How to relax?

[BeachRiding]

In a few days I go up to the trainers and have to ride Gitch in front of him. Just the thought of riding Gitch makes me stop breathing, and riding in front of a new trainer scares me even more!

Any tips on how to relax and keep breathing?

[Dreamchaser]

Try singing a little song in your head (or nursery rhyme), it will take your mind off of things a bit. If you can, even try whispering the song to yourself out loud. It will make sure you actually keep breathing.

[Virago]

A really good deep breathing excercise that I learnt on a course for nervous riders:

Breathe in deeply, filling your lungs and making sure your tummy inflates with the in-breath so you know you are taking the breath deep into your lungs and using your diaphragm.
Then breathe out r-e-a-l-l-y slowly, taking twice as long to exhale as you did to breathe in. Do this about 10 times in a nice quiet place. It will really slow your heart rate down and and you should find you are able to breathe in a more relaxed way afterwards.
Breathe in the extra-deep way any time you need to calm yourself down!

[Anvil83]

Gosh this is something I've been working on for quite a while coz I used to get so scared that I would only stick to riding a tiny pony that was way too small for me coz I was scared of riding the bigger horses, otherwise I would tense up big time & be in tears!

I find I still get nervous & the more I think about it the more I shake, my heart beats fast & I get butterflies. Perhaps try to distract yourself by either riding with friends & trying to just enjoy being in their company or by becoming engrossed in how to ride rather than focusing on trying to relax, if your mind is distracted then you won't think about being nervous.

Well doesn't work all the time, but I hope I've been of some help. Also try Yoga or Pilates, but it has to be regularly, I have Yoga for Riders DVD the one with breathing exercises, all this seems to be helping, I'm concentrating so much on what aids to use on the horse, how to get him/her on the bit that I don't have time to be nervous. Although it's still easy to naturally tense your body so now & again tighten & then release your muscles so you can feel a difference, also try to joke & laugh with the instructor whilst riding, this helps massively.

I've tried Bach Rescue Remedy & Humulus but neither work for me, although they have worked for others, so worth trying I guess.

[horseygirl123]

I chew gum !!!!

If I feel myself tensing up I blow a bubble :p

Taras got used to me blowing big bubbles occasionally then spending minutes wiping it off my face :p

[Joyscarer]

The trainer is going to want to see how you are with him normally so if you go in all calm unlike your usual self he won't be able to see your problems ;)

So it make take some of the pressure off you to think about that and make you a bit more relaxed but try not to be ice cool if you aren't normally :p

[Grace O'Malley]

I recommend the deep breathing just as Virago describes. I do this while driving if the traffic is starting to get to me, when nervous before a lesson, or even at the doctor's office (it will bring your blood pressure right back to normal if you're stressing about something).

[KateWooten]

Take one of those small plastic bottles of coke with you but top it of with a smidgen of Tennessee Champagne. Down it just before you get on.

:D

I have never done that.

[BeachRiding]

Take one of those small plastic bottles of coke with you but top it of with a smidgen of Tennessee Champagne. Down it just before you get on.

:D

I have never done that.
:D spit soda on the computer...:D

Luckily I now don't have to go and ride him. He is hopefully going to be sold by my trainer.

[gone24now]

I use my I-pod in when warming up and stretching him out, with my favorite hard hate rock. Get's me feeling a bit bi-polar like I can do anything and I'll show you. If that fails I have a few swigs of whiskey from my flask that I keep in my tack box. Works wonders.

I-pod works really well and singing out loud too relaxes me alot, I'm sure my horse isn't impressed with my deaf tone sound, but what the heck, I'm having fun, isn't that what it's supposed to be all about anyway?:p