Confidence building after a fall...

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Amber1012

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I recently had a pretty nasty fall and I'm still a novice so was pretty nervy at times anyway...was in hospital for best part of a week and still can't walk properly yet...(but I will) although when the accident happened doctors feared I might not walk again as I had no feeling in my legs at all, I have majority of feeling back now apart from my left thigh and hip and lower back....so anyway, it wasn't even my horse it happened on but now I'm worried about getting back on (when I can) does anyone have any advice? The accident happened on a main road so I doubt I'll be near any roads for a long time but how do I get over the initial fear of even getting back on?
 
Hi amber. Like you I'm recovering from a nasty fall on my share horse. He spun away from a fast moving motorbike and slipped and fell on me. I was lucky not to break anything but I'm trying not to dwell on that too much. I've ridden since in the school but like you I'm not sure about how I will be when I ride out on the road again. I would just advise you to do as I've done and get used to riding in a safe environment before you venture onto the road. You probably won't know how you'll feel until you get back on the horse.
My nerves don't appear to be too badly affected but I do have some anxiety that if I go back out in share horse that his owners nerves will unsettle her horse. I can cope with keeping the horse I'm riding calm but I don't know if I can deal with a riding companion whose nerves are likely to trigger her horse off and in so doing make mine anxious and more likely to spook. Which is probably how the last accident happened. Good luck with your continuing recovery too. I'm off to see the Chiro later to try and get my very messed up shoulder functioning a bit better. X
 
Spend a lot of time on the ground just playing around until your happy and ready to get back on. Then I would recommend that you have an instructor with you and start just small perhaps even to the point of on sit up, get off.
Just take things slowly and you will get your confidence back in no time!
 
Dianchi is right, slowly surely is by far the best way :) little and often and dont rush it! I had a bad fall 2 years ago, Ive only been back riding for a few months. When I got back on i told my instructor that I wanted to start from the beginning, so working on my position in walk, then when that was good progressing to trot :)

Hope everything goes well and you get back on when your ready :)
 
I agree with the posters above. Lessons with an instructor will ensure you concentrate on your riding and not the 'what ifs'. Take it steady starting from easy stuff and don't try to do too much too soon. You need to bank some good experiences to offset the bad one.
 
dianchi said:
Spend a lot of time on the ground just playing around until your happy and ready to get back on. Then I would recommend that you have an instructor with you and start just small perhaps even to the point of on sit up, get off.
Just take things slowly and you will get your confidence back in no time!
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Absolutely this! And get a good understanding friend to walk round with you when you aren't having a lesson. Just one circuit and then get off and give your horse a pat! I was really scared after losing all my confidence and the help of a sympathetic instructor and good friends were invaluable. Now I'm happy to canter and do a course of small jumps. Not much to most but I'm chuffed. It will come back just take your time and don't push yourself too much :)
 
Thanks guys. The worst thing has been not being able to pick up my little boy, he's only 1 and my little girls 3 so the thought of not been able to walk again was a massive scare, my husband doesn't even want me to get back on at all but understands that I don't want to give up so easily on something I love. I'll take my time and hopefully won't be too nervous when the time comes :)
 
Take a few weeks break away completely and switch off to everything horse related and go back with a fresh head, worked for me, I had a couple of falls and lacked confidence and went on holiday for 2 weeks and switched myself off to it all back home and came back a new woman, my confidence has went form strength tho strength, good luck
 
My husband was a total saint after a nasty fall last year shattered my (already-failing) confidence into a million pieces. A chance comment brought a new pony with a gleaming reputation to me for a two week trial so I HAD to get back on to try, or miss the chance to buy! OH was fantastic. My first ride he led me around like a beginner, whilst I sat up there with white knuckles, in a position like a Barbie shoved onto a plastic horse and a forced smile. First hack out we led said pony to see how relaxed he was in new surroundings and then I scrambled on from a verge and was led, until I felt safe enough to try a few yards unclipped. In the school, OH would put poles down and give me challenges to do which gave me something to think about rather than focussing on what might go wrong. I progressed to having him as a foot soldier as we ventured further afield. On grass he would walk ahead and I would trot to him, then I got brave and would trot away from him and wait for him to catch up. In summary, between the new pony (who did indeed live up to his reputation and has now been with me over a year and is still yet to put a hoof wrong!) and my wonderful OH, I have now gained back the missing confidence - and then some, if I'm honest! If you have the right horse and the right support, you will be fine. But make sure you are physically and mentally ready.
 
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