Spurred by Pressure: The Impact of Professional vs. Amateur Competitor Status on Competition Anxiety Levels in Equestrian Athletes

Abstract

Within equestrian sports, equestrian athletes must harmonize their behavior and actions with the unpredictable behavior and actions of a 1000-pound animal–the horse. This unique dynamic presents a complex psychological challenge for equestrian athletes, contributing to their experience of competition anxiety. This study explores how professional vs. amateur competitor status impacts these levels of competition anxiety. Using a modified version of the Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (HAM-A), data was collected from 140 respondents through a Google Forms survey, including 19 professional and 121 amateur riders. The collected data revealed that amateur equestrian athletes experience higher levels of competition anxiety on average (HAM-A score: 14.007) compared to professional equestrian athletes (HAM-A score: 10). While the professional respondent group reported lower competition anxiety levels, they were more likely to recognize that competitor status influences competition anxiety levels. This suggests that professional equestrian athletes are more self-aware regarding pressures tied to their status. Qualitative thematic analysis of open-response survey questions confirmed these trends and illuminated how experience levels, self-confidence, and external expectations shape competition anxiety levels. The conclusions of this research offer insight into the mental demands of equestrian sports and support that amateur and professional equestrian athletes could benefit from mental health management strategies.