# Getting over fear caused by my injured horse



## gottatrot (Jan 9, 2011)

Welcome!

Just to clarify...you were injured in a riding accident with your gaited horse, but it didn't make you fearful and you were back in the saddle that same week (with a broken back?) Now that horse is retired for some other reason, but you have a new horse. That horse was in an accident that is unrelated to riding, but suddenly you are nervous about riding him?

Or are you saying that you did lose confidence after your accident with the gaited horse, which is why you retired him, but now you are having nerve issues even with a different and more mellow horse?

My guess is that your fears are related to having a couple of accidents with horses in a relatively short amount of time. My advice might not help you, but I've always believed that fear is an emotion, and as an emotion it should not control us. Logic is something to base what we do on. I've always told myself that since fear is just a feeling, if my logic says I can do something, I should do it. So what if you shake or feel weird in your stomach? People jump out of airplanes to get that same feeling. Feelings are not dangerous.

If you get on your horse and ride, all those years of feeling safe on horses will soon have your brain remembering that this is a safe thing to do. Your comfort can only come back if you have your body go through the motions a few times until the brain stops reacting with endorphins inappropriately.

Something to consider if you are only used to gaited horses is that your body might be interpreting the different gait your horse has as something new and scary, so the adrenaline might go away as you get more in tune with the way he moves versus a gaited horse.


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## Fireinmysoul (May 6, 2019)

[Thank you gotta trot. Yes, you read my post accurately. 16 breaks in my back and, against dr orders, three days after, I wrapped myself up like a mummy and had no fear on my trotter/ Walker. I rode him three days a week and on weekends and lost not a grain of confidence. Rode him all over 1700 acres of trails alone after the crash. I retired him because he turned 26 yrs old and I just didn't feel that putting him through 6,7,10 houre rides was good for him. Thinking bad decision now, as he is healthy. This is my first quarter horse and that's a training process for me, but i have ridden quarter horses in the past. I just became terrified of my new q horse, No Name, after his injury. I am sending him to a very trusting cowboy to ride him out for a month and this gentleman says that he will not turn me out on the horse until he also traines me to ride the horse in the manner that he is being trained. I'm sure this all sounds foolish looking at my riding experience and years in the saddle. Just wondered if anyone here might have a good boot to kick this old gal and help get her back into her passion. Appreciate your response. Probably should just head down and throw that saddle on him and get my confidence back!
Thank you gotta trot. Yes, you read my post accurately. 16 breaks in my back and, against dr orders, three days after, I wrapped myself up like a mummy and had no fear on my trotter/ Walker. I rode him three days a week and on weekends and lost not a grain of confidence. Rode him all over 1700 acres of trails alone after the crash. I retired him because he turned 26 yrs old and I just didn't feel that putting him through 6,7,10 houre rides was good for him. Thinking bad decision now, as he is healthy. This is my first quarter horse and that's a training process for me, but i have ridden quarter horses in the past. I just became terrified of my new q horse, No Name, after his injury. I am sending him to a very trusting cowboy to ride him out for a month and this gentleman says that he will not turn me out on the horse until he also traines me to ride the horse in the manner that he is being trained. I'm sure this all sounds foolish looking at my riding experience and years in the saddle. Just wondered if anyone here might have a good boot to kick this old gal and help get her back into her passion. Appreciate your response. Probably should just head down and throw that saddle on him and get my confidence back
ust to clarify...you were injured in a riding accident with your gaited horse, but it didn't make you fearful and you were back in the saddle that same week (with a broken back?) Now that horse is retired for some other reason, but you have a new horse. That horse was in an accident that is unrelated to riding, but suddenly you are nervous about riding him?

Or are you saying that you did lose confidence after your accident with the gaited horse, which is why you retired him, but now you are having nerve issues even with a different and more mellow horse?

My guess is that your fears are related to having a couple of accidents with horses in a relatively short amount of time. My advice might not help you, but I've always believed that fear is an emotion, and as an emotion it should not control us. Logic is something to base what we do on. I've always told myself that since fear is just a feeling, if my logic says I can do something, I should do it. So what if you shake or feel weird in your stomach? People jump out of airplanes to get that same feeling. Feelings are not dangerous.

If you get on your horse and ride, all those years of feeling safe on horses will soon have your brain remembering that this is a safe thing to do. Your comfort can only come back if you have your body go through the motions a few times until the brain stops reacting with endorphins inappropriately.

Something to consider if you are only used to gaited horses is that your body might be interpreting the different gait your horse has as something new and scary, so the adrenaline might go away as you get more in tune with the way he moves versus a gaited horse.[/QUOTE]


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## ACinATX (Sep 12, 2018)

I don't think extra training for you or for your horse is ever foolish, regardless of your level of experience.

If it were me, I think I would try to make a mental line between what happened (horse freaked out when loading) and my prior experience of the horse, especially if he's always been a solid riding horse. Don't go near a trailer again for a little while. Just ride him. But also do groundwork -- build that relationship and trust between the two of you. Then slowly start laying the basis for trailering.

Since he's going to be at the trainer's, and your other horse is still sound, why not ride your other horse for now, just to get back in the swing of things? You don't have to ride him all over the place, but an hour's ride at a walk or walk-trot, if he's sound, would actually probably be good for him.


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## egrogan (Jun 1, 2011)

I think I can relate. I had my confidence shaken really badly a couple of winters ago when my horse fell, with me in the saddle, on a patch of ice in the woods. Fortunately, we were both ok, but I still think about all the really awful things that could have happened. I now find that I carry around this very unhelpful fear of putting her in a position where she's (or we are) going to be hurt. For example, she balks about going down a particular trail, and there happens to be a deep ditch to the side of it- one of her evasions is backing up, so I know if I push her through the balk, there's a chance she's going to back up and fall down in the ditch. That's not a particularly rational thing to worry about, but it causes me to handle the balk differently.


How to get over that fear? I'll get back to you when I figure it out... :wink:


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## Jolly101 (Jul 2, 2018)

I think sending your horse to a trainer and having that trainer teach you is a great start! It will give you some reassurance that what you are doing is correct. Just to clarify, are you nervous about injuring yourself, your horse or a combination of both? 


I'd take things slow. Push yourself out of your comfort zone a bit and then call It a day. Maybe even have the trainer show you some tricks when dealing with a horse in the same trailer situation? That way, you'll feel more prepared next time, if It ever were to happen again (although It's unlikely  ).


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## PoptartShop (Jul 25, 2010)

I think that's great you are getting a trainer to help the both of you. You will definitely get your confidence back in no time.  Just take it slow, do what you are comfortable with but also push yourself. ALWAYS end on a good note. & most of us equestrians are stubborn, we get right back on no matter how sore we are! :lol: Good for you!!


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## egrogan (Jun 1, 2011)

Jolly101 said:


> . Just to clarify, are you nervous about injuring yourself, your horse or a combination of both?



This is a good question. I read the OP's fear as being rooted in seeing the horse hurt, which prompted my story. Funny how we read our own stories into our interpretation of other people's questions :wink:


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## carshon (Apr 7, 2015)

I think that your fear is less about that specific horse but about having a "different horse" I have gone through this myself in recent years and it happens each time I need to bring in a new horse as my main horse. You boned with your other horse you knew each other inside and out and then WHAM! New horse, that you do not know well. Older body, more conservative mind. Confidence blow!

Sending your horse to a trainer is a good start - but what I cannot stress enough is lessons and a ton of ground work. Not just for No Name but for you. This horse needs to learn about you and you need to learn about him.

Once you get to know him and build some trust between the two of you it will be smooth sailing! 

**my best friend told me its kind of like getting in the dating pool again after being in a long term relationship :L)


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## Clydesmom18 (Jan 4, 2018)

I am going through almost the same issue. After 20 years with two very trusting guys, who I loved and lost within the last 3 years, I just bought a new one. I have had two injuries while on other horses (broken shoulder after being thrown into a fence and a broken ankle after the horse just outright fell on the trail for no reason). I now have an 11 year old Appy that was show jumping and really trained well. Not sure if he is to much for me or if I need to put my big girl pants on and stop being nervous. I am afraid I am letting my age (58) get to me and I am so not ready to stop riding. I also have never given up on any animal so I feel this guy needs a chance. I took him on the trail this weekend with a large group and he had a few moments that make me question the whole thing. I have a good trainer at my barn who I will let work with us. Feeling not so alone after reading your post. Good luck


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## loosie (Jun 19, 2008)

gottatrot;1970716097I've always believed that fear is an emotion said:


> Airplanes are inanimate objects that aren't going to react to your fear though. Whereas a horse might think 'what's she shaking for??" & get jumpy themselves. Speaking from experience on that one. All the logic & telling myself I 'should' be able to do this didn't help - in fact, made it worse. What did help was 'respecting' & validating this new emotion & working through it just as I would with a scared horse or child.
> 
> Fireinmysoul, I too had been riding all sorts, fearlessly, since I was a kid. I had come off my well trained mare on a bitumen road when I was pregnant(somehow got a stick stuck through the stirrup & was jabbing her) - but didn't get too badly hurt - just skunnies & bruises, as I landed on hands & knees, trying to keep my tummy off the ground! Went back to riding during & after pregnancy, started her 4yo 'colt' myself, no worries. Then after my second pregnancy which I didn't ride through, having a young green horse, I had an accident - again not seriously hurt, but after that, I was nervous.
> 
> ...


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## pasomountain (Dec 19, 2018)

I just rode my 26 yr old peruvian gaited horse tonight for the first time all winter and we had a great time! Hope you can still ride your old boy too--it really would be a confidence booster I think. I have also semi retired my guy and have a new horse so can relate to the new horse jitters. I've been more fearful of riding new horses since reading about some bad wrecks other people had and then getting bucked off my sister's horse didn't help. Since riding season is now here--better weather and all the mud drying up--I thought it would be a good idea to get back in riding shape with my old horse first. My new one just got back from a 2 week refresher at the trainer's and she said he's a great trail horse and that's what I wanted. So I have no good reason to be afraid even though I haven't ridden him since last year. Hope it goes well with your new QH too and you can have fun with him.


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