I fell off today, feel like im losing all my confidence

SpringySpring

New Member
May 3, 2008
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London is my playground
A few months ago I was the most confident I have ever been riding. Happy jumping 2ft9 and I was riding the more 'advanced' horses at my RS. I started taking my share horse to shows too.

And then suddenly in the last few months I've started losing confidence in my self. I'm fine hacking out, but in lessons I feel my riding is going backwards. I just feel useless really :(:eek:

And to make matters worse, I fell off today. I got infront of the horse, it refused and I sailed over its head :rolleyes: getting some painfull burns from the reins in the process.

I really don't know why I have started losing confidence, but really want it back. I was planning on buying a horse soon, but do you think it would be better to wait till my confidence is back?

Any advice apprechiated
 
I tihnk it might be better waiting on your confidence a little bit, but if we all waited until we thought we were the best riders ever, noone would have horses!

Could you possibly have a few private lessons so they are concentrating purely on you?
 
Ditto ^^, you don't have to be super confident to buy your own horse, but it helps to get a bit of confidence firmly established before you do, maybe some private lessons, or sticking to a horse you know and trust really well for a while :)? Hope you feel better about yourself soon :).
 
I would take a step back and see whats happening.

Are you maybe putting too much pressure on yourself. You sound like a competent rider.

Sometimes we all go through stages (anyone who says they havent had a lack of confidence at some point is lying :rolleyes:) when we don't feel good enough or have enough faith in ourselves. It is part and parcel of riding. As you get more advanced I think confidence can waver as you begin to attempt things that you haven't encountered before and being outside the comfort zone can be terrifying. I remember the first time I was put in a position to go round our XC course in front of some fantastic riders. I could have cried and all of a sudden my ability to jump went right out of the window as my comfort zone was jumping with no one watching.

Private lessons are a good idea. They will give you time to review your progress without pressure. Just enjoying being with horses as well. Sometimes people stress themselves trying to continuely win and compete, but as I have found out, just messing around, can help bring back that confidence.

I maybe rambling (which is more than likely at this time of night :eek:), but don't give up quite yet. You'll get all that confidence back.
 
Make sure you confide in your RI.

A good riding instructor doesn't just teach us the physical aspects of being able to ride but also helps us to deal with our own feelings and bring out the best in ourselves :)
 
I agree with the others, maybe a private lesson or 2 would help
After my confidence knock I took all pressure off myself and decided to just spend time 'messing about' with my horse
I bought a bestfriends bareback pad and for weeks i just messed about in the school with that, even discovered i could canter bareback and not fall off when coming back to trot :p

I think so many people put far too much pressure on themselves and their horses especially when competing
After all didnt we get our horses or learn to ride at a RS because it was fun ??

Have fun again :D
 
i would get a couple of riding lessons then look into buying or sharing a very confidence giving horse
x
 
Every rider has there ups and downs even pro's but don't feel like crap just because you fell off I have fallen off a few times too if you wait little while your cnfidence will come straight back up :D
 
Are you sure you are getting worse and not actually getting better and doing more challenging things which, statistically, are going to end up in you coming off until you have caught up with yourself again??

Frances and I nearly threw the towel in last week after going for the drive from hell! I generally don't get windy, but the two I was driving that day put the wind right up me and made me wonder why I do what I do. Next day they were better, day after that they were working sense again and I have relaex again ......until the next time! ;)
 
Like others have said i would take a step back and just see what it might be thats causing you to lose your nerve.

Talk to your RI and voice your concerns and things, she/he will be able to help you through it from and outside perspective.
 
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