Get Gritty With Chevy - Chevy's Coaching Blog

Get Gritty With Chevy

Be Curious to Be Confident

3/1/2021

In training horses, if we can encourage curiosity, we can teach our horse faster without causing fear. If a horse feels safe enough to be curious, we know that they trust us.

Breezy is an especially curious horse. He is always getting into something, and likes to investigate new objects by picking them up in his mouth. By taking an extra minute to let him sniff a new obstacle he is much more likely to calmly cross it than if I were to hurry and try to force him over it.

Curiosity is something we encourage in our horses. Why then do we suppress it in ourselves?

As a Mom, I have a theory.

Three simple tips to transform the February Funk to Focus and get on track to achieve your horsemanship dreams.

2/13/2021

As I write this, it is below zero with extreme wind chills. Not exactly inspiring weather to get out and ride!

February is always a tough month. Gone is the excitement of the holidays, and January’s energy to new year’s resolutions has been sapped away and frozen. Did you know that by February over 85% of people have given up on their new year’s resolutions? While the days are getting longer, February has an energy of exhaustion. We are tired of winter. We are tired of cold. We are tired of snow. Simply, we are tired.

If you keep your horses at home, I feel you. After feeding and chores on a frigid February day, I want to do is thaw the icicles out of my hair and eyelashes, put my frozen feet in front of a heater and wrap my popsicle fingers around a cup of hot cocoa and snuggle under a blanket and not come out until June!

Then I look at the calendar, and see that show season starts in three months.

Actions of Confidence and the Grit Zone

1/4/2021

When is it too cold to ride?

12/30/2020

When is it too cold to ride?

Well, if it is so cold that your nostrils clog shut as soon as you step outside, it might be too cold to ride.

The truth is that most of us use the cold as an excuse.

In this video I share some tips and considerations for winter riding-so that you can keep making progress towards your horse goals even during wintry weather!

Do you ride in the winter?

If you are looking for inspiration, motivation, coaching, support and more, consider joining the 2021 Winter Horsemanship Challenge! Learn more here.

Gritty Riders Don't Blame the Horse

11/7/2020

The truest test of the mental and emotional toughness of a rider is how they respond when things do not go according to plan.

If a rider responds to a challenging situation by blaming, as a coach I take it as a sign that the rider doesn't feel very in control of their horsemanship (and often, their life).

Blaming is a common response. It is a defense mechanism, designed to protect our fragile egos.

However, when we blame, we give away our power to make changes, to learn, grow, and improve.

Want to have a good ride? Do this BEFORE you catch your horse

11/4/2020

Hobbling-an essential skill or a controversial practice?

11/2/2020

The training process to create a hobble-broke horse isn’t always the prettiest. Taking the time to get the horse accepting of ropes, being led by a foot, and overall quiet and gentle goes a long way to making this process easier. Eventually however, the horse will have to move and feel and the hobbles, and sort through it. Ultimately, hobbling is more mental restraint. Some horses (Breezy included) learn to move both front feet together and “hop” while hobbled, and some can move pretty quick this way.

Preventing a Spook

11/1/2020

Has a close call shaken your confidence with your horse?

10/25/2020

Click here to sign up for my Free Training Video Series: What To Do After a Close Call to Boost Your Confidence (Instead of Wreck It)

I’m supposed to be a mental skills expert-I shouldn’t be feeling this way.

10/22/2020

I almost let overwhelm and anxiety take over. And I wasn’t going to share this, since, well, I am supposed to be a mental skills expert. I am supposed to be calm and confident and positive and gritty all the time and a good role model for all of the amazing horsewomen that I am so blessed to work with.

Then I thought, I better share this. Because this is real, and this is what happens to everyone, and perhaps, my experience can help someone else to perform better with their horse.

About Chevy

Hi, I'm Chevy. I'm a Mama to two adorable cowboys, a Farm Wife helping manage our herd of Hereford cattle, I prefer to be horseback whenever possible, I have a passion for horsemanship and helping riders learn the mental skills they need to get gritty and go after their big horse dreams.

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