My Story... for anyone who has lost their confidence

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showpony

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Long time lurker on H&H, just started posting recently ...

Thought I would share my story which may be of interest to anyone who has lost their confidence!

Started riding very young & worked my way up to a decent enough standard, competing in local & county shows & doing alot of unaffiliated show jumping... until I started college & horses went on the back burner.... Then did a spot of travelling & spent 18mths in the USA & spent my spare time outside work riding for a couple of different yards which I loved up until one time where I foolishly agreed to take a horse I had never ridden around a cross country course , horse went nuts , head in air & grabbed the bit - had no control & got thrown into a ditch where I landed on my head & fractured my neck... not good & had a very very long recovery period.

Confidence shattered & even though I tried to get back in the saddle 8mths later I just couldnt - I used to break out in cold sweats & hyperventelate which sounds so dramatic now but I was literally terrified.....

So roll on 10 years & my daughter started riding... slowly but surely I started to feel envious of her & her ability to adjust to different ponies and just concentrate on having " fun" - despite regular falls she would just hop back on....
Finally got the courage to get back in the saddle & I won't lie, even though I rode the most safe plod along you could find I was terrified.. but slowly but surely over the next 6mths I started to feel more confident & progressed onto trickier horses and started to feel more like they way I did on horseback 10 yrs previous... I had a fantastic instructor who really helped & at times pushed me out of my comfort zone to help me overcome my fear of falling again.

So all going well but got very frustrated riding riding school horses as used to achieve alot but when rode the next wk the problem I had fixed had to be fixed again...so started thinking about getting my own...

& I did, 3 mths ago & no I didn't go for the Safe schoolmaster option, I went for a 4 yr old ISH who is just amazing.... Have been on such a journey with her so far & have tumbled a couple of times but no longer have fear bubbling up inside me. We even went to a show a couple of wks ago & she behaved beautifully - Actually have never felt more confident & at ease on a horse as I do on her...

We hope to hit the show circuit in 2013, & eventually do some pre novice eventing....

So to anyone reading this who has lost their confidence it can be regained.... just takes time :)

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Thats great, really very pleased for you.

I lost my confidence too, and know just how hard it is to get back on board.

Im back on board, and loving every minute of it.

Your mare looks beautiful. Congratulations x
 
Well donea and what an amazing story, I have lost my confidence riding in shows etc but realising that you have got back on and are donig so well after your horrific accident I've thought "what am I worried about", nothing that bad has ever happened too me!!
 
Well done showpony! Very inspirational story! I can really relate although my confidence is sometimes lost over very trivial things and sometimes for no reason at all! Building up a relationship with my horse has helped though - we are doing a bit of low level dressage and am even going to attempt my first show in 20 years at the end of the month(gulp!) Well done you. I am sure you will go from strengh to strengh! x
 
Lovely story Showpony - and really pleased to read how much you are enjoying being back in the saddle. Your accident sounded horrific and I think you were very lucky not to sustain a SCI.

I have also been helped by a 4 year old ISH (who is now 5 and testing but love him to bits). I lost my 19 year old Friesian in a horrific accident earlier this year. I'd had her since she was 6 months old. I didn't lose confidence in my riding as such but just from not having her anymore if that makes sense. I was so used to her and all her quirks and didn't really think I'd ever need to ride another.

I regained my enjoyment of riding through riding my daughters ex-racer - not ideal! Fell in love with my new boy as soon as I saw his ad although was looking for a safe, schoolmaster and 6 weeks in am jumping again which I didn't really do much of with the Friesian & when I jumped the ex-racer I broke a finger in 5 places...... I have taken him XC (only a few jumps, water and ditches but like you, a big deal for me!)

ISH's are just the best thing ever I have discovered :D
 
Inspirational - thanks for sharing, and your mare is lovely too - whats she called. She looks very like one we missed out on when we were horse hunting earlier this year.
 
Thank you, she is a stunner & knows it:D

She is called Twix Sire Cavalier Jump for Joy out of an ISH called Osama bin Betsy.

She has bags of potential , just taking it slow - She has jumped 1m10 ( have not attempted anything close to that height just yet! )

Magicmillbrook said:
Inspirational - thanks for sharing, and your mare is lovely too - whats she called. She looks very like one we missed out on when we were horse hunting earlier this year.
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Yes there is defo something about ISH's:) Fair play re the cross country! - I haven't been that brave yet.....:)


Nicnac said:
Lovely story Showpony - and really pleased to read how much you are enjoying being back in the saddle. Your accident sounded horrific and I think you were very lucky not to sustain a SCI.

I have also been helped by a 4 year old ISH (who is now 5 and testing but love him to bits). I lost my 19 year old Friesian in a horrific accident earlier this year. I'd had her since she was 6 months old. I didn't lose confidence in my riding as such but just from not having her anymore if that makes sense. I was so used to her and all her quirks and didn't really think I'd ever need to ride another.

I regained my enjoyment of riding through riding my daughters ex-racer - not ideal! Fell in love with my new boy as soon as I saw his ad although was looking for a safe, schoolmaster and 6 weeks in am jumping again which I didn't really do much of with the Friesian & when I jumped the ex-racer I broke a finger in 5 places...... I have taken him XC (only a few jumps, water and ditches but like you, a big deal for me!)

ISH's are just the best thing ever I have discovered :D
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That is lovely to hear, hense the reason why I posted up my story!!! Good luck in your up coming shows, just take it easy, even just bring your horse to the show ground - you don't need to compete! Just get the 2 of you used to the environment again....

Mizzbecx said:
Well donea and what an amazing story, I have lost my confidence riding in shows etc but realising that you have got back on and are donig so well after your horrific accident I've thought "what am I worried about", nothing that bad has ever happened too me!!
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Showpony, do you do councelling??? That is eaxctly me. I used to be a very confident rider, fell off hundreds of times, bounced and got back up. I didnt ride for about 7 yrs and since i've been back, I'm a big fat scared. Once i know horse is quiet, then i'm reasonably ok, but i have my own cob, who is a baby, 5, everyone else can sit up and ride him. friends that are only ok at riding, to great horsemen/women, but i'm scared of getting on, as i dont want to fall off. It's really sad when you are 33, have done horses your whole life, but your 7 yr old is a better rider. :(
by the way, very well done to you, you must be soooooo proud of yourself!!!
 
showpony said:
Thank you, she is a stunner & knows it:D

She is called Twix Sire Cavalier Jump for Joy out of an ISH called Osama bin Betsy.

She has bags of potential , just taking it slow - She has jumped 1m10 ( have not attempted anything close to that height just yet! )
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Ahh probably a close relative. The one we looked at was called Bitsy and I think a year older. She too was by Cavalier Jump for Joy, didn't note what the mare was called. Wouldn't it be weird if they were full sisters!
 
Now that would be funny!:)

QUOTE=Magicmillbrook;11031987]Ahh probably a close relative. The one we looked at was called Bitsy and I think a year older. She too was by Cavalier Jump for Joy, didn't note what the mare was called. Wouldn't it be weird if they were full sisters![/QUOTE]
 
Welldone showpony!
I had lost all confidence and after a very long break have gone bck to riding school horses, coming on again now and loving it!

Your story is very inspiring x
 
Your story is so similar to mine its strange!!

I used to ride anything and everything, no matter how naughty! If I fell I would love and get back on.

One day I was trying a 16.2 ex racer for share. He ended up bolting with me, he fell over and my leg went through a hollow concrete pipe which tore from the wall and cracked in half, my othrr foot was stuck in the stirrup so when he got up I did too, he bolted again and came to a stop when he was finally exahusted.

Couldn't bring myself to sit on a Horse ever again. I used to cry and shake and feel sick. I started to ride my friends Horse weekly and used to remain in walk (people laughed at me as she is a very talented bsja Horse!) and slowly I began getting my nerve back.

A year ago I bought a lovely 5yo ISH who has me cantering out on hacks again!
 
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