26/ SEPTEMBER/ OCTOBER 2021 THE RIDER 4 Tips For Getting Your Horse Riding Confidence Back After an Injury


Anne Gage for The Rider - Sep- tember 2021 issue


It’s common for riders of all


ages to lose their confidence after a fall from their horse. Falling is an innate fear in humans. So there’s no surprise that the fear response is triggered making you feel anxious about getting back in the saddle. Especially if you’ve suffered an in- jury.


Follow these 4 steps to get


back to riding with confidence. Step 1: Make sure you’re physi-


cally ready to ride The old philosophy about get-


ting right back in the saddle can ac- tually do more harm than good - especially if you’ve been injured from a fall. Any doubt about your physical strength or fitness will detrimentally affect your confi- dence. So take time to allow your body to heal before getting back in the saddle. Take your time. Take small


steps and stay within your physical capability. When returning from an injury, you can’t go too slowly, but you can go too fast. Aim for steady


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rather than fast progress.


Step 2: Focus on your mental recovery Be kind to and patient with yourself.


Remember that losing confidence after a fall is perfectly normal. Look for ways to build positive experiences for yourself. That means working within your comfort zone rather than challenging yourself too soon. And looking for the positive in each step you take. Rather than beating yourself up for


feeling anxious, build yourself up. Avoid “shoulding” on yourself (i.e. I should be able to do this; I should be better than this, etc.) Instead, just like we do for our horses, acknowledge the try. If there’s something you can’t do that


you used to be able to do, avoid saying “I can’t”. Instead, say “I can’t …. yet.” Adding ‘yet’ to the end of the sentence means that, even if you’re not able to do it right now, you will be able to do it in the fu- ture. And that sends a different message to your unconscious mind.


Step 3: Use the AWARE method The moment you notice yourself feel-


ing anxious, using the AWARE method can help you retrain your brain and your fear re- sponse.


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• Accept that even though you’re not in im- mediate danger at the moment you’re feel- ing anxious or scared. You can even name the emotions you are feeling - say them out loud or write them down. • Watch the anxiety or fear and grade it on a scale of 0-10 (with 0 being no fear and 10 being the most fear you could possibly ex- perience). Then pick a number that you’d be comfortable with. Breathe out, making your exhale longer than your inhale until you reach that lower number. • Act Normal - breathe as described above as you carry on doing something simple (i.e. walking, grooming, etc.). Talk positively to yourself (i.e. It’s okay to be afraid) • Repeat the previous 3 steps as needed. • Expect the Best - know that you are taking control of the fear instinct. By practicing these steps, you are taming and training the fear response


Step 4: Use confidence building strategies You may find that you’re replaying the


memory of the fall over and over. You might have worries about getting injured again or feel concerned about what your horse will do when you’re riding. The fear might get triggered by a place or situation that is sim- ilar to where you had the fall. The most effective way to address this


type of trauma is through NLP or hypnosis. The techniques used in these methods work with the unconscious mind where your emotions, memories and limiting beliefs are stored. A qualified master practitioner is able


to help you release the negative emotions and beliefs connected to the trauma without you having to relieve the experience again. Rebuilding your confidence presents a


great opportunity to deepen your partner- ship with your horse, focus on the basics and fill in any gaps in your training founda- tion, and become a better rider in the long run.


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