Four Ways to Stay Motivated as you Create Your Dressage Musical Freestyle
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Creating a musical freestyle takes time. You may begin the process all gung-ho and then find that your motivation lessens as time passes.
So far on your freestyle journey you have clarified your goals, decided on a course of action, gathered your resources, found your BPMs, and started the music search.
Whenever I feel a lack of inspiration I spend some time doing the following. I would love to know how you stay inspired. Please share in the comments below or with the Freestyle Facebook group.
Go to a Show
If you have the opportunity to attend a live event I think that it can help spark motivation. Even a local schooling show with one freestyle can motivate you. Watching a fellow rider in the ring, showing their finished freestyle is encouraging. Sometimes the lack of entries is also inspiring, it confirms the fact that creating freestyles is a lot of work and it means that your freestyle will stand out from the crowd.
Make plans to attend a big show if you live near high-profile showgrounds like Saugerties, NY or Tryon, NC. Are you making plans to attend the World Equestrian Games coming up this September (2018)? Regional and National Championship shows typically showcase the freestyles in the evening for the enjoyment of the audience.
Watch YouTube
This is by far the quickest way to get motivated and inspire new ideas. I have saved individual Playlists for each level, Training through Grand Prix, and would love your help to add more. If you want to inspire other riders please send it along. Click on the freestyle level you are interested in seeing, the link will take you to my YouTube playlist for that level.
If you have a video you would like me to add, please post the link in the comments below, email me at beginthedance@gmail.com, or post your video in the Freestyle Facebook Group. I would love to share your finished freestyle, it doesn't matter if you are starting out at Training level.
Browse Quotes
When I am feeling down I jump onto Pinterest and start searching for motivational quotes and sayings. There aren't that many quotes related to musical freestyle...believe me I know! That's why I have created my own using quotes related to dancing, music, and riding. Click here to browse my collection of quotes here on my website or you can follow my Dressage Musical Freestyle board on Pinterest.
Join a Community
Being a part of a group of like-minded riders is helpful to stay inspired and get encouragement. I started a Freestyle Facebook Group specifically for riders that want to ask questions, share their journey, and receive encouragement along the way. It is a positive group of ladies, many of them I know in "real life" too! Click here to join.
You can also join a few other Facebook groups called Musical Freestyle (Dressage Kur) and Musical Freestyle Dressage.
There are also two online forums that you can ask questions and interact with other members on the topics of musical freestyle. These are the two that I recommend, the Chronicle of the Horse Forum and the Definitely Dressage Observation Lounge Forum.
If you find any other fun, positive groups online please let me know in the comments below or email me at beginthedance@gmail.com. I hope this post helped you find some motivation to continue working on your freestyle. Don't worry, everyone gets stuck, I think it is basically a right of passage! When you are struggling through the third, even tenth edit of your freestyle music it can feel like it is taking forever! Good luck!
Download My Free Resources
Stay organized with my Musical Freestyle Checklist and begin sketching choreography with my Blank Arena Diagram Page.
Browse my Freestyle E-Book Store
Learn how to create a musical freestyle from start to finish or choose an e-Book with choreography ideas just for your level.
Click here to view all Freestyle e-Books.
