scared stiff

[horselover4eva]

I started a thread a while ago saying i can't canter and i am just about to have my lesson (i've missied it for two weeks)
And i cant tell u how nervous i am.I feel i am holding the class back and they are all better then me
I know about all that "u go at your own pace" thingy but it really does not help
Horse riding should be fun and i just cannot keep calm
aaaaahhhhhh
How can i relax more coz we have real fast horses at the stables and coz i cant canter without a neckstrap i am really scard
help?!?!?!?!
jen

[Kathrin]

Jen

I have had the same problem as you after a number of falls whilst cantering.

I had to take a few weeks out of not doing it (just blankly saying No! when the instructor asked and working on trotting circles and serpentines instead)

Eventually my jealousy of the others merrily cantering got the better of me and I had another shot. I've gone from clutching on and praying for the horse to reach the back of the ride and slow down to actually thinking "hey, I CAN do this". Honestly - its like a Eureka moment and it happens when you relax.

Holding the neckstrap is fine, however make sure that you are not focusing on the neckstrap. Hold on, its there, you are safe. Thats all you need to know about the neckstrap. Iif you look at it, its odds on that you will be tipped forward and unbalanced. your eyes should be looking directly between the horses ears

The next thing to do is to concentrate on your legs, make sure you aren't gripping with your legs. To impress what this does coat a ping pong ball in olive oil, put it between thum and forefinger and squeeze. The ball will be forced out from between your fingers much as you are forced out of your seat if you squeeze with your legs.

My instructors mum used to make her canter with a foam ball taped to the inside of her knee and yell at her if the ball was squeezed less than round as she cantered - that is a tad extreme but you take the point. You want to be as deep in the saddle as possible.

Squeezy knees = more speed and less balance.

Concentrate on your legs and seat and leave your hands round the neckstrap for the moment. if you feel yourself tensing up start to hum or say la la la. The effort in thinking/forming words will distract from the urge to make a leg vice around the horses belly.

You aren't holding anyone up. You are on this site because you care about your riding and you devote time and effort to it. you can't do any better than your best and I'm sure the rest of your group are or were equally nervous about cantering!


As for falling off I've fallen off 7 times since April (I am awful) and it really isn't that bad - a bit of a shock and slightly embarrassing but not so bad. If you are really scared of hurting yourself - wear a body protector.

[Miriam]

Jen I am afraid I have been there and bought the T-Shirt. One of the reasons why I gave up at the riding school and took a horse on loan to help exercise. A few years down the line however I am cantering. It will come one day when you are ready for it. As for nerves people keep recommending 'Bach Remedie' available from Boots at £5.95 a bottle. I have not tried it yet but I am thinking of trying it as I will not go out on my own.

[Paul C]

Hi,

I'm a long way behind you in terms of skill (only had one lesson so far!) but maybe if you've got the option another school with slower/more forgiving horses might help your confidence, or perhaps a 1 to 1 lesson with the teacher if you can afford it?

Good luck whatever way you choose!

Paul

[larri]

A great way of learning canter and getting a better seat in general is to try lunge lessons. you get one to one tuition and you can concentrate on you, not trying to remember to steer and control the horse and think what you should be doing at the same time!
once you've mastered the balance and the deep seat then go solo - yippee!

Larri

[Miriam]

larri believe me this does not always work. I was more petrified being lunged than being free off the lunge. Someone did tell me a few years back that if she had taught me to canter it would have been up hill and never on the flat as it is much easier to get the hang of. Have to agree as when we were on the X-country course at the school we had to canter up the hill. I could do this no problem.

[Kathrin]

Thats true - cantering uphill is easier for a new rider (horse may beg to differ though!).

The most important thing is to go at your own pace.

In my class there is a young girl who (in comparison to me) has a very good seat and is progressing well. Recently however she fell off going over a straight pole (1.5ft) - she is now scared to death of them but can go over cross poles centered at the same height!

To make matters worse she has "pushy parents" who sit in the gallery "backseat riding" and the instructor (under pressure fom the parents) tends to push her and she ends up in tears. This unsettles the whole class is embarrassing and a few of us want to have a good talk to her parents too.

The irony is that by being pushed against her will she is actually being held back.

Go at your own pace, take it easy and learn to relax. If you don't want to canter - DON'T!

Don't let people push you - TAKE CHARGE and TELL them what you want to do. The extra confidence this gives you can only help your riding.

Your class are concentrating on their own riding and wish you well in yours I am sure!

A good book that explains how to release tension and focus on what you want to achieve instead of what other people want/expect you to is Jodi Bentley's book Riding without Stress in which she advocates the Alexander Technique. At the very least doing some of the breathing exercises before a class will calm you down.

Bach flower remedies may also be of help but I would try just breathing first.

[Edie]

Hi Jen, I am a fairly novice rider having been riding for +/- 11 months. I have found cantering to be quite comfortable once you have the hang of it. However, what I would like to say to you is "Do not do anything you are uncomfortable with or if you feel you are not ready" I had a accident causing me not to be able to ride for two months so far, I have not started again, but the time is nearing. I feel my accident was partly my fault because I was not being assertive with my instructress. I attempted a canter with a horse that was very fresh and I at the time felt something was up with my horse. Anyway he threw up his head, bucked and I landed on you know where! Don't feel you are holding up the class, they also started somewhere and you owe it to yourself to ride as safely as possible.

Good luck

Edie