It is a cross country shirt but I think it applies to life. Many times we don’t achieve because our brain stops us far before outside circumstances, other people or our bodies.
To me feeling fear and doing it anyway means…if you can identify the fear, understand where it is coming from and recognize if it is valid or invalid, then you can decide if you should ‘do it anyway.’
If the fear is valid….don’t push through it. If you don’t understand it...don’t push through it.
For example, if your horse has bucked you off…but you don’t understand why; don’t push through it. Get help.
On the other hand, if you have a fear of heights (like I do) and you go rock climbing, it is possible to identify the fear. Then I can choose to trust the harness, the rope and the person belaying me (holding my safety rope). Fear identified, understood…now the rest is up to me. Can I feel the fear? Yes! Can I do it anyway? Yes!
Pictured top: My son Joshua. Pictured on rock: My son Caleb. Pictured below: Me overcoming my fear! I went up that same rock Caleb did (I’m the photographer…so not as many photos of me, lol)
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A couple of years ago, I started riding after a 20 year break. Every time I cantered, I’d cry from fear. My instructor made me sing Mary had a little lamb to make me breathe. I did it anyway, and didn’t take long before I could canter without crying, and just feel a little bit of tension. I never got through the little bit of tension though it decreased. My horse I re-learnt to ride on was a 17hh warmblood, so huge movement that felt so fast. But I totally agree with pushing through fear, or you’d never learn anything. 🙂
So, I was bucked off by someone else’s horse, and now I’m afraid of riding most horses. How do you get through that situation?
To be clear, I had two horses of my own, an OTTB who is in training and is a handful, and my reliable, trustworthy standardbred. But anxiety takes over in the saddle no matter who I am riding now. Granted it’s only been 5 weeks but I ended up with a separated shoulder.
Well Stacy this speaks to me! My fear, after nearly being killed by my previous horse, left me with such fear I lost my joy in riding…I lost so much confidence but never lost the passion. I read articles, books, talked to many, many riders and trainers. Your visit to my farm and the lessons you gave changed my path, and I somehow knew that it would! I am still finding my way to the confident rider I once was, but your days with me took down the road blocks I was facing and gave me the confidence to move forward. I will always be grateful. And sometimes I still feel the fear….and do it anyway, with thanks to you.
Julie Miller, Kalamazoo, Michigan
Aw! Sweet comment, thank you! Beautiful place too.
I had a friend take me rock climbing and repelling when I realized I was afraid, in my forties. I’m 65 and still challenging my fears safely and facing the fears is getting easier. 🙂
I had a friend take me rock climbing and repelling when I realized I was afraid of heights in my forties. I’m 65 and still challenging fears safely and it’s easier the more I challenge. 🙂
Well, it just depends on what you are afraid of I guess. Not much into rocks or climbing them, not afraid of heights. It is much more challenging to me to teach a horse to round his back or do a good spin… there all different and somehow yet the same. Stepping on a green horse for the first time, being the first person that has ever gotten on it’s back is the challenge I like and if I have done my ground work right…. I shouldn’t end up a lawn dart. The real challenge is even thinking that you have done it all right, you still may end up as a lawn dart. There is always the unknown, no matter how much you prepare.
Well, it might be true for you young people, but I have found the opposite to be true as you get older. So, enjoy it while you can. Because when you get older your mind says ya, I can do it and your body creaks and moans and has a tendency to give way, so you have to monitor it and stop before body failure or you will end up really hurting something. Sorry to disappoint, but you have that to look forward to….. LOL
Courage is being scared to death – but saddling up anyway. -John Wayne