Confidence? Your thoughts.

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patchypony

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Bit of background: fell off a year ago and fractured a vertebrae. Spent a year healing and getting stronger, whilst still with horses, but only on the ground.

So the other day i got back on for the first time since then and had a short walk round the yard. But I always have the notion in the back of my mind of how easy it is to fall off, and how effing painful it was! How on earth can i get this out of my head?

Crazy.
 
Ouch :(

Small steps...there are people who wouldn't ever get back on after a nasty fall (personally, I'm a bit of a wimp, and don't like hospitals, so I'm quite happy to do my best to avoid them!), so you are braver than you give yourself credit for :)

Build it up slowly...after all, Rome wasn't built in a day. I'd be rather impressed, or think you very crazy, if you were able to get back in the saddle after a nasty fall kept you out of it for a year, and carry on like nothing had happened.

Try not to put pressure on yourself. If you get back on tomorrow, just do whatever you feel most comfortable, even if it's walking round again for 5 minutes before you get off again. No one can make you do anything you don't feel comfortable with, and you don't need to impress anyone.

I lost my confidence jumping years ago, got it back jumping a total nutter, but since went away to university and haven't done much jumping. So now I think I have a mix of still being a bit nervous...but also just rusty. I started watching a "thrills and spills" vid on youtube last week, then realised watching people fall off jumping wasn't going to do me any favours! Maybe find some vids of some riders who inspire you?

Best of luck :)
 
May I firstly say I'm glad you're recovering physically as that's a big injury. Also you should be very proud for getting back on; don't underestimate how much bravery that has taken. You're doing brilliantly so first suggestion is to reflect on that as its a massive step.

Nothing that bad has happened to me. In fact I've been largely injury free so far; but I lost my confidence falling off my young lad a few weeks after he arrived. The key for me has been taking baby steps. A few minutes at a time is great. Make it a positive experience. If you want to ride on the lead rein do it; you would feel safer on the lunge? Go on the lunge. One circuit of the school is a brill start and you build from there. A nice quiet pony is always helpful. Gradually that scary voice goes a bit quieter over time and you will feel better. Just remember the voice is trying to help you keep safe so you don't want to ignore it... Maybe just work with it til it's less shrill! Good luck, I think you have already done immensely well!
 
Thank you guys, means a lot to me what you have said! Your both right, baby steps are the way forward. Sadken: that voice is deafening at the mo!
 
I had a nasty fall and the first time I got back on was awful. I had another horse- one I used to have lessons on and knew was very quiet, I was SO scared I only realised 10 minutes after finally managing to haul my shaking self on board that I'd forgotten my hat!!!
I'm a person who would never ride even the most trustworthy horse without a hat but my brain was mush.
Now I'm fine and it didn't take long either-I'm still cautious I don't take risks- you will get there and when you look back at this first ride it will seem like a distant memory!
Good luck and well done x
 
hypnotherapy!
I wrecked myself in a fall and it completely got me over the experience and I'm fine now!
 
wow patchypony I too think you are really brave.

Agree with baby steps but also would say there is no rule that says you HAVE to ride. Maybe you just need a bit longer until your desire to ride is bigger than your (very understandable!) fear of riding and then take it slowly from there.

My other tip for increasing confidence is to make the situation as safe as you possibly can then that inner voice does quieten down a bit. So that means - the safest horse you can find, in the safest area, with all the proper equipment including a hat and body protector, with someone else there with you.

well done for coming so far already - and best wishes for your future journey :)
 
I'm sorry to hear about your injury. Confidence is a funny thing.

There are some really good rider confidence courses out there. The one I went on did a bit of hypnotherapy and use trained horses to rear, lay down with you and you get shown how to fall off the most damage limiting way. I got it for my birthday after I had a fracture and it really helped. I think it's just nice to have a drill in my brain of how to react in tricky situations and know that you can scrable back into the saddle from many silly positions. I also went back to riding school and asked for an old school master and had a few lessons to build back up again.

Time is also a good healer. Good luck with everything.
 
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