Strides for Success

Tag: planning

  • Your Riding Comeback – Creating Something You Love!

    Your Riding Comeback – Creating Something You Love!

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    In order to make your riding comeback a lasting one, you will have to begin spending more time in the saddle than you have been recently. It makes sense, right?!  And yet, while clocking up those minutes and hours in the saddle each week can initially ‘seem’ to be a win… They are likely working against you and your horse in the long run.
    This is because when we ride for the sake of just riding (clock-in riding), we tend to become a little too ‘lax’ about some of the things. The basic things that lay the foundation for everything else.
    And when you begin to allow the small things to slide, chances are the bigger things will follow suit pretty quickly. This usually holds true for you, the rider, and your horse, especially in your training and development.
    So, instead of just riding for the sake of riding, I’m challenging you to begin getting a little more strategic and intentional with each of your training sessions with your horse. Yes, not just ‘rides’, but training sessions.

    Training Sessions Versus ‘Rides’

    Often, this one simple shift in how we think and talk about what we are doing with our horses can be enough. When you approach a ride as a training session, your mind will immediately begin wondering about what you are actually ‘training’ on… What is the focus for that particular session together?
    And when each ride becomes an opportunity to train and develop, you can begin to set up a more strategic plan to string those rides together to create something more…
    Picture in your. mind a handmade bead necklace. If some thought and ‘intention’ went into the creation of that necklace, you will, usually, be able to identify a pattern of sorts regarding the beads, their placement, and how they all relate to each other. The beads can all vary in size, shape, and colour – but they will usually relate in some way to the one that came before and the one that comes after. They ‘follow through’ to each other. And the result is a well-crafted necklace that is balanced and aesthetically pleasing.

    “…Your training sessions are like those beads. Each one should ‘lead’ or ‘relate’ to both the one before and after… And if you can string them together, it will result in changes to your riding…”

    All Work and No Play?

    Let’s go back to talking about that necklace again… A well-designed one will, usually, have a little variety in it as well. And this is also essential when making your riding comeback. Again, it is all about being intentional. I believe that all riding and training plans need to include three separate types of ‘rides’ with your horse; fun, partnership, and training. The ratio of these to each other will depend on what your goals are. Both long and short-term.
    When we forget to include (or intentionally omit) any of these three elements, things can begin to feel repetitive and even boring in our riding.
    I have spoken about these on separate episodes of the Daily Strides Podcast which I will link to. Each post includes a list of activities you can use to help you spark ideas – and begin ‘stringing’ along to help you create an intentional riding plan.

    Being Flexible

    Once you have identified the basics for your rides over the next two weeks, it simply becomes about following your plan. And keep in mind that horses have a great way of teaching us to be supple and flexible in our approach to plans! I highly recommend building ‘wiggle room’ into your plan. And this applies to both yourself, your horse, and the training.  There will be days when your schedule won’t match up to your plan. Be flexible and see what you can change, shuffle, or adjust, either with the schedule or the training session.
    There will also be days when energy levels, attitudes, or moods won’t ‘line up’ with the session that’s planned.
    Rather than pushing through and potentially putting both of your training backward, maybe swap out a training session for a partnership or fun session.  The goal is to create something that works for you and your horse. And that keeps you both inspired and moving forward – rather than just riding for the sake of riding.

    Patterns & Balance

    Finally, when you do find something that works well for you and your horse, use it. Let it be the thing that helps you create a pattern, or a rhythm throughout our rides. This could be a particular groundpole exercise, a certain trail ride, or a groundwork exercise. It could be a massage, a way of grooming, or a specific warm-up or cool-down routine.
    Whatever it is, if it works, use it to help you create a pattern – think of the beads in the necklace – for the coming two or three weeks.
    Over time, it will probably change again, and this is where you will have to dig into your suppleness. However, if something is working – use it.
    Your riding does not and should not be to simply clock in a certain number of hours in the saddle each week.
    While this might get you going in the short term, it is simply not sustainable – and your comeback will fizzle out before it ever really gets going for you and your horse.
    Happy Riding
    Lorna

    Your Comeback to Riding

    You are unique as a rider. So it makes sense that your journey back to regular riding will be yours and yours alone.  Keep in mind that you can look to different plans and advice for inspiration. However, each should be then tweaked to suit your individual journey and circumstances.

    If you would like help with your comeback to riding, make sure you check out Returning to Riding. 9 weeks to get your basics onto autopilot so that you can make the transition from passenger to ‘rider’ for you and your horse. We will work together, using easy-to-follow audio horse riding lessons and weekly video reviews to help you transform your riding.

    Experience how you will go from feeling ‘floppy’, unbalanced, and lacking confidence in your abilities when in the saddle, to gaining control of your body and aids, practicing clear communication, and actually improving how your horse goes while being ridden. 

    With 9 weeks of private, 1 to 1 coaching with me over a secure video, voice, and text app, you will have all the support you need – and a proven program you can re-do with your horse time and again to polish both of your skills.

    Make sure you check out Returning to Riding today for all of the information.

    Happy Riding
    Lorna

    Get Going Again in Your Riding:-

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  • Planning a Winning Year in Your Riding

    Planning a Winning Year in Your Riding

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    I want to begin by reminding you that you can start this process at any time throughout the year.  The date is not important.  Planning out the upcoming year in your riding will help you to get really clear on what you and your horse are working towards together.

    I also suggest taking the time to complete a review of the previous 12 months if this applies to you.  This way, you can begin creating a plan that actually works for you and your horse. I have an episode on this for you to work with HERE

    What Are You Working Towards…

    So before you can begin planning, you need to have a clear idea about what you actually want to make happen when it comes to the upcoming year in your riding. Start by clearly defining your equestrian goals. Consider both short-term and long-term things you would like to make happen in the coming year.

    Asking yourself questions can help you to begin to develop some more clarity about this…

        • What specific riding skills do I want to improve or master?
        • Are there specific competitions or events I want to participate in?
        • Do I have any horse-related personal development goals, such as building confidence or developing a deeper connection with my horse?
        • Is there a new or different discipline we can try together?
        • How can I measure progress toward this goal?
        • Is my goal realistically achievable given my current circumstances?
        • Is this goal relevant to my overall long-term aspirations as an equestrian?

    Get a Yearly Planner…

    Okay, now for the fun part.  I love ‘seeing’ the year from afar.  You know, being able to clearly see the full year laid out before me – big picture style! I have a couple of A1 laminated yearly planners that I use each year for different things.  My suggestion is to get yourself one of these, and then get to work…

        • Start by including any significant dates or blocking out any periods where riding won’t be possible (I include school holidays, birthdays, short trips, business appointments, etc. here when I am doing my planning)
        • Then begin thinking about your goals, your available time, your resources, and facilities, and begin to play with ‘end dates’ for your goals and ‘timelines’…
        • Because some goals have specific dates (competitions or events), make sure you also include these in your initial ‘marking out’
        • From here, whip out the Post-it notes…  And on each one, put something that needs to change in order to get you from where you are right now in your riding, to where you want to go
        • Now, it’s simply a matter of adding the ‘stepping stones’ (your Post-it notes) to your planner – and again, spending time playing with this and putting it through the filter of ‘is this possible given all of my unique circumstances

    It can also be helpful, when doing this process, to ask yourself a few honest questions and allow the answers to these to help guide you as well.

        • What riding skills do I already possess?
        • How much time can I realistically dedicate to horse-related activities each week?
        • Do I have access to the necessary facilities, equipment, and support?

    Your Year in Your Riding

    Now, obviously, when we are working with horses, there is a lot of wiggle room for things to go off plan!  And this is especially true when we are taking a whole year in your riding into account!  So, while having the ‘big picture 40,000’ view over the year is great and helpful, I feel that you can only really get specific in the first three months. And, even then, a lot can happen in 13 weeks!

    However, I do feel that month three (and we are working backward here) can be ‘fairly’ fleshed out, month two even more so… And month 1 – the next 30 days in your riding – can be pretty detailed.

    Will it all go to plan?  No, probably not.  But having a plan and making riding and training a non-negotiable, will help you to make progress towards your goals. 

    I also think that this first month is a great time to begin to anticipate potential challenges and obstacles that may show up along the way. Ask yourself questions like:

        • What are the common challenges faced by equestrians working towards similar goals?
        • How can I proactively address or overcome these challenges?
        • Are there potential setbacks I should be prepared for, and how can I mitigate their impact?
        • What, in the past, has slowed me down or caused me to go ‘off track’
        • How can I help or support my horse throughout this training timeframe?

    Regular Reviews & Timely Adjustments

    Finally, I do believe that you MUST make reviews a regular occurrence in your riding… This will help you to both stay on track – and it will allow you to assess each ride or session afterward through the filter of ‘Will this move me closer to the big goal?’.

    Taking an hour or two to really focus on concentrating on what you want to achieve in your riding is fun.  And, in my opinion, if you include Post-its, a planner, and something nice to nibble on or sip – it’s even better!

    And this clarity will help to begin motivating. you to really working towards something special this year in your riding.

    Happy Riding
    Lorna

    Get Going in Your Riding:-

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  • Ideas for Reviewing Your Year in the Saddle

    Ideas for Reviewing Your Year in the Saddle

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    Isn’t it strange how, sometimes, when we look back over something ‘big’ or ‘long’ – like a year – we only remember 1 or 2 key events or things? And yet, when you truly sit down and begin reviewing your year in the saddle, there is so much more there to be mined!

    Today, I want to give you a few simple ways you can look back over the past 12 months (or whatever time frame you choose), and see it for all that it was for you and your horse.

    Reviewing Your Year

    I have been guilty of ‘skipping’ the whole reviewing process. Thinking about and planning for the ‘new’ definitely feels more exciting. Setting goals and beginning to play with the feelings of actually achieving those goals is a potent and powerful practice.

    But, to truly make that work for you, I think it is just as important to go back over what has happened.  To use the past as a guide for creating more in your future. 

    Identifying patterns is one of the best ways to either create or remove something from your riding.  By going through the year, month by month, you can really see what works and what doesn’t when it comes to you and your horse.

    Use Your Photos as a Guide

    This is one of the best tools you have to help you revisit the year.  Set yourself up with something nice to drink, a quiet and relaxing space and get started.  By going through the photos on your phone, you will get to revisit the whole year, month by month.  When I do this I regularly find photos of different things that happened that I had completely forgotten about!

    And even if the photos are not horse-related, often the memory of something else can trigger a memory about your horse or your riding…

    I am going to suggest writing down all of the different things in chronological order in your riding journal.  This way you can really begin to notice patterns; good ones and the not so helpful ones! It also helps you to really understand your schedule, which will be important when it comes to creating realistic goals for the next year.

    Ask Yourself Questions

    Once you have the year laid out you can begin using this as a reference so that you can find out more about what the year held for you. I do think that it can be helpful to approach your riding and your horse’s training separately.

     1. Skill Development and Training:

    • What new skills or disciplines did you and your horse work on during the year?
    • How has your horse’s training progressed, and what areas still need improvement?
    • Did you achieve the training goals you set at the beginning of the year?
    • What adjustments can be made to your training plan to enhance both your and your horse’s abilities?

     2. Relationship and Communication:

    • How has the bond between you and your horse developed over the past year?
    • Did you effectively communicate with your horse, and were there any notable improvements in your partnership?
    • Were there any challenges in understanding and responding to your horse’s behavior?
    • What steps can you take to strengthen the connection with your horse in the upcoming year?

     3. Equipment, Time, and Facilities

    • Did you encounter any challenges with the logistics of horse care, such as boarding, transportation, or scheduling?
    • Were there any facility improvements or changes that positively or negatively affected your riding, training, or just being with your horse?
    • How well did your current setup meet the needs of both you and your horse?
    • What adjustments or changes in logistics can enhance the overall efficiency and enjoyment of your equestrian activities in the next year?

    Review Your Riding Journal

    If you are not already, let this week be the week you begin tracking your riding.  Trust me, when you begin to do this, you will have a powerful tool to use when you are completing your review.  You can keep track of your horse’s training progress, note achievements, and identify areas for improvement.

    When you begin to regularly record training sessions, noting exercises, challenges, and successes, you can use that knowledge going forward. By reflecting on the effectiveness of different training approaches, you can set your goals for the future – and increase your chances of making them happen!

    Using Your Review to Plan Ahead

    Once you have a clear idea of what the previous 12 months looked like in your riding, you are then ready to begin mapping out the coming 12…  And you can do it in a way that will work for you and your horse.

    Reviewing your year may seem time-consuming and not all that helpful, but I hope that you will take my advice and give it a go for you and your horse this week!

    Happy Riding
    Lorna

    Get Going in Your Riding:-

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  • How Many Days per Week Should I Work My Horse?

    How Many Days per Week Should I Work My Horse?

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    Is there a golden rule about how often a horse should be worked? I’m not so sure.  However, when I have riders ask me how many days they should ride, I usually have a pretty standard answer… “It depends”. And that is what I want to dive into today.
    Helping you to figure out how many days to ride your horse each week.

    “Your Schedule”

    So let’s begin this conversation where you are at right now.  How many days could you realistically ride your horse each week? You see, this is a really important question… Because, and this is me being really honest now, many riders will pick a number that actually doesn’t really reflect their current schedule!  Nope, they rather pick what they would like it to be.  I don’t think this is helpful.
    I think being realistic about your time, your values, your responsibilities, and your energy levels will help in the long run.
    If you begin feeling that horse riding is causing a lot of tension in an already packed schedule, you will be more inclined to ‘drop it’. Make sure that you are honest with what you can do, and then go from there.

    “Your Horse”

    The next piece of the puzzle to consider is your horse.  Some horses honestly require more repetition and consistency than others.  If you miss 6 days, what happens? Will you have to go back 2 weeks in your training to get back to where you were before the break?  Or can you simply carry on from where you left off?
    I also think factors such as your horse’s age, breed or physical type, condition, previous training, and personality all play a role when deciding.  Include them all in your decision and go from there.

    “Your Riding Level”

    Now, just like your horse, you are unique as a rider. Do you require 3 days to recover from a particularly ‘taxing’ ride? Or do you thrive on consistently repeating new things until they ‘stick’?  Also, how fit are you?  If you are trying to increase your riding fitness, it makes sense to ride more frequently if possible.  However, maybe shorter sessions with more focus will be a key part of your training schedule.
    Lack of fitness really impacts the coordination and clarity of your aids in the saddle. So it makes sense to increase your riding fitness as quickly as possible initially.

    “Your Goals”

    Finally, what are your goals with your horse and your riding?  If you are working towards something specific (a 15km trail ride, or jumping a 1m track of jumps) this will definitely help you to decide on what is necessary to be ready for that.  However, often riders are simply riding to develop their skills and deepen their bond with their horse.
    Whatever your goals are, it makes logical sense that ‘more riding time’ will help you get there more quickly. So it is always something to consider.

    4 is More Than 3

    My final suggestion here is the whole ‘4 is greater than 3’ idea.  If you can make it to your horse 4 days a week, you are winning.  This means 16 days a month (which is more than half). And I feel that this is a realistic number of rides to begin seeing progress.
    And if you find yourself with a week or two where you only make it for 3 or 2 days, that’s okay.  Accept it for what it is and then move on. 
    Try to get back into a more consistent routine as quickly as you can.  Things happen… What’s important is that you are doing your best to get quality time with your horse and in the saddle.
    Happy Riding
    Lorna

    Seeking Founding Riders…

    If you are considering training your horse at home or alone (boarding at a barn, but don’t have a regular coach or trainer), make sure you check out the details of my upcoming brand-new program.

    I’m looking for a limited number of riders to work in-depth with me and my team as we go through this program for the first time.  Get on the waitlist to be the first to find out all of the information… We start in early September. Get All the Details HERE (no obligation to join the program, just be the first to know all of the details :) )

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  • I Don’t Have Enough Time to Ride…

    I Don’t Have Enough Time to Ride…

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    A few months ago, I really felt the burden of guilt on my soul…  And during that time, my ‘whine’ was fairly constant; “I don’t have time to ride!’ Now, it is not lost on me the fact that I created all of this guilt myself. You see, whenever I was doing one thing, I was feeling like I ‘should’ have been doing something else.

    So, when I was with ‘The Boys’ (my children) I felt guilty because I ‘should‘ have been riding. And when I was at the stables and in the saddle, I felt guilty because I wasn’t ‘with‘ the children.  When I was working, I seemed to be continually thinking “I need to ride today”.  And, then when I was riding I berated myself over my lack of planning to bring a tripod, phone, and mic with me to create some videos for work.

    Why is it that, as riders, we can often feel so guilty about riding – or about not riding? And why do so many of us struggle with finding ‘enough’ time to ride? 

    Making a Decision

    So, in order to get past all of this – and quite frankly stop whining – I decided to tackle the mindset issue I’d created for myself. And this all began with making a decision. For me, the question really boiled down to “do I want to ride? Or not?” Now, obviously, there’s no right or wrong answer here… It simply comes down to making a decision based on my longer-term goals and vision. I also committed that I wouldn’t make this decision based on what I felt I ‘should’ do based on the circumstances at the time.

    Once I was truly able to decide whether or not I want to actually ride that particular week, I was then able to begin crafting a week that supported that decision, whatever I choose to do. 

    Also, once I made the decision, I made a commitment to myself to stick with it.  Meaning that if I choose “Yes, I do want to ride this week”, I was 100% committed to making this one of the top priorities for my week.  And, similarly, if I chose “No, I don’t want to ride this week, ” I was equally as committed to that.

    This meant that I didn’t revisit the decision over and over again, second-guessing myself at every available opportunity. 

    How Often Will I Ride?

    So, doing all of that, at this particular time in my life, I decided that most certainly “Yes; I do want to ride this week”. Phew, one thing off my mind and done with.  Now, this is where the real work began.  And I say ‘work’ because in order to make this a pleasant experience, I believe that there must be a little planning involved here. And a lot of discipline!

    The first thing to do was to figure out how important or how much of a priority my riding will be on this week.  My schedule is created with the most important things first… So, is riding my horse one of those things?

    For me, mealtime with the boys and Dion is a top priority. Also, some ‘quiet time’ in the mornings before everything else starts.  I have also recently committed to devoting more time to walking and hiking again. So, this is something I pencil in first in my schedule.

    Once all of my ‘top priorities’ are in, I then think about my other responsibilities and commitments.  It is easy to say that horse riding will be a top priority. However, if you have responsibilities at work that must be done at a certain time on certain days; I strongly suggest getting those on the calendar first. Otherwise, you will begin to feel that guilt creeping into your riding time again.

    So, for the sake of this little ‘experiment’, I committed to creating enough time to ride on 4 days that particular week. 

    I ideally would have liked 5… However, the season of my life at that point was (and still is) one where things can change at the drop of a hat (hello 2 young children, 2 businesses, and 2 farms; I’m looking at you!). 4 days felt (and usually still feels) manageable, a little bit of a stretch, but doable for me that week.

    What Will I Do?

    Okay, so once I had 4 days chosen and penciled into my schedule for the coming week, I had to go a little deeper.  You see, there is a temptation to think that, at this point, the job has been done.  Nope, this is only the halfway point.

    In order for the week to mean something for me and my horse, I needed to have an idea of what we would be working on. 

    At that particular point in time, the weeks leading up to ‘my new week’ had been focused on creating a more established rhythm in the trot.  The particular horse I was planning on working with is 5-gaited.  And while she only ever displays the normal walk, trot, and canter in the field.  She can begin to ‘triple’ when she becomes unbalanced while being ridden.  At that point, we were also working on increasing the responsiveness to the seat aids.  She had been used in the riding school for some time and quite a few things need some tuning up again!

    Knowing what I wanted to work on for the week, I was then able to choose 4 simple exercises that either directly addressed the topics, or complimented them. 

    I chose a mixture of ground pole exercises and also included some lateral work to help establish and maintain the rhythm.  And, I also began tracking how each session went, so I could create some feedback for myself going forward.

    Applying Discipline…

    Now, for me, this is the final ‘commitment’ I had to make to myself.  Being disciplined enough to honestly assess if something is truly a reason or an excuse! Let me explain.  So, I’ve mentioned that things are busy.  They are now, and they were then.  I am pretty sure you are in the same boat, right?  And when things are busy, I often find that other things can ‘crop up’.  Unexpected things.

    Part of having enough time to ride involves honestly assessing these ‘things’ and deciding if they are more important than the commitment you have already made to yourself and your horse. 

    Obviously, there are certain things like someone becoming ill and needing to be taken to a doctor, vet, or, hospital.  I say vet because often it can be our pets that need support and assistance as well. However, an invitation to go for coffee and a chat? Hmmm… That would fall under ‘practice more discipline and say no’ for me!  What I decided to do was to actually list the things that, if they showed up, I was okay with changing my riding schedule for.  Sick children and sick animals are just two of those things.  I have a few more, I’m sure you will too.

    By thinking about and planning for my acceptable ‘reasons’ beforehand, it makes it easier to say yes or no during the week.  Especially when I may be feeling tired, lazy, or uninspired – and the ‘excuse’ to not ride is a tempting one!

    Additional Commitments

    Finally, in order to make this a more enjoyable experience (especially when I was feeling tired and under pressure), I created a few little extras for myself.  Sort of like extra ‘clauses’ to help seal the deal! I know, it seems odd.  However, I also know myself and I know what is most likely to crop up for me on any given week…

     1. I am not allowed to moan or complain about ‘not having enough time to ride’.

    I allow myself to question how I can move, rearrange, barter, or reschedule different things in order to create time. Especially if I feel that the schedule I created at the start of the week is not working out as planned.

    However, there is absolutely no room for complaining or thinking negatively about the time that I have committed to my riding.  There is enough time to ride!   That feels good :)

     2. I have choosen a groundwork exercise to use, if necessary, in 15 minutes or less

    You know as well as I do all about ‘best-laid plans’ and how things can tend to go sideways very easily! So, in order to be prepared for this, I usually know exactly what I will work on with my horse if I do find myself within 20 minutes or so.  For me, it usually is based around lunging over ground poles or working on lateral work in hand on the ground.

    This way, even if time does feel a little ‘tight’ and restrictive, I can still get some quality work done with my horse.  Work that will move us along.  I am all about ‘creating stepping stones’ :)

     3. Informing my VIPs of my decisions (and asking for support if necessary)

    Finally, even though it’s only me and my horse when we are working together… This impacts the rest of my family.   I feel that it is important to inform all my VIPs about any decisions and/or commitments that, potentially, impact them.  This is a way to work around any potential conflicts that might show up before they actually do.  And also, a great way to keep accountable!

    In order for me to create enough time to ride and for it to be sustainable, I must make sure that I don’t create resentment toward my riding.  Either from me or my close family.  If horse riding is to remain fun and exciting, it must also work with my top priorities. And, again, for me, this is my family.

    Join me on the Journey…

    So, all of that being said, if creating enough time to ride is something you have also felt challenged by, use this template to help you. You can download a free worksheet I’ve created for you to help you make the decisions and plan the rides HERE

    For more ‘behind the scenes’ of what I am doing throughout each week, join me inside of Connection. Oh, and you will also get audio horse riding lessons to work on with your horse. Trust me, having something specific to practice (with step-by-step guidance) is half the battle :)

    You can also reach out to me on the socials by posting in our FB Group HERE, on Instagram HERE, and on the Strides for Success FB Page HERE.  I would love to hear what your decision is and what you’re doing to keep on track…

    Happy Riding
    Lorna

    Additional Resources:-

  • Fear and Horse Riding

    Fear and Horse Riding

    [fusebox_track_player url=”https://op3.dev/e/traffic.libsyn.com/dailystridespodcast/1270_Fear_and_Horse_Riding.mp3″ title=”Fear and Horse Riding” social_linkedin=”true” social_pinterest=”true” social_email=”true” tweet_text=”Getting over fear about riding or horses” hashtag=”horseriding” twitter_username=”strides_success” ]
    Has fear or lack of confidence ever held you back in your riding? If so, you will know how debilitating this can be.  Sometimes it’s caused by a past experience. Or it can be created when we think of all the things that ‘can’ potentially happen.
    Whatever the cause, I think that it is important to recognize that this particular challenge won’t simply vanish on its own.  Sure, sometimes it can seem like it has shifted or even disappeared.  But more often than not, it is simply buried and will rear its unwanted head again as soon as there is even a whiff of ‘danger’ or ‘warning’ in the air.
    I am a firm believer that confidence is something that we build over time.  Couple time with consistent repetition, self-awareness, and taking the correct action and there’s a good chance that you can overcome the fear and begin thriving again in your horse riding.

    What Are You Afraid Of?

    I think that it is important to actually name what you’re worried about in order to begin the work of changing your thoughts around it.  There is a big difference between “I’m afraid to ride” and “I’m worried my horse will spook, spin, and dump me on the ground so hard that I break something”.
    Often when we actually speak about the exact thing that we fear when it comes to our riding, we can begin to dismantle that fear in our minds
    If we take the second statement mentioned above, there are a few key areas we can begin to work on BEFORE we ever even consider hopping into the saddle. “I’m worried my horse will spook, spin, and dump me on the ground so hard that I break something”.
        1. Remind yourself that your horse, usually, doesn’t want to ‘dump you’ on the ground; especially in this particular situation
        2. What specific triggers have you noticed that your horse has reacted this way too?
        3. How can you avoid these triggers?
        4. What can you do to actually develop your horse’s confidence in himself?
        5. Is there a way you can develop your horse’s confidence in you more?
        6. Where can you ride that the chances of this happening are less?
        7. What can you do to potentially limit the severity of the fall, if it were to happen?
    When we really begin to look at the fear we have, we can also begin to approach it from a different perspective – one of curiosity.

    What Can You Control?

    Now, for years I have been preaching that the only thing you can control when it comes to riding is yourself.  However, this is not really true for this particular situation.  Firstly, when your mind is telling you terrible stories, often all sense of self-control flies out the window!
    And, secondly, I believe that there are actually external factors you can control in order to logically lessen the risks involved with riding.  It’s just that we sometimes overlook these things because we are so caught up in the ‘fear’ itself.
    You can work towards controlling things like:-
        • The time of day you ride (this often has an impact on the energy levels of both horse and rider, as well as external factors like traffic, bystanders, other horses in the arena, etc.)
        • Who you are riding with
        • Where you ride
        • What feed your horse is receiving
        • How balanced and coordinated you are
        • Creating planned responses instead of fear-based reactions
    You can also begin to develop a greater influence over things like:-
        • How fit or fresh your horse is
        • The thoughts in your head…
        • How fit and supple you are
        • Increasing the trust and partnership of your relationship with your horse
        • Developing your horse’s confidence in himself
    The key here is to actively decide to change things and then create a plan of action in order to make it happen.  Wishing, hoping, and praying won’t work in this situation!

    Maybe Don’t ‘Just Do It’…

    Now, up until this point, we have been doing the ‘thinking’ work. And while this is both important and necessary, there comes a time when action is needed. A lot of trainers and coaches will force riders to ‘just do it’. And, to be fair, this often does work in the actual moment. It also can sometimes actually be the exact thing that is needed to unmask the fear forever for the rider.
    The issue I have with the ‘just do it’ approach is that while you may get a quick win under your belt, often the underlying cause has not been resolved; and will come up again when pressure is applied!
    Pressure, in this situation, is anything that causes you or your horse to experience a little emotional or physical discomfort. It’s usually emotional. Maybe a spook for your horse. Or a lack of time for you. These are the exact moments when you don’t want to experience fear!

    What’s Comfortable Now?

    Start by figuring out where you and your horse both feel good and relaxed right now when you’re together. This could be riding together inside of an enclosed space, like an arena. However, it could also be dismounted, on the ground, with a door or a gate between you and your horse!
    It makes absolutely no difference what this is for you both now. What is important is to find that point in the conversation together where everyone feels relaxed, at ease, and enjoying the moment.
    Now, rather than mindlessly allowing these moments of true enjoyment and relaxation to simply pass, begin paying attention to how you ‘are’ in these moments.
    When you can begin to define truly what ‘relaxed and at ease’ is for you and your horse, you will begin to more easily recognize leaving that ‘comfortable’ space. And, how it feels to return to it.

    Building Confidence and Easing Fear

    So, with this point in mind, begin thinking about how you could intentionally plan to make things a little more mentally uncomfortable for you and your horse. What could you actually plan and make happen that would intentionally make you feel discomfort? It sounds bizarre, but this is truly the key to gaining confidence and overcoming fear.
    The key to planning this work BEFORE you actually do it is that you will create ‘pressure’ circumstances that can easily and quickly be reversed.
    Meaning that you can turn it on and then when you choose to, switch it off. Sounds so simple! But we can do this in our riding as well. Maybe it is walking for 20 meters with someone leading you out of the arena and back to the stables. It could be standing beside your horse holding the lead rope, with the door or gate open.
    The goal is to create a situation where you will feel that mental discomfort and commit to staying in it for 20 or 30 seconds. Then, calmly returning back to the ‘comfort zone’ and ‘safety’ again.

    Consistency, Repetition, Awareness, & Action

    Doing this once or twice won’t be enough to ‘reset’ your comfort zone. This work needs to happen consistently in order to be effective. The good news is that, over time, you will find the discomfort getting less and less.
    When the previously uncomfortable piece feels relaxed and easy, it is time to expand the ‘zone’ further. Find the next action that will build on the previous one and start the work again.
    By doing this over and over, both you and your horse will develop confidence in your own abilities. You will also begin to trust each other more, which will strengthen the partnership.
    Unfortunately, there are no quick fixes to overcome fear and develop confidence. And yet, the time invested in doing the work can yield so much more for you in your riding… It is well worth the investment.
    Happy Riding
    Lorna

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