You’ve got this! Six ways to master new things

Ask loads of questions 

Every day’s a school day with ponies. Your instructor, yard manager and other horsey friends have lots of knowledge that they’ll be happy to share – by asking questions, you can discover the best ways to do things, find out why they’re done a certain way and what you can do to improve. By asking other people about times they’ve felt worried, scared or overwhelmed and what they did to get through it, you’ll learn a lot.

Dig deep

Behind every equestrian there are successes, failures, falls and fails. There’s also courage. And you’ve got tons of it – courage to turn up, learn, keep going and try again. You won’t always feel ready but that’s OK! Showing up and giving it a go is the first step and will make you feel so brave. Go you!

Set up for success

When there’s a challenge ahead, being prepared will help you feel confident enough to tackle it. That can mean anything from getting all your show stuff clean and packed the night before, reading up on a subject, or watching your favourite YouTuber tackle something to give you unspiration and guidance before you try it for yourself. 

Know your limits 

Be realistic about what you can manage. There’s a fine line between brave and silly! Knowing your limits is especially important when you’re hanging around with animals who weigh half a tonne and are much stronger than you. Setting realistic goals and asking for help to reach them is part of becoming a great rider and handler. 

Trust your instincts

Your horsey experiences, memories and everything you’ve learnt in and out of the saddle combine over time to form your instincts. The feeling you get telling you to either push through, get out of a situation or ask for help is probably right, so it’s best to listen to it to help keep you safe. 

Treat failure as your friend 

We all make mistakes, so don’t be afraid of them. You won’t get things right all of the time, especially not at first while you’re learning, and that’s fine! Every failure you experience can be used as a building block for success, as long as you learn from it. Ask yourself why something didn’t work out? What could you change next time? Writing these things down can help you improve more quickly, too!

Be the master 

Being around ponies means you need to think on your feet as situations can change quickly. That’s why it’s important to keep learning and responding to all that’s going on around you. Taking information in will help you build a toolkit of knowledge that you can draw on any time to help you deal confidently and positively with everything that comes your way.