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Please Reply to: Char char.antuzzi@xxxxxx or ridecamp@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
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I have many clients whom have been hurt in the past and have
every right to be scared. They've been dragged, bucked off,ran
over and bolted with. One client was thrown from her horse out
on the trail. The horse came home with out her. A search was
started and they found her. She had to be air lifted out. 
Talk about a lady that was scared! This is how I teach all riders that come to 
me that are scrared and have had really bad
accidents. It works for me and my clients.

First: I ask them what they are scared of? Is it the fear of 
being hurt again. Is it the fear of losing control of the
horse? Yes, that is the answer I get 100% of the time.
So now we know the under lying factor is the rider is scared
of getting hurt again. (Kind of a no brainer, but you'd be
surprised when the rider doesn't really know why they are
scared. When the rider understands just what they are scared of
they can start to work on a cure for it). What causes one to
get hurt?  The answer is not having control of a horse that out 
weighs you by a lot and one that has instints for survival. 


Horses will do what ever they need to do in order to stay
alive. If you happen to be on their backs, or standing on foot
it doesn't matter, they will do what they have to do. So
getting over the fear is by taking baby steps and learning you
have control over that horse. I try to teach the riders ques
the horse is giving that something big might be about to 
happen. I teach the riders, that if the horse is giving off 
some ques, you might want to do something to get that horses
mind shifted back on you, the rider. Where the ears of the
horse is pointing is where that horses attention is.

I put these riders on very gentle and well trained horses.
In an arena and or round pen. We start out on the ground first.
If there is fear on the ground there is going to be bigger fear
on their backs! I teach them to move the horses over, move it's
hips, it's legs, back up, turn around etc. In the round pen,
I teach the person how their body language will have an effect
on the horse. Where that horse goes, at what speed, etc. Once
the person is feeling better on the ground, we get on. Baby
steps!

The first thing I have them do is back the horse up.
Most people are afraid the horse will run off and buck. Well
backing up is the opposite of that. If the person can back the
horse up that makes them feel more in control. So, the first
thing we do is back up. I teach them from day one, when you get
on a horse, the first thing you do is back that horse up a step
or two. This sets the tone that you, the rider is in charge,
right from the start. Something simple but so important. It
doesn't mean to haulon the reins and force the horse to
back up, but to simply close your fingers around the reins, and
shift the horse back into a few backwards steps.

Then we circle, stop, back up, move the hips, move the front
end, turn on the forehands, etc. This teaches the rider that no
matter what they are in charge of that horses speed, direction
and each leg and where those legs go. All these baby steps are 
done in the arena. 

We then move up in speed, we will walk, stop, back, then go
right into a trot for 6 strides, then come back to a stop and
back. This teaches the rider they are in control. Control and
the thought of losing it is what makes people scared. I teach
the riders how to take back control in a safe, firm,enviroment.

You just can't go out for a trail ride and get over it. Some of
these riders have had life threatning events happen. They have 
every right to be scared! Take your time to make it safe. You
will learn to get over the fear and start to enjoy horses and
all they have to offer. Fear is a good thing, it keeps you 
safe. But sometimes that fear needs to be centered and focused
on something positive.  

Char


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