7 Steps to Building Back Your Confidence With Horses
Don’t Beat Yourself Up
This is completely unhelpful and does not do anything to help you move forward. Acknowledge your fear, but also acknowledge that fear is the brain’s natural response to protect the body after a dangerous experience, trauma, or injury. It is natural and NO, you are NOT the only one dealing with this.
2. Learn Horse Behavior and Psychology
If you are not already knowledgeable on these subjects, start studying! Understanding why horses behave the way they do, how they interact, and how they see the world will help you communicate more clearly with your horse and better read any situation. Knowledge really is power.
3. Find the Right Person to Help You
Not every trainer specializes in helping people face and overcome their fears - it requires a lot of patience, encouragement, and the ability to not only asses a rider’s skills, but also where they are at emotionally. Find someone that you feel comfortable with on a personal level and safe under their guidance. Someone who will push you out of your comfort zone, but won’t put you in situations that you are not ready for.
4. Ride the Right Horse
If you’re struggling with a lack of confidence and fear, the last thing you want to do is get on a half-broke rocket donkey that is going to diminish it further. Instead, find a well trained and seasoned steady-eddy that will help build back your confidence. You want a horse that will be forgiving of your mistakes, and not respond to your nervous energy or mixed signals - allowing you to focus solely on yourself and your learning.
5. Allow Yourself to Be Pushed Out of Your Comfort Zone (within reason)
The perfect horse and the best trainer in the world cannot help you if you are unwilling to even attempt to face your fears. It is difficult. It is uncomfortable. It is scary. But ultimately, ONLY YOU can determine how much effort you are going to put into expanding your skills and working towards riding confidently.
6. Learn To Canter/Lope, Execute a One-Rein-Stop, and Post a Trot
These 3 skills are KEY to your safety when riding a horse - if you are not proficient at them, your fear is VALID because you are at risk of easily being out of control horseback and unable to regain it. They build your balance, your seat, your ability to go with the motion of the horse if they spook or pick up speed, and gives you the ability to get your horse stopped if he has an “OH SH*T!” moment.
7. Be As Consistent As You Can
The more consistently you can work on your riding and take action against your fears, the easier it gets to do so. And the sooner you will work through it and get out the other side! It doesn’t matter how many books you read, how many training videos you watch, or how much you discuss your struggles with someone else, NOTHING can replace actual saddle time working through your issues. Period.