Fear, Commitment and Confidence

After riding my new friend, Broomhelda the Wheelchair for a summer, then climbing back on my horses still in a lot of pain, I discovered my previously ample bank account of confidence was nearly overdrawn. I have never been a timid rider, so it was a new experience and it precipitated some pondering on fear and confidence in riders, and in the midst of that mental exercise some things happened that shaped my thinking.

The first was Pati Pierucci pointed out my position was out of alignment and I realized that, not only was I trying to recover from an injury, I had been ignoring some physical fitness work I should have been doing, and my hip flexion had significantly diminished. I was lucky enough to have Pati’s input, as well as some help and support from some other good horsemen, who counseled and steadied me during the first few weeks of riding.

The second thing that happened two days before I was medically cleared to ride was my lifelong riding mentor passed away at 94 years of age, and I began reflecting on the many, many ways wonderful Marcie Stimmel influenced me as a rider and a human being for five decades. Of all the gifts she gave me, I think the one I treasure the most is the concept that we ride horses, not tack or disciplines. She encouraged me in dressage, jumping, polo, team penning and just using a horse well for ranch work. The consistent thing she taught, no matter what we were doing was a correct and independent seat and knowing where your horse’s feet are.

So thanks to the wonderful horsemen in my life, I set myself to re-achieve the riding lessons of my youth-longe-line work, more work without stirrups, stretching exercises, strengthening exercises, balance exercises. It worked. My seat returned and so has my confidence. As with all things in horsemanship, it’s a work in progress-but progress is winning in my book!

So begin and begin again….what is the source of rider confidence? I think it’s knowing you can stay in control of 1200 pounds of flighty prey animal. But how does that happen? It happens through developing a strong independent seat!

I hear people say all the time “I just want to have a relationship with my horse and be able to trust him’” and they follow up that goal with actions that essentially attempt to bribe the horse’s affection. I don’t think that strategy has ever been successful, and here’s why. It’s counter to a horse’s natural social structure.

Horse’s social structure evolves around herd hierarchy. Knowing the hierarchy gives them confidence. Horses, not unlike some humans, tend to have an attitude of distain for others they perceive to have lower social status. Lower status yield feed and yield space and cater to the needs of higher status horses. Like as not, time after time, humans who want to be able to trust their horses seek affection by…yielding feed, yielding space and catering to the needs of their horse… and they are frustrated because their horse looks at them with disdain.

So I propose to you, if you want to have a good relationship with your horse-work on your seat. Your confidence will improve as your seat does. As your confidence increases, your social currency with your horse will increase and he will begin to see you as a confident leader he can trust. Then, guess what!?! You can trust your horse!

Commit to the work and the rest will happen.