Hello.
it just so happens that my daughter fell in love with horses at an early age and so when she was 13 years old and responsible enough I bought her a horse and a Little paddock friend.
after about 1 year I started to think about also having a horse in my life and so i bought my first horse at 45 years of age.
My horse Shilo is a welsh cob, he was 2 and half when i bought him. i have done ALOT of ground Work with him and then unfortunately I had to have spinal surgery so his training stopped for a year. Before my surgury i was able to introduce him to saddel and bitless bridle and got him used to me sitting on him in the saddel and now comes a big BUT.
But, when i started to think about asking him to walk forward i FROZE. and then i doubted myself and gave up.
Now after surgery and recovery I am ready Again and have just completed a very successful join-up, but i still feel very nervous, I have worked very hard with Shilo from the ground and I dont want to ruin the Whole thing with being nervous- because he can feel it. I would like Monty to make some lessons for people like me who are nervous- by the way, i can ride my daughters horse no problems, so i think it is because i doubt my own horse training abilities- and plus that my horse is Young and inexperienced. I dont want to have another surgery!!
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Have a chat with Ann Lindeberg the Monty Roberts Instructor from Sweden. She has started working with a wonderful person whose name I have forgotten who specialises in working with nervous riders.
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Ann - if you read this can you tell us some more about this please.
Hi again Dionne - I think you made another very similar post (Older rider).
It is completely understandable to feel the way you do! As a kid I was very scared even though I had no health problem haha!
Maybe you could start riding in a round pen that is small and enclosed, and in an area that your horse is familiar with - it should limit the risks of spookiness and danger for you.
Hi Dionne ! I had the same doubts about my abilities as I also just begun riding my filly. I should add that I am not a professional so I am only sharing my experience, do take it with a bucket of salt ;)
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The first 3 weeks of riding her I had my friend assist from the ground. Prior to riding her I had him work with her on the dually to get them used to one another, then with me in the saddle, he would lead her around our work area. (unlike your horse she had never had a saddle and rider when we started though)
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We started with him doing all the leading from the ground then gradually I started becoming active. By the end of the second week (6*20 minutes sessions)he was still keeping the lead rope on but I was driving her from the saddle.
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Then over a couple of sessions we started having him walk by us with us but not leading with the rope and then gradually had him standing in the middle of the pen. Now it's been a couple of weeks that he doesn't lead her anymore and both she and I are doing well so far. She goes mostly where I ask and we can walk and trot calmly.
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Whatever you do, take baby steps and make sure YOU are comfortable with it, if your're anything like me you are probably more worried about all this than your horse is ;)
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Good luck and have fun !
Lovely plan Lucie
I think when we get older the thought of going back on lead reign is daunting, but it's all about safety first so working with Lucie's plan is a good idea.
Have you tried practicing before you get on Shilo in the saddle Dionne? Even if you pop your saddle over a sturdy fence or A-frame and sit on the saddle to practice your breathing and position, then visualize being happy in the saddle on Shilo, this will help get your muscle memory working so when you are on your horse you're body will start to automatically correct itself even with you being nervous. If thoughts of accidents come into mind, then breath it away.... Close your eyes see what thought came into mind then as you breath out imagine the thought being pushed away from you and focus on how you'd correct the incident. You might find there is something in particular that is stopping you and with this little practice session you might find what and how you'd deal with it. If you do this when you are near Shilo too, he will pick up on what you are trying to do so when it comes to doing it on his back he'll know! ;)
Mel
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Thanks for all of your help, I am currently working through the initial lessons of Montys program.
I think that you are right Lucie that I am more worried than Shilo is!! and it's just a question of getting up on his back and just taking baby steps.
Hi Dionne and Mel. Mel, what you have described above is just so-ooooo totally excellent for a person of any age. At my age, getting on these young Arabians in all phases of being trained does bring thoughts of trepidation. [The old saying that the human has two points of balance to deal with gravity and the horse has four; and when we climb on the back of a horse we give away our two points and are 100 % at his mercy.] We depend so heavily on that connection that we have built with them. Professional athletes use visualization in almost every aspect of their training. It stands to reason that we, in working with horses, should also. Building confidence through visualization will prepare us for the leadership that the horse expects from us when we climb on his back. It`s that aspect of leadership helps the horse progress in his training. This very, very IMPORTANT to the horse. Be confident and safe. Regards Bud
Hi. This may sound like I'm on some kind of mission here but I think what Stan, the non rider who was frightend of horses, having been reared off & kicked away when a teenager, helping start Humphrey, the lovely friendly cob completely alienated by a professional starter, have to offer your situation. Your concern is totally understandable, so, treat yourself like you would a frightend & overwhelmed horse - go slow, take baby steps. Shilo is young so no hurry there. Keep sessions short & quit as soon as you get any advance. Shilo can take several sessions a day, if they are brief. So, you need to breathe & be in control of yourself. If you can do that for 2 minutes in the saddle, do 2 sessions a day & by the end of the first week you & Shilo will be almost half an hour further in your collective training. He will gain confidence, you will gain confidence, the training will gain momentum & in 2 months you'll be somewhere you can only dream of today! Cheers, Jo.
Hi Bud, absolutely agree with you! :D
Jo, good point of Monty's you're making there... slow is fast! Who says we have to ride for half an hour, an hour at a time. When working with our horses if 2 mins is all that can be handled, then 2 mins it should be :D
Mel
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