Loping Out Loud

If you get breathless and jittery at the lope, try this to substitute enjoyment for anxiety.

- Daniel Dauphin, With J. Forsberg Meyer

“Omi-gosh! Omi-gosh! Omi-gosh!”

If this is your internal conversation when you’re loping your horse, you’re not alone. For many of us, the lope is the point at which our courage can begin to flag. All sphincters, pupils, and even pores contract as we lean forward, tense our muscles, and hold our breath. We do all these things because we’re trying to control what feels like a saddled trampoline building velocity like Willy Wonka’s speedboat.

Let’s change that conversation, shall we? Over the years, I’ve worked with many adult students suffering from loping anxiety, and there’s one simple strategy I’ve learned can make an enormous difference. It’s reciting out loud, at high volume, from memory.

It sounds crazy, I know. But I guarantee it’ll enable you to relax and let go of those nerves, which in turn will allow you to sit properly and ride with more confidence.

Why It Works