Confidence

[lizzylulu]

As you know I have just been to India for 2 weeks. Well I had my riding lesson last night, and was fine, til we got into canter and my confidence went, it was the best canter I have ever ever done, it usually take me a while to get it but I got it straight away but I was terrified! It was a bit water logged in the school so I may have been a bit scared that might cause the horse to lose her balance or something, I then twisted my back so couldn't carry on and get passed the issue.

Any ideas on how to get back to how I was before, I obviously haven't lost my actual touch with riding its just me!

 

[dianchi]

maybe a few lunge lessons would help?

 

[rachier]

I started riding last year, and the instructor thought after 8 weeks i was ready for a canter. The horse was a 17.2 ex racehorse that had already broke sumones leg..... guess what happened?...... Broken foot and bad bruises from ending up splatted on the indoor schools wall. It has taken me a year to even contemplate cantering, did it a few times on my horse with neckstrap in a paddock, but i struggled to let go and stop paniking because i thought the horse would bolt (and fear of landing on fence / wall of school).

Then my horse (another ex racer but not a bolty horse) got injured and i finally thought to go to a riding school for some lessons on a lunge. The horse was FAB and i now dont associate cantering with falling off as i have actual got ok balance (did it with hands held out to the side etc). On sunday will be a lesson with my normal instructor on my own horse without holding on!!!!

Im just trying to think positively..................

 

[melv1lle]

Not sure if you are after suggestions on riding or just generally around nerves. I had a real nerves problem last year after my horse took off with me a couple of times. I asked peoples advice on this forum and they suggested TFT (Thoughtfield Therapy) with a lady called Jo Cooper. Personally I had always been very cynical about "therapies" but she really is a miracle worker. So perhaps look her up on the web or look at last months Your Horse (which has an entire article on overcoming nerves) and see if that helps.

 

[Shilasdair]

In my crash test dummy days when I used to ride nutters for cash, I used to come off all the time...but when I get back on them...I sort of just accepted I was going to be decked and didn't think about the pain as a real thing...more as an abstract concept.
It helped me to rate the pain from various injuries...for example...a dislocated shoulder is 1/10, whereas a broken leg I found was 8/10. So I'd get back on thinking 'That was nothing compared to ......'
S

 

[pnap]

I once got decked 11 times in one round of jumping with a little grey pony that took great delight in bucking like a bronco after each fence - didn't do myself any damage but think it's probably cause as an 11 year old I just bounced. Lot more of me to bounce now and I'm a fair bit older with mortgage etc to boot so I think with age comes fear (it is a learned behaviour as they say)! Think you have to just try and think about the fun that's to be had and not spend the whole time worrying about falling off. As my old instructor used to say - "you keep looking at the ground and that's where you'll end up". Dunno if that helps but I hope you stick with it!