FabioandFreddy
Well-Known Member
And if so, did it help? Having a confidence blip at the moment and wondering if its worth looking into?
Has anyone had hypnotherapy for confidence issues?
- Thread starter FabioandFreddy
- Start date
councillor
Well-Known Member
Yes I did a few years back. Had a crisis of confidence with show jumping a matter of weeks before my 3!! One of our liveries did hypnotherapy and offered to help by giving me a free session. So I went along to her house, felt like I had a cracking few hours sleep on her couch as felt very relaxed when she took me back round. Next day I tacked up my own horse thinking he was the best option.......and was worse than ever before!!!! I got so worked up and wound up that he in turn turned into a crazy monster and scared the living daylights into me over tiny wee 2ft6 course, only reason I stayed on was because I had just bought a new hat and no way was I landing on it the first time I wore it.
So no, it didn't work for me.
By some miracle I got hold of a couple of lovelies for my SJ part of my exam and I have no worries cross country so passed
, but I still have huge problems with show jumps and cry at the thought of doing it, shame as I would love to event, but I don't think it will happen.
So no, it didn't work for me.
By some miracle I got hold of a couple of lovelies for my SJ part of my exam and I have no worries cross country so passed
, but I still have huge problems with show jumps and cry at the thought of doing it, shame as I would love to event, but I don't think it will happen.
armchair_rider
Well-Known Member
My brother has used it for stress very successfully
MiniMilton
Well-Known Member
Yes and it was a great success. I hadn't jumped in 10 years, I had a green horse that had never jumped. Trying to get him started was torture. The thought of attempting a 50cm jump was terrifying. Usually ending up in a refusal (I was frozen with fear so horsie didn't know what to do) I was also terrified of riding with an audience, even just one spectator would make me freeze.
4 hypnotherapy sessions later along with lessons and we competed at 80 cms and more importantly were enjoying ourselves. Not a huge height but massive improvement. After some months off (injury) my nerves have crept in a little again so I might need a refresher session. I thought it was fantastic and I encouraged a friend to do it too. They had even better success than me with winning lots of championships ( her starting point was much higher than mine)
4 hypnotherapy sessions later along with lessons and we competed at 80 cms and more importantly were enjoying ourselves. Not a huge height but massive improvement. After some months off (injury) my nerves have crept in a little again so I might need a refresher session. I thought it was fantastic and I encouraged a friend to do it too. They had even better success than me with winning lots of championships ( her starting point was much higher than mine)
jeeve
Well-Known Member
Hypnotherapy been good for me
Bernster
Well-Known Member
Yep, for confidence out hunting. Worked a treat although the season's over so might need a refresher for next time !
Emma86
Well-Known Member
Yes,
This time last year I had a riding accident and my nerves around horses were totally shot. I thought this would just get better with time. As the weeks went on I became quite down in the dumps and started to become panicky in social situations and very nervous and lacking in confidence just generally. I was told after a head injury this was fairly normal but I could feel it getting worse and worse and I wasn't prepared to sit back and let this take over as normally I am a very social and bubbly person with a love for life.
I (skeptically) went for hypnotherapy, which involved NLP, counselling and hypnotherapy in the sessions.
I wont go into detail about each session but a few weeks later me and my new horse were out winning rosettes.
Whether I would have recovered so quickly with nerves and confidence without the hypnotherapy I don't know but I 100% believe it helped me.
If it didn't make a difference to the speed of my 'getting back to normal' its certainly made me feel happy and relaxed after every session! Felt like I had been plugged in and re-charged!
This time last year I had a riding accident and my nerves around horses were totally shot. I thought this would just get better with time. As the weeks went on I became quite down in the dumps and started to become panicky in social situations and very nervous and lacking in confidence just generally. I was told after a head injury this was fairly normal but I could feel it getting worse and worse and I wasn't prepared to sit back and let this take over as normally I am a very social and bubbly person with a love for life.
I (skeptically) went for hypnotherapy, which involved NLP, counselling and hypnotherapy in the sessions.
I wont go into detail about each session but a few weeks later me and my new horse were out winning rosettes.
Whether I would have recovered so quickly with nerves and confidence without the hypnotherapy I don't know but I 100% believe it helped me.
If it didn't make a difference to the speed of my 'getting back to normal' its certainly made me feel happy and relaxed after every session! Felt like I had been plugged in and re-charged!
thehorsediva
Well-Known Member
could I just ask how people found their hypnotherapists and did you use people who had experience specific to horses/ equestrian?
Emma86
Well-Known Member
What area are you in?
The lady I went to was recommended by a friend. She was not specific to horses/horse related issues but I think had a previous client with riding nerves. This didn't really matter as the 'exercises' she did with me didn't focus so much on the horse but on me and how I thought of things.
If you are not too far from me I can pass on her details, or ask her if she knows of anyone in your area. I am South Bucks.
The lady I went to was recommended by a friend. She was not specific to horses/horse related issues but I think had a previous client with riding nerves. This didn't really matter as the 'exercises' she did with me didn't focus so much on the horse but on me and how I thought of things.
If you are not too far from me I can pass on her details, or ask her if she knows of anyone in your area. I am South Bucks.
kezz86
Well-Known Member
Unfortunately the only thing I found that worked for confidence was perseverance...
Perhaps if its a particular thing you're having confidence issues with try riding a horse with whom you can just repeatedly do the thing you're nervous of... (so show-jumping find a safe confident jumper you can just jump jump jump until you can do it backwards with your eyes closed.. and then move onto something more challenging?)
If it's riding in front of others get people to come and be there to begin with without actually watching... then encourage them to watch and add challenges?
My yard owner was great for me his saying is JFDI (just ********** do it!) and actually this really helped me...
Also doing something before you get too nervous about it helps rather than just trotting around winding yourself (and horse) up about it...
Perhaps if its a particular thing you're having confidence issues with try riding a horse with whom you can just repeatedly do the thing you're nervous of... (so show-jumping find a safe confident jumper you can just jump jump jump until you can do it backwards with your eyes closed.. and then move onto something more challenging?)
If it's riding in front of others get people to come and be there to begin with without actually watching... then encourage them to watch and add challenges?
My yard owner was great for me his saying is JFDI (just ********** do it!) and actually this really helped me...
Also doing something before you get too nervous about it helps rather than just trotting around winding yourself (and horse) up about it...
roosa93
New User
My mother fell off her big warmblood horse two years ago and really hurt her knee. She was so scared and unconfident that she is now on her third horse and she is still struggling everyday.
After buying her third horse, she has started watching hypnotherapy videos on youtube and reading all about it, and is now finally going to go to a real hypnotherapists next month. But even watching those videos on youtube has really helped her come along, and I am so proud of her.
After buying her third horse, she has started watching hypnotherapy videos on youtube and reading all about it, and is now finally going to go to a real hypnotherapists next month. But even watching those videos on youtube has really helped her come along, and I am so proud of her.
mandwhy
Well-Known Member
Kezz86 - although of course I believe that 'just get on and do it' approach may work for some people it really wouldn't work for me. I hate to feel like other people are trying to push my fragile boundaries and have previously tried to do too much too soon. I agree that doing whatever it is repeatedly can have some effect but that depends, if you are able to get on and walk in a school and feel relaxed, then you can work up from there and always end on a good note feeling you achieved something, but if even getting on in the school fills you with dread then the only thing you feel when you get off is relief that its over and that is reinforced no matter how many times you do it.
I have had hypnotherapy and it worked well. I have a cd which acts as a refresher which I think would be worth a try but not as effective on its own as it takes you back to the sessions. I had to have three sessions and due to a recent slump after 3 months I am wondering if I could do with a 4th. Please don't interpret that this means it didn't work, its just sometimes these things need a heck of a lot of work done to change! Mine was for generalised anxiety though so a specific phobia or anxiety may be 'targeted' quickly especially if it related to a specific event like a fall.
I am curious about the specialised equestrian ones as a lot of it is visualisation which could work especially well with someone who understands how riding works (i.e. confidence problems causing you to have an awful position or react in a detrimental way to problems).
It cost quite a lot but the confidence to enjoy your horse (and life!) is worth so much more than rugs and other fancy things you could spend the money on just as quickly
I have had hypnotherapy and it worked well. I have a cd which acts as a refresher which I think would be worth a try but not as effective on its own as it takes you back to the sessions. I had to have three sessions and due to a recent slump after 3 months I am wondering if I could do with a 4th. Please don't interpret that this means it didn't work, its just sometimes these things need a heck of a lot of work done to change! Mine was for generalised anxiety though so a specific phobia or anxiety may be 'targeted' quickly especially if it related to a specific event like a fall.
I am curious about the specialised equestrian ones as a lot of it is visualisation which could work especially well with someone who understands how riding works (i.e. confidence problems causing you to have an awful position or react in a detrimental way to problems).
It cost quite a lot but the confidence to enjoy your horse (and life!) is worth so much more than rugs and other fancy things you could spend the money on just as quickly
FabioandFreddy
Well-Known Member
Thanks for the replies, i think i'm going to give it a go.
Its really silly and irrational, as i'm not even sure why i'm being like this. Has been for the past couple of months. I had a fall (not off my horse) last August and did injure my knee, however i didn't have confidence issues after that and have jumped my horse and some others since so don't really think its that? The only other thing i can think of is we bought completely the wrong horse for OH and i watched him get ditched by him a few times. But i'm not sure if that would be the reason either as wasn't me that fell off!
The thing thats so irrational is that i've had Fabio 5 years and never been like this and he's never gave me reason to be so its really unfair of me. He has started being quite spooky the past couple of months but i'm 99% certain thats down to my confidence and he's feeding off it. Also, i'm fine when i'm actually riding and if i have to deal with anything i just get on with it and it doesn't bother me. The anxiety is actually before i ride and the more i think about it the worse i get. Sounds ridiculous when i type it out, wish i could just snap out of it as really don't know why i've got like this.
Its really silly and irrational, as i'm not even sure why i'm being like this. Has been for the past couple of months. I had a fall (not off my horse) last August and did injure my knee, however i didn't have confidence issues after that and have jumped my horse and some others since so don't really think its that? The only other thing i can think of is we bought completely the wrong horse for OH and i watched him get ditched by him a few times. But i'm not sure if that would be the reason either as wasn't me that fell off!
The thing thats so irrational is that i've had Fabio 5 years and never been like this and he's never gave me reason to be so its really unfair of me. He has started being quite spooky the past couple of months but i'm 99% certain thats down to my confidence and he's feeding off it. Also, i'm fine when i'm actually riding and if i have to deal with anything i just get on with it and it doesn't bother me. The anxiety is actually before i ride and the more i think about it the worse i get. Sounds ridiculous when i type it out, wish i could just snap out of it as really don't know why i've got like this.
heretolisten
New User
Look for The Confident Rider Series of Hypnosis CDs for nervous riders
paddi22
Well-Known Member
I got hypnotherapy for horseriding and it was absolutely amazing. In situations where i would have been nervous I can no feel the ''reprogramming' kicking it and making it ok.
There is a massive difference between good hypnotherapists and bad ones though. The one I went to was expensive but worth every penny. I had three sessions and I was like a new woman after it. A friend got a groupon deal for one and it sounded awful and didn't work at all. So if you go its well worth researching and finding a good one. I would swear by it and it definitely helped me get over my issues.
There is a massive difference between good hypnotherapists and bad ones though. The one I went to was expensive but worth every penny. I had three sessions and I was like a new woman after it. A friend got a groupon deal for one and it sounded awful and didn't work at all. So if you go its well worth researching and finding a good one. I would swear by it and it definitely helped me get over my issues.
FestiveFuzz
Well-Known Member
Are the CDs any good? Was looking at them yesterday but don't know of anyone who has used them.
ash493
Well-Known Member
Sounds good Paddi, out of interest where abouts are you and who did you use?
paddi22
Well-Known Member
Its probably no use to you unfortunately as I'm in Dublin!
The guy was great though, we have three long sessions and it went back to finding the root cause of this issue. It was very intense. My friends one was just one sessions she went to where she was in a room listeing to a tape, so was completely different to mine - mine was like therapy!
The guy was great though, we have three long sessions and it went back to finding the root cause of this issue. It was very intense. My friends one was just one sessions she went to where she was in a room listeing to a tape, so was completely different to mine - mine was like therapy!
ldlp111
Well-Known Member
Just wondering about this myself, I wouldn't say I'm really unconfident as i'm generally ok once we get going but struggle with the 'get going' part
Has anyone used the cds alone to much success?
Has anyone used the cds alone to much success?
FestiveFuzz
Well-Known Member
I bought the hacking cd the other week and finally cantered my new mare on a hack today (have suffered issues with cantering on hacks after a friends horse bolted with me and broncked me off) I was still a bit anxious before we cantered but a few weeks back I'd never have even entertained anything more than a trot whilst hacking so I believe the cd must be working.