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RE: [RC] rider fear and lessons - Catfish Daniels

Actually, reading Jeri's post, I totally agree with Jeri.  Yes, I
actually think that riding securely and confidently, and balanced does
indeed make all the difference in the world - much of what one can learn
by taking lessons.  
The point I was trying to stress with my previous post was that the
actual spooks and unexpected jumps to the side are unsafe and could be
dangerous for even the most balanced and most confident riders, and that
taking lessons in your case may not be the only solution to get rid of
the problem.
But yea, Jeri made great points about the lesson part.  Also, somebody
wrote about "soft eyes".  Boy, that one amazes me, but it works all the
time!

Catfish 

DBL Realtors


-----Original Message-----
From: ridecamp-owner@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:ridecamp-owner@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of
DESERTRYDR1@xxxxxxx
Sent: Saturday, May 08, 2004 10:22 AM
To: Agilbxr@xxxxxxx
Cc: ridecamp@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: Re: [RC] rider fear

I disagree with Catfish about lessons not being the way to go, at least
as 
PART of the overall picture.  If you can ride better, and feel more
secure, you 
will be less fearful.  

One key point here is you said that "The tenser I got, the more he
spooked."
This is part of the dynamic between horse and rider.  Your horse has to
trust 
you when you are out alone, because he is a herd animal, and is looking
to a 
leader to tell him when it's safe or scarey, unless he is one of those
very 
dominant types who is scared of not much, in which case you wouldn't
have 
written.  

Other suggestions Catfish made were right on the money, as far as 
desensitizing.  But here are a couple more suggestions for when you are
out there alone 
and start to get "that feeling"-- Focus on your breathing, take slow
deep 
breaths.  This works because it will calm YOU, and take your focus off
his 
spooking.  Sing a rhythmic song, one that will calm you if that helps
you breath.  

When he starts to get spooky take it as a cue that YOU are being
reactive and 
looking to see what there is to spook at.  Try a centered riding
exercise 
that involves opening your focus to look at the wider picture--the whole

landscape.  I forget what this technique is called, but the point is
that if your are 
looking at the wider picture, you aren't focusing on ONE spooky.  Look
past 
spookies when you encounter them, or to one side.  In other words, be
aware of 
them, but ignore them.  You are telling your horse with body language
that they 
aren't important, aren't worth bothering with.

Horses are so much more adept at reading body language than we ever
imagined. 
He can feel your tenseness and react to it before you realize it's 
happening.  If your work at controlling your body language by
concentrating on your 
breathing and not focusing on scaries, it will help him relax.  

It won't happen overnight.  Ride with others, or go slower until you can

control your reactions, and until the at-home ground training that
catfish 
suggested kicks in.  And good luck.  You DO wear a helmet, right?  jeri
============================================================
By three methods we may learn wisdom: First, by reflection, which is
noblest; Second, by imitation, which is easiest; and third by
experience,
which is the bitterest.
~  Confucius

ridecamp.net information: http://www.endurance.net/ridecamp/

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I still prefer what it is that BH100, Tevis, The Duck's Soup of Endurance,
etc. has to offer...but, to see a horse canter over sand for those
distances...Good Lord, it humbles me.
~  Frank Solano

ridecamp.net information: http://www.endurance.net/ridecamp/

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Replies
Re: [RC] rider fear, DESERTRYDR1