scaredy-pants when it comes to mounting

[matildasquared]

So I've had my second riding lesson today and whilst everything else is going fine, I yet again had a stupid near panic attack when it came to mounting.

I feel fine greeting the horse, giving him a stroke, checking his tack, leading him.

Then there's about five minutes of me freezing with my left foot in the stirrup, shaking all over and trying to breathe.

When I do finally get myself into the saddle and we start moving, I feel totally fine again. I am just focused on learning, no fear at all. Even when we try something new and I go off-balance or something else goes awry, I take it in stride. Dismounting is fine too.

My poor instructor is like, "Did you have a bad experience? What do you fear will happen?"

I've never had a bad experience. I'm not exactly thinking at that moment, but I am getting images of the horse bolting, me getting thrown violently or crushed. All that goes out of my head as soon as I'm riding though.

This is damned annoying and it's eating into my precious riding time! Today I tried to tell myself beforehand, "No dithering. Get in the saddle right away or go home." But then there was just the flood of adrenaline.

How to get over it?

[Flexibilityiskey]

Do you have someone holding the horse when you are getting on? Could you mount somewhere where the horse has nowhere to run, in a school or similar, facing a wall? I can see why you feel this way to some extent as you are at your most vulnerable as you are getting on, before you are balanced in the saddle. The trouble is what you are doing is making it more likely that things will go wrong, as you are in that vulnerable position for such a long time.

As another idea, could you rig up some sort of fake horse, and practice getting on that to desensitise yourself?

[matildasquared]

Thanks for the suggestions. I agree it does make sense to be cautious about mounting, but it's turning into a panic attack.

I can't blame the horse. He's rock steady and the instructor holds him.

Yes, I agree that dithering around in a half-mounted position is a bad idea, nerve-wracking for both of us. Today I got off the mounting block to collect myself then forced myself to get on.

There is a fake horse at the stables where I volunteer. We use it to demonstrating tacking. I don't know whether it's weight-bearing--worth an ask. Thank you!

[Flexibilityiskey]

I hope you manage to find a way to get over this so you can enjoy your riding. Good luck!

[frostyfingers]

Repetition - get on, get off, get on, get off - for as long as your legs, your horse and the instructor can bear it!

[FlockOfTwats]

Do you have any idea at all what it is you're scared of precisely? Or is itust a flood of scenarios in your head?

I've had some success when i lost my confidence jumping with positive thinking exercises and visualising, But mainly it just comes from practise.

If it's any consollation, I've had to mount some incredibly difficult horses and i've never been injured mounting, even when the horse has been really silly.

[matildasquared]

Thanks for that. I wish there were some logical thought in my head but it's like the moment I go to swing my right leg over my mind/body screams: BIG ANIMAL! I'M HIGH UP ON A BIG ANIMAL!

Which is hilarious because as soon as I'm up there I'm absolutely fine and happy. I know I'm up high but I can feel that the horse is calm and is paying attention to me. I could ride all day.

In addition to the repetition and positive thinking, I've just been reading about a mounting technique in which the rider leans their body against the body of the horse whilst getting on. I've sort of been balancing on the left stirrup whilst lifting my right leg up and over, and now that I think of it that can't be helping.

Thanks again for the suggestions. Next week I am getting on with NO DITHERING!

[daisy5569]

lots of good advice on this thread, think we all have little crisis moments now and then, I know I do!
I'm not a fan of getting on either and if I can will always face the horse into a fence and I've been riding for more years than I can remember and apart from the stirrup leather coming away from the saddle as I put my foot in it have never had an accident! And when this happened I just ended up standing next to the horse so wasn't really an accident and the horse just looked at me as if to say 'what are you doing standing there?'
Carry on with the positive thoughts and remind yourself that the horse you ride is calm and well behaved so you have nothing to worry about.
Good luck for next time!