Feel confident riding in front of others

Do you feel nervous when other people watch you ride? Well, don’t worry, it’s totally normal to feel that way! Check out our guide to staying cool when all eyes are upon you.

TOP TIP

Ask one or two people you know well and trust to watch you ride while you get used to it.

Why do we feel nervous?

Feeling nervous tends to happen before or during situations where you might feel judged, like when you’re riding in front of others.

When nerves kick in, your brain releases a chemical called cortisol, which can cause lots of changes in your body – increasing your heart rate, sweating and muscle tension – which all contribute to that fluttery feeling in your tummy! This is called the fight or flight response and it’s something our bodies naturally do to prepare us for tricky situations.

Pinpoint the problem

The first step to helping you feel confident riding in front of others is to understand why you feel nervous to begin with. Maybe it’s only certain people who make you feel uncomfortable or perhaps you don’t like anyone watching you ride.

Once you’ve pinpointed where the issue lies, you can begin to understand why you feel as you do and plan how to work through these emotions.

Common concern

People are talking about you. Feeling worried that people are gossiping about you when they watch you ride can make you doubt yourself and take the enjoyment out of riding your pony. But, the likelihood is they are talking to each other about something completely different and you’re just in their eye line!

Think back to how many times you’ve watched someone ride – you wouldn’t have done it to make them feel bad, but instead to support them or simply just enjoy watching beautiful ponies!

Find out more of our top tips for feeling confident riding in front of others in August PONY! Grab your copy today!