Chavhorse
Well-Known Member
From one who has spent the last 18 months watching other people riding my beautiful boy as I was too scared to ride him myself. You can get your confidence back but sadly you can not rush the process! Things that have worked for me;
If you can look after your horse yourself, I moved mine from a full livery to a DIY set up 3 months ago and in that time we have grown so much closer. I am totally in charge of his care and routine and I think mentally that helped me feel a lot more confident and capable.
Find someone (friend fellow livery etc) who can ride your horse and you can watch, I have been so lucky in moving to a yard where I have numerous very capable riders who love to get on someting new, my lad has been jumping, schooling and doing lots of hacking out the more I see him working well and the more they tell me he is a super ride the more confident I have become in him.
Keep the faith....very hard to do as often you feel useless and a total idiot (especially if you have in the past been a reasonably confident and competant rider!) I just gave myself time, refused to pushed into riding if I was not ready for it and also accepted that there was actually nothing wrong at all with having a horse I just enjoyed looking after.
Be honest with yourself and others there is no shame in being scared and admitting it, when I moved to my new yard and people asked me "Do you not ride him yourself" for the first time in over a year I actually found the courage to say "no I had a bad accident and since then I have been really scared to ride" People did not laugh or take the mick they were supportive and did all they could to get me back in the saddle again.
Today I hacked out my lad I had not sat on him since November 2011 (in a group and we only went out for an hours walk and slow trot) but he was lead horse the entire way, we encountered traffic, the dreaded cows and a large tractor with a spray attachment but he was rock solid and I did not have one thought of impending doom. Got off and wanted to do it all over again.
Everyone at the yard has been fantastic and were genuinely thrilled for me this morning.
And I have to say it is the best feeling in the world.
If you can look after your horse yourself, I moved mine from a full livery to a DIY set up 3 months ago and in that time we have grown so much closer. I am totally in charge of his care and routine and I think mentally that helped me feel a lot more confident and capable.
Find someone (friend fellow livery etc) who can ride your horse and you can watch, I have been so lucky in moving to a yard where I have numerous very capable riders who love to get on someting new, my lad has been jumping, schooling and doing lots of hacking out the more I see him working well and the more they tell me he is a super ride the more confident I have become in him.
Keep the faith....very hard to do as often you feel useless and a total idiot (especially if you have in the past been a reasonably confident and competant rider!) I just gave myself time, refused to pushed into riding if I was not ready for it and also accepted that there was actually nothing wrong at all with having a horse I just enjoyed looking after.
Be honest with yourself and others there is no shame in being scared and admitting it, when I moved to my new yard and people asked me "Do you not ride him yourself" for the first time in over a year I actually found the courage to say "no I had a bad accident and since then I have been really scared to ride" People did not laugh or take the mick they were supportive and did all they could to get me back in the saddle again.
Today I hacked out my lad I had not sat on him since November 2011 (in a group and we only went out for an hours walk and slow trot) but he was lead horse the entire way, we encountered traffic, the dreaded cows and a large tractor with a spray attachment but he was rock solid and I did not have one thought of impending doom. Got off and wanted to do it all over again.
Everyone at the yard has been fantastic and were genuinely thrilled for me this morning.
And I have to say it is the best feeling in the world.
Last edited:
