when its time to get back on...

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Cherrydan

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So everyone...I have a really sweet horse, I haven't ridden for about a year and a half, I was pregnant had a baby, blah blah, bad winter....anyways I have lost my nerve and I want to get on. I got an instructor out and she taught me 'back' and woah on the ground...well, we knew that already...she said he isn't ready yet and I haven't had her back, because yes he is unfit but I'm sure he is ready to tootle about on. I can ride, I'm no Mary king, but my confidence is coming slowly...what would you guys expect him to do on the ground before you got on? Please give me tips, because I'm not sure what to do and how...I'm so envious of people just getting on with it...x
 
Maybe you could go for a few lessons at a riding school to get you back in the saddle. I'm not sure from your post if your horse has been ridden during the break or not? If not you could get someone in to re-back him for you or even just sit on for the first time after you have done some lunging with him.
 
I'm in a similar position, my boy's been off since November (not quite as long but still a good break) and he is 19 so no spring chicken himself. I had a C section a week ago so not planning on next week but my when I feel ready - this is my plan

For me - go and have a potter about on a friends nice easy hack, maybe a lesson or two at a local school so I know I can sit on something for 30/40 mins without a problem.

For him - start getting him in every day for groom, lead him out in hand on a short hacking route we have locally a couple of times, then get my previous instructor to sit on him for 10 mins in the school first time and probably take him on said route so if he has a big wabble someone with some fitness is there to help him!! Then I will just get on and do lots of hacking in walk - probably for a couple of months to help both of us get back up to fitness.

I don't think it's fair on him to do lots of lunging being so unfit and I'm not confident long reining to do hours of that (and I;m not sure it will make much difference TBH)

Everyone's circumstances are different but that is my plan
 
That's half the trouble, I keep him at home and I have nobody to ask to get on and see if anything happens...in my heart I know he will be fine, but I'm clawking my way confidence wise and don't think I could handle it emotionally if he was a buggar...I tried to get him into a livery yard nearby but it fell through....I need a crash test friend, also seeing him ridden by someone else would make me jealous and I'd be like, thank you I want a go now, lol...it would be a good kick up the Harris...oh yeah, I have completed my riding course two weeks ago, that brought my confidence up, but it's one thing riding a riding school pony with an instructor there....a different ball game alone. Thanks girlies, oh and I had a c section, I've had four! Terrible bloody things, being awake too...hope you and your little bundle are good.x
 
I totally lost my confidence after several trips to a&e on an old horse and when i bought my new one i had someone with me everytime i got on! They walked round the school next to me talking to me to help relax me and it worked. They slowly made theIraq way into the middle of the school then outside the school and now i am not back where i was but well on my way!

Good luck and remember to breath lol x
 
Sorry to hijack thread but just wanted to congratulate polos mum!! I had a c section in January - take it very carefully even when you feel fine again. :)
 
My confidence was in shreds last year following an accident and despite everything I knew I wanted to ride again. To start with, my husband clipped a leadrein on and led me around. Then he would unclip it and walk beside me until I had a panic attack and asked him to lead me again. Each time I rode I pushed myself to be a little braver and despite not riding for nearly five months again over the atrocious prolonged winter we had, I'm now back to being more confident than I was before my accident, hacking out solo, etc. My advice is start slow, don't be embarrassed, try to enjoy it and celebrate small achievements :)
 
Have you anyone that would be willing to ride out for you?
Maybe take him back to basics with a bit of lunging and longreining so that you feel confident he listens and respects what your asking him to do. Also as someone else said just getting him back into a routine of grooming, handling and being worked might be a good idea.

Have to say i waited 7ish weeks after my c-section. Stupidly had a 30-40 min lesson then spent the evening convinced i was dying on the sofa!
 
Thanks, it's all good advice...he is handled and has manners to die for on the ground, he is great, a little nappy, but easy to do. I've put a thread on the local board if someone in Derbyshire would be willing to get on him first and I'd pay them...but they probably think he must be a loon, when he is sooo not, it's me and my confidence that's the loon. I can imagine them going...'girl you have issues'...which is true...I do, and i feel like a fraud...I even stopped a girl on a cob today, and was amazed that she did that, hacked on a main road alone...I told her how proud I was of her, lol...she wasn't even wearing High viz! I think of danger the whole time...but I'm determined I need to get back on. I'm sick of my own tears of failure, and im sure it's doing my oh's head in. I lost my confidence when an ex racer dumped me, he is long gone from my life, but my lovely kind horse is being tarred by the same brush. It's a sad and uphill struggle. Thanks for your kind advice.x
 
Congratulations on your little one!
I got back on mine last summer about 3 months after an assisted and traumatic birth, PND etc etc, I had also had SPD during pregnancy so was warned to take it easy on my pelvis, no jolting etc.
I rang the local trekking centre and booked a hack on the safest most docile horse they had! After I realised it didn't hurt I then arranged for someone to hack out with me, just at a walk. My horse had been lame and out of work for a few months so I knew he was going to be lively! Then when I was ready to hack out alone I had a friend on foot. We just walked for the first couple of weeks then introduced a little trot - actually horse being out of work helped in that sense as we were both unfit together. After about 6 weeks I was ready to start riding 'properly' again and strong enough to school.
I have had confidence issues in the past so I knew to go easy on myself. It took me 6 months to be back to 'normal' and I found riding helped me regain my figure/fitness and lose my pregnancy weight, and my confidence was well and truly back once I started jumping again, and fell off and realised it didn't hurt... but then I fell pregnant again! So back to square one... I now have 6 weeks to go before my newest addition arrives!
 
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