Lost Nerves when riding strange horses....how daft is that??

Chestnutmare

Chestnutmare

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After I had a nasty fall over a month ago I went with SIL to her work and rode a polo pony i've never ridden a polo pony before she said he was good as gold...I do trust her and she knows my confidence has taken a battering so encouraged me back on...so off I went...on this pony went hacking in a park but had to go through rivers and OMG one crossing was huge.and deep but good pony went through it OK so we had a bit of a trot and then SIL encouraged me to have a canter I said I dont really want to just yet she kept telling me to do it as pony was totally safe and stopable - which he was he was a typical polo pony stopped with the slightest of pull back on your hand and put reins up neck he goes faster...i've never ridden this way before found it quite odd....but did it anyhoo...

So anyway, we went for a tiny canter he started shaking his head and put in a small buck I kind of panicked at this point slightly whilst trying to remain calm as to not upset pony....he stopped no probs...still throwing head around mind you...he settled back down as we walked around the field, then we had to ride back through the rivers...arghhh!!!

So my point to this is yes I have got back into saddle from my accident and i survived it although I am sooo unhappy and angry with myself that I have lost my bottle quite a bit with strange horses I just need to get this back and quick too.

Dont know why I felt I had to post but even after over 20yrs around horses and being on some really difficult horses in the past incl my old lad why on earth have I had a confidence nose dive?? Age?? i'm in my early 30's...wanting kids etc...could be part of it I dunno???

Have a nice hot choc with all the trimmings for getting this far
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I had a similar situation where I lost my confidence riding horses too.

I was thrown off and knocked out (very briefly) and got the jitters every time I tried riding again - especially when going from trot to canter.

It helped me to find a quieter and more laid back type of horse to gain confidence on which worked wonders!

Just take a couple of steps back and go easy on yourself, don't try and push yourself too hard otherwise you'll feel more disappointed if you have any setbacks (confidence wise).

Keep persevering though, it's good that you got back on!
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ETA - I had also ridden trickier horses in the past so couldn't work it out, to be honest I think I scared myself by anticipating the worst case scenario rather than going slowly and just going with the flow.
 
I've have some impressive falls in the past couple of years, so have lost quite a bit of confidence as well. However, i find that when i ride different horses, i have to concentrate harder to get their "feel" which means I don't have room in my brain for nerves as well (my brain is quite small !). I am more anxious on my own mare, than I am on strange horses, if that makes sense.
 
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So my point to this is yes I have got back into saddle from my accident and i survived it although I am sooo unhappy and angry with myself that I have lost my bottle quite a bit with strange horses I just need to get this back and quick too.



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It's not daft at all - I'm a lot older than you - and been riding since LONG before you were born (much of it as a professional) and I LONG ago lost the ability to hop onto strange horses without a BIT of a dither! My staff always know when I'm feeling nervous - I sing (badly!) Stops me tensing up - and it's much harder for horse to buck when he has his hooves covering his ears!!
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Take it quietly - it will come. Just be careful what you DO get on until confidence returns!
 
I agree with JanetGeorge - I sing as well when i am nervous. My old horse was a spooky monster and she was subjected to EVERYTHING from musicals to nursery rhymes to opera. i think she gave up spooking in desperation. I sing Steeleye Span songs to my mare now, she hates me but she behaves well....
 
ahh cheers guys for your stories too it does help to know other suffer this, i'm upset as I am usually so confident and dont usually mind getting on any horse have been on rearers, buckers...spinners strong ones allsorts yet you have a nasty fall and BANG out goes all the usual confidence....

I will be seeking to get back into a safe plod for a while til I get it all back I will know when I have I'm sure it will just click in my head...thats the plan anyway...
Just finding such a horse that will be able to do this for me as I want to buy myself a new one this year sometime but SIL reckons I need to get it all back before I start the seach...guess she's right how am i going to try these horses out if my confidence is at a low??...i'm not!
 
what about having some confidence-building lessons at a riding school for a bit? At least you know that RS horses will be really safe, and once you've ridden a few tmes on a nice safe RS horse, and reminded yourself that you actually CAN ride, you'll feel better about trying out new horses. Plus, you can always take along a crash test dummy to hop on any prospective purchase before you do (I always planned to take Super_Kat because she is a brilliant rider and can sit on anything!!).
 
yes I have my test dummie she is my SIL also a fab rider seat like velcro and will get on anything and she knows my strengths and knows that I can actually ride so will know my abilities.

Just finding it so frustrating!
 
I know exactly how you feel - and I havent had an accident! I have completely lost it since I had my last child! I rode a friend of a friends horse for her (under duress I may add!) and was a bag of nerves - legs of jelly!

Im even like that with my own boy, who has NEVER given me cause for concern - the most he does is a)screech to a halt b)dance backwards or c)when spooked, jump and then spley his legs, so his belly is an inch from the floor

I havent been able to get passed a trot on either horse yet
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, but up until a couple of years ago, I was game for anything - always jumping on horses others were worried about riding

At least you got into a canter!
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I had a nasty fall off a racehorse and lost my nerve abit. I think what scared me most was i didn't see it coming, literally just walking along and then it had a fit for no reason and i was on the floor!

At first it took a while to get back my nerve, but just take your time and it will come back.
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