Can a nervous rider be a good rider?

Kokopelli

Kokopelli

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Just a Friday night ponder really.

I'm going for my B test in the summer and was talking to a friend who is also going for it. She is very confident I'm not so much on quirky horses.

She's taking a quirky horse and I'm worried about being swapped onto him and voiced this to a different friend and she said "well if your going for B test you must be able to ride him, your not a good rider unless you can ride every horse and confident."

Is this true, if you're nervous does that mean you will never be good?
 
Brighthair part loans my Medium horse and although she is a nervous rider (improved hugely though over the past few months) she rides really nicely and is very effective. She also has a very good feel which I think is so important!
 
Pippa saw a sports psychologist didnt she?

I think every human who rides will get nervous at some stage? you wouldnt be human otherwise?
I happily rode silly youngsters once upon a time....if I saw those types now id be thinking-ok, the insurance is upto date,the back protector is on, the hats safety standard has been reached!! yup id be nervous!;)

the thing in your favour is- a) you know the horse so you are aware if its a bucking type or a napper or a speedy head in the air type?
b) andy has given you something to ride that wasnt like your other horse? so you have sat on different sorts of characters.

If we could all ride every horse then no1 would be selling their horse with " too much scope for current rider" or all horses would be badminton bound?
Best thing to do before test is this- learn what you need to from your instructor and for a few weeks ignore comments from "friends" fellow test takers as you will be suprised at the gumpf that gets talked about when they are just as nervous :rolleyes:
 
Interesting post! I think it's a fine line between confidence and competance! Obviously in an ideal world we would all have bags of both, but most of us don't. I think once you get a certain amount of competance, confidence can then carry you on a certain amount but ultimately you need skill as well not just b@lls of steel! I guess it depends on what you mean by nervous? I'm not nervous by nature but would e nervous if you pushed me way out of my comfort zone on my own horses (altho on my older boy that's partly because I know his limitations too!) or equally if you put me on something really quirky that I felt I couldn't trust - I don't mind sharp/ quick or the odd buck/leap but will stick with a lot more on my own horses than a strange one!
Sorry waffling. I think as long as you aren't nervous enough to be affecting the horse, then yes a nervous rider can definately be a good rider. I asked Jonathan chapman once if he gets nervous at the bigger events and he said to me 'if I didn't get nervous I would end up dead' - suggesting that the ridiculously bold and confident tend not to make measured judgements like those who are being a little more cautious I guess!!
 
ecrozier said:
Interesting post! I think it's a fine line between confidence and competance! Obviously in an ideal world we would all have bags of both, but most of us don't. I think once you get a certain amount of competance, confidence can then carry you on a certain amount but ultimately you need skill as well not just b@lls of steel! I guess it depends on what you mean by nervous? I'm not nervous by nature but would e nervous if you pushed me way out of my comfort zone on my own horses (altho on my older boy that's partly because I know his limitations too!) or equally if you put me on something really quirky that I felt I couldn't trust - I don't mind sharp/ quick or the odd buck/leap but will stick with a lot more on my own horses than a strange one!
Sorry waffling. I think as long as you aren't nervous enough to be affecting the horse, then yes a nervous rider can definately be a good rider. I asked Jonathan chapman once if he gets nervous at the bigger events and he said to me 'if I didn't get nervous I would end up dead' - suggesting that the ridiculously bold and confident tend not to make measured judgements like those who are being a little more cautious I guess!!
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This ^^

I on the other hand can affect my horse when I'm nervous by returning to my control freak nature!!
 
Well I took it in 09 but failed as I fell off doing the xc! Doh! :o Was meant to do it last year but kept putting it off but now I got a good enough pony to do it on I'm hoping this will be my year. :)

The horse in question is a rearer and tanker and he really shouldn't be going to B test as he really isn't a B test horse but no one can stop them.

I've ridden lots of different horses and I'm fine on other horses but if they start playing up I do get frightened. I found they tend to swap you onto different horses that you came on so I'm hoping that as I came on a 'hot' horse and this horse is also 'hot' they probably won't swap me onto him.

Thanks for replies everyone feeling better about it. When I say nervous I get scared when a horse plays up and I'm not used to them. If my boy played up it wouldn't bother me but if anything else did it would.

It's had me worried because I'm beginning to question whether I should be taking my B test in the summer or not but I really need to take it this year as I don't intend to stay in PC much longer.
 
I think a nervous rider can be a good one, it depends what they are nervous about and how the nerves affect them.
As you have said in other posts you are not nervous about the height you jump so that will keep the horse confident IMO. Could you ask your instructor if you could have a swap session so you have all ridden all the horses before you do your test?
 
Hummm, I'm 50/50 on this. My friend always maintains that I would be a far better rider than her if I wasn't so nervous, as it is I like to stay in my 'comfort zone' which involves lots of hacking and no having to travel the horse.

I think that there are horses that I ride well and am happy with and horses that I won't sit on.

One thing I am very good at is sticking on! Aforementioned friend is always gobsmacked that I can (just) sit on my horse's bucks. He handstands!
 
The test is done as an area so there's no way we would be able to sit on every horse before the test.
I don't mean this in a nasty way and I don't think I'm a great rider but I don't like the way the other person rides. She's very handsy and likes to 'saw' the horses head down so I'm really not keen on her riding Andy that often.

Maybe with enough rescue remedy down me I won't feel nervous on him. :)

Its made me feel better knowing someone like Pippa Funnel is also nervous and knowing what she has achieved. That really is amazing.

Also nice to know that you can be a good rider even though your nervous.
 
I think a certain amount of nerves is healthy, although any more can be crippling. I only know I'm nervous when I become incredibly tired and yawn my head off- just want to snooze (terrible when driving the lorry!)
When I was younger I didn't suffer the way i do now but I think that was naivety to be honest. Once you've done the maths re the cost of injury to yourself and the hoss it makes you think...
 
I hope she doesn't mind me posting...
My mum (alwaysbroke) is what you may call a nervous rider, when faced with something out her comfort zone,which is 2'6/2'9, you may say she is being pushed.
So 2 days ago her OH stuck her on his Criminal Law gelding and pushed!
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Now Sir is not an easy horse, and had mum not been riding correctly he wouldn't have jumped. And this fence being 3'10 was big and she was obviously nervous.

So based on this I say yes nervy riders (Sorry mum!!!) can also be good riders!! :D
 
Don't worry, when you swap horses in the B test it will be in a very controlled area (almost certainly in an arena) and you will not be expected to do anything very much, walk, trot, canter and jump a very small fence. What they are interested in is your opinion of the horse you have just ridden and often slightly nervous riders can sense the issues etc in a horse.

I arrange the B tests for my children's pony club and have seen many different standards of horse/rider and have sometimes been surprised by those who have passed/failed. For the riding module, it is like riding a dressage test, sometimes what you do works for the judge, sometimes it doesn't. And what one person hates, the next person loves. What I am trying to say in rather a poor roundabout way is don't be disheartened by having failed before, or indeed don't be worried by your friend's quirky horse - it won't make any difference on the day, if you are good enough, you will pass - even if you have failed before.

GOOD LUCK!!! Let us know how you get on.
 
YES most definitely they can. Its all about learning to channel the nerves to form positive rather than negative energy. If your in Ireland any time before test...I can offer a quirky mare that is as safe as anything....she will test you but generally knows when she's at the limit!!
 
being nervous is not always a bad thing, I am and being over 40 it does get worse as you get over but i think its because you are not so nimble, you need to focus on good thoughts and not bad, Good luck believe in yourself
:):)
 
In answer to the question - to me it takes courage for me to get on, but even more to say no, whether that's getting on something I don't want to, or doing something I don't want.
When I say nervous - I am really, really bad. As in, I don't like riding outside, in wind, hacking, cantering...... (most important bit of sentence) AT THE MOMENT
I am trying to learn to say I don't want to rather than I can't, mainly because I'm too bloody stubborn so I can and I will
I have the utmost respect for anyone who is nervous, and keeps getting on because it takes so much. After a fab lesson and my first hack in months this week, I must have been so running on adrenaline because I got home, sat down and promptly fell asleep!!
 
Just to mention that Pippa Funnell is not a nervous rider but has instead struggled with her nerves at major competitions especially when in contention after dressage. That was the impression I got from reading her autobiography. For me this is slightly different from the ops situation.

My recommendation to build confidence is to not dwell and just get out there and ride as many horses as possible. You have to deal with what you get on B test day.
 
If the horse is really difficult and exhibits behavior that looks dangerous then the examiners will not use it to swap someone on to, the last thing they want is a horrible accident. They will not swap you onto a horse that they do not think you will have the ability to ride safely.

I do think nervous riders can be good riders on the right sort of horse. Most nervous riders are nervous due having to either having had an accident or seen one. A good schoolmaster horse can be a great confidence boost and nervous riders can still ride technically well.

A confident rider is not always a good rider either as they make take risks and attempt to do things that are beyond their ability or that or their horse and end up having an accident.

I think there is a big difference between someone who is nervous of riding a quirky or difficult horses that displays behavior that could be dangerous than nervous of riding in general.

If I fall off or have a near miss accident then I am nervous if I am put in the same situation again.
 
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I'd like to think so but I'm just not sure.

I ride okay when I'm relaxed, comfortable etc. However, when I'm nervous/scared I ride like a complete pleb and my riding completely goes to pot.

If I saw a horse bucking, rearing and generally being an idiot and someone said to me 'get on it' I wouldn't. Maybe 10 years ago I'd have had a go but even at 23, my bones take a lot longer to heal now and I don't bounce quite so much. So does that mean I'll never be a good rider?? Maybe. A wuss, definitely.

If I'm on a horse that I don't know and it starts to really mess around then I get so scared and tense up/become rigid and my riding ability just goes completely out of the window, the horse then gets worse and the problem just escalates.

When I'm relaxed and feel completely confident, I'm not too bad and I have to say if I get really confident on a horse and know it, then if it puts its parts on I'm generally fine with it. So I don't know.

I do think though that confidence comes from competence. Although I'm getting more nervous the older I get (yes at the grand ol' age of 23 :D ) I am generally getting more competent and now when I ride something and it does play up, although I do cr a p myself, I am getting better at learning to relax and deal with it. At the end of the day if you're confident in your riding ability and stickability then, in turn you will have confidence.

I too have to be pushed out of my comfort zone too as babycakes said.
 
Think it depends on how well that person can translate nervousness into determination.

I'm SO nervous when competing....but I grit my teeth (proved in most photos unfortunately...) and think I *can* and *will* do this...

Besides...I quite enjoy the adrenaline rush being nervous gives you!!
 
SO1 said:
I think there is a big difference between someone who is nervous of riding a quirky or difficult horses that displays behavior that could be dangerous than nervous of riding in general.

If I fall off or have a near miss accident then I am nervous if I am put in the same situation again.
Click to expand...

This ^^^^
 
Thanks for replies everyone. I see where your coming from summerstars, when I get tense the horse plays up and its like a vicious circle. I've really been working on exercises to relax myself but I know on the day of my B test I'll be tense anyway.

Luckily I don't get nervous competing I think the adrenalin gets rid of it! :)
 
Not read all the replies, but please don't worry. You're quite correct candidates are expected to take a horse of B test Standard but it does occur that some take absolute sods in the hope that they will look good against other candidates that are not familiar with their horses quirks.:mad:

In our area I have accompanied members to several exams and if the examiners have thought that the horse you have swapped to has been difficult they will swap you again. There will be horses you find easier than others, but it is how you deal with each horse and how you effect it. Don't panic, in your mind take yourself out of the exam situation and imagine you were working this horse at home, what would you try to get it to improve.

Good luck, seriously don't worry you shouldn't get proper tricky until your A Test :D
 
Yes they can be good & effective riders on the right sort of horse.

You will have to ride another horse or two - hopefully someone will advise your friend that she would be better to take a sensible well schooled horse for her B.

As a B examiner we want to see a horse schooled to perform the required movements correctly. When things don't quite go according to plan we like the rider to be able to tell us what happened and how they might resolve the problem. What we don't want to see is a poorly behaved horse doing the work with tension or misbehaving.

eg in the jumping phase it's no good having a showjumper that clears everything with ease but reefs into fences or is difficult to control around the course - to the examiner the rider has not schooled the horse to the principles of Pony Club or to B certificate level.

Maybe it would be good for you to go to as riding centre that trains riders for BHS Stage IV and above and have several lessons on horses that are working at B level and above. It will give you practise at analysing and reporting what you have discovered about your horse.

Best of Luck with your B, make sure that you know the theory well as this makes it asier to put all into practise.
 
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For competing:
A nervous rider can have the ability and knowledge to be very good, and on a quiet enough horse can demonstrate all that talent/knowledge. A truly nervous rider will always need a horse with the right temperament to succeed though, whereas a more confident rider will be able to pick and choose amongst those who are talented enough.

For riding any old horse:
Again, a nervous rider can have the potential to be good, but will not always be able to demonstrate that potential, and in some situations will transform an otherwise well behaved horse into one that is verging on dangerous, if the horse is either likely to take the mickey, or nervous itself.
 
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