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From Jason Schnelle, Owner of Autumn Chase Farm in TN.
Before coaching, the two real problems that I had were:
- I just wasn’t feeling that joy that I thought I should be feeling. My wife and I have built a great business. We have great horses, a great farm, and a lot of great customers. We win plenty. But there was a part of me that felt like I was just going through the motions and trying to keep the ship steady rather than attacking every day with gusto and trying to be the best version of myself as a trainer, rider, husband, and just overall good person.
- I always walked into the show ring trying not to lose instead of deciding that I was walking into the ring to win.
Here is how I think the above problems affected my life:
- I often wondered if I was really in the right career. Is this really all it is? I sometimes found myself missing the early days when we had no money, not such great horses, and just a handful of somewhat challenging customers. But I had big hopes and big dreams. In some ways, you could say that my dream had come true. All that I ever wanted in life was to be a successful horse trainer, and by all accounts I was. The one thing I really didn’t have was something to dream about. I was 51 years old, and I didn’t have the courage to dream about so many things that are still out there for me to accomplish and enjoy. It’s probably no accident that every year after the Chicago shows, which happen right after my birthday, I would find myself in a bit of a depressive funk that would last about a month. There was a part of me that wished I never had to go to another horse show.
- Trying not to lose…trying not to mess up…That just made showing stressful and one of my least favorite parts of the job. It certainly didn’t feel like sport. The feeling in my stomach the night before a big class was more like dread than fired up. Yet, I marched on. I had a reasonable amount of success, but I just longed to feel like a real competitor. An athlete that gets pumped up before a big class. An athlete that gets fired up about the next show.
What caused you to finally do something and to give me a call?
Last September, I think I told myself “Enough is enough” after I won a big derby on one of my really nice young horses. It was awesome. I felt the excitement that comes from knowing that there are newer and bigger mountains to climb. But I knew I needed help. No way could I get where I want go if I just kept going through the motions and trying not to lose. Wasn’t sure where to turn until Christine Moody’s father threw your name out when we were chatting at a show in November.
What is your favorite aspect of the coaching.
My favorite aspect of coaching was the complete transformation of my mindset about competition. Instead of just being a part of my job that I really don’t want to mess up, showing is a sport again. Seeing the world through my new identity gives me the fuel to get fired up before a big class, makes the wins sweeter, and makes it a lot easier to handle the classes that don’t go so great. In fact, it makes it much easier to find those “pearls” that are sometimes hidden in those not so good classes. Instead of beating myself up, I can put those pearls to work next time. We always say that we learn from our mistakes, but I think it takes the right mindset to be able to let those mistakes propel you forward rather than drag you down.
What are the tangible results of since coaching?
Since coaching, the most important tangible result for me is that I go to the horse show in the morning excited to show. I go to the show in the morning knowing that I can win. I go to bed the night before a big class dreaming about knocking it out of the park. And….since I tell myself over and over again that I am unflappable, one little misstep doesn’t wreck my day. I’ve earned quite a few tri-colors this year even after having a bad class here and there. Instead of walking into the ring fretting about that rail that I had in the first class, I can walk into the ring deciding to win the second class.
Since coaching, I find so much more joy in training and showing. I especially love walking into the ring with absolute certainty that I can win.
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Get matched up with one of my Equestrian Rockstar Certified Trainers or from my list of approved top trainers that my past clients have been BOTH successful AND happy with!
Nancy Dye
Breakthrough, Peak Performance Mental Skills Coach
Emotional Strength & Resiliency Trainer
Strategic Interventionist
1-561-866-0402
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