Hi ! I have a riding assessment/interview at my local agricultural college next week (panic!!!) Id be grateful if anyone could give me any advice on how to deal with my nerves and relax. I am afraid that if I am too tense, this will affect my riding, in particular my position. It is not so much the exercises we have to do - its all stage one stuff (should be dead easy for me!) - its more the fact that Ill be riding a new horse infront of a new intstructor. Im hoping to take all my exams up to stage 3 & the PTT, and I know I can do the riding work at home, on familiar horses at my local riding school, but it is a different story, when Ill be taking the exams, on unknown horses!!!! Advice Please!!!

Remember the examiner/assessor will be aware of your nerves and make allowances for them. If you think you've done something daft don't let it put you off - just forget it and carry on.

The horses are all capable of doing what you wnat them to do. They won't be nutters out to get you. Neither for that matter is the examiner!

Hey, you're getting the chance to ride a different horse. This is what it's all about and it's FUN! Get on, get comfy, walk about and suss the horse out. How does he respond to your aids? Is he stiffer on one side or the other? Is he straight? Does he have good rhythm? Concentrate on all of that and you'll be too busy to worry about examiners and things.

Good luck. Let us know how it goes.