Help :-( nerves getting the better of me!

Definitely go with the singing. Singing will help you use your core muscles and this will give your horse confidence. Nursery rhymes can be helpful too, especially in trot as they have a good rythmn and help you stay focused. There is nothing wrong with getting off occasionally if you have to, sometimes just knowing you can helps.

Forgot to say that I also got my OH to come out on his bike with us for a bit when I had my new horse and this helped us quite a lot.
 
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Moomin1 said:
Have you got a body protector OP? Sounds odd I know but I find if I wear a body protector I just feel safer and more secure - weird I know!

Just keep at it - you will get used to it eventually and it will be fantastic when you do!
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Exactly this. I always hack out with my body protector on - I always relax knowing if i had a fall on the road or at speed i stand a change of survival.had repeatedly bad experiences hacking out last year & with a change of instructor I am now cantering & galloping over open fields & riding on the roads.Enjoy it so much that when my horse spooks im do not have anxiety attack like i used to! I Sing & it always works.One year ago i had a nasty accident on road & at thought of hacking out used to make me physically sick so i completely understand you.Built up my confidence in the arena first, riding different horses thats what built my confidence up ( i dont own a horse so it was a change of RS).Confidence is very easily shattered & so hard to get back so as others have suggested take your time, have a designated spot to turn round at, go further and further maybe once a fortnight or once a month until you feel your confidence coming back. dont push yourself, it aint worth it.
 
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I moved my mare home which is a mile from where she previously was kept, initially she played up even though she new the area and it took her a long while to settle here. she is now happy here but she hated it at first
Do something everyday, be consistant. Like previous posts have suggested do some groundwork or ride in the school for a bit then do a short hack, set yourself a small goal to start with. Have lessons to help with your confidence then get someone to come out with you, there may be someone living in the next village that wants company out hacking, advertise in the local shop, newspaper, ask around. I found someone in the next village like this and we meet up halfway. good luck.:)
 
Nothing helpful to say just wanted to send some hugs as I am having the same problems at the moment, including being on a new yard and feeling a bit alone. I do find being around confident people made me worse as it compounded my feeling of inadequacy, maybe we need to form a club ;)
 
I think that everyone has their own struggle with nerves, I know I do!
I've broken horses in, produced dressage horses, jumped dizzying heights, sat to bucks, broncs, rears, spins, rolls and more than a few explosions without a hitch!
Yet you put me on a horse out road hacking and suddenly it's like I can't ride at all! Years ago I had a terrible accident out road hacking, I fell and injured my leg so badly that I couldn't physically move. I'm terrible for getting straight back up from a fall, so imagine my horror when I went to get up and just couldn't move the lower half of my body. It was a total dead weight. I was lay in the road and all I could do was watch my horse graze on the grass verge and hope and pray that a car didn't come flying round the corner.
Thankfully I wasn't alone on my hack, one person grabbed my horse whilst the other dragged me onto the grass verge and off the road.
Thankfully everything was fine and there was no permanent damage, however to this day I hate road hacking. I hate the concrete and I hate the traffic, put me on an unbroken 4 year old stallion any day, but ask me to go out road hacking and I will run off with my tail between my legs.

So don't feel bad OP, you're not alone. Even the best of us have our demons, we just might hide it better as all ;)
 
Find yourself a nice friendly laid back hacking partner who has a nice laid back/traffic proof horse and ride out together. If there is none at your yard then put up an advery in the local feed shop/tack shop or ask your farrier.

I spent many happy hacking hours riding out with a rider who had been involved in a serious road accident with her horse and was terrified of riding out. I used to box my horse over to her and we would go for the most wonderful hacks. She eventually got her nerve back and ended up competing at international Endurance level.

(Always wear hi-viz on your self and your horse when hacking out).
 
The past week i have been riding out on my own and i have thoroughly enjoyed it:D ...the nerves have really got to me when i was tacking him up and mounting but I kept it together and they are getting less and less, i started schooling him in a field for 15-20mins before i rode out on the road and it took the edge off him and also found that the longer and further i rode him out the better he got and also the singing !! oh sing like mad lol it really really works even when my gelding was dancing along i pretended he was dancing along to my singing and i wasnt a bit afraid anymore i honestly couldnt believe how much it helped so i hope this helps the OP....I did try the bach rescue remedy and i found that it didnt do a whole lot to help me so i havent used it the past 3 days and i have been fine ;) I really hope things are ok for you now and i hope your mare has settled down xx
 
hi...

links to 2 related blog posts follow (in red)

one on singing.... we certainly appear to have a strong concensus on that one :)
explains why singing works, what 'sort of' song to sing, and some suggested ditties....

the second titled 'am I a wimp?' - and you may well be surprised/relieved at the answer ;)

BREATHE, SMILE, SING...
and GIVE YOURSELF A BREAK!!!!
.
 
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