First Lesson - No Confidence

[snaffles83]

Hiya.

On thursday I am having my first lesson since I gave up riding a year ago due to loss of confidence. I had a bad fall a few years ago off my pony, which I had to sell. I'm so nervous going for this lesson. The instructor talked to me on the phone and told me that she has a bombproof horse for me to ride and that he is really queit. But I can't get ideas out of my head like he's going to bolt and jump over the gate or something (happened to a horse and rider in my last school!) or do something really wacky like go and jump a 3ft spread with me on board. ARRR I wish I had never given up! There was a time I was confident. Where did it go and how can I get it back? Anyone else experienced this?

[al-pal]

hi
i had a nasty fall 2 years ago and still recovering i had to stop riding for 2 months my pony is soo bomb proof it wont spook at any thing
any way i was really nervas (sp) about riding again so insted of riding the horse i rode before i fell off i road a bomb proof pony that has 6 year olds on him he was soo good but i must admitt i was shaking like a leaf but my best friend said to be the day befor i went riding " dont think of the fall or the bad things think about all the good hacks you had on zee ( which was my horse) not manners(the one who caused the injery)" and that got me really excited and hyper


Alice :p

goforblue: i like your "to ride or not to ride..........stuped question"

p.s welcome to the site:D

[Katie_85]

First, welcome to the site.
Second. If your instructor says the horse is bombproof, it probably is. See if she will ride him first for you so you can see how he goes. Then ask her to lead you around on him or put you on a lunge line. That way there are two people in contol of this animal.
Third. Relax. Enjoy the ride and your confidence will come back sooner than you think. Keep us posted!:)

[snaffles83]

Thanks very much for your replies. I'll let you know how I get on on Thursday.

Jen.

[Wally]

Yep, you are certainly looking on the bleak side! It's only natural, We have some horses which, if you could get to bolt and jump over a fence we'd give them to you!

Some horses are not to be trusted, some are worthy of trust and if your instructor is sensitive to your nervousness then she will give you a kind gentle soul. Get your confidence on a plod and then there'll we no stopping you. Don't worry.

[Dizzy]

Why not go and watch a few lessons, talk to your instructor-to-be, and ask if you could watch the horse that you're going to ride, being ridden by someone else.

Your desire to ride is obviously stronger than your fear of riding otherwise you wouldn't have booked the lesson. Go and watch, don't think about if and when your confidence will come back. Think about relaxing and enjoying yourself.

Don't rush yourself, concentrate on having fun.

Good luck

Lesley

[Garnett]

Good luck with your lesson! And if not your not really comfortable with something don't do it! -Chrissy



"A horse gallops with his lungs, persevers with his heart, and wins with his character".-Tesio

[StevieLake]

Howdy Jen! My my, let me say that you have already conquered half the battle; you realized that you CAN ride, and you want to. Kudos! :D Girl, you can do this!!

I had a huge problem with one horse awhile back, and I was scared to death of her. (Correction - riding her.) Anyway, whenever I had her saddle beneath me, I looked like a frightened statue - no idea how to ride. But then I said, "Hey, you can do this! You're a rider! Never give up, and don't let this get in your way." You can do the same thing.

You are very brave - very brave - for taking up riding again. (A self-aware person; always a handy characteristic.) So as everyone said here, more or less, visualization is the key. Ahh... now relax, close your eyes, and picture yourself on a sandy beach ... just kiddin. ... picture yourself riding, having FUN, and dismounting with a big ol' grin on your face. You can do it!! ;)

(p.s. There's a difference between discomfort and nervousness. If you feel uncomfortable with an instructor, that's one thing. But if you return to riding (especially on a "bombproof" horse), I wouldn't suggest to give up. Just know your boundaries-- after all, if you were put on a "bucking bronco", as the cliche goes, you certainly would feel "uncomfortable", but that isn't the case--- and things should go well.)

Bueno suerte!

[Miriam]

I had a similar experience when I was at a riding school. We rode different horses every week. One week I was watching the lesson before mine and a fella was riding this beautiful black Fresain (sp?). They were having a jumping lesson just before the end of the actual lesson and he went to jump this fence. Horse went over and he fell off. The following week I was told to go and get said horse to ride for my lesson. Told instructor she had to be joking. Told he was very safe and I would love him. All I could thing of was the fact that this fella had fallen off him. Guess what, she was right. Ben was the most gentlest horse I could have rode. Asked him him every week after that until he was sold along with his driving partner as the school thought they were not being used to their full potential.