When the inevitable slump occurs, that is the time for the horseplayer to prove to himself that he is a mature, disciplined player. It's easy to be a "frontrunner"...in life, and in gambling. When you are a "frontrunner" at the track, you are sailing along with your pockets full of cash, your handicapping acumen is validated...and you feel as if you are the "King of the World".
But when the inevitable slump comes about...are you a "mature and disciplined player" who sticks to the original game plan then? Or do you start chasing in order to get even...start doubting yourself and your methods...and become a sucker who scours the internet in search of the next "can't lose" handicapping system or software? That's how the system-selling shysters stay in business, you know.
How do I handle a slump? I eliminate all desire to "get even quickly", and I stick to my game plan as precisely as I can. And if I know that the slump hasn't adversely affected my handicapping and betting...then I find no reason to "take a break" in order to clear my head during the slump. I know that I have been through slumps before, I know that I have always managed through them with my bankroll and my sanity at an acceptable level...and I expect the same to happen with the next slump that I encounter. Of course, I do this because my long experience in the game has fortified me with the prerequisite level of confidence, in myself and my methods. And confidence in ourselves and our methods comes only if we have had some success in the game for a reasonably long length of time. Try as we might...we can't fake confidence.
