Lost my nerve

[girl-friday]

It seems recently (since new year) I have lost my confidence a bit with riding. I love horses very much and have been riding since I was a small child of about 9 years old.

Just after new year my pony (who I have had since May last year) did some very uncharacteristic messing around on a 60mph road which unnerved me some what. He has always been a feisty little beggar and likes to put in excited bucks when we go for a canter, but this is only always at the start of the canter then he belts off hell for leather for a few strides before realising that I'm asking him to slow and he comes back to me.

Whilst riding to and from my friends yard just after new year he was very naughty on this 60 road and kept leaping up sideways and generally being very silly. This upset me and made me quite scared as there are some people who really aren't considerate of horses and if some one had taken it into their head to go flying past just as he did something silly we would have all been very hurt.

Although I have ridden him since and he was as good as gold apart from one minor bronco on a stretch before a canter one time, I guess my general thoughts now when riding any horse or pony out on the road are fairly nervous ones.

I also go for riding lessons here in Berkshire and always feel perfectly safe on the riding school horses and never have any issues but when riding my friends horses and ponies at home I get quite upset and the weekend just gone the whole experience of riding 3 miles from my sisters yard to our friends was so distressing it made me feel quite sick and also brought me to tears :(

I have started taking Kalms tablets because on top of this I have a lot going on in my life at the moment as I am relocating back up north and having to leave my job/find a new one, etc.

Can anyone suggest any remedies, techniques or general advice to regain my horsey confidence when riding out on the roads?

Thanks,

[bexj]

Just take it slow! Are you ok in the school? Can you ride out in the fields alone? Is there anywhere you can ride thats less busy and fast? Just take it 5 mins at a time and then turn round.

I've also heard rescue remedy is good

Take care and be safe:)

[amandal]

Rescue Remedy, don't push yourself further or faster than you feel comfortable and most important - don't dwell on what might have been, concentrate on what went well.

[Afellpony]

You were very brave to ride on a 60mph road. However, do you have to ride along the road? Nowhere off road to hack? Try and go out with someone else along the road and ask that they stay alongside you (if possible). When you get more confident, perhaps you could ride behind the other horse. Is your horse ok in traff? Is it actually essential that you ride on the road?
If you have to, when riding along the road, keep your horse up to the bit. Whilst being aware of what's going on around you, try and concentrate on your horse and keeping to the side of the road. Make sure the horse is listening to you and try not to show any sign of nerves as this will transmit to the horse.
Make sure your horse is listening to you and obedient to the aids etc and has got a bit of work 'under his belt' before going out in traff.
Try and relax at all times. May be you could try this exercise before riding. I was taught this at work for something entirely different.

Breath in and hold the breath to the count of 3. You will feel that you want to breath deeply. Dont, just breath normally and continue to do so but do not take deep breaths. Keep breathing fairly slow and shallow. This works - well it did on me.

[Trewsers]

Don't blame you for being scared - the reason why I don't hack out at the moment is because the yard I'm on is right next to a busy 60mph road - and to get to any "off road" hacking you have to go along this road for quite some stretch. I have been on it once - and never again:( I am getting to know my horse in the school (she can be quite spooky) but I have no desire to get into an argument with her on a busy road - don't mind in the school but not where there is fast oncoming traffic!:eek: It all depends on the individual I guess, I don't think I'll ever get used to heavy fast traffic - its not my idea of fun :( Me personally, I'll stick to the schooling:D I guess you could build your confidence up again slowly - perhaps you have a hacking chum who has a steady horse that you could follow?

[girl-friday]

Thanks I will get some rescue remedy. My sister uses it when she has competitions as her horse rushes and worries her a bit.

Unfortunately there are a couple of 60mph roads that we do have to ride on. One more so than the other as it is the direct route to our friend's riding school. Though in the summer I could miss most of it out by going on one of the public footpath's through the farmers field, although this is not really allowed the local farmer does not seem to mind as long as you stick to the path, which we do.

Has anyone tried the confident rider CD's? I was thinking of getting the roadwork CD.

[jumper485]

I had a nasty incident jumping a while back and lost my confidence. I tried loads of stuff to regain my confidence and only 1 thing helped. Its called a pikups pack. Its made me focus on what I am good at - cant say I thought it was much - any way im now happy and relaxed when riding in any situation. I love hacking and jumping and I know where your coming from. I had problems for a long time. Try some products to help like the Pikups. There is also a good book by Jane savoie called that winning feeling that helped me.

[Kazzie]

Jumper, what are Pickups - are they similar to Kalms?

[draft]

kazzie

ive been using pikups for a few weeks now, dont know what Kalms are? but pikups are great they have different products ive got the activity card and prompt card, they have affermations on and make you think about all the postivies as opposed to focusing on the negatives. i was jumping newcomers last year but lost my nerve and didnt really want to ride as a result now iam back in the saddle and i did my first show of the year at the weekend. take a look at www.pikups.co.uk see what you think i figured what did i have to lose