Love Your Horse, but Riding Scared?

If you have been riding for some time, chances are you have come across a mount that challenged you. Or maybe he scared you. Perhaps the horse forced you to face that very difficult question: Is this the wrong horse for me… or is it just me? What can you do when fear cripples your riding experience?

Psychologically, this is not a pleasant space and many people do not know how to navigate the question, or are even willing to own up to having these thoughts in the first place. But there are some guiding questions available to help you in your decision-making

What type of fear are you dealing with?

You can distinguish from a few common reasons for fear. Being clear about the cause of your anxiety will assist you in determining your course. Did you suffer a trauma like a riding accident that left you physically harmed? If so, be aware that traumas are very different from generalized fear and can take some time to resolve. A traumatic fall literally leaves an imprint on your brain. If you are still riding the same horse, the resulting association of being

 unsafe with this mount is going to be hard work to overcome. You will need to re-learn to be comfortable and for some riders this task is simply too daunting.

Other riders have not had a bad fall, but suffer from a pervasive feeling of being unsafe. They ride day after day, white-knuckling their way through the experience, hoping one day it will