Conquer your riding anxiety

Do you find yourself making excuses, or talking yourself out of riding or going to competitions? If so, you’re not alone. Many riders make excuses, whether we realise it or not, and it can play havoc with our confidence. If this sounds familiar, let’s explore some ways to let go of your excuses and get riding again!

Keeping it real

There are many reasons why we make excuses, and some are more common than others. It’s vital to be honest with yourself about this if you’re to move forwards.

• lack of confidence If you lack confidence in your ability, perhaps experiencing self-doubt or even fear around riding, this can lead to making excuses. You might even seek out reasons why today isn’t a good day to get on your horse
• perfectionism When you have very high expectations of yourself, sometimes unreasonably so, you can start picking up on the slightest change or issue, which then becomes blown out of proportion and a reason for not riding
• uncertainty As human beings, we’re inherently driven to avoid pain, discomfort and uncertainty, which is why it’s tempting to stay in your comfort zone. When facing a situation you’re uncertain about, your brain makes excuses over dealing with it. But, you can progressively grow your tolerance of uncertainty by finding evidence that you can do those things that have felt hard or scary in the past
• defensiveness When things are challenging or difficult, it’s easy to slip into victim mode, perceiving the worst is happening to you and that you have no control over what happens. Of course, you can’t control everything that happens around you, but you can learn to control your response. When you take responsibility for your thoughts, feelings and actions, you make better decisions that align with your values and goals, so, ultimately, the excuses disappear

A world of possibilities

First, examine how much you view life as being within your control. Excuses are often made to shift blame to circumstances – if you hear yourself saying you can’t ride because your friend isn’t riding, or because it’s windy, or there are horses turned out in the field next to the arena, you’re shifting the blame to someone or something external. Instead, learn how to rediscover what’s within your control.

To do this, you must first realise that you alone have the responsibility for how you think, feel and behave. The past does not equal the future and no matter what has happened to you in the past, your future is up to you.

When you shift your perspective in this way, you see that problems are opportunities, not obstacles. Life is happening for you and there are all kinds of possibilities available to you at any given moment – you simply need to look for them.

Find out ­how you can conquer your riding anxiety and meet your goals with Alison’s expert advice in April Horse&Rider – get your copy today!