Hacking Fears

[helen.e]

I started riding 9 months ago at my local RS and had made really good progress, I was cantering happily in the school and on hacks and starting to jump. One Saturday I went out on a hack on Lucy, who is the safest horse in the RS. A huge dog got loose and chased us across the field. Lucy took off at gallop and all I coud do was hang on. As soon as we got to the road she stopped (luckily!) but I was REALLY scared to have lost control over the one horse I felt totally safe with. I hacked out again the following week on a different horse and basically had a panic attack when we got to the spot Lucy where bolted and was too scared to even trot.
It has taken me 2 months to get back the confidence to canter in the school, which still scares me, and I haven't attempted to hack out since although I desperately want to.
Next month I'm going on holiday with friends. They want to go on several hacks, including a half-day ride on Dartmoor, and I really want to go with them, but I'm scared every time I ride and I'm terrified of hacking out in case I lose control or have another panic attack. I don't want to hold them back.
I love riding and I'm so frustrated to be feeling like this. Can anyone advise how should I go about rebuilding my confidence?

:confused:

[Vez]

First of all, I'm glad you didn't get hurt. When you get back to that spot again is there a possibility that someone could lead you? Or is there a way you can ride so that the horse has nowhere to run ( horse in front, horse in back) ? Just remember that stuff like this does happen and yes you should be prepared but it doesn't happen often. Make sure you only walk then for the time being and explain to your RI the situation. They can help you better as they no how well you can ride ( You must be good as you stayed on) and what the horse is like, managing to put you in a situation you feel comfatable!

Good luck, Vez xx :)

[Joyscarer]

I really feel for you :(

The best thing you can do is to place yourself in your instructors hands. Make it plain just how you feel and let them bring you through it, it's their job too.

You can begin by doing only walk and trot hacks if you feel that is appropriate but place your faith in your instructor. ;)

I am going through the same thing but in the school funnily enough so I am having someone school my horse and I have returned to a riding school to rebuild my confidence on schoolmasters. It's not something I thought I would ever need to do but it is working. If you can't find the strength in yourself then lean on others to support whilst you need it :)

[magicalmac]

Have you talked to your RI about how you feel? Would it be possibly to go on a private hack just you and a RI? Take things slowly and dont be afraid to speak up if you dont feel comfortable. It will all come right in the end and if your RI knows how you feel she/he will be able to push you just far enough out of you comfort zone without scaring you. Hope you manage to rebuild your confidence and can start enjoying your riding again soon.

[rhsw]

Helen.n I am sorry this has happen to you, you should carry on with the hacks and so something like Vez says, I agree with this, I know of someone who went throu the same kind of thing, and what she did was (She is a good rider) go hacking with a trustworthly friend, in front of her so her horse followed this horse, and it was only on her orders to her friend as to when to trot, and canter, did she overcome her fear. Try as Vez says ok. good luck.

[Afellpony]

I'm sorry this has happened to you. Events like this can be very scary and can knock your confidence. However hard it is (trust me I know about such things!), you must try and put it behind you and look forward and treat it as another experience in your 'riding life'. Have a couple of private lessons which would be a great help as you can talk it through with your RI in an 'unhurried' environment (class lessons always seem a bit hurried). Look at it this way, a 'bad thing' happened but you came through it and, although it's knocked your confidence somewhat, it's just another learning curve.

[helen.e]

Hi all - thanks so much for your advice.

As suggested I spoke to my RI and we came up with a plan. Initially I had a lesson each week in the school to build up my confidence with cantering again.
Then last Friday I went out on the first hack - we agreed before we went that I would only do walk and trot and not canter, which was great. I actually felt quite relaxed and have booked another hour's hack this week - and I am hoping to be able to do a small amount of canter.
I've started wearing a body protector when out hacking because it helps me feel more confident. Nobody else at my RS does this, and they probably think I'm silly, wearing it when riding the safest horse in the school, but it makes me feel better.
I've got a few weeks to go until my holiday. The half-day Dartmoor ride is booked and I'm determined to be confident and enjoy it.

Thanks again for all your advice.

Helen

[Jarani]

Your situation sounds a lot like mine. :p

I've been riding for almost a year now, and I've had my TB for seven months. Around March, we went on our third trail ride, and a green horse named Saber was out on his FIRST hack with us. I tried to stay as far away from him as possible, but the gosh darn horse pranced/skidded/spun/and side passed right back next to/or in front of me and Chance. Of course when the spooky goblin tree appeared, Saber reared and bucked INTO my horse, and it was completely understandable that he spun a 180 and took off. Still, after that I've been terrified of going out on the trails, and it seems my horse is nervous now too, because he knows I'm nervous.
BREAKTHROUGH:
A couple of days ago, I took Chance out, with an adult watching from afar, around all of the paddocks, down into the sandbank, and around a group of trees, and he ALMOST shied away from the gnarly gigantic fallen tree, but I kept my cool, and so did he. I was so proud of him. We're planning on going on a two hour hack with a friend and her experienced Halflinger next week. My advice: Just take as long as you need. I missed out on so many trailrides, but now that I've got my nerve back, I can go on many more. It all depends on how you feel, and when you feel you're ready to take the next step. Go a little bit at a time, and slowly widen your trail perimeters. Until eventually, that scary spot isn't so scary anymore. ;) Good luck.

[Joyscarer]

I'm so happy that you are getting back on track again with the hacking. Getting to stage where you want to get back to the canter rather than feeling you have is great as you will be far more relaxed and should ejoy yourself when it happens :D

Please let us know how you get on ;)

[rhsw]

yeah please do let us know how you got on. I had my 2nd hack out 2 weeks ago, and horse spooked at a bath, did a backward walk and a U turn on me, I stayed calm, got horse back, but then another U turn, still I stayed calm and I think that is what helped me, to get the horse back, I was lucky really I know that now, its just one of those things that you have to learn to handle as and when they happen, for you that gallow would have been so scaring, but you did so well to hang on, and to now carry on, ever if only in walk and trot is a big move, so well done.:D

[Welshgirl]

Helen, well done for getting back in the saddle. Its horrible when something like that happens to make you lose your confidence. I've been there, I was hacking out quite confidently on my mare and was just going home past some parked cars when a guy popped his boot open and the horse shied and I fell, The trouble was I was in the middle of a rising trot going uphill so fell backwards quite a long way onto tarmac. I had a fractured rib and massive bruising but I 'm ok now. I got back on straightaway but it took me months to get my confidence back, but it did eventually and now I canter and even gallop sometimes. I was more frightened of trotting at first because i was trotting when I fell! I have worked hard at improving my seat no lessons but I practise transitions etc when we hack. As A Fell Pony says, your bad experience will make you a better rider in the end and I'm sure you are well aware now of the need to be vigilant all the time while hacking because of the increased risk of spooking. I'm sure you'll deal much better with it next time, ask your riding instructor to show you how to an emergency stop in case it ever happens again. Good luck, Welshgirlx Also go for the hacking on holiday but if you don't want to canter I'm sure you won't be the only one on the ride. If your friends want to go off and canter , tell the ride leader that you don't want to and she should organise it to keep everyone happy. Hope you have a great time!

[helen.e]

Hi
:D
Thanks to everyone for your advice. I've just got back from my holiday and had a fantastic time. The farmhouse where we stayed was a stud farm breeding beautiful event horses, so we had lots of opportunities for grooming, feeding and cuddling lovely horses and foals every day.
I did go on the Dartmoor ride and was quite scared for the first 15 minutes, especially as all the horses got very excited when we went through the gate onto the moor!
The guides were fantastic and said I didn't have to canter if I didn't want to, but when offered the option of a short canter uphill I decided to go for it and I'm so glad I did. It was fantastic, really exhilarating and has given me lots more confidence.
I'm still a bit apprehensive about hacking, but whenever I feel nervous I think of that canter on the moor and that gives me more confidence - and I can thoroughly recommend Dartmoor as a beautiful place to ride.

Helen

[allinyourrows]

at least you were ok, ask if you could possibly lead the horse that route, or if you can't ask if you could get led by someone experiecnd that you trust.