Frustration is an agitated, uncomfortable, and unhealthy mental state to occupy for too long. While I certainly appreciate your situation, I encourage you to find a way to accept what you cannot control. Since you are older and have lived a lot of life in and out of the saddle, I am sure you have had to deal with other external situations that are beyond your influence. To live a good life, we have to actively cultivate resilience, which is the ability to bounce back, and to respond positively to the challenges we encounter.

I suggest designating a specific time period for your preparation. It might be 30-45 minutes or so. Giving yourself a time frame will help you create a boundary around your preparation, and will allow you greater freedom to break away from the group. Then, do separate yourself physically. Find a quiet spot to get on your boots and coat, or go take a walk and sit quietly for a few minutes while you clear your mind and get focused.

I urge you to carry with you a good dose of compassion, reasonableness, and humor as you step into the warm-up ring. Don’t expect miracles, aim to warm up, and do your best to stay present with yourself and your horse. If things start to unravel, take a moment to breathe and regroup. Maybe walk around the ring once and then start again. Rather than feeling like victim of the warm-up, take charge and manage the situation as best you can. And, remember: the warm up ring is simply for warming up. That’s it.