Terrified of lessons

[barney_baby]

I'm a novice rider and I have been riding with an elderly man for about 7 months. I'm moving away from him because we only go out on hacks and I don't learn the proper things. I'm starting a new school tomorrow and I'm terrified. I rang up and she said that the time I'm goin is the advanced class and I am really worried. I can walk and trot and I'm quite confident about cantering because I can do it but It makes me nervous, but she said it was quite an advanced class. I'm realy scared because everyone there is going to be a really good rider and I'm going to go in there totaly rubbish and I'm just going to mess everything up. I love my horseriding but I'm so scared of messing up tomorrow. I know first lessons never go right but I am so nervous and thinking that there are going to be really advanced people there is making me feel stupid and as though I just can't ride. I need help I'm so worried. I'm going with two friends but they are really good riders and they say to me you are good but I don't feel s though I am when I watch them and what they are doing. I feel so incapable but I know I can do the basics. I really don't want to go tomorrow but I know I need to. Has anybody got any advice because right now I really need it.

[k8schmutz]

all I can say is relax! You just have to enjoy it, I am soo self conscious its amazing i get outt the front door, but I just have to get on with it. Just enjoy your riding and not worry about whateveryone thinks of you, and remember, they were complete beginners before too!

[k8schmutz]

might I also add that if you weren't good enough to go in that class you wouldn't have been put in it :D

[canadianbeaver]

I'm sure you'll be fine, but I always make sure that I have a private lesson before I go into a group so that the coach know exactly how good I am. Enjoy!!

[T-bred]

You will do fine!!! I am on the swim club and I felt the same way yesterday going to my first meet, there were all of these really good swimmers there and I'm not so I was really nervous and intimidated. Well I ended up messing up and embarassing myself majorly and I didn't even finish the meet!!!:rolleyes: That was the biggest mistake in the world, when I got home the only thing I was embarassed or upset about was that I quit. What I am saying is go and try your hardest and I am sure you will be fine. Also all of the girls that have been riding for a while will watch out for you and they are usually nice[from my experiences]
!!:D

Anna

[kyraharvey]

If the people in the class were 100% perfect riders they wouldn't be having riding lessons!;) . Just go and enjoy yourself - and remember you learn soooo much more by making mistakes than you do by getting everything right all of the time. P.S. I hate riding in front of other people but you just take a deep breath and get on with it - you'll be fine :D