Would anxiety medication help with riding?

I was an anxiety meds for a few years. I won't go into the reasons; they were unrelated to horses.

I had always wanted to try eventing, but feared the jumps in cross country. I began cross country while on meds. I loved it. I still love it. I learned I could handle it. Often, getting over our fears is a matter of facing them and learning to handle what we fear. In this case, the meds make it easier to face what you fear, and let you master the skill so you no longer fear it.

I kept on eventing after I went off the meds.

So certainly the meds could help you with riding. If they help you stay calm, you'll be able to face your fear and learn not to fear. Panic attacks are not a normal thing, they're not pleasant, and they're even dangerous. If your doctor thinks these meds would help, by all means take them. A side benefit may well be you're able to ride again.

Good Luck.

Anxiety meds will help with your panic attacks which usually happen with no warning or obvious reason but your horse issue is a bit different.

You've had a bad fall so it's constantly on your mind and your fear is constantly being triggered. It would be great if you could start over with both of your badly behaved horses and ride them under the eye of a good instructor/trainer to retrain both you and your horses. Maybe that's not an option.

Try practicing the emergency dismount starting at the dead stop, then the walk and so on. Do it faster and smoother each time until you are comfortable with it. Don't worry if your butt hits the ground sometimes.

Please don't become dependent on pills and more pills to fight your fear of riding-panic attacks are a horrible thing but in this situation, your fear has a definite cause and pills won't help.

Id worry about the 99% of life outside of riding.

If you ride you fall... if you want to ride again suck it up. It may take a few tries but doing that drug free...is great therapy.