Post by guesstimation on May 20, 2011 13:52:13 GMT 1
;D
Just wanted to share with you all how you really can come through confidence issues. I lost my nerve a couple of years ago and found every excuse not to ride out on the roads - why do it if you don't really enjoy it - thing is I loved it when it went okay! I spent about a year only pottering around my fields then one day I just decided to get on and do it, why was I paying for a horse that I wasn't riding!
I slowly built it up from just 2 mins down the lane and back again, I wore lots of reflectives as did the horse, I told people where I was going, wore a back protector, had phone on me - anything to make me feel safer.
Eventually I was hacking out and took my mare through the village and up to the moors it was fab! Sadly I had to give her up due to finances and ill health and the break didn't do me any good my confidence took a down turn again. It didn't help when I went out for a hack on a friends horse who turned in to a bucking bronco mid gallop and I damaged my ankle when I came off!
Then last year my friend took on some horses and I helped her, I took deep breaths and just decided to get on with it again, I rode lots of different types and was even going off out on horses who may not have been ridden for a while and which I had no idea about how they would behave! I had a truely new found confidence here as it was one thing with a horse I knew but with one I didn't very different I used to avoid it whenever people said have a go on my horse!
I have now found another horse to ride and I was hacking out Wednesday and he was forward but safe and I almost wanted the challenge - we found the challenge some diversion signs he took a dislike to and a cow!
but again I dealt with it safely and nothing horrid happened. My confidence is the best it's been for years.
I went to Majorca a couple of weeks ago and had the most amazing ride did so much galloping along the tracks and beaches and had complete control, it took me back to my days of galloping TBs up the gallops in Newmarket and I loved it.
Sorry if this is a bit long I just wanted to firstly say YAY as I am feeling super happy about it and secondly to give hope to those who may be suffering a lack of confidence - you can get through it, I can't believe I am where I am now I would never ever have believed it has someone told me a year ago I'd feel like this about riding again ;D
Just wanted to share with you all how you really can come through confidence issues. I lost my nerve a couple of years ago and found every excuse not to ride out on the roads - why do it if you don't really enjoy it - thing is I loved it when it went okay! I spent about a year only pottering around my fields then one day I just decided to get on and do it, why was I paying for a horse that I wasn't riding!
I slowly built it up from just 2 mins down the lane and back again, I wore lots of reflectives as did the horse, I told people where I was going, wore a back protector, had phone on me - anything to make me feel safer.
Eventually I was hacking out and took my mare through the village and up to the moors it was fab! Sadly I had to give her up due to finances and ill health and the break didn't do me any good my confidence took a down turn again. It didn't help when I went out for a hack on a friends horse who turned in to a bucking bronco mid gallop and I damaged my ankle when I came off!
Then last year my friend took on some horses and I helped her, I took deep breaths and just decided to get on with it again, I rode lots of different types and was even going off out on horses who may not have been ridden for a while and which I had no idea about how they would behave! I had a truely new found confidence here as it was one thing with a horse I knew but with one I didn't very different I used to avoid it whenever people said have a go on my horse!
I have now found another horse to ride and I was hacking out Wednesday and he was forward but safe and I almost wanted the challenge - we found the challenge some diversion signs he took a dislike to and a cow!
but again I dealt with it safely and nothing horrid happened. My confidence is the best it's been for years.I went to Majorca a couple of weeks ago and had the most amazing ride did so much galloping along the tracks and beaches and had complete control, it took me back to my days of galloping TBs up the gallops in Newmarket and I loved it.
Sorry if this is a bit long I just wanted to firstly say YAY as I am feeling super happy about it and secondly to give hope to those who may be suffering a lack of confidence - you can get through it, I can't believe I am where I am now I would never ever have believed it has someone told me a year ago I'd feel like this about riding again ;D
I have to thank you too because if you used to gallop race horses and someone like you can have their confidence knocked then I don't feel so bad. I had a 5 year break not intentionally I just changed jobs and thought it would be like riding a bike but I was so so wrong and felt very frustrated going back to it as I knew I could ride but felt and looked like a complete novice.
