| Overcoming Trail Riding Fear By Lauri Struve |
Sometimes getting out on the trail is the hardest thing we can do. We have fears, worries,
and the thought of riding without the safe confines of an arena can be overwhelming. I hate
to think that there are horses and riders out there who are unable to enjoy the beauty of
Missouri trails.
While, I may jump in the deep end, for most riders getting out on the trail for the first time, I’
m a firm believer in baby steps. There are times when you DO have to jump in the deep end
and as the commercials say, Just do it. However, when overcoming fears, and trust issues
with your horse, baby steps are the way to go.
The first baby step is to acknowledge what specifically about trail riding is making you
nervous. Do you not trust your horse? Do you not trust your riding buddies? Do you not
trust yourself? Once you know where your anxiety is coming from, you can address it.
If you don’t trust your horse, it’s likely he doesn’t trust you either, dig out your back issues
of Equestrian Central, Cody Holmes has addressed trust, also if you’re into books and
videos, all the big time trainers have at least one tape or book on trust. I’d like to share how
I built trust with my trail partner, Shadow. I spent as much time with him as possible, in and
around the barn, in the saddle, and just BE with him. I’d take a lawn chair and a book, and
hang out with him. It was a slow process, but now we have complete trust in each other.
Out on the trail I know if he refuses an obstacle, there is a good reason, it’s probably not
safe. If you’d rather follow a professional’s advice, Monte Roberts Join up is good for
building trust, and Parelli’s seven games are fun.
If you don’t trust yourself, this is harder to overcome. It takes some soul searching as to
WHY you don’t trust yourself. When I was 18, I broke my ankle in a riding accident. My
horse slipped going down a ditch and fell, I didn’t get kicked out, and he landed on me. Up
until just three years ago, I was scared to ride in wet conditions. I didn’t trust myself not to
do something stupid and put my horse and me in danger of falling again. It took a LONG
time to get the trust back in myself on the trail. FYI, I turn 38 in May.
The easiest of these trust issues to address your riding buddies. If you don’t trust them to
help you work through your issues, and find a way for EVERYONE on the ride to have a
good experience, my answer is simple, to the point. Get new riding buddies. Shadow and I
have no fear on the trail. I know that not everyone in my group feels the same way, I want
to make sure that everyone has a good time. It may not be as exciting for us to take the
easier obstacles, but it will guarantee that the new riders with us will want to ride with us
again. I see this as the responsibility of all trail riders, to ride to the level of the greenest rider
or the greenest horse or both.
There are some things to remember when riding trails. First, YOU are in control, and yes,
you can relax, but you and your horse have to remember that you are the boss. The
quickest way to develop a fear of the trail is to let your horse get ‘the best of you.” How
many times have you seen a horse be a pain in the you know for one rider, and an angel five
minutes later for another. Horses are going to test their limits. If he knows that a little crow
hop or head toss will get him back to his stall with hay, you can bet that he’ll try it. Horses
are smart. That’s something important to remember when your horse is prancy and excited
at the beginning of a ride. He’ll settle down. If you aren’t able to work through it, it could be
the beginning of a very bad habit.
Second, if you are a bundle of nerves, 9 times out of 10, your horse will be also. We are
communicating with our mounts constantly, Not just through the reins. We do communicate
our mood by how relaxed or tense our grip on the reins is, but also by how much tension
we are holding in the rest of our body. If you are tight and nervous, I can guarantee your
horse knows it. Remember, a horse can feel a FLY land on its shoulder; do you think he
can’t feel the tightness of every muscle in your body? If you can relax, your horse will relax.
Those are the biggies. Let’s take those baby steps to get out the gate and onto the trail. I
would start with a ride around the property; take a turn around the pasture. Cross the
creek, follow the trails the horses have made. Stop for the day, or do it again. You have
survived what my South African friends call an outride.
When you are comfortable on your property, or around your boarding stable, find someone
who is familiar with an easy trail in your area. Ask them to ride it with you, making sure they
are familiar with your concerns. I have a friend who has had confidence and fear issues,
stemming from a bad wreck in 2004. At the start of this year, she was scared to death to
follow, she didn’t trust that if her horse was rushing to catch a buddy that he wouldn’t fall
again. For her situation, we found that she overcomes her fears if she is the one in the lead.
Being the first over an obstacle keeps her relaxed in the saddle, which keeps her horse
relaxed.
It is important to discuss any concerns you have with your trail partner. Trail etiquette also
comes into play. Riders have to give each other space, and time to negotiate obstacles.
Nothing frays my nerves more than having someone rush me to negotiate an obstacle. It’s
okay to ASK if the person wants you and your horse to go first, but don’t just bully up
there and push your way through. It’s incredibly rude, and destroys a training opportunity
for your colleague.
If you come to an obstacle that is just too overwhelming, don’t take it. There are most
always alternate routes. Now, they may be longer, but there’s always a way around. That
said, you may not always have that option, particularly in a large group, but you should if
there are just 2 or 3 riders.
This leads me to another point; build your confidence in small groups. After that first outing
don’t immediately go to Cross Country trail rides at Eminence, even for seasoned riders
riding in groups of 100+ can be intimidating.
That about covers baby steps to get on the trail. Now for two other important factors to
take with you when you go out on the trails Safety and common sense.
****
I serve on the local volunteer fire department and on a Search and Rescue team. Our safety
comes first when we are on a mission or fighting a fire, or responding to an accident. It
should also be our priority around our horses.
According to research done in Australia, 80 percent of horse related injuries occur in the
saddle, and the remaining 20 percent while handling our beloved beasties. Many injuries are
preventable, according to the site. “A combination of common sense and caution is needed
when dealing with horses. To avoid injuries constant awareness of a horse's strength, nature
and behavior are needed. Get to know your horse, respect it and be alert to things which
may frighten it.”
I have a story to tell you, it’s rather embarrassing to admit. But I have forgotten safety and
common sense a time or two. Shadow has been my trail partner for 5 years. He is my SAR
partneras well we have a strong bond, and trust each other in all situations. Sometimes I
know better, and sometimes he does. Lately, I think he has more sense than I.
In September, I bought him a new pair of sport boots, put one on him and he didn’t like it. I
now have a dent in the quarter panel of my truck… they just don’t make ‘em like they used
to.
Not one to give up, I tried the boots again on our next ride. This time, he stood like a rock.
Here is where my 34 years of working with horses and common sense departed, just flew
out the window and down the road. I forgot that when new equipment is used, particularly
something on their legs, you need to kick the horse out to the end of the lead rope and
make him move until he is used to the new gear. Common sense, with any other horse I
probably would have remembered, but Shadow is perfect, he’s beyond normal equine
reactions….right? I picked his left forefoot up to pick his hoof and he blew… as I was back
pedaling to get out of his way I fell, grace has never been my strong suit. He ended up
stepping on me, since I fell right in his path, lost my glasses and couldn’t see a thing. I was
lucky. I had a banged up elbow and bruises on my right leg and foot the shape of a size
2 shoe. This was back in October. You can still see the hoofprint on my leg, and my elbow
is still screwed up.
I’m sharing this embarrassing story for a reason. I was lucky. I could very well have ended
up with a broken leg for my foolishness. This was not my horse’s fault, I ignored safety
rules, and common sense, more importantly, I forgot that while in my eyes, Shadow is
perfect, he is after all a horse, and will react as such. Horses are prey animals, they’re
instinct when faced with something frightening or threatening is to flee.
Common sense is the number one way we can be safe around our horses. Putting safety first
as a priority is number 1a. It’s important to arm ourselves with knowledge. Knowing a little
bit about why horses react the way they do is a good start. To that, I’d like to recommend a
website, www.equine-behavior.com/ This site details horse psychology and behavior. I
could write and write, and quote, but I recommend going to the source.
I won’t go on about wearing a helmet when we ride, I’ll just say I think it’s a good thing, no
matter what your riding style. Life is too precious to risk it needlessly.
Every time we catch our horse, saddle our horse and ride our horse; safety needs to come
first. If we’re safe when we ride, we will have that many more rides to enjoy in the future. I
lost about 3 weeks of riding because of my lack of common sense. I hate to see anyone
lose riding time because an accident could have been prevented.
Horse shopping
One way to add to your safety with horses is finding the right horse for your skill level.
The first steps, if you’re shopping for your first horse, or your child’s first horse, include not
being afraid to ask for advice from an experienced horse person. That will save you money,
pain and disappointment. A friend was skimming through horse ads and found this one:
“wanted: well broke, kid safe, young gelding or stallion.” Here’s what she interpreted from
that: “It should say wanted: I'm trying to kill my kid so I want a young stallion that can eat
his arm off, kick him in the head or run him over”
There are young horses that will work with an inexperienced rider, but they are rare. It is
much safer to find a horse who has experience doing what you want to do, whether it’s trail
riding or showing, one member of the team needs to have experience. There’s an old
saying, “green and green equals black and blue.”
To have an enjoyable experience with your first horse, learn from others mistakes by not
repeating them. Research before you buy. Learn what it will take financially to keep a horse
at home or boarded, decide what you want to do with your horse, what his job will be, find
a reputable trainer in your area to take some lessons with, and ask for their assistance
shopping.
Okay, I’m getting off my soapbox…I have to go grovel with my horse for my recent lapses
of common sense. After all, I may believe he’s PERFECT, but he is still just a horse, and
reacts instinctively when his human does stupid things.
and the thought of riding without the safe confines of an arena can be overwhelming. I hate
to think that there are horses and riders out there who are unable to enjoy the beauty of
Missouri trails.
While, I may jump in the deep end, for most riders getting out on the trail for the first time, I’
m a firm believer in baby steps. There are times when you DO have to jump in the deep end
and as the commercials say, Just do it. However, when overcoming fears, and trust issues
with your horse, baby steps are the way to go.
The first baby step is to acknowledge what specifically about trail riding is making you
nervous. Do you not trust your horse? Do you not trust your riding buddies? Do you not
trust yourself? Once you know where your anxiety is coming from, you can address it.
If you don’t trust your horse, it’s likely he doesn’t trust you either, dig out your back issues
of Equestrian Central, Cody Holmes has addressed trust, also if you’re into books and
videos, all the big time trainers have at least one tape or book on trust. I’d like to share how
I built trust with my trail partner, Shadow. I spent as much time with him as possible, in and
around the barn, in the saddle, and just BE with him. I’d take a lawn chair and a book, and
hang out with him. It was a slow process, but now we have complete trust in each other.
Out on the trail I know if he refuses an obstacle, there is a good reason, it’s probably not
safe. If you’d rather follow a professional’s advice, Monte Roberts Join up is good for
building trust, and Parelli’s seven games are fun.
If you don’t trust yourself, this is harder to overcome. It takes some soul searching as to
WHY you don’t trust yourself. When I was 18, I broke my ankle in a riding accident. My
horse slipped going down a ditch and fell, I didn’t get kicked out, and he landed on me. Up
until just three years ago, I was scared to ride in wet conditions. I didn’t trust myself not to
do something stupid and put my horse and me in danger of falling again. It took a LONG
time to get the trust back in myself on the trail. FYI, I turn 38 in May.
The easiest of these trust issues to address your riding buddies. If you don’t trust them to
help you work through your issues, and find a way for EVERYONE on the ride to have a
good experience, my answer is simple, to the point. Get new riding buddies. Shadow and I
have no fear on the trail. I know that not everyone in my group feels the same way, I want
to make sure that everyone has a good time. It may not be as exciting for us to take the
easier obstacles, but it will guarantee that the new riders with us will want to ride with us
again. I see this as the responsibility of all trail riders, to ride to the level of the greenest rider
or the greenest horse or both.
There are some things to remember when riding trails. First, YOU are in control, and yes,
you can relax, but you and your horse have to remember that you are the boss. The
quickest way to develop a fear of the trail is to let your horse get ‘the best of you.” How
many times have you seen a horse be a pain in the you know for one rider, and an angel five
minutes later for another. Horses are going to test their limits. If he knows that a little crow
hop or head toss will get him back to his stall with hay, you can bet that he’ll try it. Horses
are smart. That’s something important to remember when your horse is prancy and excited
at the beginning of a ride. He’ll settle down. If you aren’t able to work through it, it could be
the beginning of a very bad habit.
Second, if you are a bundle of nerves, 9 times out of 10, your horse will be also. We are
communicating with our mounts constantly, Not just through the reins. We do communicate
our mood by how relaxed or tense our grip on the reins is, but also by how much tension
we are holding in the rest of our body. If you are tight and nervous, I can guarantee your
horse knows it. Remember, a horse can feel a FLY land on its shoulder; do you think he
can’t feel the tightness of every muscle in your body? If you can relax, your horse will relax.
Those are the biggies. Let’s take those baby steps to get out the gate and onto the trail. I
would start with a ride around the property; take a turn around the pasture. Cross the
creek, follow the trails the horses have made. Stop for the day, or do it again. You have
survived what my South African friends call an outride.
When you are comfortable on your property, or around your boarding stable, find someone
who is familiar with an easy trail in your area. Ask them to ride it with you, making sure they
are familiar with your concerns. I have a friend who has had confidence and fear issues,
stemming from a bad wreck in 2004. At the start of this year, she was scared to death to
follow, she didn’t trust that if her horse was rushing to catch a buddy that he wouldn’t fall
again. For her situation, we found that she overcomes her fears if she is the one in the lead.
Being the first over an obstacle keeps her relaxed in the saddle, which keeps her horse
relaxed.
It is important to discuss any concerns you have with your trail partner. Trail etiquette also
comes into play. Riders have to give each other space, and time to negotiate obstacles.
Nothing frays my nerves more than having someone rush me to negotiate an obstacle. It’s
okay to ASK if the person wants you and your horse to go first, but don’t just bully up
there and push your way through. It’s incredibly rude, and destroys a training opportunity
for your colleague.
If you come to an obstacle that is just too overwhelming, don’t take it. There are most
always alternate routes. Now, they may be longer, but there’s always a way around. That
said, you may not always have that option, particularly in a large group, but you should if
there are just 2 or 3 riders.
This leads me to another point; build your confidence in small groups. After that first outing
don’t immediately go to Cross Country trail rides at Eminence, even for seasoned riders
riding in groups of 100+ can be intimidating.
That about covers baby steps to get on the trail. Now for two other important factors to
take with you when you go out on the trails Safety and common sense.
****
I serve on the local volunteer fire department and on a Search and Rescue team. Our safety
comes first when we are on a mission or fighting a fire, or responding to an accident. It
should also be our priority around our horses.
According to research done in Australia, 80 percent of horse related injuries occur in the
saddle, and the remaining 20 percent while handling our beloved beasties. Many injuries are
preventable, according to the site. “A combination of common sense and caution is needed
when dealing with horses. To avoid injuries constant awareness of a horse's strength, nature
and behavior are needed. Get to know your horse, respect it and be alert to things which
may frighten it.”
I have a story to tell you, it’s rather embarrassing to admit. But I have forgotten safety and
common sense a time or two. Shadow has been my trail partner for 5 years. He is my SAR
partneras well we have a strong bond, and trust each other in all situations. Sometimes I
know better, and sometimes he does. Lately, I think he has more sense than I.
In September, I bought him a new pair of sport boots, put one on him and he didn’t like it. I
now have a dent in the quarter panel of my truck… they just don’t make ‘em like they used
to.
Not one to give up, I tried the boots again on our next ride. This time, he stood like a rock.
Here is where my 34 years of working with horses and common sense departed, just flew
out the window and down the road. I forgot that when new equipment is used, particularly
something on their legs, you need to kick the horse out to the end of the lead rope and
make him move until he is used to the new gear. Common sense, with any other horse I
probably would have remembered, but Shadow is perfect, he’s beyond normal equine
reactions….right? I picked his left forefoot up to pick his hoof and he blew… as I was back
pedaling to get out of his way I fell, grace has never been my strong suit. He ended up
stepping on me, since I fell right in his path, lost my glasses and couldn’t see a thing. I was
lucky. I had a banged up elbow and bruises on my right leg and foot the shape of a size
2 shoe. This was back in October. You can still see the hoofprint on my leg, and my elbow
is still screwed up.
I’m sharing this embarrassing story for a reason. I was lucky. I could very well have ended
up with a broken leg for my foolishness. This was not my horse’s fault, I ignored safety
rules, and common sense, more importantly, I forgot that while in my eyes, Shadow is
perfect, he is after all a horse, and will react as such. Horses are prey animals, they’re
instinct when faced with something frightening or threatening is to flee.
Common sense is the number one way we can be safe around our horses. Putting safety first
as a priority is number 1a. It’s important to arm ourselves with knowledge. Knowing a little
bit about why horses react the way they do is a good start. To that, I’d like to recommend a
website, www.equine-behavior.com/ This site details horse psychology and behavior. I
could write and write, and quote, but I recommend going to the source.
I won’t go on about wearing a helmet when we ride, I’ll just say I think it’s a good thing, no
matter what your riding style. Life is too precious to risk it needlessly.
Every time we catch our horse, saddle our horse and ride our horse; safety needs to come
first. If we’re safe when we ride, we will have that many more rides to enjoy in the future. I
lost about 3 weeks of riding because of my lack of common sense. I hate to see anyone
lose riding time because an accident could have been prevented.
Horse shopping
One way to add to your safety with horses is finding the right horse for your skill level.
The first steps, if you’re shopping for your first horse, or your child’s first horse, include not
being afraid to ask for advice from an experienced horse person. That will save you money,
pain and disappointment. A friend was skimming through horse ads and found this one:
“wanted: well broke, kid safe, young gelding or stallion.” Here’s what she interpreted from
that: “It should say wanted: I'm trying to kill my kid so I want a young stallion that can eat
his arm off, kick him in the head or run him over”
There are young horses that will work with an inexperienced rider, but they are rare. It is
much safer to find a horse who has experience doing what you want to do, whether it’s trail
riding or showing, one member of the team needs to have experience. There’s an old
saying, “green and green equals black and blue.”
To have an enjoyable experience with your first horse, learn from others mistakes by not
repeating them. Research before you buy. Learn what it will take financially to keep a horse
at home or boarded, decide what you want to do with your horse, what his job will be, find
a reputable trainer in your area to take some lessons with, and ask for their assistance
shopping.
Okay, I’m getting off my soapbox…I have to go grovel with my horse for my recent lapses
of common sense. After all, I may believe he’s PERFECT, but he is still just a horse, and
reacts instinctively when his human does stupid things.
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