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When dealing with horses you know that confidence is a keyword. If you do not have self-confidence, you often end up nervous because you do not trust own riding abilities. This is explained by one of the most prominent horse trainers in the world, Monty Roberts.
If you wish to have a good relationship to your horse, you need to focus on having a good relationship to yourself.
Monty Roberts
Do you know the feeling standing with a horse who seems like he is about to explode? Run away or throw you off? And perhaps you also have a tendency to over-analyse what potentially can happen in some of the described situations? All the scenarios do not really happen, but you still manage to think a thousand thoughts before getting off the horse having worked yourself up for no reason. This is basically because you do not have self-confidence trusting that you are doing a great job with the horse. In this situation you have to take a few steps back and think about your next move, before you can continue.
Your horse will always try to compromise and wishes to communicate with you. It wants someone to take the lead without being dominated. It must be able to feel that you are in charge. If your own confidence is lacking you cannot manage your horse as you wish to do. The horse will soon enough feel your insecurity. Luckly, it is never too late to work on your attitude, but you need to look inward and act upon what you feel is triggering your work with the horse. Is your horse perhaps a little too big of task for you? Maybe you have a bad experience from earlier on that you have not worked with properly? If you wish for a good relationship with your horse, then you have to start working with yourself.
Luckly, it is never too late to work on your attitude, but you need to look inward and act upon what you feel is triggering your work with the horse.
Monty Roberts
After looking closely at yourself, and you have decided that you and your horse is a good match, you have discovered that you are the main problem because of low confidence. Begin by building up trust from the ground – literally. Do lots of groundwork, and the general handling from the ground such ads grooming, taking nice walks together. Show that the horse can trust you, and that something good comes out of trusting you. Also, remember that your horse is never doing anything wrong to irritate you. When your horse once again feels you, because you can feel yourself, then you are ready to continue with riding.
Listening to the horse, you must be able to listen to yourself.
Monty Roberts
