After I suffered a concussion from a fall it took weeks before a could relax on my horse. Every time she tightened her muscles as if she might be about spook my body would tighten as well. It was just something that I had to work through.

One year ago my horse spooked when I let the garage door slam shut on our way out of the barn. He jumped forward on my foot and broke it. (I did the jumping clinic anyway!) I wore a walking cast for four months, and rode on the flat during the whole time without stirrups. Then my knee started to act up as soon as the cast was off. At the same time my horse had a nasal infectin that required a hole drilled into his sinus to clear up. Then he had a mysterious lameness incident that further sidelined him for months. I rode other horses during this time, but it wasn't the same. I found that I had to completely go back to basics as far as getting my confidence back. It's actually only this week that we've been reunited and I've jumped around a little course. I hope to get back to the 3 foot fences soon, but I'm going to go at the pace that makes me feel comfortable. I've been riding 23 years but a setback like this was almost enough to cause me to pack it in. Hang in there. It takes as long as it takes. Having an understanding trainer or buddy will make a huge difference. Sometimes, though, you have to suck it up. I know that I was far more nervous than the circumstances warranted at times, and it was only by fighting through it that I've made progress. Deb

I was seriously injured by a young horse. He took off and then stopped at the edge of the arena. I went over the front, was kicked under my helmet and in the neck and stepped on (horseshoe shaped bruise over my heart, how nice). He cracked one of my teeth, ruptured an ear drum, gave me a skull fracture and a subdural bleed as well as months of physical therapy and a week of my memory completely gone. He was a green horse and I am a timd rider, and a lot of people suggested I get a different horse but I'm stubborn and didn't listen. Not a good combination. I'm now on a solid pony, still young but as spook-proof as they come. I suggest getting a mellower horse. It was extremely hard to come back after such an injury, and I wouldn't have been able to do it without the confidence builder of a seasoned school pony who put up with me just walking around on him for several months!

So yes, the old saying "green horse+green rider=black and blue" has been proven by me, I really don't suggest trying it for yourself.

It's perfectly normal to be nervous!  Three years ago my mare (22 yrs old at the time, so not all green) bucked me off on a trail ride and then kicked me and broke my arm.  Let me tell you, it was a long walk home!  I was lucky, she went right back to the barn and someone was there to catch her for me, because it was a mile and a half walk, so of course she beat me home ;)   I was very nervous at first, and to this day am still more cautious.  After 6 weeks in a cast and another 6 weeks in a brace & therapy, I returned to riding very slowly.  I spent several weeks doing nothing but walking with her.  We worked our walks, lots of figures and patterns, backing up, turns on the forehand, so she was busy, but I spent a good long time before returning to first the trot, and then the canter.

If you have a more experienced rider or trainer who can help you out, definitely use them.  Ask someone else to ride your green horse, if you think your nervousness is being commincated to him.  And by all means, if you have a trainer or someone who can give you lessons, that will help rebuild your confidence.

No need to worry about feeling nervous, that is natural. Unfortunately, sometimes we have to experience things like this to make us reasonably cautious. Horses are large animals, and unpredictable, and we can get hurt! Anyone who spends any length of time with horses is eventually going to get hurt. Accidents are going to happen. That doesn't mean we don't take steps to ensure safety for man and beast as much as possible.

quarterhorsetimestwo:

Do you get back on as soon as your able?  We have only been involved with our horses a few month.  I was kicked as I got off our 4 yr old.( he is still kind of green) He just turned and kicked that back leg.  Caught my left calf.  Broke it in two spots.  required surgery for a 10 inch plate & 10 screws.  I just got my cast off 4 days ago.  I must say I'm a little nervous around both horses right now.  I need to build that calf muscle up a little.  Trying not to limp.

Is it normal to be a little nervous.  I don't want the horses to pick up on it.  Anybody else been that way at first?

 Oh, yeah! I've had three concussions, a broken arn, dislocated the shoulder and hip on one side, and so on.  I also had cancer/surgery/chemo that kept my horses in the pasture and unridden for nearly a year and eye surgery that was really scary.  Talk about nervous . . !  Spread over 47 years, it's actually not a bad record, but I was very anxious getting back on each time.  I did ride as soon as I was physically able, but I always started with the most trustworthy horse in the herd.

 I agree with the posters that said you need a quiet horse that is totally broke.  But if you can't manage to buy or borrow one, I suggest you ask someone else with plenty of experience to ride your horse a few times while you watch.  Then get on with that other person present, even ask them to lead (not longe--not enough control!) the horse with you aboard until you feel you're ready.  I did that with a very frightened adult student, and in no time she was ready to move off on her own. 

You're right; horses will notice the tension.   A young horse that's already nervous and not entirely under control will be very sensitive to your body language. Meanwhile spend as much time as you can just handling your horse from the ground.  You'll begin to get a better sense of his moods and personality that way. Play games, clicker train, just sit near him and read a book.  It's amazing how much you can improve your relationship with your horse just by "being there". 

 IMHO the best option is the most obvious.  Send your horse out to a reputable trainer to be settled a bit.  That can work wonders.

 Good luck! 

I'm lucky enough to say that through all the horses I've trained and ridden I've yet to be seriously injured.  Yes, I've been thrown but, as of yet I have not broken a bone or been knocked out....nothing that has stopped me from getting right back on.   Knock on Wood.

I've been kicked in the wrist/stomach (the hoof caught wrist and stomach...guess I was trying to block with my arm???) but, didn't break anything and was just sore for a few days. 

 I did however, get viciously attacked and bitten (whole arm in mouth bit) by a horse.  Ended up with torn muscle.  He turned out to be a biter/attacker...whatever you want to call him.  I handled him for 2 years trying to get the owner (my aunt) to sell him....he was going to hurt somone and hurt them worse then me I told her....he kept attacking but, never actually got anyone after me.  

 I finally convinced her to sell and the day we sold him he attacked and bit her.  She had to have surgery on her arm and has tooth scar.  Had brusining 8 months after the injury.  2 or 3 years later....now....she still have trouble with her arm.   

 That horse did make me nervous but, I learned to watch him extremely carefully and NEVER take my eye from his. I never let him know he could make my stomach turn.  I could go on about encounters with this horse but, none ended in serious injury and that would be off topic.   

 

I think its super normal after a bad experience to be abit nervous.

Do you have access to an older, been there, done that horse? I think THAT is best thing to build confidence back in and get rid of any nervousness.

Two important things:

 1.  Have someone watch you mount and dismount and figure out WHY he kicked.  Are you dragging your foot across his butt when you get off?  That would be an obvious problem and fairly easy to cure with work on your part and sacking-out on his.

2.  Don't let this become a phobia!  The longer you put off trying again, the bigger the fear will get.  That's bad. 

Well here's an update:  My leg is getting better -  its still here & there but for the most part good.  The horse that kicked me is getting a refresher course of sorts. ( while I was recouperating he didnt get much attention & got rather pushy to myself & son..  )  I called our trainer and asked if he had some time to see what ws wrong.  He has been working with Buddy for about 1 month now.

Our trainer & his wife also had me go out to there house to ride their TWH.  They have asked me if I wanted him ,as his wife is unable to ride him anymore due to a heart problem.  Both he & his wife feel it would be safer for me to ride him as he has been broke for a long time.  

So I decided I would go have a refresher course myself with the trainer & his wife & my new horse.  I have ridden him twice in the round pen so far..  My husband's response to this was "How scared were you"  But I did OK.  I was really really nervous the first time, better the second.  I have a new saddle coming so I'm hoping to ride again with it.

I keep telling myself that i dont need to be afraid.  Cautious is a better word.  Thanks to all that have extended good wishes and shared their stories.  I don't feel so stupid now.  Everybody makes  mistake. (I think I may have poked him when I got off maybe thats why he kicked).  Hopefully we all will have an injury free year!!!   I'm not going to give up riding now.

Thanks

Jane

Good for you!!! 

 Hi,

I just recently fell off my horse while jumping and slammed into the indoor wall.  I broke small bones in my back (not the important ones!) and was very bruised and sore.  I have a very sensitive TB and I too worry that I may be nervous when I first get back on.  I have found that just spending time around him grooming and playing on the ground has helped keep me confident.  I work closely with a trainer and we have planned that my first few rides will be on a school horse and I will gradually work my way back.  It is natural to be nervous, and I know that deep breathing and visualization has helped me in the past.  I imagine myself having a great ride and I will even sing a little song while riding to keep myself breathing.  Accidents happen but they can happen anywhere not just on a horse.  Good luck and  hang in there, the rewards of a life with horses far outweigh the risks!

 

It's totally normal to be nervous for a while! I had a bad spill 5 years old while jumping my gelding and tore multiple ligaments in my spine and was in pretty bad shape for a while and I was super nervous getting back on for the first time when I was healed. I had my best friend hop on and school my gelding for a while to make sure he was quiet and then I got on and just took it easy. It took some time to get back to normal and to tell you the truth, whenever I get put back in that exact situation (same type of jump, same height, same turn, etc.,) I'm still a little weary. But you get through it ... so just take the time you need, ask for help if you need it, and get yourself back to where you're comfortable!! Take care!!

Wow Ginger9902 ... that sounds like it was a serious and really tough situation. It's so sad when. It makes me so sad when I hear of horses like that that are so emotionally scarred to turn them into being that dangerous. Tough luck for you and the owner!!

I got thrown off an unbroken 4 yr old about 18months ago (I was backing him) and ended up with a L2 crush (spinal fracture basically). The horse was a serious, long term problem horse before he came to me and TBH I had bitten off more than I could chew with him as a backing project. I had a lot of help but sadly he just didn't have it in his head to be ridden. I think he was put down in the end as he was considered dangerous :( :(

Despite horses being my greatest passion, not to mention my career... I was desperately desperately nervous (read terrified) for months afterwards. Loosing my nerve was probably the most appalling thing that has ever happened to me, to be so frightened of doing something that was the most important thing in my life (and my job!) and had been for years was just unspeakably devastating. It took me a very long time to come to terms with my nerves but it wasn't until I finally accepted that it was OK to be afraid given what had happened to me that I was able to start getting better.

Since then I have talked to many people who have had this sort of accident, including a girl at my yard whose horse rolled on her, and they have talked about similar experiences. so you are not alone. Keep remembering this YOU ARE NOT ALONE FEELING THIS WAY.  And you are not alone to feel this way as much as 2 years after the accident. It is completely completely normal. Some people never get over it (this girl at my yard now will only ride one horse, every other horse just freaks her out completely and she is a bloody good rider with a lot of SJ experience behind her).

However, it sounds as if you are making progress with getting over it. Just remember to take little steps and dont' push yourself farther than you are ready to go. And take stock every few months, look back and think how far you have come. The worst thing you can do is think things like "oh, I jumped 2'6 today, before my accident I was happily jumping 3'6 - I'm rubbish". Instead thing "OMG, I jumped 2'6 today, two months ago I was nervous walking over a pole on the ground - I'm so proud of myself!".

My boss gave me one piece of advice which I have treasured... About 6 months after my accident I was walking round the arena on a very VERY jumpy youngster and I was obviously looking really tense and nervous because I thought the horse was one stride away from a rodeo display! He called me over and we had the following conversation

Boss "Jen, why are you so tense?"

Me "Because I think this horse is about to explode and its making me feel really nervous"

Boss "well, when it does, IF it does, you're going to tense up pretty dam quick then aren't you?"

Me "... yes...I suppose"

Boss "well why waste your energy and emotions getting tense before its happened?"

I've thought about this a lot since and he was totally correct. Don't waste your energy wondering What If, and What next. Just ride the horse underneath you and trust that if something goes wrong, you'll be able to deal with it... and if you can't, well that is the risk we take horse riding.

Good luck