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 Extreme Veteran
Posts: 331
 
Location: Loma Linda, CA | I used to have a need for speed, but in April I had a horse completely run away with me and I got hurt super bad... since then I've only been riding my horse that I KNOW I CAN trust, but I'm afraid of him! Despite him not being the one to mess me up >.< Well, actually I also ride my trainers horses that I apprentice under. But he's always there so I'm not afraid of those horses and we are never going fast either.
We have a giant round pen that I've even tried just fast loping/slow galloping in because I thought maybe a smaller area would make me feel more secure and it's like I get horsey PTSD and I slow him up immediately.
This is the same horse I introduced to cows a week or two ago and he kissed the cow and even when he wanted to chase it he always slowed up. I know I shouldn't be afraid of him! Or his speed (or lack thereof. I'll be lucky if he hits 3D! Lol) because he has AMAZING stop and does the one rein stop as well if for some reason he ever did get out of control.
And even when we practice barrels I do a controlled medium lope, but never any faster than that. And when he does want to go faster I freak out and we either blow a barrel in practice or it just gets messy because I start mentally shutting down.
Grr...
I'm considering moving boarding facilities cause I really don't have anyone to ride with. And the place I want to go it's a little farther, but everyone gymkhanas and barrel races there and the patterns are set and I'll never be alone so maybe I'll build up my confidence knowing theres other like minded riders that can cheer me on and help me stop wussing out!
Thoughts? Anyone else ever have to get over equine PTSD?
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 Accident Prone
Posts: 22277
 
Location: 100 miles from Nowhere, AR | You get over it with time in the saddle.
I had PTSD that gave me anxiety attacks after a bad accident. My first ride back on that horse, I had to get off of him to puke. My heart was racing, and I was shaking all over. I reached down deep, decided I would not let fear control me and made myself keep trying. A little progress every ride. It took a while and I have never completely lost my fear because now I know first hand that bad things can happen but I just make myself breathe and do it anyway.
My accident was I got kicked while riding, it snapped my tibia-fibula in two (compound fracture) and when I saw my foot dangle, I screamed which scared my horse and he ran off with my lower leg flopping all over the place. He ran about a quarter of a mile before I could quit screaming long enough to one rein stop him. It was ugly. I wanted to pass out but never did. |
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 Expert
Posts: 1286
Location: Mississippi | It is hard after you have had an accident and know what can happen. I still have trouble pushing my horse and it's been almost 4 years since I got hurt (the horse that hurt me is long gone). I think when we are young, we are fearless and don't think about the "what if's" but once you have been hurt, it's hard to stop focusing on the "will I get hurt again?".
You may already, but I found wearing a helmet has really helped me gain more confidence. It was hard at first because I am usually the only one at our races who wears one. But the confidence I have gained while wearing it outweighs the worry over what others think. I just like to think that I am the smart one  |
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 I Chore in Chucks
Posts: 2882
Location: MD | my horse jumped the arena fence into a herd of horses waiting to run after a really great pole run. I rode the jump, but he bucked to slow down I landed on the back of my neck. fractured my back, pelvis, hand and had some ligament strains and tears. it was pretty ugly.
it took me years of not cranking on the brakes after the third barrel or any last object on the run home. that accident was in 2007 and i finally got over it 100% in 2012 and can hustle them all the way past the timer.
Edited by Crowned Image 2014-07-15 8:44 AM
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 331
Location: Loma Linda, CA | Wow! Your guys' stories are insane! Eeek!
The horse I was riding took off and she had ZERO stop no matter what I did. So as I bailed she kicked me in the head. I was by myself in the arena and was passed out for 30-45 minutes and when I came to I was covered in blood. I thought my neck was split open, but it was the back of my head. I still have a dent from it (it was only 3 months ago).
My right side of my body was paralyzed (I thought I dislocated my hip at first, but it was just massive internal bruising), I have permanent scar tissue/bruising on my right arm. And I no longer see the color blue. I see purple instead. I thought I'd get my color vision back, but I'm still waiting lol!
I fessed up to my trainer that I'm apprenticing under that despite wanting to barrel race and get going and stuff I'm afraid. I told him my story more in depth so now he is readjusting what he is teaching me to help me get over my fear!
I decided I'm gonna move my horse to where he trains so that he stops having to come out to me to teach me his style and I can work with him way more and under closer watch.
For me; I have more confidence if I know people are around. I think being knocked out with nobody remotely near me (the arena was isolated from civilization), really scared me too!
I've tried the helmet thing, but my head is weird or something cause it always slides forward over my eyes or it just gets in the way.
It's not so much the falling part that scares me. I've fallen plenty of times. And usually I'm pretty damn good at the tuck and roll lol. I think it was the whole not having anyone around thing that got to me the most. Well that and literally not having ANY control! Anyways I'm rambling! :P |
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Accident Prone
Posts: 22277
Location: 100 miles from Nowhere, AR | Talking helps too. Biggest thing is saddle time. Sounds like you're on the right track. |
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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 602
| Wow.... that is a scary accident. You said you had a good old trusty horse? Use that horse instead, practice on him.Dont rush it. You have a round pen and thats probably the best place to start. I would walk around the pen with your trusty horse and take your hands off the reins. Once you feel comfortable with that, then move into a trot, and so on. If you can get to a lope using no reins and freeing up your body, it will help encourage better communication between you and your horse. Your horse that bolted on you cut off communication and it seems like you have lost confidence in that. Your fear is trust not speed and your reactions show that. Getting in a horse accident can cause a huge set back in your performance. I got in an accident and my gelding drug me down a concrete wall. (I was hanging off the side of the saddle at that point.) It took me a whole year to get use to speed again. I remember loping him in my arena and I finally told myself to ask for more speed. I instantly froze up, then tried again. After about 5 mins of high loping, I asked for a full run. It was the best feeling to get over that fear. I hope you can get pass the fear and start enjoying horses and barrel racing again. |
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  Texas Lone Star
Posts: 5318
Location: where ever my L/Q trl is parked | boy know how that feels.... took me 2 years to get pass that fear.... lots of trail riding and starting slowly getting back into barrels. Also I bought a horse that was solid in the barrel pattern but needed more seasoning...so gave me an excuse to trot and lope the pattern in exhibitions and slow loping if I entered the smaller races. Just keep at it....  |
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Rad Dork
Posts: 5218
Location: Oklahoma | Very curious about more answers to this thread... I never thought of calling it equine PTSD, but that's exactly what it is!!
I had a horse flip over me in the alley when I was 17. I still made a few runs (on a different horse) after that on a safe horse, but I was still too afraid so I stopped riding for about 7 1/2 years. I woke up one morning about seven months ago and decided that I was going to run again. I tried a few horses and either didn't click or didn't vet well enough for me purchase them. When I ran my horse that I have now for the very first time I fell off at the first barrel. I had decided that I wouldn't hold him back and see what happened..... well, something bad happened! I bruised some ribs and was extremely embarrassed, but the horse just stood there. He didn't run off, he didn't budge. That's how I knew that he would be the horse for me as long as he vetted okay.
It took me probably 4-6 weeks of only exhibitioning him before I decided that I would let him start running to his first barrel (and I know now that he's still not even running at a 75% of his potential). He now knows what's coming up and he has started getting antsy in the alley... I got over one issue, but now another one has come back to haunt me.
Then, yesterday morning I took him for a ride and decided to breeze him.
Big mistake. After about 3-4 strides and me thinking to myself "Holy sh!t this is the fastest horse I've ever been on" something spooked him and he darted to the right. I bounced up and down in the saddle for probably 5-10 seconds and finally hit the ground. I suffered a mild concusssion, bruised my left ribs and have a few scratches on my face.... not really sure if I'm ever going to want to go fast again!
My main motivation at this point is that I know that someday when this horse and I can click and get everything together he's going to be the nicest horse I've ever ridden and it'll be one dandy of story to tell how when we get there.
Either that, or he'll kill me. I just hope it's not the latter.
All we can do is take it slow and eventually the confidence will come back... until then take as long as your need to! |
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 South Texas Hottie
Posts: 12130
Location: IM A DUDE!!!!!!! | I had a horse run away with me when I was younger, but luckily I didn't get hurt. The gelding had a tendency while running at full speed, of ducking his head real low. At the time I was using split reins and he ducked his head from me while running full speed. The ONLY part of the reins I had in my hands were just the tips. I still dont know how I was able to hold on onto the ends of the reins.
Anyways I got him stopped and it really did a number on me with my nerves and confidence. It was a long time before I was able to move up from a lope...not only with him but with any horse.
My Dad would always get after me that I needed to get over it and just RUN the gelding. But it wasnt easy. So finally he got on another horse and he "raced" me. He stayed close to me the whole time we were racing. It started from a trot then eventually a lope then eventually a full on gallop. The moment my horse ducked his head my dad yelled at me to pull his head up hard. I did and after that we kept on running. He did it again and then I did the same thing. eventually through that process I ended up getting back my confidence.
I ended up doing the same thing with a friend of mine who had a run away horse. I "raced" with her and she got her confidence back
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