overcome a fear

I tried riding last weekend. I was okay as long as we were in the round corral, but as soon as we got out into the open pasture, I started getting a little nervous. I’m sure the horse sensed this, because about 5 minutes into the ride, he quit taking directives from me and started doing his own thing. I promptly dismounted and handed the reins off to my 12-year old daughter!!! She and her dad rode for another 3 hours or so and I went home… woe is me.

I grew up riding horses and loved every minute of it. One day when I was in my mid 20’s I got on a horse and started riding. My worry-wart mother insisted that I put on a jacket and volunteered to hold the reins. Well, as I handed the reins to her, the horse decided to take off. I was left without reins on a sprinting horse while we flew over ditches, under trees (w/ low branches), over fences and finally we went on a dead sprint toward the barn. My uncle happened to be in the barn and stepped out of a stall just as we flew threw the door. My uncle laughed and said “well, he wasn’t really broke very well” like it was no big deal… I will never forget the fear and now I just can’t bring myself to trust another horse. My husband is a cowboy and breaks horses and keeps trying to get me to take a trip to the mountains w/ the horses. I want to, but the last time I tried to ride w/ him in the pasture, I had a feeling the horse was going to run, so I got off and walked back to the house. Oh my, this is driving me (and my husband) crazy!!!