Crippling Nerves!

[pistolpete]

Help! Really struggling with ridiculous nerves! My horse is not a nutter or dangerous to ride has never really given me cause for major concern. He can be cold backed but isn't always. When I hack out with my friend bless her for putting up with me I worry but am fine once we get going. I especially fear going out of the yard alone. It's so silly. Anyone else like this?

 

[Arizahn]

Perfectly normal Just stick to doing what is comfortable, have a few private lessons with a good instructor to work on your nerves. It does get better. I have been there.

 

[putasocinit]

Lead your horse out the yard for a few 100 yards on your own, and breathe and relax and turn around and go home, do this a few times then do it ridden, doesnt matter if you only get to the x roads, you did it

 

[astridday]

Hi. What gives it away are the following words in capitals 'never REALLY given me a cause for MAJOR concern. Whatever it was he has done, you have minimised it because your rational mind tells you it wasn't much, but it WAS something! And that is what is niggling in the back of your mind. Over the years I have become increasingly nervous, but every year I still go hunting, do HT's etc etc. I'd be the sort of person who would dwell on the one 'near miss' (gross exaggeration!)we had on the HT course while completely ignoring the 24 other perfect jumps he did! My only way of dealing with my crippling nerves is to empty my mind of anything to do with what I'm about to do. I just don't allow myself to think about it at all. It's hard to do... but it can be done. Before you know it you're heading for the first covert and as you said I 'am fine when we get going'.

 

[pistolpete]

How do you do that? I was short of breath I was so scared today! Stupid!

 

[KatieandCowboy]

After my boy chucked me off at the start of the year spooking at a hedge at the outside of the arena I went through a phase of being so nervous I was scared to ride at all. The only thing that helped me were proper lessons, then I got to the point where I was happy riding but only when my instructor was there so she could reassure me but since then we've come on so far we're now competing together and whilst on competition day my nerves are insane, I find it easier to manage by looking back at what we've achieved. My advice would be to have some lessons, and then perhaps have a 'lesson' that is either in the field or even on a hack so you've got the peace of mind of your instructor. Also I'm not sure what your horse does when spooking but mine throws his head up in the air so using a bungee really helps keep his head in place, reassuring both him and me that nothing too treacherous will happen and that even if the scariest tree or traffic cone jumped out at us, I'd still have control and proper contact. Good luck!

 

[Tnavas]

No need to worry - a lot of us are like that. Sometimes I leave my brave pants at home and end up just lunging my horse. Yet the stupid thing is that once I'm on her and actually riding and she does the odd shy I question myself as to why I was stressing in the first place!

 

[Hippona]

I was scared of my horse when I got him. He was green and messed up.
Riding was not enjoyable at all, it was a chore'...I had to do it to make him better but I was very nervous. I forced myself over and over again....I even had a couple of tots beforehand.
These days he's a reformed character but I still do get butterflies at the point of mounting'...that was his issue, and even now it's sorted my mind is not accepting of the fact. Once I'm on its happy days.
I find imagining good scenarios helps rather than playing over the disasters and saying to yourself well....I must have galloped over that field hundreds of times and only fallen off there once so in all probability it's not going to happen...

 

[pistolpete]

Thanks all, great to know I am not alone! got a pal to ride with tomorrow so happy days!

 

[Triskar]

I downloaded a hypnotherapy mp3 from The Confident Rider - I only listened to it 3 times but it worked for me! I bought another one for dressage competitions as well, which stopped me being sick..... they aren't very expensive so might be worth a try?