Practical tips for overcoming riding anxiety

We all know the moments of fear with chests squeezing, butterflies in the stomachs and dry mouths in our horses. Whether it is before a performance or when your horse is injured, or when your horse is moving in one direction as you walk in the other, or there is a new obstacle in the way.

But what if fear becomes more than just an accident? What do you do when anxiety affects you and your riding or your horse’s performance? What if fear interferes with your bond and partnership with your horse?

Fear is not just something to be pushed, pressured, or lived with. It is something that can be occupied. You can rise above it. Here are 5 tips to help you overcome your fears.

1. Safety first

If you are concerned about your physical safety, get out, step back, or do whatever it takes to make you feel safe. It’s that simple, whatever bad habits your horse develops when descending or pulling can be remedied once you are safe and calm. You will do more harm than good trying to prove something to your horse by upholding your physical integrity despite your fears. Your horse needs a calm leader. First, calm down, then lead your horse.

2. Check your emotions

Be fully aware of your feelings. Know that your horse and riding don’t do that to make you feel scared. They don’t get inside you and make you feel something. You are ultimately responsible for your emotions. Even the perfect ride on the perfect horse can’t make you feel less anxious, it’s something you have to do .

Ask yourself how do I want to feel while riding?

Do you want to feel calm, collected, confident, relaxed and happy?

Train this, train it like a muscle. Be aware and practice feeling what you want to feel in each moment. Go to your heart and feel calm and joyful.

Practice feeling as calm and collected as possible:

• All day long, in the shower, with morning coffee, in the car
• before your flight
• While driving, if all goes well
• While driving when things get tough
• after your trip

While it is important to practice this feeling as often as possible, the most important time is before interacting with your horse. Take five minutes to sit quietly, focus on your heart, and practice feeling calm and relaxed. Then bring those feelings to your horse.

3. Take care of your feelings

It is harmful for fear to push a horse to do things that do not please him. The same goes for you. Just as you take care of your horse’s feelings, you also take care of your horse’s feelings. Ask yourself what am I going to do with my horse today?

Are you comfortable hanging out, paying attention, guiding, and pinning? Do you feel comfortable getting in, riding or working in the yard? Do you feel comfortable walking, jogging, jogging, or something more intense?

For now, stay in your comfort zone. Do only the things that you feel comfortable with with your horse.

Avoid the temptation to think of the day as a failure if you don’t ride a bike.

The day is successful if you keep calm and follow. Be as patient with yourself as you would your horse.

After a week of doing what you love to do, your comfort zone will begin to grow; You’ll start doing some new things that you feel comfortable with now. In a month, you’ll be doing things you’ve only dreamed of – and you’ll feel confident and comfortable doing so.

4. Do something that builds your horse’s confidence

Your horse’s confidence in you is no less than your confidence in yourself.

Do some confidence building activities with your horse. The purpose of these activities is to build your confidence. This of course will give your horse more confidence in you.

While performing these activities with your horse, be sure to stay in your comfort zone and your horse’s comfort zone. Here are a few ideas to get you started:

• Praise your horse for all the little things you usually take for granted
• Go for a walk together
• Disassemble and uninstall without riding
• Run from one patch of grass to the next
• Introducing new obstacles like pool noodles, tarpaulins, flags and balls

These activities are not like other training sessions with your horse. There are no attachments, should not and nothing, right and wrong. Only you and your horse are familiar with each other. The sole purpose of these activities is to feel comfortable together. The moment either of you isn’t calm, don’t push over; one more time.

Again, avoid the temptation to think that these activities will get you anywhere. On the contrary, they build your partnership more than you can imagine.

 5. Lightening

Do you remember when you were a little girl and all you ever wanted was a horse? Remember the first time you got a horse and loved every minute? You let things go, you roll with it, you laugh, you make things easy and you never take yourself too seriously.

Laugh a little at yourself.

Laugh a little at your horse.

everything is fine. It’s not a race. Thus is life. Have fun.

Moving forward in spite of the fear is a recipe for increased fear, separation from the horse, and potential injury. Anxiety is a serious matter that you have to deal with on your own, just as it is with a horse. Pushing or pushing won’t make your fear go away. It’s there, but it’s okay. You can overcome it. It may take time, but time well spent when you go out on the other side being really confident and happy