Not such a happyhacker!

[happyhacker]

I finally have to admit that I am not such a Happyhacker as my username suggests. I love riding but my confidence has never been great & I have tried to sort this out by more & more expensive lessons by various trainers in schooling arenas over the years. I have hacked out on trecking ponies, most of whom know there own trails & are usually dobbins, used to there own trails day after day.
When it comes to riding my own horse out though,it's a different matter. I don't know why I can't enjoy it. I perhaps think to far ahead & worry about all the things that could happen!

[clipclop]

Sorry to hear that :-(

Do you always ride alone or do you have company? Often, having the company of someone you get along with (chatting to them relaxes you) on a well behaved horse can work wonders :-)

Sent from my ST18i using proboards

[dalesfan]

You're not alone When I was having confidence issues about riding my horse out, I took an understanding friend on foot with me. Gradually,we built up to following her part of the way, then doing some steps by ourselves, and this really helped. I also hacked out with her and one of her horses as Chym was always fine in company. Now, we go out happily and don't even think about needing a ground person, so you can do it. Keep us posted xx

[rifruffian]

So you write that you think too far ahead and worry about what could happen...........(in future time)

Idea: You've written about distance and time so take control of these factors and start by making both of them short. Plan a ride of one quarter of a mile, at walk. In preparing and planning this ride, place every circumstance that you can control, firmly in your favour before departure.

If you can accomplish this short ride successfully, plan future rides in very short increments, perhaps an addition of two hundred yards or so after each good outing.

Prior to every ride set yourself up for success by good planning in every way you can.

So someday perhaps hacking out confidently will be the norm again.

[Mellymoo]

Great advice Rifruffian! I have done something similar this year, and my confidence is soaring now. You can do it - set goals you can achieve, small ones at first, and move on from there.