Has anyone tried hypnotherapy for riding related problems. I have a fear of hacking steming back to a bad accident years ago.I can ride in the school no problem. I have a nice quiet sensible horse and access to off road riding. Still can't. No one available that is really confident to help me.Have tried TFT and with mild success some of the tapes but feel I need a proper session.Live in Merseyside U.K. Anyone with any experiences? Anyone sugest a suitable therapist or what to look for in a suitable therapist?
hacking nerves
- Thread starter Sumitra
- Start date
D
debknowlson
Guest
Hi
I can totally sympathise with how you feel. I too had a totally trustworthy horse but for no apparent reason I felt physically sick and would shake at the mere thought of hacking out, let alone going into an open field.
This went on for about a year and I got so fed up with myself as I was desperate to get out and about. One day, I told myself that every time I got scared (and for me it started in the stomach), I'd force myself to think of a hippo rolling in mud (like on Reggie Perrin when he used to think of his mother in law) - I know it sounds a bit simplistic but it was an image that would block out all others. I forced myself to go out and every time I got scared I'd say outloud "hippos, hippos, hippos" till I got the fear under control. I'd end up saying this so many times on each hack to begin with but after a few months I realised that I didn't say it any more. After a year I was taking my horse to country parks and having a ball.
Hope it helps! xxx
I can totally sympathise with how you feel. I too had a totally trustworthy horse but for no apparent reason I felt physically sick and would shake at the mere thought of hacking out, let alone going into an open field.
This went on for about a year and I got so fed up with myself as I was desperate to get out and about. One day, I told myself that every time I got scared (and for me it started in the stomach), I'd force myself to think of a hippo rolling in mud (like on Reggie Perrin when he used to think of his mother in law) - I know it sounds a bit simplistic but it was an image that would block out all others. I forced myself to go out and every time I got scared I'd say outloud "hippos, hippos, hippos" till I got the fear under control. I'd end up saying this so many times on each hack to begin with but after a few months I realised that I didn't say it any more. After a year I was taking my horse to country parks and having a ball.
Hope it helps! xxx
I haven't any experience with hypnotherapy, but lots with nerves!!!
Have you tried any small steps towards hacking instead of trying to take a massive plunge at once? Something like leading her instead of riding, or maybe long-reining? Or going out on your bike, while someone else rides your mare?
sorry I'm no help with the hypnotherpay.... I realise this probably isn't the response you are looking for...
Have you tried any small steps towards hacking instead of trying to take a massive plunge at once? Something like leading her instead of riding, or maybe long-reining? Or going out on your bike, while someone else rides your mare?
sorry I'm no help with the hypnotherpay.... I realise this probably isn't the response you are looking for...
hypnotherapy
Hi
I tried hypnotherapy when I found I was paying someone to ride my last horse not me out hacking. She had done her best to get me off on a couple of occasions, and I'm not the most confident. What I actually found was the hypnotherapy was successful and the next time I rode her out I got the better of her and wasn't so nervous.
Hi
I tried hypnotherapy when I found I was paying someone to ride my last horse not me out hacking. She had done her best to get me off on a couple of occasions, and I'm not the most confident. What I actually found was the hypnotherapy was successful and the next time I rode her out I got the better of her and wasn't so nervous.
Hi there , I used hypnotherapy for a different but sort of related nerves probl;em and it was fantastic, do try it. When you are there it feels like it hasn't worked and you think what a load of rubbish, but it does work.
I looked in the yellow pages for a therapist, I knew I felt more comfortable with a lady, so I just rang a few and went to one who I felt I clicked with. It isn't cheap, but boy was it worth it!!
Give it a go, Cate
I looked in the yellow pages for a therapist, I knew I felt more comfortable with a lady, so I just rang a few and went to one who I felt I clicked with. It isn't cheap, but boy was it worth it!!
Give it a go, Cate
I can thoroughly sympathise as I am just the same and hacking feels me with terror.
I used to be a happy hacker with my Irish Cob (now sold) who was like the Rock of Gibraltar until I had a terrible accident on him (not his fault) fell off at speed and cut my leg open very badly etc etc. Even then once I was better got back on him and did some hacking (but never again cantered). Now I have bought my lovely 14.2 Welsh Section D and I (for some reason) had a terrible confidence crisis. Now 6 months later I am riding her happily in the school and have even now at last tried a bit of canter (not well I am afraid).
I have hacked her out a few times and she is perfect but I am such a bag of nerves that for the time being I have stopped hacking. I am lucky in that a friend of mine hacks her out as often as she can, so she is not lacking in fun. Why I feel like this I do not know, can only say that however I try to push it away, the memory of my out of control gallop that day of the accident keeps coming back. Have never thought of being hypnotised though - have always been sceptical of such things.
Feel that one day I might just feel like hacking again. But am not going to beat myself up to do it if I don't want to at the moment.
Good luck to you and keep us posted!
Snowflake
I used to be a happy hacker with my Irish Cob (now sold) who was like the Rock of Gibraltar until I had a terrible accident on him (not his fault) fell off at speed and cut my leg open very badly etc etc. Even then once I was better got back on him and did some hacking (but never again cantered). Now I have bought my lovely 14.2 Welsh Section D and I (for some reason) had a terrible confidence crisis. Now 6 months later I am riding her happily in the school and have even now at last tried a bit of canter (not well I am afraid).
I have hacked her out a few times and she is perfect but I am such a bag of nerves that for the time being I have stopped hacking. I am lucky in that a friend of mine hacks her out as often as she can, so she is not lacking in fun. Why I feel like this I do not know, can only say that however I try to push it away, the memory of my out of control gallop that day of the accident keeps coming back. Have never thought of being hypnotised though - have always been sceptical of such things.
Feel that one day I might just feel like hacking again. But am not going to beat myself up to do it if I don't want to at the moment.
Good luck to you and keep us posted!
Snowflake
SwiftSnowmane
Forth Eorlingas!
Hi Sumitra
Poor you - it seems to be such a common fear. I'd have to agree with debknowlson - I think the visualisation can have an incredibly strong effect on your nerves, and I've certainly found that funny images help to relax me when I feel nervous. But like deb, it does have to be something you do repeatedly - rather like humming when you ride, which relaxes both you and the horse, and takes your mind off actually thinking about what you are doing. Makes it all more natural somehow.
On a different note, a friend of mine tried hypnotherapy for smoking once, and had several sessions, but his desire to smoke was so strong it didn't work on him. I'm sure it does work for some people, but I would go with deb's approach first-off.
Sorry - not much help. Good luck!
Poor you - it seems to be such a common fear. I'd have to agree with debknowlson - I think the visualisation can have an incredibly strong effect on your nerves, and I've certainly found that funny images help to relax me when I feel nervous. But like deb, it does have to be something you do repeatedly - rather like humming when you ride, which relaxes both you and the horse, and takes your mind off actually thinking about what you are doing. Makes it all more natural somehow.
On a different note, a friend of mine tried hypnotherapy for smoking once, and had several sessions, but his desire to smoke was so strong it didn't work on him. I'm sure it does work for some people, but I would go with deb's approach first-off.
Sorry - not much help. Good luck!
I actually went on a rather enjoyable hack on Saturday completely out of the blue.
I was at the yard not dressed for riding but had my boots on. One of the other liveries asked me if I was riding and I said no - had to do the shopping (any excuse). This lady is a very experienced rider of many years who often takes her horse out for a good gallop at weekends but is also kind and sensible. I explained about my nerves and she kindly said (in fact she insisted!) she would accompany me for a walk around the block.
So I put on my hat and some chaps round my trousers (didn't have jods on) and off we went. We went out for about an hour just plodded around some lovely country lanes. I had never taken Bounty on the road before (my friend does and I knew she was 100% in traffic) and she never put a hoof wrong. I really enjoyed it and my hacking companion and I chatted away and I felt quite relaxed, much as I used to feel.
I think it was because I felt almost as if I was going out with an instructor, someone I could really trust. I would certainly hack round that route again with confidence.
Snowflake
I was at the yard not dressed for riding but had my boots on. One of the other liveries asked me if I was riding and I said no - had to do the shopping (any excuse). This lady is a very experienced rider of many years who often takes her horse out for a good gallop at weekends but is also kind and sensible. I explained about my nerves and she kindly said (in fact she insisted!) she would accompany me for a walk around the block.
So I put on my hat and some chaps round my trousers (didn't have jods on) and off we went. We went out for about an hour just plodded around some lovely country lanes. I had never taken Bounty on the road before (my friend does and I knew she was 100% in traffic) and she never put a hoof wrong. I really enjoyed it and my hacking companion and I chatted away and I felt quite relaxed, much as I used to feel.
I think it was because I felt almost as if I was going out with an instructor, someone I could really trust. I would certainly hack round that route again with confidence.
Snowflake
sensible hacking partners
Snowflake - good for you for going out for that hack - sounds like you had a very positive experience I think you are right that sensible company when hacking can really help your confidence. There are some people at my yard who I just will NOT hack with because they don't have any consideration for other people and do nothing to help my confidence when hacking. But there is another group of considerate, sensible riders who are very tolerant of my occasional 'wobbly' moments and because of this, I find I am much more confident and relaxed with them.
So choose your hacking partners wisely and enjoy
Snowflake - good for you for going out for that hack - sounds like you had a very positive experience
I think you are right that sensible company when hacking can really help your confidence. There are some people at my yard who I just will NOT hack with because they don't have any consideration for other people and do nothing to help my confidence when hacking. But there is another group of considerate, sensible riders who are very tolerant of my occasional 'wobbly' moments and because of this, I find I am much more confident and relaxed with them.So choose your hacking partners wisely and enjoy
Will keep you up to date.Thanks for all the kind sugestions.Will try visulization techniques and wait for wind to die down!
I too must admit that sometimes I'm a bit wary of going out hacking alone - yet I prefer it to riding in the school. I had a couple of nasty accidents a while back when out hacking so I guess that's put me off a bit. But I will take Falcon out hacking just round the fields tho as there's not too much off road riding. I loved hacking my Exmoor out as he was lovely out hacking. Falcon is very young (4 yo) and hasn't had a lot of experience of anything.
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