That Winning Feeling!: Program Your Mind for Peak Performance

by Jane Savoie, Robert Dover (Foreword)

Jane Savoie presents a revolutionary approach to riding by which you can train your mind and shape your attitudes to achieve higher levels of skill than every imaged. The book deals with such concepts as You will learn relaxation exercises that will not only rid you of stress and tension, but will also enable you to benefit fully from the use of “imaging” as a working tool to achieve desired ends. And you will skillfully invoke the “ As If principle” to think and behave “as if” you are already experiencing your wants and needs. The author explains how words, and word-images, play a major role in determining your actions. For example, if you say “challenge” instead of “problem,” you will positively enhance your performance. The “training” chapters take all the general principles and apply them to specific riding situations. The final chapters deal with “competition,” focusing all the tools and techniques learned earlier on actual performance scenarios. Throughout the informative and spirited text, there are scores of personal anecdotes about some of America’s leading riders—and their affinity with the ideas and teaching of the author.

Genres: Horses

160 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1992

About the author

Jane Savoie is one of the most recognized names in dressage, and for a good reason. Her accomplishments and the breadth of her influence are impressive. She has been a member of the United States Equestrian Team and has competed for the US in Canada, Holland, Belgium, France and Germany. She was the reserve rider for the Bronze medal winning Olympic dressage team in Barcelona, Spain. She has been long-listed by the USET with several horses and has won nine Horse of the Year awards and three National Freestyle Championships. Ms. Savoie is as well known as a coach, writer and speaker as she is for her competitive accomplishments. She was the 1996 and 2004 Olympic dressage coach for the Canadian 3-Day Event Team in Atlanta and Athens. She also coached several top dressage and 3- Day Event riders in their preparations for the 2000 Olympics and while in Sydney she helped rider Susan Blinks secure a bronze medal for the US dressage team. Ms. Savoie has written five books that have been published both in the US and abroad. Her best-selling sports psychology book That Winning Feeling! is in its ninth printing and has been translated into several languages. Her dressage training books, Cross-Train Your Horse and More Cross-Training, are rapidly becoming popular reference books for riders and trainers in all disciplines. Her fourth book, It's Not Just About The Ribbons, is a sequel to That Winning Feeling! This book is an essential addition to your library if you need help with negative emotions like overcoming rider fear, impatience, or lack of self-confidence.

Reviews

[Becky Martin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have gained so much from this book over the years. I find myself using techniques I've learned from this book every time I ride. I recommend this book to all of my horse friends, no matter what discipline they ride, or what level they're at.

[Catherine · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very worthwhile and interesting read about competition mindset. If you are interested in dressage it’s especially excellent.

[Hedi · Rating 5 out of 5]

In sports where you form a team with an animal there is always some parts that you cannot control 100% but if you are smart you can control 99.9% of it. Great book also for people competing with dogs.

[Susan Miller · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is at least my second read of this book. It is such a great inspiration and I don't know why I don't refer to it more often. I am so glad that I picked it up again. There are so many pieces that are great motivations and mind sets to be positive.

I love the idea of visualizing best rides even when not mounted. Keeping a positive slant on everything you learn from each experience. Great ideas for memorizing dressage test or jumping courses.

Psychocbernetics is a great concept to see, feel, smell and hear everything that happens when riding to keep yourself in shape and riding your best from your chair at home. Improve each ride with focus on all of the positive things you do in each ride.

[Kathleen DeMarle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good read for mindset. Helpful tools and easy concepts that I can hopefully put into practice.

[Kim · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am a jumper and u found this book very helpful. I get nervous jumping over 2'3" and I found that using her WIN method I get the confidence I need to excel at anything I want to. I needed confidence in myself and reading that I saw that my nervousness was from my lack of confidence in myself and my negative thoughts towards a taller jump. By thinking about a jump as fun it totally changed how I approached the jump. I was amazed!! It was everything my trainer has been telling me but never clicked. She was actually who recommended this book for me to read!

[Lia]

This book was my first exposure to Psychocybernetics (aka positive thinking). Jane is an Olympic Dressage rider, and she just made a documentary on PBS about horses. I'll have to find out the name, because it's a very moving series and the love between horse and rider.

[Sue Jellum · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked the book and it was pretty easy to read. I have a hard time getting through most non-fiction. Some of the points were more common sense than new ideas, and so far there are no miraculous improvements in my dressage tests, but maybe I need more practice with the mental tools.

[Krissy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great perspective!

Jane has wonderful tips on developing a positive healthy perspective in competition. She's also got some useful tools for helping you to prepare.

[Beth Stultz]

Excellent book on the psychology of riding and having the right mindset.