Horses are both my passion and life, so when I had a tough ride, or I fell and tasted some arena sand, I wouldn't let that bring me down. After a tough ride, I always tell myself that my horse is just having a bad day. Maybe something was bothering him. I ride school horses, so they don't know me that well, that's why I spend extra time with them after a ride, so they can learn to trust me. I ask my instructor for advice and what I did wrong. I always take her advice, and it helps. Also, I ride only on weekends, so I have the whole week to build up my confidence for the next ride.
Before every ride I make a mental note to myself of what I want to accomplish for the day. During my ride if my horse refuses a jump or just isn't on the game, I think through what we did wrong and try my best to overcome the problem to succeed. Ending a ride on a good note whether it be a good or bad ride can eliminate stress of a bad day and build up confidence for you and your horse next time you mount up.
I'm still a fairly novice rider so I more than occasionally have a tough ride with my spirited Arab mare. I know that if we both work together that we can accomplish anything. So, when a difficult day happens I take everything from that ride as a reminder to improve next time! All the while knowing my horse has tried her best so that pushes me to give her mine.
Here's what I do when I fall off, get up as quick as possible, get back on and go over the jump again before I can even think about the fall, and then afterword I think to myself, "jeez I'm happy I got back on, if I had chickend out I probably wouldn't have the guts to ride for several weeks!
On those days were I feel like telling my horse ..."why can't you just behave yourself, your making me miserable!" I have to remember that like people horses have bad days too, when they get upset, crabby, or just plain irrational. So I breath, keep calm and do some one rein stops and circles around obstacles to get my horse focused on the ride and always to end on a postive note even if it's just my horse calmly walking around.
Even when I've been bucked off, run away with, rubbed on a tree, or whatever the horse decided to do to get me off his back, I still feel good, and I'm glad to climb back on that horse again. Yes, strange as it may seem, when I fall off my horse, I think, "now I remember why I love riding horses so much." The only "bad" rides I've ever had are boring rides. Then I have to remind myself that if all my horse and I did is trot around in a boring old circle for three hours, that's my fault; I could have done something interesting (a trail ride, for instance,)if I'd wanted to.
most of the "bad" rides I blame myself for if only I was in the saddle more, if Apache would just listen better If only I had proper riding lessons but all in all only have had one bad experience with him and that was a long time ago
Sometimes I have tough days with my Arabian gelding but I try to remember these things: first, stay calm. Keeping your composure is the best thing. In my first horse show, he was acting up in Equitation class but we won first place because I kept calm and composed! Second, end on a good note. If my horse keeps refusing a jump, I'll just keep working with it until he at least tries. Then praise him so much and cool down. Lastly, don't give up. Weather you fall off or you've had a terrible day, just take a deep breath, get back on and try again! I'll almost guarantee you that if you keep persevering everything will turn out fine. I know it has for me!
I try to stay calm when my horse acts up, and then I keep doing the same things that made him act up until he "gets it', Then stop for a bit, and repete it again.