Hypnotherapy/counselling

[eahotson]

Went to Sharon Shinwell from the confident rider tapes. She was very good and I am hopeful that this will help me. However, interestingly enough she also mixed in a bit of counselling in our discussion prior to the hypnotherapy. She asked me why riding was important to me, what i gained from it and why actually I wanted to hack when loads of people don't and she thinks horses couldn't care less actually. This idea of GOING OUT is a human not a horse thing. I realized that it was really other peoples expectations so I have decided to wait until I know my new horse a lot better and we have built up a proper bond.Feel all the pressure has gone and its brilliant. On a scary note though, she has had parents buy their children ponies that are way above their ability to ride and when the children have got scared, asked her to hypnotize the children so they won't be. These are competition orientated parents and of course, she has refused.

 

[ruscara]

That is most interesting. I won't hack my horse out, although I have someone come who does, but I did assume that he benefitted from it. It's interesting to consider that he doesn't care. I hope this lady can help you - sounds as if she has exactly the right approach.

 

[eahotson]

Well she was a rider herself. She says at one stage kept her horse where there was no one else to hack out with and she did not want to hack him out on her own. She said he had very good turnout and she rode him in a lovely outdoor arena and he didn't seem to mind at all.She said she watched horses in the field and they often spend hours in one spot together andseemed quite happy there.

 

[burtie]

[ QUOTE ]
She asked me why riding was important to me, what i gained from it and why actually I wanted to hack when loads of people don't and she thinks horses couldn't care less actually. This idea of GOING OUT is a human not a horse thing.

[/ QUOTE ]

Like most things in life I don't agree with that statement for ALL horses. I don't think it does a horse any major harm never to hack out and some horses clearly don't enjoy going out particularly on their own as they feel insecure. A lot depends on the horse and what it is used too and the kind of hackng out you do.

Some horses would be bored stiff going round and round the school, others love the comfort four walls.

However I totally agree that you should not hack out unless it is something you want to do and you should not feel pressured by others, but to imply all horses couldn't care about hacking out is not correct IMO.

 

[eahotson]

Well Burtie she didn't say I or anyone shouldn't hack out. Good counsillors don't on the whole, make value judgements. It is for people to make up their own minds.BUT what she pointed out to me was that it is perfetly possible to have a happy fulfilled horse without hacking out. Personally I would say good turnout is more important to a horse than hacking but there are other people and quite possible horses, that don't put as much value on turnout as me and mine.