Rider anxiety: how to get past it and enjoy your horse again

or not quick enough to make decisions or they can overthink it which makes them override and overcomplicate things.
Solution
I advise riders to keep a journal of what they are thinking and try and work out the patterns in their thought processes. Typically when you dont feel good enough it will relate to two or three things in particular not necessarily everything. Becoming more aware of the thoughts going through your mind helps you understand what is causing you to feel like that. Once you have identified that you can confront it and challenge it and ask Is it true all of the time? Think of the times when you did feel good enough which dispels the myth that you arent good enough all of the time.
I am statements tend to relate to our belief systems so if you tell yourself you are not a good enough rider it is typically a belief so its about catching those and challenging them positively. Find evidence to challenge those thoughts such as I went on a hack yesterday and was fine so I cant be a bad rider all of the time. You will make the negative thoughts less credible and real.
Top tip!
Have a plan in your mind about what you want to achieve in a session. Break it down into steps to work through and concentrate on them when you are riding. Imagine in your mind how you want your horse to go and how you will achieve that. By having a focus you will be doing something positive instead of thinking of the negatives.
Horse rider anxiety issue performance anxiety
What it means
Performance anxiety usually stems from someone feeling that something isnt achievable. For example competing in a dressage test at a new level for the first time.
Symptoms
Thoughts about what might go wrong or that you cant do it can precede and create a feeling of anxiety and once that takes hold people can feel sick their mouths go dry they stop breathing properly and they have an elevated heart rate. Horses are programmed to sense when another animals fight or flight sense is activated so our physical anxiety symptoms make them think there is something to worry about and it becomes a vicious cycle