The nerve-beaters Rachel’s tip for getting back on track? Don’t give up!
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Rachel Thomason & Toffee
“The support of club members got me through my crisis”
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our years ago Rachel Thomason, from Huntingdon in Cambridgeshire, suffered a crisis of confidence that threatened to spoil her love of riding for good. At 16, she had a bad fall after her horse bolted, and was so shaken by the experience she couldn’t get back on. “Within days of the fall I’d developed such a fear of riding I’d have panic attacks if any horse I rode moved faster than a walk – I’d have to get off,” says Rachel.
Rachel tried lessons with a good instructor in a bid to get her confidence back, but it reached the stage where she feared she’d have to sell her beloved horse, Toffee, as nothing could stop her from being gripped with fear. “I was desperate not to lose Toffee, but at the same time too frightened to ride him,” says Rachel. “We’d had 18 months of fun together before my fall, but I couldn’t see a way back.” The turning point came when Rachel left Toffee in safe hands to head off to uni. There,
Rachel’s tips for regaining your confidence ●●It may sound obvious, but don’t give up.
At times, it might seem easier to do this than face the issue, but it’s absolutely worth persevering ●●Surround yourself with supportive people. Some will struggle to understand your situation, but you need people who are just as keen as you are to get yourself back in the saddle
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●●Realise your progress. It’s so important
to stop and take pride in the little triumphs (like the first time I cantered again after my fall) ●●Remember your dream. I had Toffee to motivate me, and also the dream that I would take him to our first competition one day. You will have your own motivations, so let them inspire you
she decided to join the University of Surrey Equestrian Club, who train at Silvermere Equestrian Centre in Cobham, and give riding one last shot. “I’d never had any horsey friends of my own age before,” says Rachel, “and having a lesson with others at the club created such a relaxed environment, especially as they had no expectations of me. I didn’t tell them about my confidence issues at first, but gradually I opened up about my accident and began to find riding fun again. “After a few months riding with the group and having the other members’ support behind me, I stopped taking Rescue Remedy at the mere thought of riding and found my passion for it again. The other members asked me to be on their equestrian competition team and, in my second year at uni I was crowned president of the club. “To top it all, I was finally able to ride Toffee again on my trips home (and there is nothing that compares to that!). We’ve since done our first competitions together. It just shows how far someone can come with the right support and determination.” march 2014 your horse