Equisimulators or the like in the USA.

[Sabrina]

Hello, I'm Sabrina (Some may know me from the equisearch boards long ago).

I love horses, and would, more than anything else, like to learn to ride, but I have an immense fear of heights and motion and cannot bring myself to get on a horse.

Some would say start on a pony, but I'm 5'8 and weigh over 300 lbs., so that is not an option until I can overcome my fear.

The only thing I can think of is to try an equisimulator to get the 'feel' of things before I try to get on a horse. It will be safer, because I would not be afraid of something that doesn't really have potential to harm me. I do not fear horses, mind you, just of riding.

Does anyone know of any facilities in the US that would have an equisimulator or similar? It -has- to be in the US or ajoining countries, because I can't fly...I'd die before I'd board a plane, but I don't mind driving two-thousand miles cross-country.

Preferably around the Arizona/California area, but I will, as I said, travel.

Thanks for any help you can give me.

~Sabrina

[Heather]

HI Sabrina,

No one has an Equisimulator yet in the States, as we haven't yet released them onto the market. I do not know of any other simulators in the US either. WE are currently redesigning the machines so that hopefully, they will have all three paces, walk trot and canter. Currently we have to have two seperate machines, one for walk and trot, the other for canter, but some very kind engineer frineds/studenst of mine are in the process of designing me a new and hopefully even better one. When theses are ready, they will be for sale in the States, as there is a lot of interest from there.



Heather

[Silvia]

Hello Sabrina!
Too bad you can't get to use an equisimulator! I know how you feel about wanting to ride but being scared to death.
I felt exactly the same when I took up riding again after a bad riding accident that landed me in intensive care. Four years after that accident I decided I wanted to ride again, but I could not bring myself to get on a horse. So I spent a few months just being around horses, grooming them, learning to lunge etc. I made friends with a 25 year old stallion and his owner and one day I decided to give it a go. I just felt I was ready - and a friend liftet me up. I just sat on the standing horse, shaking all the time and feeling sick with panic. That first time I could only take it for five minutes, but over the next few months I managed to gradually overcome my fear. It took me a year until I trotted for the first time - this was three years ago.
Now I enjoy riding more than anything and I am hardly ever frightened as long as I have a calm, reliable horse.
I know that's not much help - I just wanted you to know that you are not the only one to experience such feelings.
:) Silvia