split personalities

[margaretb]

Reading all the lovely supportive confidence issue posts has led me to ask - Is there such a thing as a split personality??

There is the half of me that says I can do it ! I can do it! (imagining myself cantering happily around the fields) and the other half that says can't do it, don't get on the horse (jibbering wreck )- and it is this one that is winning at the moment.

What is it with me!!!!!

 

[dwi]

I would say that means that you aren't actually a jibbering wreck and that you will get there. You just need to tap into the bit of you that clearly wants to do it.

 

[Sleepeeze_dad]

Yes!!

Oh have so been down this road. Being a novice and him being a very young TB I was always fearful of getting on my boy at the weekends and I was actually looking forward to monday mornings.

Don't get me wrong he's wonderful to be around and ground handle etc. Big teddy bear. What changed for me was knowing I was going to get nowhere being a jibbering wreck and it only wound the horse up. So about a month ago I took a deep breath and in a controlled environment with someone looking on to make sure I wasn't screwing it up - told myself to GET THE HECK ON WITH IT.

He does occasionally take the mickey and have his little TB moments but he gets a kick and told to get on with it now. It is amazing how making him do something successfully feeds back and gives you confidence. It is a long road but it is do-able.

Think the trick here is controlled environment (school, small field) and someone there to "babysit" or instruct. Is it worth sitting down and asking yourself just what is making you a wreck? what the triggers are? what the horse is doing to put you off? Hope it works out for you and good luck!