Has anyone seen my confidence ??

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tubby1

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Ok quick back story : had my girl for year totally lost my confidence but have worked hard to get it back & got to the point of going out to competing. Then got bucked off on Thursday . Horse was really spooky & took off bucking I wasn't hurt but confidence is gone. I have ridden 3 times shaking like leaf only walk & trot . Just wondered how everyone got their confidence back . I feel like I can't trust my girl anymore :(:(
 
:( it is horrible, I suffer with mine so know how you feel.
If this is unusual for your mare just try to write it off as a bad day, we all have them sometimes. Do little things that you know you are likely to succeed at then just keep things easy for now.
The more good memories you can build up again since your 'bad day' the better you will feel.
Sometimes I can only go in the menege for a walk round, but tell myself that I can get off at any point should I feel the need. It oftens ends up with me having a really good ride and if not then I don't beat myself up because there was no pressure there to begin with.
If you can build your confidence up once then you can do it again.
 
haven't got my confidence back, but i know how you feel, my confidence is zero at the moment gone from riding 4 times a week to once because i am so nervous!! Horse is young and is bucking nothing more to it apart from playfulness but i am so nervous riding him at the moment!! Hopefully we will find it again soon!!! :rolleyes: xxx
 
Thanks for your replies :) it's good to know I'm not alone. Sometimes I feel like I'm slightly going mad I've had hundreds of good days & one bad one but all I can think about is the bad one. !!! I'm just going to take it slowly & see how it goes . X
 
Aw hugs! You are definitely not alone! Another one here who lost confidence as a result of broncing off incident. We have since discovered the reason why the broncing happened and have a practical plan but in meantime it left my confidence in shreds.

I am slowly building up by taking it step by step, remembering all horses can have bad days and also remembering that, bad days and isolated incidents aside, sometimes the thought of what they *might*do is worse than what they will actually do!

I have my own horses but in order to get back on track I had a lesson, off site, on a schoolmaster type. A change of scenery and having someone confident bark instructions at me was just what I needed!

I ride out using a neck strap and have just bought a good quality body protector. I know none of these things are guaranteed to stop certain things happening, but it all helps a bit confidence wise.

I trying to build as many happy memories as possible and focus on the positives. Lots of groundwork, keeping sessions short, light and fun for both. I recently discovered clicker training. This has been wonderful as a training tool and also as a way to have fun together at the end of a session. It has really helped our bond and my confidence and ability to read my horse. Anyway good luck! Happy riding :)
 
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I have only just got mine back after an over excited broncing off incident. It has taken me about 6 months of just riding within my comfort zone.

I really found that just spending time with my girl and building up our relationship helped as we have both learned to trust each other more:)
 
Confidence is definitely a tough one. I have lost mine on more than one occasion, but also havent when I probably should!

Most recently I bought a mare who turned out to have a bronking problem. She was fully checked out by vet, back man, dentist, saddler etc and was fine. She would be a dream to ride and then randomly rodeo. She had me off once, and almost a second time and I completely lost my confidence. I didnt trust her at all. She had numerous other off too so in the end I had to sell her.

My new boy has a mounting issue and will spin around. Ive only had him 11 weeks but Im starting to know now how far he will take it and my confidence is coming back.

As someone said before, if this is unusual for your horse, just let it go as a bad day. My friends perfect horse bronked her off last year completely out of the blue, hasnt done it since, but she is still struggling with her confidence.

Just take your time and dont put any pressure on yourself. Horses are supposed to be fun :)
 
I've had confidence issues for years but the last few times I've ridden the one that its affected by I've been so exhausted doing other things that I was too tired to be scared:o
 
It could be hiding with mine!! My mare was a total bitch to ride on friday and I just cba to get on her since. I'll have to tomorrow as she needs to be kept in work but I'm dreading it!
 
I think I might have it here :D.

Sorry, that probably doesnt help but if it makes you feel any better, a few years ago, having ridden and owned horses for over 20 odd years, I lost my nerve completely with my youngster. I went from competing regularly to being led along the lane on a lead rope, usually in tears.

It took me a long time to get it back but gradually, bit by bit, I got there. A very good friend told me to "bore myself to bravery" and it worked. I just kept repeating things till I was bored to tears and wanting to do more.

My boy and I now have a ball - I'll never jump more than baby stuff but hey, who cares. We are happy together. A big turning point for me was accepting that if I was out and I was worried, I could get off. If I met something scary again, fine. Get off and dont worry about it. Funnily enough, since I decided that it was fine to get off, I very rarely seem to have to now :D

Hang on in there - it can and will come back - you just need to accept that it happens (and to lots of people) and not let yourself get too despondent about it.
 
Hypnotherapy NOW! I think hypnotherapy has a place in life but it is particularly brilliant if you have a specific bad incident. It takes that memory and dulls it rather than let it get out of proportion, which is what is happening. A good hypnotherapist will charge but in the long run it is the quickest and most efficient way of moving on.

I had a incident which haunted me for 9 years. Since seeing the hypnotherapist I have at last been able to move on. If a similar thing happened again I would book an appointment the next day.

I know of a fabulous hypnotherapist in Norwich, but I guess thats too far away from you.
 
your not alone at all, last time I fell off I rode the next day and was trotting around and she tripped, but I thought she was brocing again. I had to get off and have a little cry :o

The confidence club link Shysmum posted is great :)
 
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