The Origins of Fear

The first thing to consider is where the fear is coming from. Has there been a pattern of negative behavior over time from your horse, such as spooking, bucking, rearing, or refusing jumps that caused the fear to build slowly? Or was there a specific event, such as a fall, that can be marked as the clear start of the problem?

No matter the answer, it’s important that you identify the root cause of your fear beyond just saying “I’m nervous” or “I’m afraid.” The best way to overcome fear is through logic and understanding so that you’re able to take control of your emotions and redirect your thoughts.

Physical Effects of Fear

Another aspect of your fear to consider is how it manifests itself in your body. Some people can continue riding but with a very tense body—gripping thighs, lifted shoulders, or hands pulling on the reins—all without realizing it.

Others experience a brain fog where they are unable to focus, or in more intense cases, have a panic attack and find themselves with shortness of breath and unable to make their body move, frozen on top of their horse, when they perceive a threat to their safety.

Riders will often attempt to ignore their fear, hoping it will go away. I have never seen this work in the long term. Whether there is mental or physical tension, there is a notable effect on your horse. He is looking for guidance and leadership from you, his other herd member.

Due to his natural instincts, he will translate your tension and hypervigilance into thinking a predator or other threat is nearby. By not confronting your riding fear head on, you allow your horse to continue to be affected, which is sure to take a toll on your rides overall.

Calming Your Nervous System

Usually fear causes either a repetitive thought or a fractured thought process. Examples might be “he’s going to spin”; “she’s going to stop”; or just a general inability to take deep breaths and have a complete and focused thought structure.

The solution is to replace the hamster wheel of panicked thought with one or two positive, actionable mantras such as “close your leg”; “push your hands forward”; or “melt in.” This, paired with controlled deep breaths, allows you to begin to calm your nervous system and improve your riding in a way that directly targets the changes needing to be made.

Soothing your nervous system before you mount is extremely important as well. This may begin as early as during the car ride on the way to the barn. Listening to music or podcasts you enjoy is a good idea, separating you from the stress of whatever may be going on in your life outside the barn.

Try to allow ample time to tack your horse before a lesson so that you aren’t rushed. Leave time for stretching for both you and your horse, a light longe if your horse needs it, and five to 10 minutes of walking before the main part of your ride begins.

Grounding Exercise

If at any time you find your mind wandering and worrying about the upcoming ride (or something else entirely), begin to practice the 5-4-3-2-1 Grounding Technique to keep you in the present moment.

To complete this exercise, you notice and acknowledge five things you can see, four things you can touch, three things you can hear, two things you can smell, and one thing you can taste, all from where you are currently located.

This works great both on and off the horse, and it may be useful to share it with your instructor if they aren’t familiar so they can guide you through it if fear or anxiety show up during a lesson.

Key Takeaway

As you begin your journey back to confidence and overcoming riding fear, be kind to yourself. At no point should you judge yourself or be embarrassed for being afraid while riding. Everyone, at all levels of equestrian sport, has had a similar experience. Remember, bravery isn’t about being fearless, it’s about being afraid and doing it anyway.

Further Reading:
◆ 8 Fear-Fighting Strategies for Riding
◆ Overcoming Fear After a Riding Accident
◆ Afraid to Ride?
◆ Help Your Horse Overcome Fear

This article about overcoming riding fear appeared in the June 2024 issue of Horse Illustrated magazine. Click here to subscribe!

The post Overcoming Riding Fear appeared first on Horse Illustrated Magazine.

I had grown up riding. I was the stereotypical no-fear, horse-crazy girl. And in a flash, that love had been taken over by heart-seizing fear. Just talking about horses would cause my heart to race and my breathing to get shallow. It was a fear that couldn’t really be reasoned with; it overpowered my body and made me want to run in the other direction.

Goal of Overcoming Fear after a Riding Accident

But deep down, I wanted to get back on again. Finally, my husband said I should try. My first step was to go to an expo, just to be around some horses. We watched a mounted archery demonstration, and it sparked a passion in me. I wanted to do that. For the first time in eight years, something was battling with the fear. It gave me a goal—something to focus on.

For the next two years, I would slowly push my fear down, thanks to a dutiful older Norwegian Fjord mare. She not only helped me get over those essential first steps, but I learned mounted archery with her.

The first revelation that helped me was to set small goals. One was just to get on. Then, to walk around. Next, to try and trot. I didn’t canter for at least a year.

The second thing I discovered was to listen to myself. If the voice inside me told me not to do something, I listened. I needed to take it slow, and if all of me wasn’t ready, then I didn’t do it.

Third, I needed a dream—something to stay focused on that made me want to ride so badly that I could fight the fear. And that’s where a Gypsy mare came in. Ever since I saw my first Gypsy horse when I was in high school, I was smitten. As a little girl who had dreamed of owning a Clydesdale, they seemed perfect.

In June of 2018, I found her. She was not too far away and was named Merida, after the bow-wielding Disney princess from the movie Brave. Could it be more perfect? One look into her eyes the day I went to see her and I knew she had to be mine.

Go Bitless?

She and I bonded quickly, thanks in part to my use of positive reinforcement training. But I could tell she wasn’t happy in a bit. My trainer suggested bitless. So did a friend at archery. But that scared me, which was odd, since I had grown up riding in hackamores.

I knew I didn’t have more control with a bit then I did bitless, but again, my fear used the excuse of the unknown to rear its ugly head. But I wanted my mare to be happy. So, I got a sidepull.

The fourth important revelation I had for conquering fear is to breathe. Music helps psychologically, but also you have to breathe to sing. I sang a lot that first day as I swung my leg over my now bitless mare. She was so much happier! We have been bitless ever since, even for competitions.

Which brings me to my fifth discovery. Competition. It gives you goals, something to focus on. It gets you out of your bubble with other horse people. I really found my confidence at shows.

Since 2018, Merida and I have competed at local open shows, breed shows and International Mountain Trail Challenge Association (IMTCA) mountain trail events, all bitless. She was the 2019 and 2020 Ambassador Mare for the Gypsy Horse Registry of America and the 2020 Halter and Performance Mare Champion.

We’ve won high-point awards at the open shows, and a Reserve Champion Trail title at a breed show. She was the 2020 worldwide high-point winner for the IMTCA pony division. And we were the 2019 International Registry of Bitless Equestrians’ Horse and Handler of the Year. But her most important win was helping me gain my confidence.

Remnants of Fear After a Horseback Accident

I still get a little fearful now and then. Unknowns are what really drive my fear, I think because it was an unknown horse that bucked me off. Now I actually push myself to do unknowns. In March 2021, we competed in IMTCA mountain trail bridleless and came in 4th place. That was a huge deal for me, not because of the placing, but because I had the courage to take my girl bridleless outside of our own arena.

I am not sure the fear will ever leave me completely, but I’ve learned how to stop listening to it—to respond to it with: “I can do this. You are wrong. You don’t have power over me,” instead of letting it control me. If you are struggling with the same fears, just know you are not alone. You can do it. Just take it one step at a time at your own pace.

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The post Overcoming Fear After a Riding Accident appeared first on Horse Illustrated Magazine.

Riding can be one of the most exciting and thrilling activities there is. There’s not much that can top galloping through the field on your horse’s back, soaring over a big jump, racing around a barrel, or gliding across the long side of the arena at a big, bouncy trot. But as most riders know, these thrills don’t come without a few spills. The time will come that you do hit the dirt, and this can really take a toll on your riding confidence. How do you regain confidence after falling off a horse? These five tips will help you to tackle your fear after falling off and get you back in the saddle with a smile in no time.

1) If you’re not hurt (and your trainer gives you the OK), get right back on.

Many people wonder what to do after falling off a horse. After you fall off, the top of your pony’s back can feel taller than the Empire State Building, and the anticipation of swinging your leg back over the saddle can seem like the scariest thing in the world. As long as you aren’t hurt and your trainer gives you the all clear to get back in the saddle, do it right away. This will help guarantee that you don’t have any lingering anticipation about mounting up. You don’t have to go right back to the activity that you were doing when you took your spill, but a few laps around the ring at the trot after a fall can go a long way toward kick-starting your confidence.

2) Go back and do something you’ve already mastered.

If you took a tumble while working on a new skill, take a step back and do something you already feel great at. If you had a hiccup while working on perfecting your flying change, take some time and go back to the trot-to-canter transition. If you lost your balance galloping on the trails, take a few outings at a relaxing trot through the woods. Practicing something you already know how to do well will help boost your confidence and keep nerves at bay.

3) Talk with your trainer.

Losing your confidence and feeling afraid after a fall is completely natural. While it may feel embarrassing to admit your fear to your trainer, talking with him or her about it can actually help keep your nerves from getting even worse.

Having an open communication going between you and your trainer will help him or her assess what you need to work on to get your riding and confidence back on track. This helps you to refocus and keeps you from getting sucked deeper into your post-fall worries. It is your trainer’s job to make sure you and your pony stay safe and to help you to achieve your riding goals, so keep anyone you work with in the loop on how you are feeling in the saddle.

4) Challenge yourself in other ways.

After a fall it can be tempting to start obsessing over exactly what, how, and why you fell off the horse. However, concentrating so heavily on the fall can start to take a toll on other physical and mental aspects of your riding.

In your rides following your spill, try to keep your mind busy and challenge yourself in different ways. Make a goal to try to do the first 10 minutes of your ride without stirrups, or ask your trainer for a longe line lesson where you ride the whole time without your reins.

Setting attainable goals that challenge your mind and body will help keep your focus centered on the ride you’re currently having, instead of the fall that happened last weekend.

5) Remember, falls happen to all riders.

Falling off a horse is just one step along the way in your journey to becoming the best rider you can be. Every great rider has fallen off—lots and lots of times. Riding is a fun and challenging sport that will definitely come with a few bobbles along the way. Don’t beat yourself up and don’t give up, and you’ll be back to feeling like a superstar in the irons before you know it.

Falling off can be scary and can definitely take your confidence down a few pegs. While it’s a normal part of riding, it’s also normal to feel some fear after you hit the ground. These five tips will help ease your worries and help improve your riding confidence until it’s better than ever!

This article about getting over fear of falling off a horse appeared in the Spring 2020 issue of Young Rider magazine. Click here to subscribe!

The post Overcoming Fear After Falling Off a Horse appeared first on Horse Illustrated Magazine.