Really low confidence today

[LucyAmelia]

I have never been an overly confident rider but i never usually get nervous. Today my friend asked me to take her pony out for a hack. I have ridden him before and he is such a sweetie but likes to have a bit of a buck every now and then. They are only little ones and they never bothered me much. But today I found myself really nervous and of course he was playing up because of it. It was partly due to nearly being knocked of by a speeding car that just about swerved us, but i ended up getting so scared that i actually had to stop for a bit. No idea what came over me, i rode him back perfectly and felt so stupid afterwards!
Does anyone else ever have these bad days?

 

[Adopter]

You sound as if you did really well in a difficult situation, well done.

I no longer ride myself and when I did I used to get so nervous, but I get a lot of pleasure from looking after my two rescue ponies. So don't push yourself to do things because you think you should, do them because you want to.

 

[LucyAmelia]

You sound as if you did really well in a difficult situation, well done.

I no longer ride myself and when I did I used to get so nervous, but I get a lot of pleasure from looking after my two rescue ponies. So don't push yourself to do things because you think you should, do them because you want to.

Thankyou! I think because i was riding with other people who kept trotting and cantering off it made me a bit worried because the pony often plays up when he thinks he was being left behind. Sometimes its best to just stop and calm down before carrying on. And yes, for me caring for them is just as fun as the riding!

 

[Wiz201]

TBH I would have got off and let myself calm down and walked the pony in hand for a bit, even if its only a few mins or if you have to walk back to the yard, there is no shame in doing that. The pony would not have learnt anything by you doing that, its worse to sit on him whilst you feel nervous.

 

[LucyAmelia]

TBH I would have got off and let myself calm down and walked the pony in hand for a bit, even if its only a few mins or if you have to walk back to the yard, there is no shame in doing that. The pony would not have learnt anything by you doing that, its worse to sit on him whilst you feel nervous.

Thats what I meant by I stopped for a bit, I got off, calmed down and gave him a rub and he was good as gold on the way home. I was just surprised with myself and how nervous I got

 

[Orthe's Daystars]

Please don't beat yourself up - its easy to say "just kick on" but if you are in a bit of a state then your fear will be transmitted straight to the pony who then thinks "Hm maybe I have got something to escape from"

You did very well and deserve a pat on the back. Nerves can strike at anytime - I'm struggling to carry on riding my baby NF pony due to nerves - he's a real sweetie who I bought as an untouched project last June to take my mind off losing my "pony of a lifetime" He was such an easy boy & learnt all his ground work very quickly, accepted me on board with no fuss and things were going so well. Then I fell off twice in quick succession, he now has the upper hand & I'm heartbroken & don't know what to do!! He's not saleable like this & I desparately want to do the right thing for him but I'm too old to risk many more bail outs!! Anyway, well done you

 

[LucyAmelia]

Please don't beat yourself up - its easy to say "just kick on" but if you are in a bit of a state then your fear will be transmitted straight to the pony who then thinks "Hm maybe I have got something to escape from"

You did very well and deserve a pat on the back. Nerves can strike at anytime - I'm struggling to carry on riding my baby NF pony due to nerves - he's a real sweetie who I bought as an untouched project last June to take my mind off losing my "pony of a lifetime" He was such an easy boy & learnt all his ground work very quickly, accepted me on board with no fuss and things were going so well. Then I fell off twice in quick succession, he now has the upper hand & I'm heartbroken & don't know what to do!! He's not saleable like this & I desparately want to do the right thing for him but I'm too old to risk many more bail outs!! Anyway, well done you

Aww bless such a shame when things like this happen. Why dont you find an instructor or just a friend to help you out getting your confidence back?

 

[sandi_84]

Don't worry about it, you did really well today be proud of the good bit and forget the nervy bit
I actually gave every excuse in the book for a couple of months not to canter last year after getting a fright from my sisters horse, I was so ashamed to admit that I was frightened I eventually got my confidence back, it just took me a while and a very lovely horse to get me there
Tbh your hacking partners shouldn't have left you and went off for trots/canters

 

[LucyAmelia]

Don't worry about it, you did really well today be proud of the good bit and forget the nervy bit
I actually gave every excuse in the book for a couple of months not to canter last year after getting a fright from my sisters horse, I was so ashamed to admit that I was frightened I eventually got my confidence back, it just took me a while and a very lovely horse to get me there
Tbh your hacking partners shouldn't have left you and went off for trots/canters

Glad you got your confidence back! and i know haha so nice of them!

 

[sandi_84]

Glad you got your confidence back! and i know haha so nice of them!

Thanks, me too! I can laugh about it now because I didn't actually come off (surprisingly) but I got some serious air from the two "get you ooooff" bucks... I actually saw my foot above my head on the second one it was that powerful! If I can get my confidence back you definitely can, I'm a total wimp!
Is there anyone else you could hack with, someone with a bit more sense than to canter off on a horse known to get upset at being left behind?

 

[TrasaM]

Well done..you did the right thing getting off and calming down I ride my friend's horse and he's also quite good at bucking but has never bucked with me until last week...forgivable as he was telling me his back hurt so I knew straight away that something was wrong. But yes I got worried too as it was the first day in 4 months I'd gone out without my body protector

Bit thoughtless of your companions leaving you behind if they knew you were anxious and that it might upset the horse though.

 

[LucyAmelia]

Thanks, me too! I can laugh about it now because I didn't actually come off (surprisingly) but I got some serious air from the two "get you ooooff" bucks... I actually saw my foot above my head on the second one it was that powerful! If I can get my confidence back you definitely can, I'm a total wimp!
Is there anyone else you could hack with, someone with a bit more sense than to canter off on a horse known to get upset at being left behind?

aww haha! gotta love a good buck! And yes I usually go out either with my cousin or as a group and they are all so lovely. Unfortunately Only two other people were riding that day and asked if i wanted to go with them, last time that i do that!

 

[LucyAmelia]

Well done..you did the right thing getting off and calming down I ride my friend's horse and he's also quite good at bucking but has never bucked with me until last week...forgivable as he was telling me his back hurt so I knew straight away that something was wrong. But yes I got worried too as it was the first day in 4 months I'd gone out without my body protector

Bit thoughtless of your companions leaving you behind if they knew you were anxious and that it might upset the horse though.

Thank you and how typical haha

 

[sandi_84]

aww haha! gotta love a good buck! And yes I usually go out either with my cousin or as a group and they are all so lovely. Unfortunately Only two other people were riding that day and asked if i wanted to go with them, last time that i do that!

Eeep! Noooo I'm rubbish at stickability when it comes to bucks ha ha! I much prefer my boy's occasional mini-can't really be bothered with the effort-buck It just feels like a canter transition sometimes ha ha!
Well at least you know they aren't reliable now and you've got other nicer people to hack out with Good luck, you'll get there!

 

[LucyAmelia]

Eeep! Noooo I'm rubbish at stickability when it comes to bucks ha ha! I much prefer my boy's occasional mini-can't really be bothered with the effort-buck It just feels like a canter transition sometimes ha ha!
Well at least you know they aren't reliable now and you've got other nicer people to hack out with Good luck, you'll get there!

Just like my friend's cob, hes like a big armchair his occasional bucks are practically unnoticeable haha, and thanks!