Relaxed whilst jumping - any tips?

[Dixieroo]

Hi,

I am a nervous jumper and seem to "lock and freeze" when approaching, jumping and riding away from a jump. I lose the power of thought and tend to cling on for grim death!

I would love to master this and wonder of anyone has any tips to share?

Thanks

[kt with Hanni]

I'm the same would love to hear others thoughts on this. Hanni never helped when jumping as he sensed my nerves and would refuse turning the whole issue into a visious cycle!

[julz]

What exactly are you afraid of? the horse hitting the fence with legs? you falling off? the horse falling over the jump? the horse stopping suddenly? the jump itself?

[MirandaSophie]

set up a pair of wings, and put a pole across the very bottom hole (or even on the floor) and walk over that.

first of all, jsut walk straight over, then walk over if at angles, then on a cirlce. then walkover it, turn around before 6 strides and walk back over it.

Then approach it, stop your horse half way over (so pole is under his belly). then walk on again.

Walk up to it, stop in front of it, then walk over it.

Walk over it and stop as soon as last leg lands on other side.

then, once you're finding these things easy. Try it in trot (don't try to stop half way over it in trot or canter)

Stick with those for a while, then when you're feeling confident, do the same again, in canter...vary it, so you're coming at different angles, off a circle etc (the fence can stay in the same place just vary your approach).

When you're feeling happier with that, make the smalles X you can...just rest the ends of the poles on the bottom of the wings and ride exactly the same way.

A shetland would still be able to walk over it, so if you want to go slowly, you still can

As you get a bit braver, pull the wings apart a bit more, and put the X up a hole or two. Now the fence is getting bigger at the sides, but if you pull the wings apart enough the middle of the X is still small

But you're getting used to riding through "bigger" things, you see?

Do the same thing.

When you feel a little braver, find a shorter pole, and put it underneath the X .

The jump is no bigger, but you're getting used to riding over different looking things ;D

when you feel happy with that (and you're still doing the same exercises I mentioned to begin with btw), have you got any fillers? Pop them up infront of the wings..

All of a sudden you're passing through something scary! ;D

And because you're varying your approach, and what you're doing at the fence, you're horse won't get bored! ;D

as you get braver (and you will get braver !), prop the fence up a bit. ONLY AS MUCH AS YOU FEEL COMFORTABLE.

Even if you think "oh, that's ok", ride up to it, but on the approach feel a bit wobbly, you'll have practised your control (the stopping) enough that you can stop before the jump

Then put it back down (if you think you made it too big) and do as you did before. Don't rush it. height isn't an issue. If you feel yourself gtting tense. just walk.

let us know how you get on! ;D

[julz]

As you get a bit braver, pull the wings apart a bit more, and put the X up a hole or two. Now the fence is getting bigger at the sides, but if you pull the wings apart enough the middle of the X is still small

surely you'd have to push the wings together to raise the end of the poles? the bit in the middle - the part you jump/aim for - will still be the lowest part of the jump...

[MirandaSophie]

yes, exactly.... keep the middle small, but make the out side look bigger... it's all about how people percieve things. Steep poles look more daunting, but if you can reason with youself and say "it's ok, it's exactly the same" then it's better for confidence.

It gets horse and rider used to jumping through different things...if that mkaes sense ?

I can only describe it this way; when I started jumping rolls, it took a white to get used to ending up my body higher than the wings in my porifferal (sp) vision, because i was alsoways used to having something either side of me....

[ktk]

All depends on why your nervous. Have you had a bad fall? Or do you just worry about having a bad fall? What sort of jumping do you want to do? Whats your horse like to jump? Do you have the same problem on other horses or just yours?

I ended up having to jump my friends horse who is totally safe and will jump anything he was asked to after I had my fall. Started off on the lunge, I clung onto his mane half way up went into jumping position miles off and just closed my eyes and hoped for the best! I always say if you fall off when your eyes ar shut, it doesnt hurt as much! After a week or two of been on the lunge I felt so much better, I was made (in a kind lovely way!) to jump without my reins- this helped so much.

WOuld it help to have lessons in a riding school on hte lunge off something that is totally safe and wont mind what your doing on top?! Or do you have a friend that could help? Or an instructer that could help or lunge you?

[Dixieroo]

Thanks for your replies and tips.

I have never been a confident jumper but I think the lost of any confidence i had was due to a combination of a horse falling on me just before take off (he slipped) and having a very aggressive instructor who belittled me in front of others.

I don't have a horse of my own so all of my jumping is done at a riding school on different horses. I think I have fear of losing control which makes me: tense, not "go with " the horse and not be effective.
I need to find a way to get into a more relaxed mind set before attempting it I think.

[MirandaSophie]

Ahh, So what i wrote won't be very helpful then! Sorry!

Are you still under instruction of the person who belittled you?

If so, I suggest you move schools, if this is possible? I was at a yard with my boys, where every day more negative thigns were thrown at me, and I was told in the days leading up to, and even a few minutes before i left for our first big outing that my horse would kill me I was unhappy, my horses were unhappy, I was made to feel like I was the worst rider on the planet......I left, and went to Mariaana's wonderful yard, where people were only helpful and supportive and my condence grew hugely

be careful if you are going to jump on a lunge

it's difficult to give advice, because you'll be doing what your instruvtor tells you what to do, won't you...hmmmm...so this means we need to havea think about what YOU can do with yourself.

rotate your shoulders when you feel yourself getting tense, and also try some gentle rib isolations to relax your back. Deep breaths. Clsoe your eyes and count slowly in your head.

Feel the horse underneath you, and correct your position in the saddle. Then open your eyes.

Do the transition into the gaite that's been requested. Get into a nice, relaxed rhythm... 1, 2, 1, 2, 1, 2, 3...pop, 1, 2, 1, 2..... count in your head (the one, two, three bit is the last strides before the jump...though it's hard to do this in the trot).

If you want to count outloud, then I'm sure that'll be fine with your instructor

hoep that helps

[ktk]

You really need to talk to your instructer, if you feel you cant then it would be best to find one that you can talk to. If that means moving yards then its probably for the best. If possible stick to private lessons rather than group lessons (I know they are soo much more expensive but will really help you!)

I think that there is very little point in giving advice on the riding side of things as it will probably make things worse. Just concentrate on your breathing, keep it steady and relaxed. THat you can practice at home With a good instructer you will be working so hard on riding and thinking about whats going on that you wont have time to think about anything else This is where its better to have private lessons for a while, with group lesons you spend the whole time watching and comparing yourself to the other riders-never a good thing!

Find a good instructer, explain you are nervous and would like to build up a relationship with whatever horse it is your riding, so your not on something different each week. Any good riding school and instructer will be happy to help.

Good luck xxx

[swallowsmum]

breathing exercises may help as KtK has mentioned......gives you something else to think about whilst you are going to the jump and takes your mind off it! just take everything slowly in little bite sized chunks and move on to bigger jumps when you feel totally happy with the ickle ones.......no pressure!!!!!

[Dixieroo]

Great, thanks for all your advice.

I will try the breathing/relaxing exercises at home, it's a good idea, as I always forget to breathe! The idea of sticking to one horse is also a good one, I need to build up that trust.

I don't go to that instructor any more, once was enough! I was not going to give my hard earned cash to someone with such a negative, patronising attitude.

Hopefully one day I will get a horse of my own and really begin to build a partnership that will solve a lot of these problems.

[amarche]

singing is always a good one too! it encourages the breathing and as I've said before on another thread i find it hard to feel nervous/anxious when I'm warbling nursery rhymes to me and the horse

or 'hotstuff' (dawnb's suggestion lol!)

the other one is to view the jump as simply another stride on your route