Equestrianism is a wonderful, all-round hobby. Not only does it facilitate outdoor exercise and offer you a number of opportunities to expand your skills, but it also allows you to bond with horses. We could go on about the health benefits of horse riding, and the many boosts it can bring to your mental wellbeing, too. However, if you’re lacking confidence around horses, you might be struggling to find the positives in your equestrian life. What’s more, low confidence doesn’t just affect how we ride – it could hinder horse handling skills, too.
We’re here to say “that’s ok”. It’s perfectly natural to feel worried, frustrated or deflated if your confidence is at a low ebb. To move past these feelings, it could help to dig deeper to understand why your confidence has taken a hit. That way, you can surround yourself with the best support and environment to build yourself back up again.
Are you lacking confidence around horses? Five questions to ask yourself
1. Are you plagued by self-doubt?
Nervous horse riders often question their own ability and stop trusting their skills. This might be in response to a performance setback or achieving an uncharacteristically poor result, a facet of your horse’s management that slipped past your notice or perhaps a habit such as napping creeping in.
It’s important to remember that no one holds all the answers – that’s why there are so many specialist equine professions that each require years of training – and in all likelihood you need a little intervention, reassurance or to brush up on your knowledge. That could be via a veterinary examination of your horse, booking some extra lessons or even enrolling on a management course. Anything that helps empower you in your equestrian life will enhance your self-belief and confidence.
2. Have you had a fearful experience?
A nasty fall, having a horse run away with you or being kicked – these are all frightening, painful and very real experiences that can leave you lacking confidence around horses. It’s natural to be fearful after a frightening episode with a horse, and feeling reluctant to try again is entirely reasonable. It’s hard to fight self-preservation instincts. After all, we have them for very good reasons.
Spending time in your comfort zone will help you find the fun again. It could help remind you that, most of the time, horse riding and ownership go well. This could mean a break from jumping or schooling or indeed riding generally. Why not try some groundwork instead, or find out how to show in-hand?
If you’ve had a frightening experience with your horse on the ground, ensure you’re setting yourself up for handling with a hard hat, gloves and suitable footwear. You can ask for help from an expert or a knowledgeable, confident friend on the yard. Disclose any undesired behaviour your horse exhibits to fully inform the person helping you.
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3. Are you feeling the effects of broader personal issues?
While there are countless reported mental health benefits of horse riding, it can feel impossible to appreciate them if things aren’t right elsewhere in life. This could be due to stress at work or home, low mood or perhaps health-related. In fact, British Equestrian has covered the health of female riders extensively and how common menopause symptoms can affect mental and physical health.
Those who have recently undergone a significant life change such as having children, or suffered a close family bereavement, may also find this affects their confidence. In cases like these, identifying the trigger and then sharing your experiences with others and working with experts to help you get back on track may be the best way forward.
4. Is your horse the best match?
It can be really hard to admit things aren’t working out with a horse. Owners put so much time, effort and finances in to their horses, all of which serves to form a close emotional bond in many cases.
It’s never easy to part ways with a horse. But, if you’ve never quite gelled, it can be extremely satisfying to place a horse in a home where he’ll thrive. Then, you can return to finding your perfect partner with renewed vigour – check out our ultimate guide to buying a horse.
On the flipside, if you decide to sell a horse you really like but isn’t your match under saddle, you can be left feeling dispirited that you were unable to make it work. However, it’s not a reflection on you – the two of you simply weren’t a match. If you don’t feel ready to begin searching for another horse, it’s perfectly sensible to take a break, regroup and find your way back to enjoying horses again without the pressure of finding “the one”.
5. Does your yard provide a positive environment?
Just as some horses aren’t the right fit for you, so too with some livery yards. It might be that the way the yard is managed doesn’t suit you or your horse, you struggle to get on with the owner or manager, or there are fellow liveries that you find disagreeable.
Truth is, a bad vibe can throw anyone off. If you find yourself feeling especially relieved if you arrive at the yard to discover you’re the only one there – or start avoiding peak times – it might be a sign things aren’t right. It may be that a frank conversation or two could put get things on the right track. If not, a yard move might be your best bet.
Try not to rush into a move. Make a list of priorities and questions, do your research and ensure you visit the yards when you are looking for your ideal livery yard. Word-of-mouth recommendations are helpful when you are trying to get a feel for a place. Better to take your time and move once than do so in haste and end up in another uncomfortable situation.
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A horse owner and rider with more than 20 years experience, Bethany has been writing for equestrian publications since 2017. Over the course of her career, she has reported from major British Riding Clubs and British Dressage championships, covered Badminton Horse Trials and interviewed equestrian sport’s best athletes. Her work can also be found in Country Life, The Field and Breathe magazine.
