HGG Community Forums

DivineDreams · Aug 1, 2019 4:44 PM

Hey everyone.

I have been rehabbing and restarting from scratch a wonderful 16hh+ 8 year old TB mare. She is a ❤️ horse and has helped me heal from the loss of my "Crusty Old Man" (a 14hh solid appy type gelding) who passed away 4 years ago yesterday.

My history... Extremely nervously rider who had awful panic attacks while riding. Especially mounting. My old man got me through it years ago and I was able to ride a wode variety of broke and unbroke horses confidently! However.. Ive only ridden once in 2 years. And I my anxiety has returned. Also I am 5'2 on a GOOD day lmao. Short legs and I am a bit heavier... Currently 200lbs. I have been told that I am a good rider. I have soft hands, patient but firm with a good seat. I know how to ride a well trained horse. Side pass, shoulder in, spins, sliding stops, roll backs, small fences. I have been told I have a good feel of aids. I am not bragging. I have lots still to learn. Just trying to explain me! I am also a rider that tunes in and listens to her mount. However all of this but I am nervous. My biggest fear.... Spooks and truly dirty behaviour. My old guy wasnt dirty. He could be stubborn and grumpy but was very good. I guess I am scared of falling off and getting hurt (ive only fallen off 3 times ish in over 20 years of riding, touch wood!)

I am currently trying to teach her to stand for mounting. Which she does, until I put weight in the stirrup, then she starts to walk off slowly. Which normally if I had my confidence is not an issue. But now I am getting black out anxiety. She is very patient and will whoa when I ask. She just has slow motion ants in her feet lol. I have been encouraging her to be what I call a "laid back and lazy". Which just means very relaxed, soft eye and no tension. Will move forward willingly but softly. Which she is becoming. She was extremely reactive and spooky. So her spooks now are flinches instead of all out explosions! Yay!

How do I get passed this fear again? It is right in my heart chakra. And it hurts. I feel every heart beat. I try grounding and centering but I feel like the arena is spinning. I keep having stupid visions of her being dirty or spooking.

I loooove riding. I miss that oneness connection with a horse whilst riding. Please help.

Justa · Aug 2, 2019 12:33 AM

First off, *hugs*. Panic attacks are horrible. I have them, though with different triggers, and I hate them muchly.

I'm not a pro either, but I've helped people work through similar things and I have complete confidence you two can do this. The source of her problem is pretty obvious. Race horses are tacked up and mounted on the move on many tracks. She may think you want her to walk and is just going extra slow because you keep saying whoa.

Now, if her walking off while you mount is a trigger, then you two need to take it away. It's usually really easy to teach a horse not to move for mounting. Find a spot where you can put her facing into a fence or wall when you mount and start teaching her a new cue... Stand. Say it, play with the saddle, lean on the stirrup, and if she doesn't try to walk forward (which is harder with a wall in front of her) let her know she did good. Do that a few dozen times until you get her bored and ignoring weight in the stirrup. It may take an hour or more, but it will be time well spent!

When she's nearly sleeping through it, repeat 'stand' firmly and then mount with her still facing the wall or fence. She should stand for you. If not then keep working with her on it, eventually she'll connect it, stand means don't move her feet at all. It's a very important thing to teach her anyway, stand has saved my horses' lives, literally. Sometimes you need a horse to just stop stock still and not move, which isn't the same as whoa. :)

BlaxkDiamond · Aug 2, 2019 1:16 AM

Panic sucks and I feel your pain. I’m not an expert but I have a few suggestions on your mare’s issue.

Something I would suggest is if at all possible get some of your confidence back on a more solid steady eddy horse. Also (if you are not already) try a western saddle, it will help hold you in place easier if she does spook and give you a bit more support. Make sure to get one that fits you otherwise they’re not much help besides the horn.

I had the same problem with my mare a month ago. I’d go to get on and she’d start moving, or as soon as my leg was over she’d start walking. I used Clinton Anderson’s method to fix it. However sometimes I feel Clinton makes energetic horses too nervous when he gets after them. I was always calm and nonplussed, I simply disengaged her hindquarters or backed her up, all the while keeping her calm. Pretty much doing the same thing he did but using different body language for it. I used disengaging her hindquarters as a way to get her mind back on me. Sometimes it takes more to get their mind on you, (but you know your horse so you’ll know when you’re tok firm or not firm enough). If she moved an inch I'd get back off and do it again. If she stood still I'd get off lavish praise on her scratch her all over give her a couple minutes then go again. I always ended when she would stand still and not move an inch. Another thing i do is rock the saddle before getting on to let her know im coming, and plant her feet to prepare I do the same thing when I get off.

Here’s the video.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=NGbsIVHee-k&t=1s

Another good horse YouTube channel to look up is Craig Cameron Ride Smart Horsemanship. He does everything nice and slow, and is really thinking about the horse.

I’m training my own horse and keep hitting bumps, so when I don’t know what to do I try to find someone who’s already mastered the problem and modify their method to work for me.

DivineDreams · Aug 2, 2019 3:21 AM

Great advice everyone! Im so glad to have such kind understanding friends like you! Thank you ❤️

Whim, my mare isnt off the track. I should have mentioned that. Oops lol. She was a late foal, so when yearling inspections came up whenever they do... she was too small to pass and sent to auction with an old broodmare :(. They were both bought by the "meat man" and were on their way to the yards when they had a layover at an auction. Then a girl rescued Whim for $175 in march of that year . She then was surrendered at nearly 2 to my friend, and given to a young girl who lost interest due to some dental/medical issues Whim had. Unfortunately Whim was neglected for 3 years. My friend couldnt intervene but did everything she could as an outsider looking into look out for her. Then I appeared in Whims life in Octoberish 2018. She was given to me officially April 2019. When I took her over she was underweight and in pain. So iIhad the chiropractor out and she is good now there. Her teeth were floated, but require two more visits 3 months apart to get her on track. Her next dental is coming up August 19.

She rescued me as much as I rescued her though. ❤️

Justa · Aug 2, 2019 6:21 AM

@DivineDreams Rescues are the best, no matter what kind of critter it is! I'm glad Whim made her way to you, it sounds like she finally has someone who's going to work with her and help her get healthy and learn. :) Getting her teeth sorted out should make a big difference for her comfort and then she'll likely be even easier to train.

RiverMeadows · Aug 2, 2019 7:03 AM

So I am also a very, very nervous rider, and there have been times in the past that riding gave me such anxiety that I cried. What I found with my new trainer was a way of taking everything I learned down to the basics, and practicing confidence rather than movements or riding. So what we would start with was setting tiny goals every time you work with the horse. For example, if mounting is my thing, I'd get tacked up, lead her to the block, put my foot in the stirrup/swing on. Whenever I feel anxiety, stop (if it's safe). Stay there until I calm down, or back down if I'm still struggling. The goal is to put my foot in the stirrup without anxiety. Once that is accomplished (and don't get frustrated! You are re-training your brain!) then just be done. That's it! You did it! Victory! Go untack and give your pony some carrots.
And I know it sounds like a waste of time. BUT things like this are what I had to do, step by step by step, and it does pay off. I've been mostly anxiety-free for two years now, but it took a full year of baby steps to get there.
(I also have ridiculously short legs, and I'm the largest person at the barn, thankfully horses don't care)

DivineDreams · Aug 3, 2019 1:17 AM

@RiverMeadows oh I am all too familiar with the terror tears! I really understand where you are coming from. Yes baby steps and rewards for myself and Whim. Thank you for your support! ❤️

@JustASaddleTramp all my guys are rescues! She surprisesme everyday with what she can do and her bombproofing is becoming more of a piece of cake! I dont have her in a bit, and have actually ordered her a custom nose band/bitless bridle and some other custom tack from a fabulous horse woman in the states. I cant wait for it to arrive! I will have to share to the Facebook group! Thank you for your support! ❤️

Update: there is a taller mounting platform designed for individuals in wheel chairs at where I board. They are a therapy facility. ❤️ It is waaay higher and way more sturdy thand the wee littlw standard mounting block I usually use. So I had her practice standing there. I even laid across her back. No saddle. And waaay less anxiety! I guess one of my problems, being a heavier individual, is when I mount i see how much my weight pulls her and the saddle o over, which makes me uneasy for her sake! So the higher plat form, I dont need to put her as much out of balance getting on. Im not fast getting on atm. So I can also be quicker getting on on this platform. I also do ride in a western saddle. I love schooling in an english. But for the time being, until I get confident its my western.

Justa · Aug 3, 2019 1:33 AM

@DivineDreams Bombproofing is always smart, and I love that you're training her bitless. Bravo! It also sounds like that higher platform is going to be a win-win. As a very short, heavier rider myself (when I could ride, many moons ago!), I used a set of stairs built next to my barn that were similar. Mounting is tough on the rider and the horse when you're heavy, but stepping on from a higher platform is much safer for you both. :)

Members log in here:
Username:
Password:
By hitting the above you signify that you agree with our rules and conditions.
Forgot your password?

HGG Community Forums

Join our discord server!

Howdy, Stranger!

Categories

In this Discussion

Join our discord server!

Enlarge Your Pastures

Reminders!