Laya
30th Jan 2001, 08:32 PM
Most people say that a rider who is daring and pushes the limits will succeed further than the timid rider, however other people say that a timid rider will live longer. Then you have the riders who are daring, but aware of the consequences of their actions which makes them somewhat cautious.
I wanted to discuss how I felt when my friend Rachel and I were out riding one day a few weeks back. I had finished up with my horse and Rachel showed up and begged me to ride him bareback so she didn't have to work her horse alone. I obliged and got on my horse bareback to keep her company. Then, she wanted to take a brisk trail ride (reminder my horse is bare and her's is saddled). I was thrilled, because I love bareback trail rides!! However, I didn't expect her to forget that she had a saddled horse as she cantered down trails and jumped all of the jumps that were right smack in the middle of the trail. They had to be cleared. So I started having an anxiety attack as my horse pulled on the bit to go faster and rushed over all of the jumps to catch up (I know bad case of buddy sour horse). Then we hit a trail home, a flat stretch with a coop in the center of it. She was hand galloping her horse and pulled up at the very end of the trail to the dirt drive of the barn, just around the corner where my horse couldn't see. That's when the pace picked up and I actually turned into an indian chasing a buffalo!! He galloped after them and as we approached the coop, my head was whirring and the idea of jumping that coop bareback, which I must say was gigantic!! There was no way to stop my horse or slow him down before the jump, I couldn't turn him off the trail and into the ditch it was way too dangerous. I did what I could and edged my butterflies farther into my stomach, then I prepared for the jump. He actually slowed down and reached before it and I never felt such a through jump (until he stumbled for a minor second on the other side), then he was off again. Basically I survived and was daring enough not to jump off...
Over the next few weeks, my confidence has been growing at bareback riding. I challenged Rachel to a bareback race along the trails and the cross-country course. Hehe, guess who won?
Anyways, I survived my anxiety attack to guide Justin over the jump. I did it well, and I'm assuming he did to... :)
I wanted to discuss how I felt when my friend Rachel and I were out riding one day a few weeks back. I had finished up with my horse and Rachel showed up and begged me to ride him bareback so she didn't have to work her horse alone. I obliged and got on my horse bareback to keep her company. Then, she wanted to take a brisk trail ride (reminder my horse is bare and her's is saddled). I was thrilled, because I love bareback trail rides!! However, I didn't expect her to forget that she had a saddled horse as she cantered down trails and jumped all of the jumps that were right smack in the middle of the trail. They had to be cleared. So I started having an anxiety attack as my horse pulled on the bit to go faster and rushed over all of the jumps to catch up (I know bad case of buddy sour horse). Then we hit a trail home, a flat stretch with a coop in the center of it. She was hand galloping her horse and pulled up at the very end of the trail to the dirt drive of the barn, just around the corner where my horse couldn't see. That's when the pace picked up and I actually turned into an indian chasing a buffalo!! He galloped after them and as we approached the coop, my head was whirring and the idea of jumping that coop bareback, which I must say was gigantic!! There was no way to stop my horse or slow him down before the jump, I couldn't turn him off the trail and into the ditch it was way too dangerous. I did what I could and edged my butterflies farther into my stomach, then I prepared for the jump. He actually slowed down and reached before it and I never felt such a through jump (until he stumbled for a minor second on the other side), then he was off again. Basically I survived and was daring enough not to jump off...
Over the next few weeks, my confidence has been growing at bareback riding. I challenged Rachel to a bareback race along the trails and the cross-country course. Hehe, guess who won?
Anyways, I survived my anxiety attack to guide Justin over the jump. I did it well, and I'm assuming he did to... :)