Getting over fears and doubts in riding

Hi Guys! Long time no see. I truly am sorry for this- I'll make up for it soon with a post about two point/ jumping position. You see, I spent most of my holidays overseas, and the start of school has come with lots of homework. I hope to be on here more often though.
Anyway, as horse riders, we have a lot of doubts. Doubts about whether we are good enough, doubts about trying new jumping heights, or a million other things. Along with those doubts comes  fears (which is understandable, since horse riding is one of the most dangerous sports.) Everyone has a small fear of falling off their horse, and nobody likes it happening to them. So I'm going to try to help people with this post who are not confident with their riding.

 Doubts:

doubts usually develop after a bad day of horse riding, or when someone insults your riding. A number of other things can cause doubts, so first you have to ask yourself a question:
Are you the problem, or is the horse a problem? Once, I was riding a jump course on a mare called Summer. She refused to jump every second jump on the course. I went home devasted, wondering what I was doing wrong and doubting my riding skills. I rode her again the week after on a very similar jumping course, and guess what? She was perfect. She didn't refuse once. Sometimes, horses can have bad days, just like humans. They can have enthusiastic days and lazy days, angry days and perky days. So don't put yourself down if your horse won't do something for you. If necessary, take some private lessons and the problem will be fixed in no time.
If someone insults your riding skills, just talk to your trainer about it. They will answer your question honestly. A lot of people say bad things out of anger or jealousy, so remember that the next time someone insults you.

Fears:

The most common fear in riding is falling off. Falling off can cause some serious injuries, so everyone has a right to be scared about it. But you shouldn't be on a horse if you are scared to death- horses can tell if you are scared, which will make them scared, with will then make it MORE likely for you to fall. If you lack confidence, take some private lessons to build your confidence.
A lot of people develop fears after having a bad fall. Bad falls cause some people to stop horse riding all together. If you are one of these people, don't remember all the bad times- remember the good times, remember why you liked riding so much. Maybe take some lunge lessons to rebuild your confidence. A lot of people get a bad fall, but it shouldn't stop you doing something you love.
Fears can also be because of a particular horse. Horses that buck, rear, bolt, or a mixture of those can cause people to be scared while being around or riding the horse. If you are not confident on that horse, maybe ask your instructor to swap horses. But before you do remember, that the horses with the most problems are often the ones that have the most to offer you.

Horse rearing

Anyway, I hope this information helps you with your fears/doubts. Look out for a post on two point soon :)

Rachel.