Many people find horses to be a beautiful and majestic looking animal. Many individuals appreciate the horse at a distance but have a fear of them. For them, they are missing out on all this beautiful animal has to offer.
Intimidation
Some of the fear comes from the size and power of this animal. Others may have seen something involving a horse in their childhood that has left a lasting impression on them. In many cases, once a person begins to learn more about horses in general and starts to interact with them, they are not nearly as intimidating.
Overcoming the Fear
Some individuals really want to overcome their fear because they find so many aspects of this animal that are really awesome. In many cases, some people initially had fear and dealt with some mental challenges, and a horse became therapy for them. Horses have been used for many different types of psychological and physical therapy.
- First Step: The first step to taking control of the fear is for an individual to take the time to be around this animal. It can be something as simple as watching their actions while the horses are in a field. This allows the observer to see how the horse reacts to its environment.
- Second Step: The next step is to have actual contact with the horse in a controlled environment. Taking the horse by a lead and walking them around is a great way to connect and take control of the horse.
As the individual becomes more comfortable handling the horse from the ground, they can then progress to actually mounting the animal. Having a horse handler assist with this will help the new rider to gain their confidence.
There are necessary skills to be learned for horse riding. These can be done slowly by relying on an individual who is familiar with horses and riding.