- Breeding
- A Brief History of Horse Breeding
- Horse Breeding: Covering a Mare
- What do do when the Panic is On to keep our Horses Safe!
- Buying a Horse
- Rocky Mountain Horses
- Equine Experts Send Us Your Best Tip - Win $750 Worth of KAM’s Healthy Horse Products and More
- How to Buy Horses: A Step by Step Process
- General Horse Articles
- How Humane is Race Horse Retiriment?
- The Correct Horseback Riding Apparel for All Disciplines
- Top 5 Strange and Unusual Horses
- Horse Feeding
- Fueling the Motor – Energy Sources for Horses
- Ingredients in Feed that Affect Behavior
- A Look at Horse Feed
- Horse Grooming
- eZall Shine & Detangler Transforms Ratty Manes and Tails Into Flowing Tresses
- An Overview of Horse Grooming
- OmegaTri & the Equine - Reducing Inflammation, Restoring Balance
- Horse Health Issues
- Keeping the Horse Replenished - Equine Electrolytes
- Cookies With a Clue For Your Horse
- Common Horse Illnesses: Choke
- Horse Training
- When Dealing With Horses Get It in Writing - Sign Up for May 16 FREE Webinar
- Training Mythunderstandings: More Early Lessons for the Green Horse
- Training Mythunderstandings: Heeding Groundwork: Class Review
- Horses & History
- The Feral Horse and Its Impact
- The History of Overalls
- Equine Experts Send Us Your Best Tip - Win $750 Worth of KAM’s Healthy Horse Products and More
- Horses & Sports
- Healthy Horse Boutique Supports Haddad Staller In Her Olympic Quest
- Submit Your Grant Proposal To USA Equestrian Trust
- What do do when the Panic is On to keep our Horses Safe!
Overcome Your Riding Fears: Recovering from a Riding Accident
05/26/2008
When you suffer an accident while riding your horse, there is more damage done than simply to your body. Oftentimes a rider is still mentally trying to “get back on the horse,” so to speak, and that’s okay.
When you suffer an accident while riding your horse, there is more damage done than simply to your body. Oftentimes a rider is still mentally trying to “get back on the horse,” so to speak, and that’s okay. It’s completely understandable. That said, here are a few tips to get yourself comfortable riding once again.
First, understand that so many people have gone through what you are going through. Stop being so hard on yourself! You are hardly alone on this. It happens in a wide variety of situations, too – like car accidents or playing sports. In horseback riding, however, you have to depend on two living creatures for your safety: you and your horse. Your horse will be able to tell if you are not confident in your riding.
Work where you are comfortable. Take each step at a time. If you are only comfortable grooming your horse, then keep grooming your horse until you are blue in the face. Then slowly increase your level until you are on the horse, but tied up. Take baby steps throughout the process. There’s no rush.
Find someone to talk to. Holding in your fears only makes them worse. It can be very therapeutic to talk to others, especially ones going through the same fears you are! Look online for communities of recovering riders – share your feelings and discuss openly with others what you’re going through.
Be positive about your progress. Stop using negative words and phrases to talk about your riding. Talk about your riding in a positive way that will mentally encourage you to keep going. A negative attitude only breeds more negativity, and that’s no way to get back to riding.
Severe mental stress is difficult to overcome, but it is not impossible. The key is to take control of it. Don’t let anyone tell you that you need to go faster or slower. You attack it at the pace you are comfortable with, and you will soon be on that horse, riding confidently once again. The power is in your hands!
