Rider Confidence

[LizzyH]

Hey Guys....

Does anyone else have confidence issues when changing from riding in an arena to riding in a field?

In the arena whether we are doing flatwork or jumping/gridwork im fine. None of the horses (and their individual quirks!) are a problem for me to ride, my instructor puts me on anything and i alwys seem to get the best out of them.
In the jumping field i go to pieces! My confidence hits zero when we start jumping. Even over 1ft6 cross poles, which really annoys me as i know that i can do so much better! Ive been riding a long time, and all at the same riding school with the same instructor, so i know the horses inside out and my instructor knows me inside out!
I know its all in the mind, the SJ field is the only place ive hit the deck, perhaps this is the root of my problem?
Anyone else get this?

[Horse100]

Heya,

I find that when i ride in the arena i always feel a little more confident. I think it's because i believe that the soft sand in the paddock would be a lot nicer to land on than the grass in the field, should i fall off.

This is pretty silly really because to be honest it's gonna hurt wherever i fall off but its just a mental thing i have lol :o

[jenren!!]

Of course. Riding in an arena is an enclosed space, more open areas give me the creeps as well, makes it feel 'wilder'.

Jenny xx

[Lusitanolou]

I have a confidence issue with roads. I really have to try and hide my nerves when I hack out. Open fields don't worry my eventhough my older horse has bolted with me lots of times, it's the roads that really unnerve me. Hence I have not ventured out with Sericaia yet eventhough I really want to.:confused:

[ajhainey]

Everyone is afraid of different things - in open spaces I am absolutely fine, arenas freak me out!

Can you ask your instructor to do a 'parade drill' lesson in the field - keeping up with 'ride A, left turn, 15m circle, CANTER!' while ride B walks round you and ride C does trot serpentines tends to take your mind off any fear :D

aj xx

[~Perdita.M~]

I'm exactly the same as above. In fact, I had a lunge lesson booked for this afternoon, rang and changed it to a hack on 6500 acres of open heathland:rolleyes: I asked on the phone whether its possible to have all lessons this way, at least during the summer. I really, really, really freak out when faced with *proper* lessons tacked up in a school!:o

[carrieh]

I have a mental blockage about bridlepaths. I much prefer roads! I always think that Benny is going to muck about on bridlepaths or think he can take hold and canter off, whereas on the roads he has so much more to concentrate on [traffic, parked cars, people in their gardens, little old ladies with shopping trolleys who may or may not give him a Polo . . .] that he just plods along. He's super safe in traffic so I guess that's why I prefer roads. Yet put me on a bridleway with him, and I get really nervous in case another horse comes cantering up behind and sets him off, or he runs off down the slopey bit and I can't stop him . . . We're all different aren't we! :D

[LizzyH]

Thanks guys. Im having a private lesson on friday in the showjumping field so i'll let u know how i got on... Im on a nice horse anyway so hopefully should be ok. I think ive just got to bite the bullet and go up there and jump! Im not talking anything huge, just 1ft 6-2ft, get into a nice rythmn, do a few combinations, then finish on a good note. Thats the plan anyway....

If in doubt theres always rescue remedy, dont really know if it actually has an effect itself but just having taken it might help my mental state! Dont know if u can take it by the shot glass though.. lol....!

[iluvhorses28]

ABSOLUTLEY! I am petrified of open fields...I just got a new horse 3 months ago, and I have yet to find an ounce of courage to even attempt to hack out!

The arena is fine, my horse spooked a few times, but I still felt 'in control' to ease her down....our RI attempted to walk with me while trying to walk the fields, first 5 minutes went great.... soon as the wind rustled some branches from the nearby trees, my horse began lifting her head higher and walked a little faster... so...I said--"OK I think I'm done going out now" ...Whatta BIG CHICKEN I AM!:(

[carrieh]

The great thing about this forum is that you find out that you are not alone in these sort of problems! :D They are far more common than you realise. I've now learnt not to push myself too hard. If I don't feeling like riding one day, I don't ride. At the moment I'm at the 'not wanting to ride out alone' bit, so I don't. I ride with somebody else, either on horseback or on foot. If you push yourself too much when you really are nervous, then your horse will pick it up and things will go wrong. Just do things gradually, build up confidence gradually, and you'll get there.

I always think that horseriding is very different to other sports. In sports where it is just you, yes it's fine to push yourself until you are nervous and your tummy wobbles. But in riding, the horse will pick that up and also become nervous. So I feel it's best to go gradually. Works for me anyway!

[fishiz3434]

Yeah i'm terrified of roads, i get really nervous and whenever we get near one i have to get off before i'm too close :o

[Kacey_Baby]

I love riding in the school:) but hate roads, i went out tonight for a hack(on my dads friends daughters horse) and as always she was slow the way there and as soon as we turned round she started to pick up speed:rolleyes: we got to the road and she always gets a bit fidgety which scares me a bit as she tosses her head about quite alot! I just try and keep calm though and try an feel really confident:p

[Skib]

AJ hainey, I didnt know there was anyone like me. I cant ride well in a school. I happily canter circles in the field.

[Trewsers]

Well, am currently on a yard so don't school / jump in the fields - although OH took Storm into the field where they'd set a lot of jumps up a while back - it was rather scary! She's not used to being ridden on grass - she was rather forward going to say the least!!! Later this year we'll be moving them home with us - and we won't have a school, just a field to use for schooling and of course we'll be going hacking. I'm approaching with caution..........!!!

Edited to add: OH's horse is a real townie, the first time we took him hacking from our current yard, he was really nervy - poor lad hadn't ever seen so much open space and grass!!! He didn't know what to make of the bridle paths!!!