Nervous Nellie Thread

Only just found this thread, and make me feel soo soo much better, nervous nelly with bells and whistles on my 15' 3" boy, even whilst OD'ing on Rescue Remedy, however, all the advice I got has me taking very small steps day by day and this Saturday I hope to ride him for 1/2 hr at least and get all the way round the school both ways in walk and trot without the big scarry monster creeping out of the scary corner and killing me!!! Thanks for all your experiences and for giving me hope! :D
 
I love this thread as well, i got off on a hack on Saturday bad, bad :eek: Nerves or hormones (see other thread) just go the better of me.

But then hacked out wth a friend on Sunday we came across, motorbikes, cyclists, man chopping wood with s chainsaw, horses going in the other direction down the bridle path and a rather excitable horse being long reined and we/ozzy dealt with it all no problem. In fact the only thing he spooked at (his body shivered, bless him) was a squeeky gate :D

LOVE THAT HORSE, but i still get nervous go figure......
 
Coco91 its not bad you got off, and at least you got back on:) You are doin so well with Ozzy, you should be really pleased with yourself:)

My confidence is good at moment, riding most days about 1 hour, went out last night thou and poor boy stood on a wasps nest...:eek: he was jumping and spinning with me on shaking like mad... I didnt know until OH said its a wasp nest... then I made said OH pick all the wasps out of his feathers ande off his body as I have a huge fear of wasps anyway:o Poor ad was stung a few times:(


After OH had done he calmed straight back down and I remounted and rode home, he was his normal self on the way and I checked on him later on incase he had a reaction, but all is well today, cant ride though as its persisting it down:mad: I know I have grown in the confidence level as that little hissy fit has not scared me one bit:cool:

I really think the key to getting your confidence back is

1 , the right horse
2, consistancy, doing something everyday, if I have a break for a few days, my fear will be high again, not as high but higher, so I am riding everyday, apart from today..( the rain) my fear is decreasing and I am wanting to do more and more...

I hope everyone is doing well, and has acheived something they are proud of recently...

Maggiemoo, thats right, give yourself small but acheiveable goals, start small and build it up, maybe do it 10 times before you move on, get bored of it first then you move on more naturally I think, sure you will be fine though:)

I love this thread too Cathy, needed the support myself when I first posted it, and it did not disappoint:)
 
I feel I've been away for ages, deciding whether to subscribe or not but I missed you nervous nellies so I came back!

I am so miffed that winter is closing in fast as it means less time with the horses and probably only weekends to ride. I think my lessons will stop after next week as the evenings are drawing in fast and we have no lights in our school - we were considering putting pit helmets on :p as we've really enjoyed them and will be waiting for spring to come so we can start them again.

However now it means I definitely have to crack the hacking thing and sort my nerves out. I took Thea out in hand last weekend as it was so windy Saturday and no point putting additional obstacles in the way when you're already feeling a bit dubious!. I think she quite enjoyed our little wander with me chatting away to her :rolleyes:

I have also changed her bit so wanted to have a lesson in that before we headed out. I have a little route marked out so we'll see how it goes on Saturday, it would be nice if we have a good weather day because that always puts me in a positive mood....I just need to do it ONCE without a major hiccup and it will be the boost I need. :D
 
RRA - My horse and I enjoy in hand hacking too. I have been doing it to get him used to the area so it won't be totally new when we ride.

I think you're right about choosing your moments to ride. I am just starting to ride Izzy after waiting for a saddle and am being a bit of a sap - not usually nervous though. I had a lesson on Tuesday evening but it was so windy that I got the instructor to ride him! I had planned on her riding him to see how he went and he was fine with her - but it was too windy for me, I would have been way too tense.

Last night I had another riding lesson and it was tipping it down so we went in the indoor school and we had a great lesson. I am going in the indoor again tonight but on my own - so we will see how we get on without someone telling me what to do. I do have a plan so hopefully all will be well.
 
Dumped the OH for the past few days...been hacking alone... just me, my horse, and my dogs... its been going brilliant... my confidence is at the level I can do it and I am going to get the OH to come out this weekend and have my first canter out in the open... with a new bit too...I feel brave:D
 
Not been reading the thread for a little while but its great and would just like to give us all a "BIG PAT ON THE BACK" for all our success stories be it little or big. This thread has a positive effect on us NN's and its exciting sharing our good news. [Well done!!
 
where are all you nervous nellies!

Hopefully you are all doing brilliantly with your horses and don't need this thread as much now!

I am hating these short winter days, only riding at the weekends and the rain put paid to one of those days - I'm not a fairweather rider but I don't do tacking up a soaking horse in the pouring rain there is no fun in that!

Anyway...solo hacking progress, slow but moving in the right direction. We managed a short circular route on Saturday I was determined not to get off and the frustrating thing was that the lane I usually take her down she still napped when we met with the scary horse eating 'men at work' signs and was not going past them even with turning circles until I was almost dizzy:eek:! So I thought I'd take her a new route on the way home so we didn't go directly back and guess what NO problem:) as we turned off into the wooded path she went forward really well, just one attempt to nap but with a sharp turn around she went on again and was fine crossing the road at the end too. But then just as we neared home she stopped just metres from her field and refused to budge forward (I don't think she had realised how close to home she was - or maybe she just wanted to stop at the pub). I tried a few circles but it was difficult with 2 way traffic even on a quietish road and backing up into oncoming cars is never a good move in my book:rolleyes: - I felt like I was causing an obstruction so sadly after a few attempts to get her going I hopped off walked her literally 20 yards to get her out of the traffic, got back on and then she realised where she was and happily went home!! So despite that small hiccup I was pleased. Hoping next time I won't have to get off at all.
I just keep reminding myself that as long as we do something good each time it will ALL come good eventually even if it takes me a bit longer than most but I didn't stop smiling all day and I'm pleased that my confidence is coming back with every positive ride. :p

I hope you are all having fun with your horses - keep me posted!
 
Yep, we're still around, much the same issues, cantering with others, although OK out on my own, up and down with the jumping and XC. Nothing changes just goes round and round!
 
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