Loosing Nerve

[Agent XXX999]

I was wondering if anyone had ever lost their nerve before?

I have in a big way - fell off and lost feeling from neck down and memory...when I could walk again I could not bare to go into the yard, let alone a stable.

The yard fear was overcome by my Mum standing screaming at me to stop being so pathetic....the riding was much worse - went from jumping 1.30's to not being able to go over a pole, and basically crapping myself when I got on a horse for three years (people could not believe I was the same rider)

I gave up for a year and didnt sit on a horse, realised how much I missed horses (and my friends as they are all horsey) and started ridiing again.

Riding stayed crap until I got Bruce last September, we have gone from strength to strength, now schooling over 1.20 at home (he is a baby jumping still) Doing xc, dressage and really having fun. I owe that horse everything. Riding has obviously got better as I get paid to school 4 horses at the weekends....

Has anyone else lost their confidence - and can anyone beat my 4 years to get some back?

I just want to reassure anyone that is nervy that with determination and positive thought it does come back. I promise.

 

[lillie07]

I lost my nerve in a big way, and not from one fall or anything I can really put my finger on. It never bothered me at the time although I had some pretty nasty falls. I had a really hard mare, who put me on the floor on quite a regualar basis. I don't actually remember when I lost my confidence, I just know I am a complete wreck now and because of that I went from being a semi decent rider to somebody who can barely ride a novice...

I am slowly getting better

 

[Happytohack]

Been there, done that

Had bad fall off a young horse and then shortly afterwards got pulled over by another horse. Result - leg in plaster for 8 weeks, then operated on to realign it, pin through knee, then leg brace for 8 months, plus 1 year of physio. Eventually got back on one of our oldies, but was so terrified had to be on lead rein and could not ride in wide open spaces. Took me a couple of years, but I am now back to hacking out as I was before

and really enjoying it again. But I have two very, very safe happy hackers that I trust not to do anything sharp or stupid. I wouldn't ride anybody else's horse now. If you have lost your confidence and somehow or other managed to get it back, then a huge pat on the back is well deserved

 

[mrgoop]

Lost my nerve this year after buying 2 rearers in quick succesion!!

Found my dream horse but when i got him home, found i was too scared to get on him. Even grooming him turned me into a shaking wreck. After a couple of weeks of feeling completely useless and wishing i'd never set eyes on the horse.

A chap came and got on him for me and showed me he was a complete gent in all ways. Then made me hack out with him and slowly i learned to trust my darling steed!! lol
Just to put icing on the cake, ended up head over heels with said "bloke" and we are now 3 months into our relationship, and both enjoying my new horse!! hehe
A big thankyou to the 2 rearers and my "MAX"

 

[Happytohack]

[ QUOTE ]
Just to put icing on the cake, ended up head over heels with said "bloke" and we are now 3 months into our relationship, and both enjoying my new horse!! hehe
A big thankyou to the 2 rearers and my "MAX"

[/ QUOTE ]

Somethings are just meant to be

 

[ErinDoig]

It is so easy to lose your confidence yet so hard to build it back up. Ive been there a few times. You've just got to go right back to the little and simple stuff that your comfortable with. I dont think anyone who is a proper rider can say they havent had an experience thats knocked their nerve at some point!

 

[Serephin]

when I was 15 I had a bad accident and I lost my nerve. Got it back though by my father plonking me on his TB and shouting at me to gallop him up the hill! I was in floods of tears but I did it and was fine after that.

fast forward 19 years and I got bolted with whilst horse shopping for a ned of my own again - thought I was going to die, horse nearly went down taking me with it. At the time I didn't think it bothered me. But when I did find a horse and took it home I was a nervous wreck - the poor thing would swish his tail and I would nearly pass out in fear!

a year and a half on and we had our first gallop across an open field - he is a lovable TB who is teaching me to relax , cos he needs me to be chilled otherwise he gets worried.

it took a long time this time to get my nerve back and I am still working on my confidence - I want to start jumping next - the trick was not being hard on myself and letting myself take things at my own pace - it is supposed to be fun afterall!

 

[Seahorse]

I had 2 nasty falls in less that a year, 1 off of a project horse that I couldn't get on, he dislocated my elbow, and 9 months later I came off Axey and fractured my knee, had to have a bone graft from my pelvis and now have a plate and 6 pins in there. Was in plaster for 10 weeks, it was a horrible experience and I never want to go through that again.

I got back on Axey 2 months later and I am fine with him and was competing (dressage) and galloping about the countryside a few months later.
However, I can't jump him

He does massive big baby leaps over everything and I'm so worried about breaking another bone in my body that I just can't seem to do anything which has the slightest risk of me falling off.
I'm getting better though in the school and jumped a 3ft spread on him the other week and loved it.
The next time I jumped him I fell off, so I've gone all silly about it now.
There are some tiny little logs in the xc field and I just can't seem to make myself do them.

Silly really as I used to be mega brave and jump anything! I never ever thought I would lose my bottle about jumping, but there you have it, I'm quite happy doing dressage these days

 

[Fairynuff]

Once, with a rearer! It took me a couple of months to get back in the saddle without having a panic attack but when your paid to ride....! I broke 3 lumber vertebrae coming off at a tallus but was back on board before the plastercast came off-crazy how it goes

. Mairi

 

[clipclop]

Yes I lost it too.

No reason for it apart from I had a 4 year break from Schooling, jumping etc.

When it came to breaking in my youngster I was not too bad, it was when I needed to start cantering and jumping I just fell to bits.

With a lot of help from my friends. A friend who lent me her horse to get my jumping nerve back. I now have a better nerve than I had before.

I couldn't even think about jumping over a 12" jump. Now 2'9" looks weeny.

If you want to get your nerve back, you can. You have to want it badly enough.

I also read books, researched NLP, positive thinking etc, etc. I almost drove myself potty getting my nerve back.

I was worried after having a baby I would lose my nerve again but actually I feel braver again.