Confidence problems - walking makes me nervous!

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Dappled

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Hi all :)

I've always been an incredibly nervous rider, but just recently it's occurred to me that when I'm on a horse, the time I'm most nervous is when I'm walking - strange I know!

When I'm trotting and cantering, I'm busy and concentrating, and most likely out if breath (I'm very unfit and have s horse who requires quite a bit of leg!) So I don't have time to worry. I guess I'm mostly worried about my horse suddenly tanking off or spooky - completely irrational, I have a brilliant horse! But I'm still so nervous and it makes me not want to do any of it :(

Same goes for out hacking, we walk most of the time and I'm constantly worrying, which is passed onto my horse who becomes spooky, it's like a vicious circle.

Sorry for the long and fairly pointless post, does anyone else get more nervous just walking or am I just a bit crazy?! What do I do to stop this ridiculous nervousness?

Thank you for any replies :)
 
I hate walking one of mine out hacking alone - fine in company, fine alone in trot / canter, but walk makes us both silly (he spends most of his time bouncing, ducking and diving in walk too). So I'd say, yes crazy, but it's not just you!

Oh and to avoid it, I just don't walk that one out alone ;)
 
I am exactly the same :) When walking I think that they have more time to look and spook cos they're going slower. Plus at walk theres a lot more speeds to go up to if they bomb off. Whereas if I go for a blast up the gallops I'm fine, the horse can't bolt when we're already flat out, I'm to distracted to worry and they're going to quick to see the scary stuff in the bush.
Things I've found that help with my nervousness- If I get really nervy I'll pop up into canter and do a few laps till I calm down. Alternatively singing to myself, normally twinkle twinkle little star. And one I've personally found really helpful is flashing up big green letters saying 'SAFE' in your mind repeatedly whenever you start freaking out, like a big neon sign. Sounds really silly but it really helps me
 
Try singing, doesn't matter if you can't hit a note, remembering the words takes your mind off being nervous and you can't hold your breath and sing.
 
I'm exactly the same. Complete nervous nut. I tend to really focus on my position when I'm walking, instead of slouching about as then I know if anything does happen I'm in a much better secure seat. Flexing the horse, leg yielding etc keeps us both busy too. If just plodding out I'll sing as well (It really is the best thing) or remember the last time you walked out and everything was fine and you got home grinning :D
 
Maybe you need to be more focussed as you ride? By this I mean that you maybe need something to actually DO in walk, i.e. use your seat to steer and guide the horse rather than your reins/legs (you can do this in the school to start with then graduate to doing it actually out hacking); also you could do stuff like ride a serpentine; experiment with different levels of pace i.e. collected/extended walk, shoulder-in, leg yield etc etc. And/or you could do say twelve (or whatever) paces in walk and then twelve paces in trot, and keep alternating, etc. There are endless varieties to what you could do basically.

Perhaps if you have something to focus on, and improve upon, this may help you? Of course it would help you greatly if you were to enlist the support of a good instructor, who could help you with the stuff I've mentioned and he/she'd also give you other suggestions of things to do as well........
 
My horse is silly walking out (only on certain sections of the route, fine in trot and canter). Doesn't make me as nervous anymore because I know when to expect the bouncing around! I agree with singing or even just having a chat with your horse (can be about literally anything, don't worry that you sound mad!), and whenever mine is playing up I just leg yield him in zig zags across the path to keep his concentration, and mine.
 
millikins said:
Try singing, doesn't matter if you can't hit a note, remembering the words takes your mind off being nervous and you can't hold your breath and sing.
Click to expand...

This worked for me when I started hacking out again after a serious accident - also helped keep my horse calm. He loves it when I sing to him - his little ears flick back and forth - well I think he loves it, the flicking could be his attempt to fend off the noise :D
 
MiJodsR2BlinkinTite said:
Maybe you need to be more focussed as you ride? By this I mean that you maybe need something to actually DO in walk, i.e. use your seat to steer and guide the horse rather than your reins/legs (you can do this in the school to start with then graduate to doing it actually out hacking); also you could do stuff like ride a serpentine; experiment with different levels of pace i.e. collected/extended walk, shoulder-in, leg yield etc etc. And/or you could do say twelve (or whatever) paces in walk and then twelve paces in trot, and keep alternating, etc. There are endless varieties to what you could do basically.

Perhaps if you have something to focus on, and improve upon, this may help you? Of course it would help you greatly if you were to enlist the support of a good instructor, who could help you with the stuff I've mentioned and he/she'd also give you other suggestions of things to do as well........
Click to expand...


This is very good advice, I have suffered with confidence issues and mainly work in walk so have been working on improving her walk the difference in my seat is amazing and consequently her walk is much more free, but feels VERY safe.
 
Wow thank you everyone for your help and advice!

MiJodsR2BlinkinTite said:
Maybe you need to be more focussed as you ride? By this I mean that you maybe need something to actually DO in walk, i.e. use your seat to steer and guide the horse rather than your reins/legs (you can do this in the school to start with then graduate to doing it actually out hacking); also you could do stuff like ride a serpentine; experiment with different levels of pace i.e. collected/extended walk, shoulder-in, leg yield etc etc. And/or you could do say twelve (or whatever) paces in walk and then twelve paces in trot, and keep alternating, etc. There are endless varieties to what you could do basically.

Perhaps if you have something to focus on, and improve upon, this may help you? Of course it would help you greatly if you were to enlist the support of a good instructor, who could help you with the stuff I've mentioned and he/she'd also give you other suggestions of things to do as well........
Click to expand...

I think you've definitely hit the nail on the head here with regards to the having something to focus on, I'll really have a go at doing that :) The more I'm thinking about something else, the better I'll be. Thank you :)

Bear9 said:
I am exactly the same :) When walking I think that they have more time to look and spook cos they're going slower. Plus at walk theres a lot more speeds to go up to if they bomb off. Whereas if I go for a blast up the gallops I'm fine, the horse can't bolt when we're already flat out, I'm to distracted to worry and they're going to quick to see the scary stuff in the bush.
Things I've found that help with my nervousness- If I get really nervy I'll pop up into canter and do a few laps till I calm down. Alternatively singing to myself, normally twinkle twinkle little star. And one I've personally found really helpful is flashing up big green letters saying 'SAFE' in your mind repeatedly whenever you start freaking out, like a big neon sign. Sounds really silly but it really helps me
Click to expand...

Really like the idea of imagining the word safe, never thought of that before, thank you :)


I'll try the singing, though my horse will definitely get ear ache :P

Thanks so much everyone! :)
 
Dappled said:
Hi qall :)

I've always been an incredibly nervous rider, but just recently it's occurred to me that when I'm on a horse, the time I'm most nervous is when I'm walking - strange I know!

When I'm trotting and cantering, I'm busy and concentrating, and most likely out if breath (I'm very unfit and have s horse who requires quite a bit of leg!) So I don't have time to worry. I guess I'm mostly worried about my horse suddenly tanking off or spooky - completely irrational, I have a brilliant horse! But I'm still so nervous and it makes me not want to do any of it :(

Same goes for out hacking, we walk most of the time and I'm constantly worrying, which is passed onto my horse who becomes spooky, it's like a vicious circle.

Sorry for the long and fairly pointless post, does anyone else get more nervous just walking or am I just a bit crazy?! What do I do to stop this ridiculous nervousness?

Thank you for any replies :)
Click to expand...

Try talking to your horse, not necessarily to calm him but if you have a little conversation with him, you'll stop concentrating on your nerves. Also make fun of his spooks. I have a youngster who spooks at daft stuff; recycling boxes are his nemesis. I just say; oh look it's your favourite. It calms you down and henceforth, him too :)
If you get really scared, like someone else said, start singing; it really helps! Also try hacking out in company and try and hack out as much as possible, as this will help you get more trust in the horse, because you'll learn how he'll react to everything and what his worst behaviour is; some horses are really spooky but it's just "looking" whereas some aren't that spooky but when they are scared it's a big reaction so learn what your horse will do and when you know you can handle all his behaviour you'll get a lot more confidence. :)
 
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