OK - someone give me a kick up the backside please

PolarSkye

PolarSkye

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I'm not sure whether it's delayed shock after falling off yesterday (and, yes, I'm sure you proficient youngsters fall off all the time without it bothering you but I'm a nervous oldie who doesn't bounce like she used to), or sleep deprivation, but I'm feeling a little wobbly today.

I know I need to get back on again today . . . I'm not scared per se, just feeling a little pathetic and tearful . . . hard to explain.

Some positive HHO vibes would be greatly appreciated . . . thanks in advance.

P
 
Good luck! I'm sure all will be fine.

Is it possible to ask a friend to stay with you, whilst you school? Sometimes when I am having a nervy moment, I find it helps loads to talk to someone to take my mind of it.
 
Tinsel Trouble said:
It's never too early for a glass of wine in these circumstances!!

Bottoms up....!!

Go for a little toddle and see how you feel!
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I agree with this - and if you still don't feel like it then you could even have a glass of wine and some sleep today and then get back on tomorrow (maybe even enlist a kind friend to come and say "oh come on you'll be fine" too). No point forcing yourself to do something today if you know that lack of sleep is sending you potty ;)
 
LaurenBay said:
Is it possible to ask a friend to stay with you, whilst you school? Sometimes when I am having a nervy moment, I find it helps loads to talk to someone to take my mind of it.
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A friend with two glasses and a bottle of wine! Mix it up with a bit of a gossip... with any luck you'll be laughing too hard to concentrate on how scared you might be feeling!!

I'll bring the canopes!!!
 
*kick* :D

I know just how you feel and here's how I think of it; what's the worst that can happen by getting on ........ i'll fall off ...... oh wait I did that yesterday ...... :)

You'll feel great once you've done it!! When i'm very nervous after a fall I get on for 5 minutes, walk + maybe trot around and then get off and reward myself for a job well done lol :) small steps to make yourself feel happy again xxxx
 
How about doing a schooling session that doesn't involve anything too challenging - such as making sure your horse will stand still for you to mount/dismount. Go into your school, place blocks, buckets (upside down) etc around the school and then practice getting on, making sure the horse stays still, sit still yourself for a few momemnts and then get off. Move to a new 'mounting block' and repeat - try getting on and off both sides just to vary the strains and stresses to you and the horse (us older types need to share the load between the knees/hips etc on both sides!). If confidence is good, maybe see if you can walk the horse round in a circle back to the mounting block and get off onto the block. Practice mounting by climbing the fence of the school (if you have one!)

Just cos you're having a bit of a confidence wobble doesn't mean you have to face it head on and jump the hightest jump you've ever done; if you meet it obliquely and a little bit at at time, and you'll take yourself by suprise cos suddenly, you'll have your confidence back again!

Good Luck!
 
sophiebailey said:
*kick* :D

I know just how you feel and here's how I think of it; what's the worst that can happen by getting on ........ i'll fall off ...... oh wait I did that yesterday ...... :)

You'll feel great once you've done it!! When i'm very nervous after a fall I get on for 5 minutes, walk + maybe trot around and then get off and reward myself for a job well done lol :) small steps to make yourself feel happy again xxxx
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I like this approach...' I fell off yesterday and survived' yes..I will use that one!! :)
 
If it helps I have been slightly stalking your posts cause you are so local and I want to come hacking with you! :)

Almost all our yard love fast hacking and I just like to potter around. I know that there are people at other yards who are so jealous of the cantering/galloping opportunities we have hacking, but I am afraid to use them most of the time. I keep wishing that there was someone on the yard with me who understands, that for someone nervous hacking, it needs to be done in small baby steps.

The fact that I am riding out hacking at all is due to my incredibly long suffering sister, but I do feel a bit guilty when most days a sedate canter is the most I can manage and she's got a lanky TB who just loves to run.

It does get better and it will get easier, and I can speak from experience on this one. I was never hacking again, and now I am happy to go out on my own for a few hours. It's taken 3.5 years to get to this point and is only because we can ride off road.

Get back in the saddle tonight and smile because you can and you own a gorgeous horse and spring is just around the corner. :)
 
I agree its not as easy to get up when youre a bit older, but if you want to ride youve got to do it see if you can have a mate with you when you ride.
Deep breath and up you get, warm up as you always do, walk, trot and canter each rein, then call it quits, pat yourself on the back youve done it :D
I took a header coming in to a jump a couple of months ago, rider error, my approch and line were well off, i hit the deck, quick smart, first time in 3 years.
I had a mate with me so just got on again, and came back round and took the jump fine. The next time i rode i wasnt as gallus, i let the "what ifs" in i felt quite nervous, but after finding my riding legs again i was fine.
Hope you get on fine and once up there im sure youll be ok.
 
Tinsel Trouble said:
A friend with two glasses and a bottle of wine! Mix it up with a bit of a gossip... with any luck you'll be laughing too hard to concentrate on how scared you might be feeling!!

I'll bring the canopes!!!
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Agh, is that where I'm going wrong then? My friends never bring wine :p:D

Although my lovely YO bought me a Dominos Pizza last weekend! :D
 
LaurenBay said:
Agh, is that where I'm going wrong then? My friends never bring wine :p:D

Although my lovely YO bought me a Dominos Pizza last weekend! :D
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Urgh! Pizza... so uncouth!! wine and vol-au-vents with your horses is the way forwards! This is a sport we are supposed to ENJOY doing!!

How did the ride go OP?! We're bursting here!!


Also I do not condone drink driving, drunk riding or binge drinking.... unless it's strictly necessary!!
 
Eeh lass, you'll be fine :D

As M says, get on, walk round, get off. Pat horse and lean thankfully against his shoulder :D Go and drink large mug of tea and eat cake :D

When I came off and broke m'back, I had to wait six months to get back on - it was an amazing feeling :D. Here's a link to piccies - look at the last one :D http://www.horseandhound.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=433038

And as SB says, you fell off yesterday and you're okay. A little shaky, but okay :D.
 
Tinsel Trouble said:
Urgh! Pizza... so uncouth!! wine and vol-au-vents with your horses is the way forwards! This is a sport we are supposed to ENJOY doing!!

How did the ride go OP?! We're bursting here!!


Also I do not condone drink driving, drunk riding or binge drinking.... unless it's strictly necessary!!
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Oh no, you can't beat a nice slice of meat feast pizza, whilst your walking the Horse off :p

OP how'd you get on?
 
Awwwwwwwwwww . . . how lovely to come home from the yard to see all these lovely messages of support! It's just a shame you couldn't all have come with me - stood in the middle and made me laugh :).

Well, the good news is that we made it round the gallops twice . . .





. . . on foot ;). The school was really congested and one livery was practicing a dressage test in a paid lesson and my hacking buddy is still out of action (husband's horse knocked her out a couple of days ago - remind me to tell you that story later) so I thought rather than risk a repeat of yesterday I would long rein him. Good for his fitness and mine . . . and forces him to a) be out front; and b) behave (he has impeccable manners on the ground). He started out pretty tense and short striding and we had a couple of minor arguments on the first circuit, but he always came back to me and by the time we set out on the second circuit he was overtracking and blowing and relaxing. I figured the hill work was good for both of us.

So - not quite what I wanted, but at least I did something productive with him, and I feel good about what we achieved - he listened to me, came back to me when he got nappy/bolshy and eventually relaxed - and we ended on a good note. Will probably go in the school tomorrow and then perhaps my hacking buddy will be fit enough to go out on Sunday. I will keep you posted.

A quick funny though . . . he was last out in his field when I went to poo pick this afternoon and after coming over for a little fuss and a nosey about what was (or wasn't) in the wheelbarrow he went off to play over the fence with the horse in the next field. I finished poo picking, parked the wheelbarrow by the fence to fetch later, picked up his headcollar and called him. Little fecker looked at me and deliberately walked away up the field (he usually comes when I call). So instead of going to get him, I put his headcollar back on the fence, fetched the wheelbarrow and opened the gate to leave . . . his head snapped up, he wheeled around and galloped full tilt to the gate . . . just like a little kid . . . did make me laugh.

P
 
www.InspirationalRidingSolutions.com.
These guys regularly post on the BD forum and use NLP (which is commonly used by a number of top sports people and involves positive visualisation techniques). Why don't you look on their website and download their fact sheets.

If you can learn to use positive thoughts/memories/feelings/imges and fill your mind with these it will really help you to control the times when you feel less confident.

Haven't used this company myself and I have no links with them but these things are powerful and I have used NLP in business situations myself.

Well done on what you have achieved so far and I am certain that it is a case of onwards and upwards for you :)
 
The Fuzzy Furry said:
Well done :)

And the plan for tomorrow is?
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FF . . . the plan for tomorrow is to work him in the school - until he sweats (I'm convinced he needs to work harder) . . . so pole work . . . if he's fit enough to bog off with me, he's fit enough to work a tad harder in the school.

Sunday - if hacking buddy is better - we hack.

Hacking buddy's hubby has a full-up 18hh Cleveland Bay (she has a petite little TB) . . . she was turning them both out on Wednesday morning and they had a bit of argey-bargey at the gate and Archie (the CB) brought his head down on hers . . . split her head open and knocked her spark out. Cue a quick trip to A&E and her wound being glued together (poor girl). Her wound is supposed to be dried enough for her to wash her hair on Sunday, so we're hoping that also means she can get a hat on her head so we can get back out there :).

We're two 'fraidy cats together and both horses are pretty much donkeys in company . . . so we're gee'ing each other along.

Can't tell you, though, how much the support (and humour) on here means to me . . . you guys rock! Raising a glass to all of you and have left a mixed case (red, white, rose and some cava) in the cafe. No vol au vents though . . . sorry . . . to 70s for me ;).

P
 
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