Every Picture Tells A Story

Every picture tells a story; we have all heard this saying. This picture really tells many stories and dispels the myth that the horse world nowadays is full of mean, judgmental people. It’s not.

I have been running horse camps for riders for 17 years, long before they became as popular as they are now. This picture was taken at my 50th camp. A camp full of lovely, supportive horse people.

On this day, three riders said to me, “Would you like to ride my horse?” The answers were, of course, yes, yes and yes!

Many years ago, I let one of these riders ride my precious horse after she had had many falls off her horse at camp. She jumped with a huge smile on her face. Years later, she returned the joy, and I rode hers with a smile on mine.

Back to the horse in the picture, Henry, he represents my dream horse. Now, don’t get me wrong, I have been so very lucky and owned some truly wonderful horses, two of which I would class as horses of a lifetime. Henry, however, represents my dream horse. I have watched his type from the ring side many, many times at both the Royal Norfolk and HOYS. Did I ever think that I would one day ride this type of horse - of course I did, that’s what dreams are for, aren’t they?

On this day, this 61-year-old rider's dream came true: not only did I get to ride such an impressive horse, but I got to do it side-saddle, something I had never dreamed of doing.

When the rider, Kate, said, “Janet, would you like to ride Henry side saddle?” My response was “f*** yes!” And I got my hat on quick smart. Kate not only entrusted me with her prized horse but also explained how to ride him side-saddle.

This photo shows me cantering him. Yes, this was my first ride side saddle. Another rider said to me afterwards, “You're brave” Here’s the strange part: I wasn’t brave, just confident.

I had every confidence in myself, Kate and Henry. Years ago, this would not have been the case. I suffered with that inner voice that would say, “What if this happens?” This would have been many disasters, including falling off, ending up in a wheelchair, etc.

Many years ago, I can recall two incidents where my lack of confidence, nerves & anxiety nearly stole my riding.

The first was as I was about to mount the most sensible maxi cob you could imagine, a true paragon of virtue, Pearl. I was tearful, and my husband at the time said, “What on earth is the matter with you? You have been riding for 30 years!” My answer was I don’t know, I felt like I was going mad.

The second was out hacking with a friend days later, when my nerves were getting the better of me, and she said: “If you don’t get a grip, you will ruin this lovely young horse you have paid all this money for”.

These two incidents were the catalyst for change.

Today, I trust in my ability, my experience, and, most importantly, my judgment. My face in this picture tells you how good this feels.

It’s now my mission to share how I built this confidence with other riders, so if you're having those “what if " thoughts or if you talk yourself out of riding while you're driving to the yard, please get in touch.