Event appeal: Reining, working cow horse. (Facets of this strategy can also be applied to any patterned event, including horsemanship and hunt seat equitation.)

Goal: To mentally "map" arena landmarks, then visualize riding to them, so you'll know exactly where you should be-and where you should go next-on a pattern at all times.

Benefit: You'll boost your pattern's accuracy, and void losing your way as you negotiate it, which can lead to missed markers, sloppy maneuvers (such as poor shaped circles), going off pattern, and other points-off-or-zero-score-errors. Plus, you'll net a strong dose of confidence from being mentally prepared for your run, thereby gaining a competitive edge.

Do you get disoriented when you show your reiner ? If so, you're in good company. Getting lost on pattern is a common rider error that has its roots in anxiety and lack of mental preparation. I see it all the time: A youth or non-pro rider walks or gallops into the show pen, head down, eyes glued to his horse's head. He's nervous and not focused on the task at hand-negotiating an accurate pattern. The results? At some point, he'll lose sight of where he should be in the arena and get rattled. He can kiss accuracy-and a winning run-goodbye.

You'll see the same results when a rider enters the arena with her head up, but with a dazed and confused look on her face. It reveals that she's incapable of finding her way around the show pen. Her maneuvers reflect the problem: haphazard circles, lead changes performed in the wrong place, and consistently missed markers.

To me the proper mental prep is the most important aspect of winning ride. It's also a great way to slay those anxiety dragons.

I'll share an easy, five-step visualization strategy you can use to ensure you're mentally ready to ride and win-and that you never get lost on a pattern again. It's a technique I use every time I show. I call it "arena mapping"

Before you show, you’ll mentally map the arena using common site markers, such as gates, posts, and poles, so you'll always be aware of exactly where you are at any point on pattern. You'll then memorize those markers and visualize yourself riding to them-over and over again. That mental imagery will enable you to ride accurate maneuvers that can earn you plus points-rather than minus ones.

THE ART OF MENTAL MAPPING
Step1: Be an early bird. Get to the show grounds a day before your class. The more time you have to familiarize your self with the arena, the better off you'll be at show time. As you school in the show pen, look around, taking a mental picture of the arena. (Mapping tip: Do this even if you've shown there a dozen times, as things will change.) Memorize where everything is and will be, including gates, judges, markers (re-check on show day, as these may move), announcer's stand, and flag poles. With that landscape in mind, begin drawing your mental map.

Step 2: Map the arena's center. Your ability to nail the center is necessary for accuracy. You'll not only change leads there, but you'll also start your circles from that point. If you have a pattern that calls for you to walk to the center and start from there, you have to know exactly where that spot is in order for the rest of your pattern to be on target. (Most competitors assume the center is anywhere in front of the judges. It's not)

To map the arena’s center, visualize two lines across the pen, one dividing it in half lengthwise, the other one dividing it in half widthwise. The point at which these lines intersect is the arena's center. That's your pattern's "sweet spot"-memorize the location on this important piece of real estate by using Step 3, below.

Step 3: Landmark the center. Look for a landmark on each of the arena's short sides that you can use to identify the lengthwise line you visualized in Step 2. Then do the same on the long sides to landmark the widthwise line. That way, you'll be able to find the center from any point on your pattern. Choose objects that are easy to spot, so that as you're galloping toward or past them, you can see them without straining. I've used light poles, gates, cones, chutes, and other such landmarks. (Mapping tip: Avoid using banners as site markers. I've learned from experience that identical banners can occupy different spot in an arena, which can be confusing.)

Step 4 : Play a mental tape of your (perfect) run. Once you've drawn your mental map, run the pattern in your head about 100 times. And I do mean 100. Imagine it's the greatest run in the world. Doing so enables you to visualize that perfection such that it becomes second nature, which will be subconsciously boost your performance. If any negative thought creep in, shut the out immediately, and focus on the ideal.

Avoid just picturing the maneuvers. Instead, visualize yourself riding each one, from dynamic sliding stops to turbo-powered turnarounds. Focus on what you'll be feeling and the landmark you'll be looking for and riding toward next, based on your mental map. For instance, if a flag pole marks the top of your first circle on the arena's short side, visualize yourself riding to the pole. As you pass it and come around the circle, picture yourself watching for and riding to the gash in the wall that marks the long side's center. That means you'll cross the arena exactly at its midpoint.

After changing leads in your head, visualize your site markers at the arena's opposite end. That will keep your second set of mental circles round and even. (Mapping tip: When you ride for real, avoid looking down to see if your horse got the lead. By the time you look up again, you could miss you landmark.)

Step 5: Visually reinforce your map. To help engrain your mental map in your brain, make frequent trips back to the arena to survey your landmarks. You don't need your horse. You can simply stand by the rail, and continue to familiarize your self with the environment.

BE A PRO-ACTIVE RIDER To further improve your performance, take control of your own destiny at a show. By that, I mean become a pro-active rider. Here's how: - Read the rule book. You alone are responsible for knowing and following a show association's rules. Relying on someone else to do that for you could lead to a misinterpretation of a rule, and an infraction-and you're the one who'll suffer for it. - Memorize your patterns. Many amateurs rely on others for help with pattern memorization. That's a sign of mental weakness, which is my pet peeve. If you're going to expect someone to hold your hand and get you through a pattern, you're not going to get through it. When you walk through that in-gate, you'll be on you own. And you'd better know that pattern. Use the visualization techniques outlined in my strategy to help you. - Use your trainer judiciously. Ask him or her about a specific maneuver or problem, but don't expect that person to do your work for you. Learn to ride and think independently, and you'll improve your placings. Promise.

SHOW-TIME TIPS
Now put those five steps to work using these show-time tips:

*Keep those eyes up! Avoid the temptation to stare at your horse's head as you ride. You can't site and ride to you landmarks if your eyes are locked downward. Instead look up and ride ahead to each marker, just as you did when you "rode" the pattern in your head. And enjoy a bonus of my strategy: When you look up and ride to an object, you'll subliminally guide your horse in that direction, making your cues look invisible and your maneuvers appear nearly effortless.

*Ride through any problems. If, despite your mental prep, you or your horse makes a mistake, ride through it. This is where your visualization will kick in. Because you've already "ridden" the pattern a hundred times or so and know the arena like the back of your hand, you'll go on autopilot, drawn to your next landmark like a moth to light. You'll never have to suffer that momentary-and focus rattling-"where am I ?" panic that can torch your performance. And you'll have a shot at earning some points to offset those lost on the error.

*Keep it up. Like anything else, the more you practice arena mapping, the better you'll be at it. Before your next show, practice at home. Mentally map your work area, then ride a pattern in your head.(Mapping tip: To keep your horse from anticipating on National Reining Horse Association patterns, make up some simple ones on which to practice.) Once you've done so repeatedly, mount up and execute the practice pattern. With practice and repetition, this technique will become second nature to you. And you can watch your scores improve.

ABOUT THE EXPERT
Mental prep is a Dell Hendrick's specialty- and he's put that skill to good use. The Idaho native rode to the 1999 NRHA Futurity open championship aboard Hollywood Vintage, owned by Alan and Kay Needle of Orange, California. In 1998, he earned the NRHA Futurity open reserve championship on BH Hollywood Lady, owned by Bob and Linda Hamilton of Scottsdale, Arizona. In late 2001, Dell and his wife Terri, relocated to Tioga, Texas, from Scottsdale, Arizona. There, they operate Hendricks Reining Horses. When not in a saddle, Dell is an in-demand clinician, both nationally and abroad.

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