What would you do if you weren't afraid?

That's one of the signs they have up at the Facebook offices and I thought it was a brilliant question.

Well...what would you do?

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Susan Larsen on October 24, 2010 at 12:12pm

Going out on a trail ride by myself. There is only the two of us at my barn(me and my 16 year old step daughter) and she is on again off again about riding her horse. I have come a long way in the past year,I no longer only ride in the ring,however I still have a ways to go before I would consider myself that confident rider that evented so many years ago.

Permalink Reply by Allison Park on November 16, 2010 at 9:15pm

I would go on a hunt. I don't know why I am afraid to do a hunt, I want to but am afraid to. Weird thing is I evented.

Permalink Reply by Jeanne Aiblinger on December 19, 2010 at 10:42am

Hi everybody. If I wasn't afraid I would enter in horse shows or do gymkanna and not worry about wether I am a good rider or not, since I am a self thought rider. I haven't riden since the loss of my horse. My heart isn't into it just yet. I have two horses left and should do something with them instead of just feeding, cleaning and repairing fences. Oh well soon I guess. Have a good day everyone.

Permalink Reply by Shirley on December 24, 2010 at 2:27am

Go for it! Start with the baby steps....just start!! A month later, take a look! Six months later, wow how far you will have come!! Your 1 year anniversary Wow! You'll have come a long way baby!! Be sure to take some videos and lots of pics so you can actually see how far you've come and how much you have improved. And isn't it nice....the idea that if they yell at you, you can actually FIRE them. I've had five different instructors in the past 6 years and never once has any of them yelled at me. I had oportunity to see Walter Zettl (sp?) last fall and he was so soft spoken and he's a master. If they need to yell at someone they need their ego boosted and who needs that kind of person in their horsie pleasure time? That's my opinion. You've got the horse~~you have a head start!! !Keep us informed!

Permalink Reply by Shirley on February 8, 2011 at 1:28pm

Rose-Marie Rozon, Hi Rose! Are you getting out and playing with your horse since you wrote on Dec. 21?

I have anxiety issues in the saddle. I do lots of ground work and for me that is wonderful but I want the under saddle stuff too. The past couple of nights I have rode in the indoor with 3 and 4 of us in there at the same time & it's not a huge arena. The longer I'm on the more I relax and the more comfortable my horse seems to get also, which makes sense. If I wait till I feel right to ask him to go instead of forcing myself all the time, we seem to be progressing slowly. I don't know how many times we have been thru this stage and progress and then something scarey happens and I'm back here again. But this is my challenge so I keep trying different things to help. Sometimes I feel like a failure and I have to remind myself that I've been getting on for 7 years now and have had lots of fun and a few bruises but I have not given up so I will hold onto that "I'm not a quitter" and I do keep finding new things to try. I love horsing around, just being w/ horses and helping the sad ones as much as I can when they do not belong to me.

Good luck finding a wonderful riding coach!! Enjoy the journey.

Permalink Reply by helen whittle on December 24, 2010 at 6:53am

I was reduced to grooming only(not that it's not a fantastic occupation ) for years & got back into riding properly with the help of an excellent instructor so I agree wholeheartedly: go for it!

If I waasn't such a wet lettuce I' would love to go team chasing again.

I am a real 'wuss' now after I broke my back last year & am struggling to regain fitness: sooo hard these days. Really chuffed I managed to go hunting earlier this season tho' with a hefty slug on hipflask!

Permalink Reply by Jackie Cochran on December 24, 2010 at 1:42pm

I no longer do a lot of things because of my MS messing me up physically and making me insecure.

I would trail ride, preferably just me and the horse.

I would jump, and therefore be able to ride cross-country at a gallop jumping obstacles as they come up.

I would train a young horse to saddle again. Nothing like that first time on the horse!

I would go fox hunting.

Permalink Reply by laurie with on January 2, 2011 at 1:04pm

canter outside in the field.......i have had fears about cantering since i started seriously riding 10 years ago, when i was a mere 54. i can now do it with confidence in the indoor, but the field is something else.

Permalink Reply by Patti Bartsch, Ph.D. on February 3, 2011 at 11:05am

It makes me sad to see that so many people are fearful or lack confidence. I invite you to download a free recording of my recent teleseminar "The Trifecta of Equestrian Show Ring Success Secrets". Even if you don't show, there is a segment on confidence that I hope will help you to be a little more unbridled when it comes to your confidence in the saddle. The info is free and there's a downloadable user guide. It's my gift to you. I hope it helps.

~Patti

Permalink Reply by Iliv2jump on May 16, 2011 at 10:21pm