On 11/12/07, Nancy Sturm <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > Also, take long deep breaths. > > I would pray in the morning before I would be going to ride, too, for peace > and calm and safety. If you don't "pray" per se, meditation would be > another calming tool. > > Nancy >
I do something similar. And when I start feeling that oh gosh what if something horrible happens today feeling I force myself to start visualizing myself at the end of the day, in my bathrobe on the couch after supper, with that glowing wonderful feeling that I had a beautiful day and a perfect ride. has been working well for me lately! Sunday afternoon I rode my Fox in the same field I first rode him in ever. 3 years ago. and in that field he was terrified of one corner and when I tried to make him go past it he reared straight up and there was several seconds of forever time where I knew he was about to go over and flip on me. Sunday we did not pass that corner ONCE when he did not balk and refuse it. A woman was working with me with him and I told her the deal and she said "because every time you come to that corner you tense and he feels it." I dont know if thats true or not, but I do know as the day progressed and I relaxed he relaxed and at the end he was dead calm and happy and so was I :) I never did force the corner tho. Doesnt matter the reason, sometimes you have to cut your losses and go on... Sometimes when you get calm and relaxed they forget they are supposed to be spooky :) But also, in times where I lost my confidence completely after a fall, or a bad moment, going back to riding a good calm horse, my Jaspar in these cases, helped me get it back and go on... also gave the spooky horse a break? Janice -- yipie tie yie yo
