Having a riding lesson today - i ride the same horse each time and my instructor is one of the best i have had - he always is positive and helpful. I am a very nervous rider and am scared - i ride because my daughter and grand daughter ride and i want to have this time with them. He says i don't look scared - but I am! I do concentrate on what he tells me and it helps me when i ride other times as i feel more confident. I mostly learn trot and different techniques and he has me do a little canter.
Riding lesson today
- Thread starter grandmarider
- Start date
I too had a lesson today - And I agree that lessons can improve one's confidence when riding at other times.
But can I ask why you ride if you are always scared?
You say that you want to spend time with your daughter and grand daughter - my OH wanted to trail ride with me - so I can understand that part. An activity yoyu can do together. But my OH had lessons in order to balance him more safely on the horse and to remove my fears for him -
What is it that you are frightened of?
Do you feel you might fall off? Or fear that the horse might spook.
And do the lessons reduce your fear or is it constant?
Riding is a high risk activity and by the time one gets to grandmother age (tho I know you are far younger than I am) one may not be as physically resilient as one once was.
How confident are you about handling horses on the ground? Lading them, picking up their feet, grooming them etc?
If you are not used to doing this for yourself, it might reduce your fear if you built up your skill around horses in general.
But can I ask why you ride if you are always scared?
You say that you want to spend time with your daughter and grand daughter - my OH wanted to trail ride with me - so I can understand that part. An activity yoyu can do together. But my OH had lessons in order to balance him more safely on the horse and to remove my fears for him -
What is it that you are frightened of?
Do you feel you might fall off? Or fear that the horse might spook.
And do the lessons reduce your fear or is it constant?
Riding is a high risk activity and by the time one gets to grandmother age (tho I know you are far younger than I am) one may not be as physically resilient as one once was.
How confident are you about handling horses on the ground? Lading them, picking up their feet, grooming them etc?
If you are not used to doing this for yourself, it might reduce your fear if you built up your skill around horses in general.
I had a bad fall years ago, broke my hand and packed in riding for a long time. However, the 'bug' of riding never really left and I found myself wanting to get back into it again. So I found a BHS registered riding school up in the Lake District and went up for a three day riding holiday with my husband (who can also ride), it was a combination of lessons, beach rides and fell rides. I was petrified when we went to the beach looking at this long expanse of sand, I thought if the horse gallops off I'll never be seen again. The instructor put me on a 14.2 pony that they used for nervous riders and my husband and the instructor went into walk, then trot and then canter - we followed along behind and before I knew it I was cantering along with an expression that went from scared stiff to a big grin. I went back numerous times and rode the same pony (I completely trusted him after that first time) and often ended up galloping past my husband which didn't do much for his ego.
I am now lucky enough to own my own horse and I still get scared if she messes about or something happens but I think that's natural, particularly as you get older you realise all the implications a fall can have. However, the good times I have with her far outway the scary times so to me it's worth it.
By the way, the place I credit to getting my confidence back is Murthwaite Green trekking centre at Silecroft - great at matching horse and rider and riding on an open quiet beach is a fantastic experience
I am now lucky enough to own my own horse and I still get scared if she messes about or something happens but I think that's natural, particularly as you get older you realise all the implications a fall can have. However, the good times I have with her far outway the scary times so to me it's worth it.
By the way, the place I credit to getting my confidence back is Murthwaite Green trekking centre at Silecroft - great at matching horse and rider and riding on an open quiet beach is a fantastic experience
By the way, the place I credit to getting my confidence back is Murthwaite Green trekking centre at Silecroft - great at matching horse and rider and riding on an open quiet beach is a fantastic experience
I've ridden at Murthwaite Green too, with my (usually) non-horsey OH. It was an unforgettable experience for us both.
Who did you ride? I used to ride Bramble but he's now in horse heaven. Have also ridden Sparkle and Stanley but they're all gorgeous.
I rode Joe: OH rode Father Ted, both still with us. We didn't do the fell rides, just the beach, together with some lessons.
We have to get up there again some time, although I hear there's also great beach riding in Northumbria.
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