Imposter syndrome is the idea that you will only succeed due to luck and not your own talents. No one knows the root cause of it, but many believe it has to do with one’s personality traits (like anxiety) or behavioral causes. Environment can also factor into it.
It happens to the best of us. We may feel it at work, school, with our group of friends, and especially in the arena. We feel inadequate and think we don’t belong in these situations.
As athletes, we constantly think on how we can improve in our sport. We judge ourselves (harshly at times) and compare ourselves to others whether we realize it or not. The hard truth, though, is that we won’t all be in the same place at the same time in our equestrian career whether we like it or not. Your friend will excel in one area while you rock it in another. We learn at our own pace and there is nothing wrong with that.
As someone who took a 14 year break from this sport, I constantly have to remind myself to have patience with myself and the horse I ride. We are two athletes who have individual strengths and weaknesses.
Currently, my weakness is that I lean to the left in the saddle and my right leg sticks out. It’s not pretty in the slightest. Meanwhile, Lacie (the horse I currently ride), tends to fall in on her right side especially as we go into our corners. It’s something that I have to actively think about when I ride her. Sometimes I forget that fact, but you know what, it’s okay! It’s part of learning. You have to do something multiple times before it becomes a habit.
So, tell me below in the comments or send me a dm (@faithovercoffee) about the times you have felt imposter syndrome. What are your strengths and weaknesses in riding?
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