Fear of horses taking off

[JumpTheMoon1]

You said you cant choose who you ride at the yard ???? YOU are paying for the ride so take control and decide who you want to ride on.Choose the old plodder that would never bolt - get your confidence back and stop holding onto all this fear and trauma.
If you cant then give up as you are collecting a whole heap of stories around this.

 

[Rumtytum]

I could write a similar long story current status being that the horse is now for sale (wonderful mare but not the right match, I need a more sensible plod) so after having forced myself to ride - and getting worse - I have an appointment with a hypnotherapist early August. Am hoping to at least enjoy riding again, even if not on that horse

Good luck with the hypnotherapy!
Just swapping the horse to one I trusted worked for me.

 

[Goldie's mum]

Echoing all the above encouragement & good wishes. Nothing useful I can add except I fully understand that you might have had trouble getting the RS to put you on a plod when you are obviously a good rider. I'm between horses & riding at various RSs & trekking centres but I have a problem with them "promoting" me to bigger, more forward horses once they know me. I think the steady ponies are in big demand for beginners & in danger of being over worked. Stick to your guns & ask for a certain mount by name otherwise there will always be the tendency to be given the horses that not everyone can ride. Be yourself, do what you enjoy, refuse everything else.

 

[QueenT]

Echoing all the above encouragement & good wishes. Nothing useful I can add except I fully understand that you might have had trouble getting the RS to put you on a plod when you are obviously a good rider. I'm between horses & riding at various RSs & trekking centres but I have a problem with them "promoting" me to bigger, more forward horses once they know me. I think the steady ponies are in big demand for beginners & in danger of being over worked. Stick to your guns & ask for a certain mount by name otherwise there will always be the tendency to be given the horses that not everyone can ride. Be yourself, do what you enjoy, refuse everything else.

I have stopped telling riding holidays/trekking centres etc that I am an experienced rider, as I always got the horse that was too forward/ill mannered/spooky and rarely used... when I am on holiday I just want to walk on with the rest. One time years ago I had the same little horse for three days, very strong but nothing else wrong with it, he was very well-mannered after. I think they should've paid me!

 

[Goldie's mum]

I have stopped telling riding holidays/trekking centres etc that I am an experienced rider, as I always got the horse that was too forward/ill mannered/spooky and rarely used... when I am on holiday I just want to walk on with the rest. One time years ago I had the same little horse for three days, very strong but nothing else wrong with it, he was very well-mannered after. I think they should've paid me!

Oh absolutely. First time or if I'm only going once I really exaggerate my age & need of something non-spooky !
If someone is riding at the same place regularly though, like myself or OP, I've found you have to be very assertive not to be channelled to the one that "needs work".

 

[Fjord]

OP, you have my sympathy, confidence is so hard to build but so easy to lose.

Definitely try and find somewhere with a nice Steady Eddie that you can pootle about on, on lead rein if necessary, while you build up your confidence again. You will get it back, but you need a safe horse to remind you that it is going to be OK, and that you can relax and enjoy riding again. Good luck.

 

[RylandLodge]

@Jazz2304
I feel your pain!

I am in my mid 30s and had a really bad fall on my 16.3 TB. Thankfully nothing was hurt much apart from my pride, confidence and a good winding. I spectacularly came over her neck and shoulder, landed on my head/shoulder and lay flat out on the floor while hubby and said horse stood next to me checking I was still alive.
I got back on and was fine...however, the second time i got on her a few days later, this insane fear crawled over me that she was going to bolt again and I got off 5 minutes after getting on. I totally understand and share your fear. I have gone back to baby steps and have a very good friend who rides her first in an arena and then I get on for 10-15 minutes. I'm now up to 20 minutes and practising trot and going over poles. I feel so baby-like but have found it easier to hold my hands up and say, "you know what? I'm scared that she's going to bolt (she hasn't bolted before, she fell down a mole hill when I came off) but I'm going to put my big girl pants on and try my hardest to trust her again" It also helps having an amazing friend who is very understanding and patient with me! Don't give up, take things at your own pace and only do what you are comfortable doing!

 

[Pinkvboots]

You need to take a step back tell the riding school how you feel, it might be an idea to have a few lesson in the school on something really safe and take it from there.

 

[Wizpop]

Echoing what someone else has said- NLP/ hypnosis- you will be amazed!!!!

 

[Wizpop]

There are so many confidence type coaches out there that could work with you off horse and might even be able to work with you at the RS, definitely worth looking at, whether it's hypnotherapy or something more NLP/CBT etc.

Absolutely second this! As an NLP/ Hypnosis practitioner, I know that working on yourself and how you think, will help so much- see if you can find anyone in your area- there are lots of us about helping people to enjoy and live their lives to the max!

 

[Lois Lame]

How does one go about finding a good hypnosis practictioner? I've been thinking about doing this now for a while.