Riding/Horses and Mental Health

You have already taken away a positive about handling the situation with the catching. Keep nit picking the small successes! Having a crisis of confidence is going to happen with horses, but the best method is to always try and find a little positive. And if you can't then thats ok, let yourself feel crap about it for a timed period then say ok thats enough lets move on and do better next time. We learn from the things we don't feel went our way, and you will learn/relearn/figure out something new every single day you are with a horse.
 
If you are not enjoying the lessons maybe the problem is the instructor not you. Have you spoken to the instructor about how you feel as they may be able to try a different teaching method that is more suited to your personality and learning style.
 
Hello, I came to the thread a bit late and I was glad to read you had a better time last time you rode.

I just want to give you a few ideas that might help in the future:
I find that when depression gets worse you just no longer enjoy things you usually do and you lack the energy to do them. The thing is that the endorphins produced by exercise helps the mood so if you can force yourself to ride it would help.

Another thing with depression is you become very self critical and irritable, so that may explain your frustration with your lessons. I'm sure you are aware of these things but it helps to hear it from somebody else when you are going through it. I tend to lose perspective when I am going through a depressed episode.

The important things is not to make decisions (other then the necessary) while you are depressed.
 
SO1 said:
If you are not enjoying the lessons maybe the problem is the instructor not you. Have you spoken to the instructor about how you feel as they may be able to try a different teaching method that is more suited to your personality and learning style.
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Possibly, I've been thinking about this more and more. We got off to a good start but there's been a few things now I'm not sure about. Going to have a think about what to do next.

mule said:
Hello, I came to the thread a bit late and I was glad to read you had a better time last time you rode.

I just want to give you a few ideas that might help in the future:
I find that when depression gets worse you just no longer enjoy things you usually do and you lack the energy to do them. The thing is that the endorphins produced by exercise helps the mood so if you can force yourself to ride it would help.

Another thing with depression is you become very self critical and irritable, so that may explain your frustration with your lessons. I'm sure you are aware of these things but it helps to hear it from somebody else when you are going through it. I tend to lose perspective when I am going through a depressed episode.

The important things is not to make decisions (other then the necessary) while you are depressed.
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Thank you :) I think you are absolutely right here re: energy and self-criticism/irritability - a reminder is always helpful. And also for not making decisions.
 
SaddlePsych'D said:
Possibly, I've been thinking about this more and more. We got off to a good start but there's been a few things now I'm not sure about. Going to have a think about what to do next.
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Is this in your riding school lessons or with your share horse? If it's with your share horse and the owner is agreeable, maybe try a different instructor? Or maybe take the pressure off and have a break from lessons and just do the odd clinic etc if available or a group lesson of some kind? I find private lessons more stressful because of the constant scrutiny!

Anyway, it's meant to be fun, so do whatever you are finding fun!

Not relevant to you but right now I am looking to buy and that is something I am finding really stressful!
 
Wishfilly said:
Is this in your riding school lessons or with your share horse? If it's with your share horse and the owner is agreeable, maybe try a different instructor? Or maybe take the pressure off and have a break from lessons and just do the odd clinic etc if available or a group lesson of some kind? I find private lessons more stressful because of the constant scrutiny!

Anyway, it's meant to be fun, so do whatever you are finding fun!

Not relevant to you but right now I am looking to buy and that is something I am finding really stressful!
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The lessons at RS, not the share. I wanted to keep the lessons going alongside share but now wondering whether to step the RS lessons down and stick with hacking only for the time being.

I can imagine buying being super stressful, a big decision for sure but I hope you find the right one for you soon :)
 
SaddlePsych'D said:
The lessons at RS, not the share. I wanted to keep the lessons going alongside share but now wondering whether to step the RS lessons down and stick with hacking only for the time being.

I can imagine buying being super stressful, a big decision for sure but I hope you find the right one for you soon :)
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If the riding school lessons aren't enjoyable right now, then maybe take a break for a few weeks? You might find after a few weeks you want to go back, as you miss it- or you might find you don't! It might also be worth having a chat with your instructor about how you are feeling. Often instructors are constantly pushing us to improve, but that can get demoralising, as you are always doing things you don't find easy and at the edge of your comfort zone.

Fingers crossed I have found "the one" but I'm just waiting on a vetting, which is super scary!
 
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