confidence

Question
I love to ride my horses. Once I'm up there, there isn't much I won't try to do or figure out. After I get off I'm excited and eager to get back on again. As time passes, though, I start to get nervous. A couple days before I take a lesson I get so nervous that I don't really want to ride. Recently I rode my Appaloosa gelding in an Extreme Cowboy Race event and he did beautifully, but during the days before I was convinced that he'd give me so much trouble that I'd probably fall off or something. I know he's capable, and I had done some of those things with him before, but I was still lacking confidence. That's how it always is--when I get there I buckle down and do what I have to do to ride a horse, but before I get there I'm always a wreck and I nearly have to be pried into the stable. I don't think I'm a bad rider, though I'm not great. What might be the reason I get so nervous?

Answer
Hi Hannah,
The best reason I can come up with is the same reason I get so worked up with when I had to take a test at school. TEST ANXIETY!!! My syggestion is to just get on there and ride..ride...ride. Ride as much and as often as you can. It appears in your case that you are letting too much time pass between rides. The more you ride, the more confidence you'll have and the anxiety should pass. Also, why did you start riding in the first place???? Because you enjoyed it and it was so much fun. Keep it that way. Just ride and have fun. After over 30 years of training horses...I still can't wait to get back on. I must ride 10 different horses a month. Each one is different. Some more advanced than others. Some have never had a saddle on them. Yes, I get a little nervous..even after years of starting colts. But I just tell myself I can do it and I just want to have fun. Enjoying yourself and having fun with your horse is what it's all about....not competition or worrying about failing or falling off. So, go have fun with your horse and ride, ride, ride. Stay safe.