am I a nervous rider?

[mustang fan]

hi guys i am sorry I didnt know where to put this thread. I dont know if i am a nervous rider! I had been taken off with about a year ago and that shook me up alot. I have been scared to ride ever since. I am currently riding a hyper horse. I have been put this horse because we need to let the beginers ride the the calm horses. I ride with 4-h and may be showing this horse next year. i dont think i am ready but my leader wants me to.!? I not sure what to do! I will be riding tuesday and I am very scared!! please help me! :(

[alliecatalex]

Well if you dont feel comfortable riding him then you shouldnt if you cant enjoy yourself, but maybe by next year when you show him things will have changed. Just try and not to be nervous when you are riding him, just stay calm because horses can easily sense how their rider feels and can react to that. Have you ridden the horse much? Maybe once you start to ride it more you will grow to like it and it will grow more calm being ridden more....its hard to say if your a nervous rider, i think we all can be at times.

[PromiseMe]

If he's hyper and you don't feel comfortable riding him - DONT. Trust your gut instinct. You could end up in a lot of trouble! Maybe more than you imagine right now, you never know - but its better to be safe than sorry!
Tell your uhm 'leader' that you're not comfortable riding him (youre not right? considering how nervous you say you are - this is not your fault! And its absolutely OK) and you shouldn't have to ride him.

[mustang fan]

today I went to I 4-h meeting and I was riding the same horse I always do. he has not been riden in 2 weeks and was really spirited. he was in a trailer accident last july and was put on stall rest for a year. before that accident he was a very hyper horse. anyway today when I was riding he took off with me. he would throw bucking fits and jump every pole in site (he used to be a jumper). he was not responding to the bit and wouldnt stop. I got off and my leader put my best friend on him!! it made me feel really bad!! she said that she could shape him up.
I used to ride this SAME horse all the time and he used to be fine!! I have try differant saddles, bits, bridles, saddle pads,everything!! I dont know what is wrong?! :o

[alliecatalex]

oh, well how did the horse do once your friend got on him? Maybe the horse just needs to be lunged before to get some of its energy out, or maybe if the horse acts good when you friend rides him, then you should ride after your friend once the horse has settled, if he dosent settle and you dont feel comfortalbe riding him, then you shouldnt.

[Bacharel]

If the horse is nervous to begin with and your nervous hes going to sense that and your tensness and acts up more...I would suggest switching horses until you are confident. Also why is your leader putting you on a horse that always acts up when you ride?

[kedwards]

It can be very tough. From what you say, you have the skills and you know what to do. However, once you get nervous, your body may stiffen up (even if you aren't aware of it) and you may lose your focus, so that you aren't communicating in the way you'd like to with the horse.

Please don't get frustrated by this. Understand that it is a normal thing that happens to everyone sometimes. Nerves aren't something that we can always have conscious control over.

So, your instructor had your friend get on the horse to shape him up. Well, at the moment, because she isn't nervous of him, perhaps she can ride him better. Does this mean she is just a better rider and you are incapable? Abolutely not! You can remember back to when you were more confident and could ride him well. You still have those skills and they will come back to you as soon as you regain your trust (in the horse and in yourself) sufficiently to allow yourself to draw on them.

Best of luck!

[mustang fan]

oh, well how did the horse do once your friend got on him? Maybe the horse just needs to be lunged before to get some of its energy out, or maybe if the horse acts good when you friend rides him, then you should ride after your friend once the horse has settled, if he dosent settle and you dont feel comfortalbe riding him, then you shouldnt.

well the problem is the horse cant be lunged. he was beat by the prevous leaser and wont even go into a round pen with person anymore!! I have been bit many times by him try to lunge. we are still working on it and he has gotten better but not enough to lunge him. :(

[Bacharel]

Sounds to me since he was abused maybe you or someone else who has time could work with him to build up a bond so he could be more trusting. He very well could be doing it out of fear or anger because of what his previous owner has done. Maybe go down for an hour or so a day and just groom him, hand graze him, do sometype of ground work until the point where you can get him to lunge and round pen. Will take some time but will be worth it if you invest the time. :)

[dancing-horse]

Your trainer must think you have alot of experience to let you ride such a hyper high strung horse, but there is no point in continuing lessons that obviously aren't enjoyable for you on this horse. Go up and talk to your instructor about switching horses, or ask her what the problem with this hyper horse is and if she can work with him. It seems he needs a little discipline from a much more experienced rider than yourself (such as your trainer) before anyone can ride him. I however, think with a little confidence and a little more control and force you can master this horse very easily. When you ride him, say to yourself that this horse is going to listen to you and he's going to behave, or you can say it outloud if it makes you feel a little better. Thats what I do. When my horse won't go over a jump straight, I tell him it's time to listen to me. Try not to fear this horse. He can feed off of your nervousness and fear and it makes him very scared. Good luck:D

[mustang fan]

Thanks Guys for all the help!! :)

[Jumping Genius]

I dont think you are a nervous rider! I mean you cant help it that you're horse was abused! I know you and i know you arnt a nervous rider the thing i have tried to do since my horse tripped and bucked me off is that i take a deep breath when im about to canter or when i get on him! It really helps me!!!Just try it! :)

[mustang fan]

Thanks jumping genius. I try that all the time. oh and tell your sister that when you guys were gone we did barrels. :)

[Eli_Jay]

i think that you have every right to be nervous of that horse, however you have to decide whether your nervousness is something you can work through, because if you feel as thought you'll never get over being nervous, there is little point in continuing to ride him. however, if you feel you're getting somewhere keep it up.
I recently got thrown quite badly and for a couple of weeks I felt sick every time i got on my horse - who is generally very calm and laid back - and during that two weeks when i rode him out, he shied at things, pig rooted and was really unsettled. BUT as soon as i settled down and regained my confidence (which wasn't easy and involved pushing myself to do things i was terrified of, like doing canter extentions in an indoor in a thunderstorm, with everything rattling and clanking) he settled back down and is now the same horse. For me, that was enough proof that the horses reactions to things depend alot on the rider, so maybe the horse is reacting to your nervousness? it may pay off just for a couple of lessons if you rode a quieter horse just until you regain your confidence a little.

[Jumping Genius]

well i dont know what to tell you
but i know you love riding that horse and so use that to get over your nervousness ive seen you ride him and i know u two are really good together but if you dont want to ride im sure jane would say that was ok you could ride cody for a time maybe i know he wont take off! or at least i think........well just thionk positive and i barrel raced with my sis today Sierra was good w/ my mom swell talk to me asap Mustang

[mustang fan]

Well now I am riding a push button pony named pappy and he has built my confidence up alot! I am very happy now but I kinda do miss banditt.