Fear or Common Sense

" Casualty of the Wind "

The weather around here this past weekend was a disappointment to say the least.  Friday we had a Spring teaser with temperatures in the 60’s.  Being an optimist, I took out the Kubota and drag and proceeded to drag the indoor arena and reset the cavelletti.  My always helpful Aussies Murphy and Maggie were right there with me directing traffic.  Of course I had to keep redoing where they walked because of their little paw prints.  I know I may have a touch of OCD but I don’t like footprints or paw prints in my patterns until I bring the horses in for a ride.

Unfortunately, Saturday came in with a roar bringing winds up to 60mph and temperatures in the 30’s.  The winds were so loud it sounded as if a jet might be using the roof as a landing strip.  I decided not to ride.  A ride would have been possible but I thought that after a few weeks off Dusty or Blue or myself might have been airborne.  I came to the realization I wasn’t afraid to ride but I was cautious and using common sense.  There have been many times in the past that I would have gotten on anyway because work needed to be done and the weather be damned.  Maybe wisdom or self-preservation comes with age; I’m not sure.

I do know that I once came off my very spooky horse (Erik) when he spun around as a jump standard blew down right in front of us.  That ground hit was especially painful as I recall and since that incident I’m not all that eager to mount up on windy days.  So the question comes to mind:  is it fear or common sense?  I’d like to think its common sense.  I’m slightly more cautious now that I’m older.  In younger years my thinking was, if I fell I’d deal with it. I’ve come to the conclusion that I’m not afraid to ride in howling wind or other possibly less than safe conditions, it’s just that I have more common sense now that I realize my limitations.

These days I take into account that with a knee replacement I would like to avoid falling at all costs, mainly because I don’t know how mangled my knee might get and what would be needed to fix it.  This is one of the reasons I go back and forth in my mind about whether I should still have some jumping incorporated into my training of Dusty or Blue. My favorite part of riding has always been jumping.  There is no more exhilarating feeling than that of taking a talented horse around a course and if I do give it up entirely for safety’s sake I will miss it.  The decision may be made for me regardless of my wishes simply because neither Dusty nor Blue is ready to jump courses.  I’m not sure Dusty is talented enough for it and although I know Blue is very talented and loves to jump, he sometimes gets too excited with himself and forgets to stop when asked.  So it’s “wait and see how the ground training goes” before I make a final decision.

I wonder how many riders are out there who would rather not ride in certain conditions but do it anyway because they feel they must, either to keep a horse going in work or perhaps from peer pressure if you’re boarding at a facility where lessons go on no matter if conditions are safe or not.

I’ve come to appreciate the perks that come with age.  If I don’t feel safe riding I’m not going to do it until it feels right.  Call me a wuss-bunny, but it takes longer to heal from an avoidable accident than it does to wait for a nice day to enjoy a ride.

How do you feel about taking chances when you don’t have to just for the sake of getting a ride in?

Until next time

Quote for Today

How to ride a horse:
Step One - Mount the horse.
Step Two - Stay mounted ...

Respect Your Fears

Respect Your Fears

It seems many riders are experiencing fears concerning falling off their horses. In this post, I will attempt to allay some of those fears. I am not a sports psychologist nor do I have any credentials to suggest I have all the answers, but I can tell you what worked for me and hope it will do the same for you.

Primarily you must respect your fears, do not try to push them aside and ignore them, they are real. Panic, nervousness and fear are involuntary responses and need to be dealt with, not disregarded.

What We May Fear

Where should we start? Do you fear falling off and being injured? Most of us do have this particular fear and it is a reasonable one. Injuries can cause loss of income; loss of mobility; we may live alone and have no one to care for us or our animals, or the reverse; we have too many personal commitments to be sidelined by an injury. The basis for our fears is individual to each of us.

You may wonder if there is a way fears can be prevented and make our riding time more enjoyable and less tense. Fear can be debilitating, particularly if it is unfounded or based on experiences that are no longer relevant to our situation. However, it is also important to remember that fear is a natural instinct designed to protect us from harm, and a little fear can be a good thing if it prevents us from taking risks we are not prepared to handle.

And this is where it becomes more difficult: how do you know if your fear is justified or an overreaction? And if it is an overreaction, how can you manage your anxiety so that your riding becomes enjoyable again? Although there may not be a magic bullet, there are ways of assessing the validity of your fears and making them manageable instead of debilitating.

We all know the basic risks of riding and choose to do it anyway for the love of the sport and the love of our horses. So how can we be expected put aside the fear of falling and being injured? One way is to map out a plan for your personal safety before you ride. You can do this in a variety of ways:

□ Check out my post on the Art of Falling and do the Pre-Flight check, and the one on Rider Fitness, having some degree of fitness should make you feel better about yourself.

□ Have a reliable horse that matches your abilities as a rider. Some of us may want the big beautiful steed of our dreams when in reality a safer, older, saner horse may be what you need if not what you had in mind.

□ Never over-face yourself, and do not let someone else push you to do things you are uncomfortable doing; let your instincts work for you.

□ Make sure to use the best safety equipment available for you and your horse.

□ Remember what you did in the past with fond memories, but know that perhaps now is the time to set new goals for your current abilities and fitness level.

□ Take your riding seriously; do not take a lot of time off in between riding lessons. This will only make it that much harder to get your muscles back in shape.

□ Work with a trainer who knows both you and your horse, understands your goals, and has the capability to ensure you are not riding in an unsafe manner.

□ Establish a “home base.” This can be either an exercise, a particular gait or jump height, etc. where you feel the most confidence in your mastery of the necessary skills – and build gradually from there. Choose something you know you are good at; then, if you feel your confidence eroding or fear creeping back in, you have a place to go back to in order to regroup. Know your strong points and fall back on these when things go wrong.

□ Go back a few steps: whenever you feel a little uncertain, there is no shame in taking a step back, reviewing what you have already mastered and then proceeding. If jumping worries you, then lower the fences or decrease the pace – for example, trotting lower fences is a great way to build confidence before moving up to higher jumping. If your dressage test makes you anxious, practice and perfect the patterns and movements at the walk, then trot, etc., and build upon that.

□ If competition riding doesn’t float your boat anymore, let it go in favor of some other discipline. Consider spending more time trail riding or hacking out. The self-assurance of what is right for you now, not what was right for you in the past is all that matters. Don’t let others dictate what you should be doing – do what brings you enjoyment. No longer enjoying showing is not a sign of weakness or failure, just a sign that your priorities and tastes have changed. Remember, you’re riding for yourself, and no one else.

□ Focus on gradually improving your current riding abilities and you will accomplish your goals. Grant yourself the courage to say no to anyone pressing you to accomplish more, including yourself. This will not make you less of a rider. It makes you a smart rider who is not willing to take chances with your health and safety.

□ If what you are doing at present proves to be unsuitable for you, consider changing your discipline to something else that interests you and makes you feel more secure in your riding.

Fears and doubts should resolve themselves in the end if you manage them with patience, and by applying sensible goals to your riding program, you will build confidence piece by piece. In our society everything is rush, rush, get it done. But, the slower we take life in general the happier we will be. Take the time to achieve your goals. How long will all this take? The answer is: it will take as long as it takes. At this stage in our lives, we should have realized that it’s never about the destination, it’s about the journey – in fact, the journey is the destination – it’s the process and the experience of learning to be better riders and the privilege of working with our equine partners that ultimately makes riding enjoyable, not the arbitrary goals we set for ourselves.

In summary, to prevent yourself from being a fearful rider you must ride in your comfort zone, and not be pushed out of it by anyone – including yourself. If you recall the memories of your experiences when you were not afraid, you might consider why that was. Could it be that youth made you feel invincible? Is that really the reckless attitude you want to have now? Somewhere in the recesses of your brain, there are threads interwoven, that will come to the surface and help you to rely on yourself and your skills of the past. The good times you enjoyed then can be yours again, but perhaps in a different capacity.

Until next time

Quote for Today

Riding is a partnership. The horse lends you his strength, speed and grace, which are greater than yours. For your part you give him your guidance, intelligence and understanding, which are greater than his. Together you can achieve a richness that alone neither can.
- Lucy Rees