Hippotherapy - How can I become more confident around horses?

How can I become more confident around horses?

I really want to start riding lessons and care for horses at the stables but I get really nervous or a bit scared when I'm near them. I think its because im worried about spooking or scaring them and then they might hurt me (even if it's not intentional). How can I become more confident around them when i get so worried?

Public Comments

wear make up and tell yourself in the mirror before hand that your hot
only way is ride them , be with them..you cant get rid of fear if you dont face what your fears are..
the longer you are around them the more comfortable you will be with them and will learn how not to spook them or scaring them any
Just make sure not to get behind them. It takes time, but horses have great memory. It's just as hard for them to become comfortable with you.
walk up to them very slowly never run toward them, bring some hay or food and they willl eat it out of your hand and just gently rub your hand on its face or neck and pet it they will warm up to you dont worry
do not bet on them!
I use to be the same as you. But than last summer I went to a 5 day horse camp with my best friend. She was there the whole time and guided me through it. Just be calm around the horse, and you will be fine. Whoever owns the horse will make sure that nothing happens to you.
It will come with time.. If you walk around a horse, put your hand on him so he won't be startled by you. Walk very close to the butt, so close that if it decided to kick you, you would be so close that it won't do as much damage..
i had the same problem after a horse nearly bit my pinky finger off... i couldnt even ride/lead the horses when i went to summer camp when i was nine. my mom's friend brought me out to where she boarded her horse, and taught me everything from the ground up, and just being around a professional, i got more comfortable around horses. so, just have the barn owner or someone around you when you're there.
Experience and an experienced person will help you out a lot with this. When you aren't used to horses and don't understand how or why they do the things they do, it seems like anything might make them "flip out". It would be helpful if you told an experienced person (like your lesson instructor) about your fears so that they can explain how things work. Accidents do happen - but they can happen to anyone doing anything, not just riders or people handling horses! There are many things you can do to safeguard yourself and to minimize your risks as much as possible (like safe handling procedures, wearing a helmet, etc.) A lot of people feel this way, or did feel this way at one time. Another thing to try would be a book about horse "psychology" or behavior. Also try the book "Safe Horse, Safe Rider" by Jessie Haas...it is excellent in teaching a rider or handler the safest ways of doing everything. Good luck! http://www.amazon.com/Safe-Horse-Rider-Responsible-Horsekeeping/dp/0882667009 (This book isn't just for young people, BTW!)
It just takes time - there isn't an easy way around it. Go ahead and start your lessons - having an instructor will help you be more confident. Let your instructor know what your issues are and then you can work on them together.
I agree with Rebecca T. Don't be shy. Talk to the horse(s) and they will grow accustomed to you and your voice. In a short time they will look forward to seeing you. My daughter used to ride this big Arabian and he would smile when she got to his stable. The corners of his mouth would turn up. I have a photo as proof. So watch for this.....
Its not a bad thing to be nervious around horses. Just about every horse owner/rider has some bit of fear. I do at times but I decide not to let it get the best of me. I make sure I do everything safely. About taking lessons don't worry your instructor will make everything a positive experience for you. The horses are very safe, school horses are broke to anything and everything. They wouldn't hurt you at all. They'll do everything in their power not to hurt you. Once you start working around horses that fear will go away gentily and you'll enjoy it while creating a bond with a horse.
you just have to be around them more and more. look for an instructor who is slow with beginners. ask to watch a lesson and talk to them about what they will be expecting you to do as a beginner. ask to do some groundwork/showmanship first. explain to them your fears and it will help them. if they don't know that you are nervous around horses they will assume you are not. i had this fear of cantering and finally i explained to my instructor after about 3 straight horrible canter lessons that i was scared and it helped how she taught me it and then it went better. also ask to be around quieter horses and ask to learn what to do if a horse spooks around you. knowledge is power! lol. good luck (oh by the way i managed to overcome my fear of cantering today by being on a quiet horse and i've been riding for 15 years!)
You need to not be afraid of horses because they are the most amazing animals and if you are scared or anything they can sense your fears and they start to become scared also so never be afraid of horses because they only want to be loved
Go To The Stables And Groom A Quiet And Gentle Horse And Build Up A Relationship With It First. After This You Can Do More Things With It Like Leading Around The Yard, Feeding It e.t.c. This Will Help You Feel More Relaxed Around Them And Then You Will Feel More Relaxed And Can Start To Ride Them. The Better The Relationship You Have With A Horse The More Confident You Will Be Around Them. Sometimes When Horses Are Scared They Might Kick Out, Unintentionally. But Again The More Confident You Are With Them The More Confident And Relaxed They Will Be Around You. Don't Worry, As Long As You Are Relaxed And Don't Shout, Muck About, Or Make Loud Sudden Noises You wont Spook Or Scare The Horse. But when You First Go Up To The Horse Approach It At Its Shoulder Not Directly In The Face Or Behind And Let It Know Your There By Talking To It And Giving It A Stroke Or Pat. xxx
Don't worry. Horses are very kind and loving if you are to them. If you respect them, they will respect you. Facing your fears might be scary, but it will help you with a lot of things. OK, here is an idea. Go to the riding stable and put the horse you are riding on the cross-ties or tie him/her up. Give him a treat and just talk to him. Pet him and brush him. A lot of people think not to go behind a horse, but most horses you can. Just take your hand slide it around him until you teach by his back legs. Walk around him while your hand is still on him. So he knows you are there. If you stay close to his body then he won't be able to kick you very well if he did, but if you where farther away they have a better kicking range. Horses sence fear. So be/look confident. Once you ride you will feel on top of the world. You will feel better. When i am sad or unhappy i ride. It makes me feel better. Horses love treats: Apples, mints and carrots. So bring one of those with you. Grooming them and being nice will make them happier with you. So, horses won't hurt you unless they are scared or you hurt them. And don't worry, unless you wave your hands and scream or hurt them, then you will scare them. I hope you have fun on your first lesson!!!!!!!!!!!!
Well when i was about 6 or 7 i was really nervous around horses too.. thats when i started riding was around then. Anyway what i did was i spent more time around them, and i had my riding instructor help me get more confidence when around them. My mom noticed me getting more and more relaxed with horses when i was about 8. I started crawling under neith them (not recomending). When i was about 10 i started to jump on them bareback and gallop around.. what i am trying to get at is that it takes time. It took me time and maybe thats just b/c i was young.. it probably won't take you as long as it did me lol... Good Luck With EVERYTHING!! **Megg**
its okay i was to when i started but if there good and trianed they wont try to hurt yu unless there peed off , but dont be nervous around them because really they can tell if you are or not especially if you ride them because they can feel it and it makes them insucrue then they will freak out.
my friend kinda had the same problem. she had problems at home and i told her she needed to get away, and maybe i should take her to one of my riding lessons. so i brought her to the barn one day, told her about all the horses, and what theyre like. i told her that no matter what you can and most likely will fall off, you just cant give up. if its something you want to do then youll stay with it. usually horses arent exactly difficult to spook, but like if you make a noise and they dont know youre there theyre not gonna like take off and rear and stuff. theyre big powerful animals; i can see why y6u would be scared. just spend time around horses. if y6u wanna let them know y6ure there then talk to them, or put your hands on them, or make some noise. horses get spooked by stupid things; a moving shadow, a stick on the ground, another horse coming up behind them without them knowing. and horses can hurt you, but they wouldnt on purpose. theyre naturally gentle animals. the worst youll get hurt is maybe a bad fall, most likely your fault, or theyll accidentally step on your feet. just place yourself around horse more often and then youll be fine. they can tell if youre afraid, even if you act like youre not.
First, get comfortable working around them. If the horse has been handled by humans at all, then most likely nothing you do on the ground will spook it. Start slow, perhaps brushing, leading. When you are comfortable with that, work with hooves. Then maybe do some riding. Honestly, it does not hurt to fall off, i have fallen off fourteen times, and that was after riding two years. If you have a proper instructor, they will not push you beyond your abilities. IF you are only interested in trail or pleasure riding, you will not need to get serious about jumping or other really athletic things, that makes your chances of falling off less. Eventually, you will fall off if you push yourself. As I stated above I am sane and still here. None of the falls really hurt me, mind you, horses are unpredictable, so therefore if you are that terrified maybe you should try soccer. :) then again its prob easier to get hurt doing that, perhaps softball would be a nice sport, yet you could get hurt there too. my point is horses are great you just have to learn to trust and establish a relationship