overcoming fear

So as some of you know I have a long standing fear of loping... too many bolting, bucking rides that ended in spills (or me bailing) and now I tense up....so I have been working on it alllllll winter and it as it turns out I am not afraid of loping.... I just don't trust the horses under me :roll: even the super broke ones in an arena that have nowhere to go and don't want to go....

So I ride a horse get comfortable change horses and start again at the beginning.... any suggestions on how to fix this??? other than riding lots of different horses and loping them off (that's what I am currently trying)...Thanks in advance!

Other than that anyone know a sports psycologist (sp?) in the greater Sydney area?

not actually a lot of advice, but remember to BREATHE. Inhale, exhale. Deep breaths. Even hum a little song in your head to relax you. i find it helps for me, lots of times when i think my horse is about to do something dumb ill stop breathing and tense up, he feels it, and reacts to it. If i just concentrate on my breathing, we're fine. After a few solid rides, im able to relax no problem.

I'm not much help but wanted to let you know that your not alone I was so scared to canter when I was little that my coach would literally chase me around the arena trying to make the horse canter while I bawled my eyes out. i also wasn't scared of the horse just scared to canter after falling off and getting hurt too many times. I second that breathing I get tense and don't realise it until i notice my horse getting tense under me. Good luck.

well I have never been afraid to canter on my old horse, but Gunnar yes.. not sure I can handle his bucking.. I've cantered a handful of times and he's ok.. some bucking but not much.. Bowie tells me I hang on to tight and don't let him go.. there fore he just trots faster and faster like a freight train.. lol.. I manage to stay on .. I need to learn to relax.. and breath.. more clinics this summer.. hopefully I'll be ok..

I tense up even at the walk. It's not that I'm AFRAID, it's just that I forget to breathe. Seriously! And the horses feel it. I started riding Stretch at the walk bareback and I find that for some reason it helps me relax. Breathing is what we are always working on. If I don't concentrate on it then it doesn't happen. I guess I don't trust my balance. And to be balanced you have to breathe. Anyway, that's my take on the situation.