Getting back in the saddle.

You know the phrase, a confidence knock can only be levelled out by facing your fear, and I can prove that it’s at least true for me, using the phrase very literally.

I’ve been riding for 7 years; it should be 9. I rode at a school called ‘Wadlands’, terrible place, but I put up with it because I loved the feel it gave me. But the school was useless, they put you on any random horse, I was always on the tiny ones as they had two sorts: tiny Shetlands and about 16hh horses, which is tall for a year 4. On the bigger ones I was fine, and happy, but I couldn’t ride the smaller ones, always falling off.

But my bad fall happened in year 5, I was on a small horse called Rosie, we were doing this long rein canter, which is dangerous enough, but afterwards my teacher told me not to gather back up my reins, stupidly, I listened. Accident struck when the girl behind me couldn’t stop her horse, so it went into the back of mine, and because of the lack of rein control, I got thrown off and it was serious enough to earn me a night I hospital, which I have a scar to remind me of.

I was scared for a bit after, but knew I had to get back out there and get rid of this fear; which I did, and I’m glad about it, but I did it at another school.

Confidence can be lost, but it can be gained back. If you love something don’t let a bad experience put you off, it’ll have most likely been a one off experience, but you shouldn’t pretend it never happened, knowing it did may help you, I mean, I learnt that my instructor wasn’t always right. But, whether literal or not, getting back in the saddle could be one of the best decisions you ever make.

Thanks For Reading.x