Are there any qualified hypnotherapists on here?

[staffsmum]

It is horsey!

I have a fear of tractors and lorries, I can hear them miles away then my nerves keep getting worse, I am passing this on to my horse and what he does is even more terrifying! My sharer doesn't have a problem and so Stafford is sensible, so I know it's me!

I was hit on my last horse by a Range Rover, and I just think it would be so much worse being hit by a lorry! I know, I am mad! I can't get over it and wondered if there was anyone who was qualifed and horsey who would do me a tape or cd to listen to at home. I have done the confident rider CD and it works but I need something for more specific fear!

I am willing to pay, I don't expect it for free, and I know there are lots of hypnotherapists about but I just thought if there was someone on here knowledgable with horses they would understand more?

If someone is willing to help please PM me, or if anyone has any tips, how they overcame their fear?

I won't be on here till later now, thankyou in advance for any help. x

PS If I see a dumper truck I want to sit on the floor! Worrying isn't it

[staffsmum]

Up, anyone?

[Derek Clark]

Hi Staffsmum,

Have sent you a PM.

Best wishes,

Derek Clark

[wendyihts]

Hi there Steffs Mum,

Have you tried contacting the lady who did the Perfect Confident series? I think she used to make up specialist tapes/CDs for people though I'm not sure if she does still.

You raise a good point about using hypnotherapy for this type of situation. Me and one of my horses were also hit by a car just before New Years Eve whilst I was walking her in hand up our lane. I managed to chuck myself out of the way but Lutine ended up on the bonnet. Luckily, she wasn't badly hurt. It was, however, a terrifying experience for the both of us and I am now aware that I too have a specific fearful reaction to cars on roads when I'm out with the horses. It's a difficult one because it's so intensely associated with a real, terrifying experience so your brain records this event in a particular away and either tries to prepare you in advance for the next time (!) or tries to get you to avoid the situation. I know that I'm experiencing both!

I think, in the first instance, it might be useful to start becoming aware of your breathing, especially when you're riding. I know that at the moment I can tell that when I hear that car approaching us, I literally stop breathing. 'course, then all your muscles tense up, your jaw sets, your body becomes more rigid and that obviously translates to the horse. I know that one of the techniques on the hypnotherapy CD I have from Sharon Shinwell is Progressive Muscle Relaxation - you can see a guide to it here www.guidetopsychology.com/pmr.htm . Having a look at that, I would say to try doing the full PMR routine yourself at home for a week or so, then maybe try it before you go out to the yard. Then move on to the shortened version, which concentrates on the areas that tend to tense up when you're riding and starting to feel nervous - you can probably have a go at the shortened version whilst you're riding.

Another thing you might try in the meantime, before getting your hypnotherapy CD, is breaking the pattern with your horse. See if you can get to hack out on an absolute bomb proof horse a few times, even if it means going to a riding school. If you usually ride alone with your horse, go out on your bomb proof hack with company. I would then try to have a confident, competent rider take your horse out, again perhaps in company, to try and break up the pattern for him also. Once you're feeling less fearful, you could start to put your partnership back together again, maybe by you and your horse hacking out in bombproof company.

Yes, I'm going to be taking my own advice as well! Up until now I've had some good avoidance excuses because the weather has been dreadful here and I've been busy with work and the nights were dark........ blah, blah..... really they're excuses But I know it's possible to get over this so I am going to get to it as well.

[gordo]

Also Flower remedies could help you. Big up for the Hacking with Confidence cd

[wozzer]

Oh, blimey Staffsmum, how awful for you. Hope someone can give you lots of help with this.

Please let us know how you get on. xx

[dawnb]

Caroline Putus is great! She runs workshops & does the CDs as well and is a qualified hypnotherapist/NLP practitioner. A couple of people on her including myself have been on her courses and I must admit to coming away being a much more confident rider at the time could perhaps do with a "top up" course tho! Best of luck, we've all been there at one time or another - Onwards & upwards chick ! x

[staffsmum]

Thankyou for all your advice, Derek Clark has contacted me and is willing to help so I will let you know How I get on. Fingers crossed.

I did have a lesson on Tuesday and our school is by the road, my instructor deliberatly sent me by the road as a jcb was passing. Stafford was fine, but my heart was in my mouth! I didn't look at it