in there, so you ways, aware that she’s gallery or something and um know really trying to get unsettled, probably not so you know really trying to get it she’s umm not willing to go it good in the practise lacking established enough at good in the practise ring before I 6 Warm Up 8 Worry Young Horse into the outline and relax Good ring concentration this point Good can go in n/a

D-1

I’m guessing id say they feeling because I’m were low because concentrating on how Yeah I was happy with how Yeah I try to take a deep breath, like Performance nothing had gone wrong he is going if you get he was going so yeah I was because he’s so sensitive, like he can feel if 1 Start 3 Calm going well at this point Good me. Calm feeling good Good I’m tense 6.5 Very accurate

and rhythm I felt more sick and maintained awkwardness because yeah like thinking got it was all going quite nicely, Pressure of everyone was looking at to do this go to do umm because the, that rein I was mainly focused on where I was going Nausea/ others you if you get me, an this, like too many was a lot easier that time, rather than what she was doing, just trying 2 Start 6 Awkward watching awkward feeling Bad things to think about Calm umm Good to remember it 7.8 Nodding head and

unsteady contact

I think there nerves got the better of me and a good eight but then I’m trying to umm sing to that’s coming out through Topaz through umm probably the sick I’m happy at being at topaz or talk to her and just the head, head throwing' 'for me Topaz feeling had gone by then that level if I wasn’t trying to keep her calm sort doing that is a normal thing so not any more Anxiety to umm more sort of more anxious I’d be more in of get her and myself in the like thrown off by it just got to get on with it 3 Start 8 start test Difficult Horse anxious waiting to start Good trouble Tense zone Bad is what happens to me' 4.8 distracted but very straight not so much when I’m riding the test it’s yeah I was feeling usually before hand, confident at that point, Yeah anticipation of it as soon as he turned then and you know you’ve all, not when I’m he started to do done a lovely straight riding, I tend to don’t movements it was like Horse line cos the horse is get them unless I’m everything went out the feeling better bit more relaxed and performing straight in front of the really, really stressed window with him it was, and everything and I thought oh that was a 4 Start 2 Confident well judge Good about something Unsettled the anxiety levels went Good lovely straight line 5.8 Losing quarters the anticipation of waiting for the bell to I’ve got to tell myself, on turn but ring, and then when I right get on with it and generally soft Anticipation Waiting for hear the bell, my stop worrying about it, / Pit in bell, sounds of stomach drops, it’s start thinking about he was nice and chilled, so yeah I say I was coping well and was 5 Start 3 stomach bell going off horrible. Good focusing on the test. Calm which allowed me to relax Good confident with how he was performing 6.8 Unsteady in Yes, yeah this would by head and typical of her, she’s a hesitant before E young horse and doesn’t like to take the contact at all she tends, she’s quite short in the neck as well, so conformationally she’s challenged, umm umm slight bit of panic and she will draw back Typical coming if I feel she’s umm and not take the contact Yeah, I’m confident Youngster she’s not concentrating, forward, and as you try especially in the trot. ways, she’s distracted by to take the contact she She’s much more unsettled, somebody in the gallery or Yeah I tend to think umm you know want to Accepts that will then just shake her established in the trot lacking something and um she’s get the canter over and done with and hope Comfortabl horse will head around a little bit in like you would expect concentrati umm not willing to go into they’re not asking for too much canter work 6 Start 7 e struggle resistance so yeah Good for a young horse on the outline and relax Good in the test 6.8

D-1

Stage of Anxiety Anxiety Causes of Interpretation Horse Judge’s Performance Participant competition score Symptoms Anxiety Quotes of Anxiety Quotes Behaviour Quotes Coping Quotes Comment Scores Some difference in Well I tried my best to I had to pat him, which I medium trot calm him down but We did our circle with guess helped me calm down Alf wasn’t used to so he got you’re not allowed to his quarters in the as well as I was feeling less Horse disliking scared about that' 'umm oh talk to your horse whole time. So he was anxiety as he settled down if 1 Middle 5 Panic judge god this is awful!' Bad during a test Tense very tense. Good you get me. 5.8 little onward bound

lost and but after I came out of the sort my sort of calm Just take a deep breath and balance movement it felt it, then it down for the next one at this point her canter think about her and not the through turn Anxious/ started to go a little bit and just get her back to wasn’t very strong, so test, just have five seconds Disappoint- Performance downhill, but I was anxious me but again it went Forward she’s on her forehand and clear my head , and 2 Middle 2 ed going downhill and disappointed' Bad downhill after that going a lot Good then carry on doing it 6.5 snatching at Yeah, like frustration rein, not on bit there’s no sort of probably , possibly in the control over her head warm up ring the canter was The transition into it we there its sort of her going really well and then but began to I’m just petrified that she’s always struggle with movement to do what now it’s not but no sort of submit in trot going to do something stupid there’s not a lot I can she wants and there’s not an unusual sort of 3 Middle 6 Scared Difficult Horse like try and trot through it Bad do, just frustrated Misbehaving not a lot I can do Good feeling 4.6 running on and yeah it was a bit hair- poking nose raising yeah but it was just trying to keep it, concentration wasn’t there they’ve given remarks he just wasn’t in the arena, running on and he was like outside with motoring on, umm it so that was from the Bronnie in the box because was because I didn’t canter being a bit hairy, she was neighing to him, Canter work no very anxious to get it over want him to fall back he was just, he wasn’t obviously that was stressing 4 Middle 3 Anxious weak with Good into trot Strong focused at all Good me a little bit 4.3 A little resistant

like there was no point like it’s done now, can’t do it and hollowed to hadn’t gone as well as I would getting stressed about again and just focused on trot Walk have liked it to but just more it, this is where I my next movement and Disappoint- movement disappointed rather than my thought about riding but I guess he wasn’t trying to get him to move 5 Middle 4 ed wasn’t great anxiety levels increasing Good each movement Tense relaxed during the test Good forward and moving nicely 6.4 she has a good walk unsteady in when she relaxes but I head do feel the walk can be quite difficult, you want them to march forward but you’re almost afraid to put your because they’ll jog umm break so yeah to know that into trot. Yeah well, this is kind of what particularly the because I think my attention is we were expecting so transition umm she concentrating a little bit more not too bad. Yeah I Typical sorts of struggles to on her at this point' 'umm an tend to think umm you Youngster balance herself form observation I’ve made myself know want to get the ways, the trot to the canter Yeah, I don’t like the walk I is that then the thighs clamp canter over and done unsettled, transition and tends to think it’s because everything and the pelvis umm can’t move with and hope they’re lacking run through the bridle a slows down and there’s Concentratin with the rhythm of the horse in not asking for too much concen- little bit and not sit and more time for them to study 6 Middle 6 g/ Tense Canter work the canter' Good canter work in the test tration push from behind Bad you 6.4

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Stage of Anxiety Anxiety Causes of Interpretation of Horse Judge’s Performance Participant competition score Symptoms Anxiety Quotes Anxiety Quotes Behaviour Quotes Coping Quotes Comment Scores Rhythm and paces became a Yeah weren’t able to little quick and get back to a nice hurried I guess the little moment with chilled way of going, he can be quite a hot I felt that I was fairly calm in my Not able to him not liking the judge and me but it happens and horse, so returning head but probably was tense relax from getting all tense about it that’s my horse for back to chilled mode through my body, like I know I horse affected the rest of the test as you so I’ve got to was difficult, takes time was probably a little hesitant to disliking we weren’t able to relax as a learn how to deal to develop this as a use my leg as I thought it would 1 End 6 Tension judge partnership. Bad with it Tense partnership Good wind him up again 5.7 canter became a little onward umm like in a way she was strong umm bound and pony have more anxiety her breathing increased none of them were really good but lost balance over it like anxious as well so she was the seconds one was a lot more about it' ' I was just blowing heavier. Yeah, difficult umm we both just lost Glad to return I was just glad it was over and glad it was over and but she was quite hairy concentration she had the wrong Relieved/ to trot from carried on doing it, so I can carried on doing it, after the canter and strike off which stressed me and 2 End 9 Tension the canter relax again Bad so I can relax again' Excited excitement Good then just stressed her out 5.2 she wasn’t being helpful today and patient rider yeah more positive compared I’ve already built up to the canter but probably with the previous I’m used to this reaction. I’d coming up to the next canter with the I imagine Topaz flung began to take more control with Canter movement anxiety is building anxiety, so just more her head up in the air Topaz submitting then and transition up again because we’re going frustration rather and not really probably working together then to have a 3 End 8 Anticipation coming up back into canter Good than actual nerves Misbehaving in a canter rhythm Good nice rhythm, more shape’ 4.5 pity because I’m so the stress levels sure he could do weren’t so high in a really nice test, this canter as the the fact that he hadn’t good on you for Umm I think they had come other one because I bucked he hadn’t umm sticking with it down again I would say when I knew in the other reared or done anything yeah I knew it was coming to the Walk was walking maybe around one he was stupid was just a bonus end of the test and I think you’re 4 End 2 Chilled movement about a three Good unbalanced Well behaved to me Good just a bit more relived then 5 Disobedience and tense

so without thinking I gave him a good prod with my spurs umm which made him throw like because he had already well I’m usually a bit his toys out of the pram chucked me off in the warm up apprehensive coming up to the and had a paddy by ring with a random buck so it was transition and then normally bucking, again. I wasn’t a little moment of déjà vu but it become tense myself and Don’t fall off! You expecting this and he was just running through my head Canter work/ builds up as the canter automatically get threw me forward onto don’t fall off, don’t fall off! Well I Apprehen- Disobe- continues regardless of eliminated if you fall his neck with no just had to have a few seconds to sive/Panickin dience form whether the transition is nice or off during a test, so I stirrups or reins, just get my reins and stirrups sorted 5 End 9 g horse no Bad was panicking a bit Bucked clinging on Bad then took a deep breath 7.8 little unsettled some unsteadiness in head, Yeah particularly in this movement because you have to pick up the canter right in the middle of the school and umm probably you know one of the less likely places you would naturally pick up canter, you I think she’s riding Yeah definitely be thinking oh god always tend to go in the corner Typical much more strongly that’s behind us but I imagine especially with a young horse. Youngster forward and umm umm it’s still in my mind oh god Yeah, quite anxious that she’s ways, unsettled, making a better trot we left the arena, you know and not drifting and she’s going to oh god no you’ve got lacking down the centre line that would have carried on for a 6 End 7 Anxious Canter work respond to the aids. Bad to canter again now concentration than to begin with Bad little while 6.6

D-1 APPENDIX E

Date: 01/10/2013

To: Bethany Jarvis

Project reference number: 13/05/175U

Your project was recommended for approval by myself as supervisor and formally approved at the Cardiff School of Sport Research Ethics Committee meeting during the 2013/14 Academic Year.

Yours sincerely

Dr. Rich Neil

Supervisor

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