A Little Advice

*Roisin*

Hey guys, possibly a little cheeky to have my first post on this forum be looking for advice, but hopefully you'll see past that.

Just wondering if anyone would have any advice for me. I'm 21 at the moment. Did a fair bit of horse riding when I was younger, never professional lessons or that, but I had my own pony at different stages over the years. Have always loved ponies and horses, and would spend hours and hours out with them as a child, just looking after them.

Anyway, as happens over the years I had one or two bad falls, nothing major, and I always continued riding afterwards.

Went through about 8yrs or so there where I didn't have a pony or horse and had stopped riding completely, just from school pressure and being a messy teenager! But in the last year my Dad and myself have gotten into breeding horses and training them for eventing and point to point. I'm really looking to get back into horse riding again, but seem to have developed a fear of it!! Every time I break into a pace thats a bit faster, I can just see myself falling off, broken limbs the works

I'm really looking to overcome it, and I think a few lessons might be the way. I'm living near maynooth at the moment, can anyone recommend somewhere to go for a few lessons, preferably somewhere that someone has experience of? Looking for somewhere a bit understanding.

Thanks a millions guys,

Róis

napoles

Hi there
It's nothing to be ashamed of. Many riders lose their nerve at some stage in their career. Even Pippa Funnell had to go to a sports psychiatrist to seek help with her nerves.

You say that you are training horses for eventing and point to point? Does your dad ride or are you the one doing the training? If you are going to be preparing horses for these disciplines, then you definitely need to go get some lessons as it certainly wouldn't be for the faint hearted.

I'm afraid I don't have personal experience of any riding schools in your area, but as a BHSAI who has taught here and in the Uk for years, I would strongly suggest that, once you find somewhere suitable, book some private lessons.
This way, the instructor can take things at your pace and work through with you carefully and in a way that should give you confidence. You won't get "lost" in a group of riders either.

Best of luck with it!

togster

HI OP how long have you been back riding? It will take time to get over that fear. Just keep plugging away with it. Go for hacks with friends, do some charity meets. Mix it up and challenge yourself a little every time you ride. You will not overcome your nerves by taking it handy all the time. As napoles suggested do some lessons to start with but try and find a safe horse so you can push yourself a bit to start with. I had a really bad fall hunting one day and never really recevered from it, in so far as i lost some of my bottle jumping wire. i associated wire to be the reason for my fall even though it was probably my own stupidity. Identify what your fear is and why you have that fear and then set about challenging yourself to overcome it. I wish you luck!!:)

*Roisin*

Thanks a million so far guys. Yeah, I've come to the conclusion that that's what I need to do. Only problem is that all the horses we have at the moment are very green....not the best to start out again with

Insofar as training, neither my dad or myself are, thats being done by others, but it just seems such as waste that I can't be doing the basic riding out myself ya know? Just gonna have to start back into it in earnest I guess.

togster

Thats the spirit! Just get stuck in. It's amazing how quick it will come back to you!

*Roisin*

Hopefully anyway Thanks a million guys. Just have to find somewhere to do some lessons now. Anybody know how much lessons are, roughly obviously, these days?

Jen Pigs Fly

*Roisin* wrote: »

Hopefully anyway Thanks a million guys. Just have to find somewhere to do some lessons now. Anybody know how much lessons are, roughly obviously, these days?

I checked maynooth equestrian centre and carton equestrian a few weeks back for lessons as well, a hour lesson every week will roughly be about 25/30 euro for an adult, but carton do lesson cards where it's cheaper to buy say 8 lessons then to just pay every week! I would have recommend acorn equestrian, but sadly they're gone now, had a great 4 year with them! So try maynooth euqestrian and Carton .. both do adult lessons on wednesdays and sundays .. in maynooth anyway I think

hopefully This has helped you in any way! I'm from maynooth myself, so if you have any questions just PM me or something!

Good Luck!