Riding anxiety after an accident: handling it psychologically

Hi!

How lovely that you are sharing this and telling us about your fear. Many of us, in fact most people in the horse world, have to face and work through fear from time to time. Feeling afraid is completely natural, and we are handling large animals that could injure us seriously in an accident. Having respect for that is healthy, and sometimes fear is genuinely useful. It makes us stop and think, which can help us approach a situation more safely. Sometimes, though, fear becomes an obstacle that leaves us feeling low, unable to stay present or to enjoy time with our horses.

In your case it sounds as though the fear was triggered by an accident? I am curious whether you have tried anything so far to manage it, and whether anything in particular has helped?

There are several ways to work on fear. Professional help is certainly one route, but many people can work on it themselves with support from family, friends or a trainer. Being honest with yourself and telling someone about your fear is the first step, and you are already well on your way.

When it comes to working on the fear, people often talk, as you mention, about challenging your fears and exposing yourself to what frightens you. The important thing I want to remind you of is that this is not about putting yourself in frightening situations for their own sake. It is that, through those situations, such as hacking out, you expose yourself to your fear, to the feeling itself. The aim is to become less afraid of the fear and gradually help your brain understand that these situations, the ones that trigger the fear, were not dangerous. We often think we need to get rid of all fear before we can ride. An important lesson for many people is that you can take your fear by the hand and ride in spite of something frightening you. Little by little, the fear usually eases the more you face it.

It will come good. Give it some time and be kind to yourself along the way 💞 The very best of luck! 🌸