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The tack room

Discuss horse riding and ownership on our Horse forum.

Dd struggling with riding - nerves

17 replies

Josettegrey · 30/04/2021 20:43

Dd has been riding two years. She was doing really well. Confidently walking, trotting, cantering and doing jumps. Although still very much a beginner. She even did some shows. Then one day she just lost all nerves. She still loves riding and rides her pony regularly, but the nerves are always there. I’m finding it really testing as I just don’t know what’s happened or how to make things better. And in the 6 months she’s been like this, she’s not progressed at all, in fact she’s regressed and I can’t even get her to canter...let alone go over a pole. She has had some lessons and again she just panics over silly little things. She’s 10. I’m just at a loss what to do?

OP posts:
brokengate · 30/04/2021 20:48

Is it her own pony? If so are you confident it's the right pony? For a beginner?

Nerve is a strange thing, easier to get back as a child than an adult.

I would be making it fun. Lessons, group hacks, lots of ground work. However, only if she asks to go. Perhaps look at loaning out the pony and see what she's like in a pure riding school environment riding different ponies.

LunaTheCat · 30/04/2021 20:49

Maybe horse riding is not for her? Be honest with yourself - is it her dream or yours?

QueenPaw · 30/04/2021 20:53

I lost all my confidence as an adult so this might not help but I went from not being able to get on, to hacking 20km alone

Stop at a good point. So I would literally get on, walk a circle, get off. Stuck in walk for weeks then I bored myself to tears and thought I would try trotting (to add I'm not a beginner rider, I can ride half pass/changes etc! Or as I always said nervous, not novice)

What's the fear? Mine spiralled so it would be she would spook and I'm a rubbish rider so I'll fall off and get injured and if I get injured...

Silly things like lunging before I rode and making sure I had a neck strap

If she doesn't want to canter, that's fine. Work on other stuff so lunge lessons? Riding a different horse? Trying something totally different like going for a vaulting lesson or a trek on another horse. Learning new lateral movements, or halt trot, trot halt, riding squares, turn on the forehand, hacking, a million things

Josettegrey · 30/04/2021 20:58

This is dd’s second pony. He is a happy hacker and I could put my nan on him! A dream to handle on ground and being ridden. They click and get on well. It’s just that dd won’t relax. We’ve been doing loads of hacking and that’s fine but anything else is a struggle.

Luna, it is my dream however dd loves it and asks to go all the time. She would ride every day if she could, she’s just nervous.

OP posts:
Josettegrey · 30/04/2021 21:00

Thank you queen for some great suggestions! I did wonder if pony club would be a good idea as I think it might make things a bit more fun for her

OP posts:
QueenPaw · 30/04/2021 21:03

Maybe just let her hack for a while then? I felt better actually cantering up a hill hacking
Pony club could be a good idea

Honestly I cannot describe how scared I was, I physically couldn't get on. But I'm so bloody stubborn Grin I even ended up accidentally joining a hunt ride after I sorted the nerves out

brokengate · 30/04/2021 21:20

Pony club is a great idea.

Trivium4all · 01/05/2021 00:15

Take the pressure off: if at the moment, she enjoys hacking and the pony enjoys hacking, then let them do that. Maybe get her some lessons that start to concentrate on the details in flat work: loads to do there, which will stand her in good stead in the future, without needing to jump or even canter. Hopefully, her confidence will return gradually, as she accumulates happy relaxed experiences!

Postapocalypticcowgirl · 01/05/2021 13:03

I agree, if she wants to hack and is happy hacking, let her just do that for a while. It will teach her loads and she will improve in confidence just from time spent in the saddle.

I'd offer options like pony club, but if she's not up for it, don't make her.

I think being pushed out of her comfort zone could make her nerves worse. Given time, it's very likely she will want to canter and jump again, but I don't think she needs to be pushed to do those things?

HighlandCowbag · 01/05/2021 13:11

Sympathy from me for you both.

My dd was similar. We had riding lessons for 4 years on riding school ponies. She had her own pony and lessons on him. Bought her a bigger pony. Nerves just took over everything. After another ride ending in tears for no reason other than a cat running across the bottom of the school I suggested a few weeks off. That was 2 years ago and she's never been back on. Luckily her brother has inherited her pony and the bigger pony was a mother/daughter share so both ponies have jobs. And ds is fearless and was riding mates cracking big cob last week (he's 7). Dd has moved onto a different sport and a lot happier.

I'd find something different for her to learn to do while riding. So forget about jumping and cantering and maybe a bit of walk/trot dressage. Or gymkhana games can get the blood pumping. Or pole work. Teach her to lunge her pony as well, if she sees she can control him from the ground it will give her more confidence in the saddle. Pack a picnic and go for a picnic ride, find a little show and let her take him inhand. If not ponyclub then riding clubs have lessons and club nights etc.

Northernsoullover · 01/05/2021 13:23

Nerves aren't always bad. I'm quite a nervous rider and therefore I'm always honest about my capabilities. I don't feel nervous riding calm horses but wouldn't ride something spirited or go cross country.

toastfiend · 01/05/2021 13:30

I was like this as a child. Please don't refer to her nervousness as being "over silly little things", I completely understand your frustration, but my DM did this and it just made me worse because I then got worried than everyone thought I was being silly and it fed the self-doubt and anxiety.

I know how frustrating it can be, but it probably is for her, too. If she's happy just hacking, can she not just do that for a bit? I'd offer Pony Club, but be aware that it could make things worse by adding pressure - I found Pony Club quite overwhelming when I was very nervous, and there were lots of very brave kids doing things I wouldn't dream of, which fed into the insecurities I had.

Eventually, I stopped doing the things that made me nervous and just did a bit of intro and prelim level dressage, lots of hacking and fun rides (which I did jump and canter on) and that was it for several years. When I moved onto horses something "clicked" and it was actually having the autonomy to pick what I wanted to do for myself, plus learning how to really "ride" my sensitive TB (previously I'd just bobbed about on ponies) that got me my confidence. Since then, I've brought on youngsters and several ex-racehorses, hunted, evented, and I'm generally pretty brave, although I do still get the odd bout of nerves before a XC round. I wouldn't have got there by being pressured, though, it was only really a good, patient instructor with an excellent understanding of riding psychology, and my parents taking their feet off the gas with it that allowed me to find my own way. I also learned that being brave isn't everything. I may not be the bravest rider, even now, but I'm quiet and kind and sensitive horses go well for me and I can get a good tune out of them, which is a great boost. I'm not the right rider for the strong, ballsy hunter that wants to be right up front, but I am for the ex-racehorse that needs some patience and understanding. I never got on with ponies, and, to this day, I feel safer on a horse with more in front of me.

Ariela · 01/05/2021 13:51

Honestly I would just sign her up for Pony Club. Have a look at what your nearest branch(s) offer (as you have your own pony join a branch not a centre which is based at a riding school) and ring the DC for a chat - look for one that does things that you think she might enjoy eg some do a lot of mounted games which is great for fun and confidence, and make sure there are others in the same ability/confidence/age group there. They soon make friends and go from zero desire to ride outside of pony club to wanting to do everything so they can keep up with their new friends.
Not all pony clubs are hellishly competitive and all about the competitions, ours is just as good for group hacks and river rides.

Deliaskis · 01/05/2021 14:09

DD struggles with nerves at times and it is hard when something that seemed fine one day is suddenly not. Is she and to articulate what it is that she is scared of? Because my solutions for DD vary depending on....is it fear of not being in control, of pony being naughty, or of getting hurt, or of not doing well in other people's opinion?

Often I do try and face the fear reasonably head on.... demonstrating the scenarios that she is scared of and helping her to realise she has tools to deal with them.

There's also lots she can do without having to canter at the moment if she doesn't want to.... we've had great fun doing online intro dressage comps and filling up her rosette board from those, doing some really good ground work in trot will always reap rewards, and it's a lovely time of year to be hacking anyway.

I don't think I've been remotely helpful! But I suppose what we've learnt is that it can come and go, and we can work through it.

GillBiggeloesHair · 01/05/2021 14:26

Has she had a fall that she's not told you about?
I had a bad fall and was dragged a fairly long way as I got my boot stuck in the stirrup.
I was never the same after that.

Stickytreacle · 01/05/2021 15:02

I was the same as your daughter as a child, I'd been bolted with and bucked off while backing a youngster and it left me frightened even to trot. My dad got round it by plonking me on and leaving me it, so if I was happier plodding round the field for an hour, then thats what I did. I was also happier on larger ponies and horses than nippy smaller ones. I did overcome my fears, largely due to absolutely no pressure to go faster or do anything I wasn't comfortable with. I went on to qualify as a BHSAI and work with horses professionaly, so his approach did pay off. I'm sure your daughter will regain her confidence, just try not to make a big thing of it.

lastqueenofscotland · 01/05/2021 15:17

If she’s happy to just hack then let her just hack. Don’t be pressuring her to ride in the school or jump.
Confidence is a funny thing and takes a long time to build up and can be lost so so quickly.
I do love pony club but it’s she’s nervous, rally’s with other children may make her anxious if she doesn’t want to keep up with them.

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