10 Ways to Build Confidence Before Riding Your Horse

Riding is more than just moving; it’s about connecting your mind, feelings, and body with your horse. Being confident and focused matters a lot, and so does knowing how your horse communicates and how you should respond. That’s why getting ready both in your head and physically is crucial, making sure you and your horse work together perfectly. How you think and feel really affects how you and your horse do together. Just like how sports players imagine winning before a match, you can get your mind ready before you start riding!

1. Change how you see fear

Fear isn’t always bad—it’s like a built-in alarm system for both you and your horse, meant to keep you safe from danger. It’s only a problem when it’s too much or not really needed. By thinking differently about fear, we can be kinder to ourselves and figure out when fear is actually helpful and when it’s not. We can learn to calm our minds with different techniques, helping us make better decisions about when to listen to our fear.

Got a horse that gets scared easily? We can’t control everything around us, like unexpected things jumping out. But, we can control how we react. Learning how to keep your horse calm and not overwhelmed, and understanding how your horse acts when they’re faced with something new, can really boost your confidence. Ridely offers more than 500 training and education videos (including specific videos on helping spooky horses and helping them to be brave), so there’s lots of help available!

2. Practise in your mind – and in your body

In the mind:  Visualization is like using your imagination to practise riding before you even get on your horse. It helps you feel more confident. Here’s how to do it:

1. Think of yourself riding smoothly, paying attention to how you sit and how you connect with your horse. Picture yourself doing everything perfectly, like jumping over obstacles without any mistakes.
2. In your head, go through the whole ride you want to have. Imagine both you and your horse feeling relaxed and working well together. 

When you visualize, your brain gets ready just like it does when you’re actually riding. By picturing yourself doing great, you help make it more likely that you will!

In the body: Getting your body stronger and better balanced helps you feel more confident when riding. Exercises that make your muscles stronger (especially your core) are really good for this!

3. Be positive and set goals

• Recite positive statements aloud or silently as you groom, tack up, and prepare to ride. Let these good words push away any doubts or worries. Saying these things over and over makes you believe in yourself more.
  
  PRO tip: It’s better to say specific things like “I feel steady and safe in the saddle” instead of just “I’ve got this.” Make a list of 5-10 special statements that mean a lot to you. Say them a lot before you ride, and you can even keep saying them while riding!
  
• Set achievable goals each time you ride. You can use the Ridely app calendar to plan your rides for the week. When you reach your goals, even the small ones, make sure you  celebrate with your horse. This helps build your confidence and makes you feel good about what you and your horse have done together! As you get more confident, you can aim for bigger goals.
  

4. Don’t forget to breathe!

Feeling nervous can make our breathing quick and shallow. To calm down and get ready for riding, try taking deep breaths (you can also do exercises that help you breathe better and relax, like yoga or pilates).

Here’s how to do it: Before you get on your horse, take slow, deep breaths. Breathe in until your belly gets big, then breathe out slowly through your mouth. Keep doing this for a few minutes until you feel more relaxed.

Deep breathing helps turn off the body’s stress response, making it easier for you to think clearly and feel calm. This is a great way to get ready for a confident and enjoyable ride.

5. Routine is key

Both horses and riders benefit from a consistent routine. Each time you’re getting ready to ride, doing things in the same order can be very comforting. Here’s what you might do:

1. Brush your horse following the same steps every time.
2. Put on the tack in the same order, like starting on the left side, then moving to the right.
3. Do the stretches or warm-up exercises you both need.
4. Breathe deeply a few times to calm and focus your mind. Imagine your ride going really well.

Make this pre-ride process a ritual. This familiar routine helps you feel grounded and properly prepared. Sticking to the same routine helps eliminate surprises and sets the stage for a successful ride, giving you the peace of mind that you’re fully ready.

6. Connection

Creating a strong connection with your horse is crucial for feeling confident when you ride. Before you start riding, spend some time building your relationship to foster trust and respect.

1. Give your horse a good grooming. It’s a great way to relax together and bond.
2. Work on simple groundwork exercises like lunging or liberty work. These activities help you and your horse get in sync on the ground, improving your communication and rhythm.
3. Go for a walk with your horse, either leading them or riding. A calm walk is a nice way to build trust and enjoy exploring together.
4. Just hang out in your horse’s space, like sitting in the paddock. If your horse comes over, great! If not, that’s okay too. The important part is just being together.
5. Pay attention to what your horse is telling you through their body language, mood, and behavior. Trying to see things from their point of view helps you understand each other better.

Remember, riding is all about teamwork. Taking the time to really connect with your horse makes for a stronger partnership and a more confident ride

7.  Two heads are better than one

Having a trainer can really help you learn the basics of riding or improve on what you already know. They can introduce new skills in a way that fits how you learn best. Plus, trainers can offer extra help by holding your horse with a lead rope while you practise things like turning, trotting, and getting a better seat. This helps you feel more confident until you’re ready to ride on your own.

If you don’t have access to a trainer, don’t worry! You can use our Training Programs in Ridely, created by top riders, or ask questions in the “Ask a Trainer Anything” group to get advice from real trainers. It’s also a good idea to ride with a friend or have a friend help lead or lunge your horse while you’re gaining confidence.

(Seeing a trainer or a friend ride your horse can also boost your confidence, showing you what your horse is capable of and helping you trust them more).

8. Practise the 1-rein stop – before you need it

Think of it as the emergency brake for when a horse might get too excited or hard to control, or you need to stop quickly.

There are a few ways to do this move, but the main idea is to gently turn the horse into a tight circle until it calms down or stops, letting you either calm it further – or safely get off. This technique can be a real game-changer in preventing falls from a horse that’s bucking, rearing, or running.

9. Only ride with other calm, seasoned horses

When you’re riding with others, it’s important to ride alongside horses that are calm and chilled. Spending time with “bombproof” horses, or horses that are very calm and unflappable, can help your horse become more confident. This can be especially useful when learning new things, like how to load into a trailer or going through water… As your horse grows more confident, you’ll find your own confidence increases too.

Finally… 

10. Remember why you love horses!

Think back to when you were younger or the very first time you fell for horses. Hold onto that special feeling and let it transform any fear into excitement. The sensations we feel when scared are actually pretty similar to when we’re excited. By choosing to see your nerves as excitement, you’ll remember that horse riding is all about joy and fun. That’s the reason we dedicate so much to it—our money, hearts, time, and souls.

If riding isn’t bringing you joy right now, it’s okay. There’s no need to feel bad. Maybe it’s time to take a little break from riding and just spend quality time with your horse on the ground. Doing groundwork or simply being together can reignite your love for riding and remind you of the deep connection you have with your horse.

Did you know? In Ridely, you can join the Training Program “The Confidence Booster”! We know that it can be tough to maintain confidence in yourself, your horse, and your journey. That’s why we created this Training Program for you. You’ll find advice from experts and your favorite riders to help build and maintain your confidence in different areas of your riding both in and out of the saddle. Try it out and let us know how you get on!

Happy riding!