tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8941830352879493498.post4674326776466277085..comments2023-06-30T06:19:17.125-07:00Comments on Panic and the Pony: It's BackMona Sterlinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12077277801514781079noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8941830352879493498.post-50128555525675280742012-04-18T21:30:26.234-07:002012-04-18T21:30:26.234-07:00I'm with the choir. Putting the Princess on th...I'm with the choir. Putting the Princess on the lunge line for a few rounds is fine for her and even better for you. You have to focus when you lunge a horse, and doing that can shift your attention away from your own anxiety and toward connecting with the horse. It's a good warm-up task for both of you, doesn't have to be labeled as a crutch at all.<br /><br />I tend to groom my mare very thoroughly before tacking her when I'm hesitant about riding. I love grooming and I'm good at it, and it pulls me away from myself in a way that lets some of my BS evaporate. Anything to dial it down a notch is okay in my book. Because fear won't ever be gone until it is actually gone. In the meantime, we have to try to manage it, don't we?Muddy Khttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07937615888562277779noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8941830352879493498.post-4674190530634026532012-04-13T20:19:13.841-07:002012-04-13T20:19:13.841-07:00I don't think there's any shame in lunging...I don't think there's any shame in lunging for a few minutes before the ride. I use it as a tool to assess how the horse is doing that day both in attitude and soundness. I wouldn't feel bad about it at all. I think at this point it's less of a "crutch" and more of a "confidence booster."Chevellehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13056233547269435066noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8941830352879493498.post-49184301039229717252012-04-13T20:14:55.353-07:002012-04-13T20:14:55.353-07:00Group lessons are fun and your instructor would no...Group lessons are fun and your instructor would not put you in harms way. When fear caused me to resist riding, my instructor always reminded me that the more time spent in the saddle, the more my confidence would improve. She was right. :-) You will be fine.Wolfiehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04743943656869294788noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8941830352879493498.post-61928162830364383012012-04-13T18:07:15.849-07:002012-04-13T18:07:15.849-07:00: ) For one, I don't think for a second the pr...: ) For one, I don't think for a second the princess would have a mental burn-out because she was worked all week. Considering she spends 20-someodd hours relaxing and eating, and hour or so a day or actually working is hardly exhausting or going to lead to burnout (wish I only worked an hour a day...). I find my horse is BETTER the more I work him. <br /><br />As for the fear, are you a highly competitive person? I could see group lessons being advantageous if you are (be more worried about beating everyone then worrying about your fear).<br /><br />My next question is why not lunge her if it makes you feel better? (I'm clearly not one for psychology). It does no harm really to lunge her even for four laps, and if you feel better and get on her more confident, isn't that a good thing?? I'd do whatever I need to do to feel comfortable when I'm riding, and who cares if people think it's a "crutch" or I that shouldn't. <br /><br />: ) Trust yourself. I think you know best what you need to move past your fear, and no one can tell you what that is. : )Sand.https://www.blogger.com/profile/04371583910189754998noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8941830352879493498.post-69824178164439253992012-04-13T15:36:35.364-07:002012-04-13T15:36:35.364-07:00I know how you feel, and it sucks. I think your i...I know how you feel, and it sucks. I think your instructor is getting you to do the right things (from what you've told us) so trust in her and believe that she will not put you in a situation that you cannot handle (the group lesson). I really wish there was a sports drink called 'Courage' and we could just drink it before we ride :)Justaplainsamhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15399124494395034612noreply@blogger.com