Overcoming a fear of speed

Feeling scared on a horse from time to time is nothing strange at all. As a rule, if you feel held back by fears and want to get over them, challenging those fears gradually is often what helps.

The aim of doing this is to re-teach the brain, to turn what is frightening into something harmless over time. If speed frightens you, are there situations that feel less frightening? Is it less scary in an arena or indoor school than out in the woods, for example? Start where it feels least frightening and challenge your fear a step at a time. When fear takes over, you sometimes fall back on what are called safety behaviours, such as gripping the saddle, holding the horse short, using a harsher bit or asking other horses nearby to stop. Challenge these safety behaviours, whatever they are for you, in small steps. The fear will not disappear from one day to the next, but allow it to take a little time 😊