How can I get more confident jumping??

[joey_olop]

Basically here is my story: I used to jump anything when I was a kid(I used to frequently win chase me charlies at my RS cos I was scared of nothing!!) Then when I was 19 I did my BHS exams at college & had a really nasty fall from a 16hh jumping about 3ft(I was off work for weeks, my back was severly put out!) I never jumped again for about 3 years.

Blackie(my current horse) is an awesome jumper but I just cant seem "to go with him"!! Ive been jumping on him for about 2 years now & I have got a little bit better but I still get very nervous to the point I start to shake or worse crying my eyes out!

Anything over 2ft & I start to shake & he just stops dead. Ive had lessons, Ive even done competitions but just cant seem to shake these nerves.

Ive plucked up the courage to do another show on Sunday(My 1st one since I did terribly at a show in August) & I am absolutely wetting myself!! Im not looking to come away with anything just to get round clear & safe & get my confidence up a bit.

Please can anyone give some advice???

[skyler]

Do you actually want to jump?

The reason I ask Is I had a very similar experiance to yourself used to cry shaxe be physically sick.

I then stopped putting any pressure on myself to jump, I did it if I wanted to when I felt like it not because I felt I had to and slowly gained my confidence that way.

The more you force it the worse you will be you need to find a way of making it fun and enjoyable I did this through small XC to me they just wernt as scary as coulerd poles? I then built confidence and height XC then slowly went back to coulerd poles?

[joey_olop]

Yes I do want to jump-which makes me feel a bit strange now!! I want to jump but when I do it scares the hell out of me??!!

Thats a good way of dealing with it, I do very low jumps at home(under about 2ft ish & Im fine as soon as they start to go up I get the shakes & butterfly feelings)

[joey_olop]

Forgot to say-Blackie often puts in some very nasty stops when we jump, but its all me cos he can feel me being scared, he has been ridden by other people & he jumps like a stag for anyone else.

[skyler]

Sorry what I mena is do you feel like you should jump as everyone else does?

Thats what happend with me I felt that as the horse I rode was a grade A show jumper I had to jump him.

[~*sugarlump*~]

what are you scared of? falling off? not jumping very well? if its falling off, do you not want the pain again?

i had my first fall recently, and it was about 3ft, a height i felt very confident at as i've jumped bigger and i'm the type, that thinks "if i've done it once i can do it again" so i don't get nervous. any type of jumping is dangerous to a degree so try not to get nervous whilst doing bigger jumps:)
i'm more determined than ever to jump well yet i'm still getting abit nervous so that's where my rescue remedy comes in :rolleyes:

maybe instead of jumping bigger try different types of fences to build your confidence, such as spreads, fans, doubles, bounces, all at a height that you feel comfy.
when you do feel abit more comfy with it put the jumps up by one hole and jump that. slowly work yourself up and convince yourself that you can do it.
when i jump bigger i jump a fan as apparently its a more natural jump for a horse and they find it easier than an upright. it also looks smaller (my bf told me i was jumping 3ft, turned out i was jumping 3ft6:p)
and wear a BP :p
good luck with it:)

[jaydevon]

i have the smae problems, its like a mental block, whats your fear the horse stopping dead and you falling off or jumping the jump and coming off the other side??

mine is the horse stopping which means i dont ride into a jump!

ive just started playing with snappers just cantering over poles shortening and lengthaning the strides ect, will raise the poles and keep going, once our other beast is sound may jump him as he dosnt rush at jumps, and just pops them nicley! saying all this i have jumped pluto, and he has a scary big jump on him but i did survive!

[joey_olop]

Its the falling off & not doing well that scares me!!

What is a fan jump can I ask??

Does the rescue remedy really work????

Sorry for 20 questions!

[jaydevon]

rescue remedy? tried it once it didnt help me, im ashamed to say a few glasses of wine does much more! i didnt think you should worry about the doing well at the moment get all thoughts of winning out of your head, that should take some of the pressure off!

[~*sugarlump*~]

http://www.eq-paradise.com/other.htm
if you go down abit theres one there, you can put them as low or high as you like. i dont know why but i feel more confident jumping them :)
i find that rescue remedy works to a degree. a few days after my fall i went riding again and it took abit of the edge off my nerves. i dont know whether its mind over matter or whether its something that actualy works, but it does calm em down (calmed me down a treat before my english A level:p)

take things as slowly as you want, but remember to keep challenging yourself every now and then so you do work up some confidence and determination:)

[joey_olop]

i have the smae problems, its like a mental block, whats your fear the horse stopping dead and you falling off or jumping the jump and coming off the other side??

mine is the horse stopping which means i dont ride into a jump!

ive just started playing with snappers just cantering over poles shortening and lengthaning the strides ect, will raise the poles and keep going, once our other beast is sound may jump him as he dosnt rush at jumps, and just pops them nicley! saying all this i have jumped pluto, and he has a scary big jump on him but i did survive!

Mine is eaxactly the same-stopping before the jump so I dont ride into it!! Thats probably why Blackie stops as well.

I will have a go at that tonight then, thanks so much for the tips!! Ive got to drive to the show sunday so wine is def out of the question :D:D

[tasha]

You could try hypnotherapy - Ive just had a session to help with interview nerves and I feel so much more positive now. Even if you dont have a full on session you could try a hypnotherapy CD - I know NR sells them :)

[Lubii]

Do you have someone you can ride with?
Me andd my friend were both nervous of jumping bigger and we found that when we jumped together it made us more confident, we went from being nervous jumpingg cavalette to jumping 1.10m in about 6 weeks.
Also maybe getting a confident rider to jump your horse higher for you and watch them? so you can SEE what he does when he stops and why and you can see that HE can do bigger which will help you to do bigger.
otherwise I would suggest getting some jumping lessons on a schoolmaster type horse.

[joey_olop]

http://www.eq-paradise.com/other.htm
if you go down abit theres one there, you can put them as low or high as you like. i dont know why but i feel more confident jumping them :)
i find that rescue remedy works to a degree. a few days after my fall i went riding again and it took abit of the edge off my nerves. i dont know whether its mind over matter or whether its something that actualy works, but it does calm em down (calmed me down a treat before my english A level:p)

take things as slowly as you want, but remember to keep challenging yourself every now and then so you do work up some confidence and determination:)

:eek: that fan looks scary!! dont think I have the confidence for that yet!!

[joey_olop]

Do you have someone you can ride with?
Me andd my friend were both nervous of jumping bigger and we found that when we jumped together it made us more confident, we went from being nervous jumpingg cavalette to jumping 1.10m in about 6 weeks.
Also maybe getting a confident rider to jump your horse higher for you and watch them? so you can SEE what he does when he stops and why and you can see that HE can do bigger which will help you to do bigger.
otherwise I would suggest getting some jumping lessons on a schoolmaster type horse.


The thing is I have seen him being jumped by someone more confident but I still get scared :o I have been having lessons on him but I feel like Im not achieving anything still, I might go & have a lesson at a RS on something, on a horse that has been there & done it.

Thanks for all the advice everyone :)

[slimjim]

The other option is find an instructor that will inspire you. My ex partner just wouldn't jump over 2ft, but she had 2 lessons with a fab instructor who got her jumping around 3ft 6 just by making her believe in herself - I knew she could do it but at that stage wasn't horsey enough to convince her I knew what I was talking about.

[~*sugarlump*~]

:eek: that fan looks scary!! dont think I have the confidence for that yet!!

its not actually that scary if you set it up small. my BF (he does BSJA, and is a really good SJer...pfft :rolleyes: ) says that its an easier version of a spread :)

[joey_olop]

its not actually that scary if you set it up small. my BF (he does BSJA, and is a really good SJer...pfft :rolleyes: ) says that its an easier version of a spread :)

Really???!!!! Think I would prefer a spread!!!!!

[joey_olop]

The other option is find an instructor that will inspire you. My ex partner just wouldn't jump over 2ft, but she had 2 lessons with a fab instructor who got her jumping around 3ft 6 just by making her believe in herself - I knew she could do it but at that stage wasn't horsey enough to convince her I knew what I was talking about.

lol My partner is a bit like that, he stands there going "come on Jo I know you can do it" bless him but inside me Im screaming "no i cant!!"

Def need some decent lessons me thinks!

[~*sugarlump*~]

Really???!!!! Think I would prefer a spread!!!!!

quite funny, as if i see a spread i'l be more nervous than if i saw a fan :p
suppose its just what you find easier:)

[joey_olop]

quite funny, as if i see a spread i'l be more nervous than if i saw a fan :p
suppose its just what you find easier:)

lol:D Mite just put a little baby one up & see what I think, will def give the rescue ermedy a go as well!

[sugarpuff]

Hi Joey

Why dont you stick with 2ft classes going clear and feel you done well then work up? Also why dont you try doing some small xc pairs with someone who has no probs jumping.... maybe some sponsored rides im off to halton again this year if you wanna come along we could squeeze you in our group if you can get transport?

i think the best bet is to stay at the height until you dont think about it any more and feel confident ...jump with confident people, seriously it will soon brush off onto you, it did with me after i had a nasty fall 2 years ago now i rarly bat an eyelid unless its a drop in cross country :eek: lol

good luck...you will get there just take things slowly...:D

[joey_olop]

Hardly anyone does 2ft classes anymore-Snowball start at 2ft3 & the show Im going to sunday only has 2ft3 as well :eek:

I sound like a right wuss now!! I used to jump anything when I was a kid, damn college!!

Dunno if I can get to that sponsered ride, were selling the trailer now so will have nothing, unless someone goes from the yard. Im hitching a lift Sunday with another girl who is going, hopefully Blackie will load ok :eek: :D

[samsaria]

Joey you are already on the way up confidence-wise - look - you're posting here, you've entered a comp, your confidence is on the 'up-slide' - have a great time at your comp - you wouldn't have entered if you really didn't feel you could do it.

Go girl! :D

I'll be looking forward to hear how it goes!!!

Sx

[sugarpuff]

Hey

I know south bucks have 2ft xc course you can do in pairs, my friend who was nervous done that last year and she loved it.

try to enjoy yourself it is hard i know but focus and think...i am going to get round..come on blackie we can do it really egg yourself on.;)

best of luck and let us know how you get on.

[joey_olop]

Joey you are already on the way up confidence-wise - look - you're posting here, you've entered a comp, your confidence is on the 'up-slide' - have a great time at your comp - you wouldn't have entered if you really didn't feel you could do it.

Go girl! :D

I'll be looking forward to hear how it goes!!!

Sx

Thank-you so much, you post was really uplifting!!

Will def let you know how I get on :D

[joey_olop]

Hey

I know south bucks have 2ft xc course you can do in pairs, my friend who was nervous done that last year and she loved it.

try to enjoy yourself it is hard i know but focus and think...i am going to get round..come on blackie we can do it really egg yourself on.;)

best of luck and let us know how you get on.

Cheers! Will def let you know how I get on :D

[skyler]

Is that Snowball Farm your talking about?

I know of a fab instructor in your area who got me jumping 3 foot by inspiring me if that may help?

[hooleymooley]

Hi Joey,

I have almost exactly the same story. Rode & jumped anything as a kid and then broke my arm & leg when jumping when I was about 17 doing my BHS exams.

Is there another horse that you could ride?

If your horse is picking up on your nerves and putting in stops, this isn't going to help your confidence at all.

I would strongly recommend that you have some lessons with a sympathetic instructor and a schoolmaster who is going to take you over, but is not going to rush or stop.

That way, you dont have to worry about the horse, you can just focus on your jumping and your confidence will build.

You said that you "dont go" with your horse. This sounds like the problem I've had, where you become so tense because you are so nervous that you don't fold properly and dont give with the reins, making it even more difficult, and even more likely that the horse will stop.

I hope that this help. As I said above, would strongly recommend some lessons on a jumping schoolmaster.

Also - totally agree re: not putting too much pressure on yourself. I used to do that. Would have one SJ lesson and then decide that I was ready for a competition. I wouldnt worry about competing for now. Just get yourself happy and confident and then everything else will gradually happen.

Don't give up though. Every time you stop you have to start back at square one. You'll get there eventually x

[slimjim]

Joey you are already on the way up confidence-wise - look - you're posting here, you've entered a comp, your confidence is on the 'up-slide' - have a great time at your comp - you wouldn't have entered if you really didn't feel you could do it.

Go girl! :D

I'll be looking forward to hear how it goes!!!

Sx

I agree! WE all believe in you, we are here willing you to do well, and I for one will be thinking about you on sunday....

Come back and tell us how you did - even if you jump one fence at 2ft3 thats more than you've been doing recently so it's an improvement, just go and have fun, one jump at a time, and trust your horse. A gem from the Whitaker masterclass on H&C this week - it is your job to steer the course, let the horse worry about the jumping.

Blackie can manage the jumps fine, you know that, so just look for your line and concentrate on your position to make jumping easy. You will be just fine and remember if you go clear at 2ft 3 do a rapid entry into 2ft 6 so you can make most of the adrenalin flowing from your success!

[joey_olop]

Is that Snowball Farm your talking about?

I know of a fab instructor in your area who got me jumping 3 foot by inspiring me if that may help?

Yes please, if you have got there details would be great! Are you from this neck of the woods as well :D

Hi Joey,

I have almost exactly the same story. Rode & jumped anything as a kid and then broke my arm & leg when jumping when I was about 17 doing my BHS exams.

Is there another horse that you could ride?

If your horse is picking up on your nerves and putting in stops, this isn't going to help your confidence at all.

I would strongly recommend that you have some lessons with a sympathetic instructor and a schoolmaster who is going to take you over, but is not going to rush or stop.

That way, you dont have to worry about the horse, you can just focus on your jumping and your confidence will build.

You said that you "dont go" with your horse. This sounds like the problem I've had, where you become so tense because you are so nervous that you don't fold properly and dont give with the reins, making it even more difficult, and even more likely that the horse will stop.

I hope that this help. As I said above, would strongly recommend some lessons on a jumping schoolmaster.

Also - totally agree re: not putting too much pressure on yourself. I used to do that. Would have one SJ lesson and then decide that I was ready for a competition. I wouldnt worry about competing for now. Just get yourself happy and confident and then everything else will gradually happen.

Don't give up though. Every time you stop you have to start back at square one. You'll get there eventually x

Thank you so much for the suggestions, will def give them all a go!

I agree! WE all believe in you, we are here willing you to do well, and I for one will be thinking about you on sunday....

Come back and tell us how you did - even if you jump one fence at 2ft3 thats more than you've been doing recently so it's an improvement, just go and have fun, one jump at a time, and trust your horse. A gem from the Whitaker masterclass on H&C this week - it is your job to steer the course, let the horse worry about the jumping.

Blackie can manage the jumps fine, you know that, so just look for your line and concentrate on your position to make jumping easy. You will be just fine and remember if you go clear at 2ft 3 do a rapid entry into 2ft 6 so you can make most of the adrenalin flowing from your success!

Thanks Slimjim, will def let you all know how I get on, OH will be there taking pics & vids :o

[skyler]

I used to live in Theale got a few mates who compete SJ in the area lol.

Iwill Pm you details

[Morganna]

its not actually that scary if you set it up small. my BF (he does BSJA, and is a really good SJer...pfft :rolleyes: ) says that its an easier version of a spread :)

I agree with him - fans are my favourite type of jumps - I just concentrate on the little end and I'm over before you know it:D

I too am having some confidence issues with jumping since coming back to riding after an accident. First time I tried to jump my new boy, I was literally brought down to earth with a thud. I have realised that I have nothing to prove to anyone except myself so I am taking it really slowly and not jumping at all at the moment. We are concentrating on flat work for the time being but will start introducing pole work in a few weeks and because I have not rushed myself, I am actually rather looking forward to progressing with my boy. Don't push yourself too hard, it's not like you are on a time limit. Take your time at a comfortable height and perfect that first before moving on to bigger jumps:)

[joey_olop]

Thanks Morganna some good advice there, Im going to try the fan tonight, I didnt ride last night as was feeling a bit nervous about it :o Def will give it a go.

[Siogfinsceal]

You can do it! I know how you feel and whats awful is wanting to do something and then fear taking over. As kids we are so fearless that adult fears can be frustrating. 2 things that might help are firstly looking at what exactly it is that you are afraid of- is it that you will fall and hurt yourself? Is it that you will feel bad if you cannot do it? Is it that you are afraid blackie will stop? people get worried for all sorts of reasons. A good bit probably relates back to that bad fall you had and thats totally understandable.

I used to get so nervous before shows that I would be physically sick. It sounds mad but you know what cured me - acknowledging the fear. I started thinking 'yes I am afraid. I know why and I know what of so now I am going to put that in the corner until afterwards'. Horses pick up so much from us that unfortunately if you are worried coming into a fence they worry too. If they know you are not 100% committed, they hesitate themslves. I know its hard but if you can acknowledge your fear but then be determined it does work. the way I started looking at it is 'ok so I am worried about this fence so instead of hesitating I am going to give it everything so that I have the best chance of getting over it'. You have to use your adrenaline to focus on the jumps and put all of your energy into that. I know it means putting on a brave determined act for a while but after a few times it becomes natural - promise! remember above all else put your leg on you may find that you nearly have to get aggressive and take an 'attack the fence' attitude but it works.

The idea of getting some lessons on a different horse or an RS one might also build up your confidence. If you can find a really good RI that also helps. Mine has the great ability to really believe in the person she teaches and it really helps you to believe in yourself and inspires self confidence.. jesus I sound like a hippy but what I mean is if she puts up a big spread and tells me to jump it she says it with such conviction and belief that I can do it that it makes me get off my @ss and go for it. Last night I had a bad fall off a friends horse - she fell and hit the ground hard so I got thrown hard. Ive a comp on my own horse on saturday so I knew I had to get up on my own horse afterwards otherwise the shock would stay with me and set me back. When I got up on siog for the first few fences without realising it I was holding her back and hesitating at the jumps, but with the help of my RI we were jumping great at the end of the session. Now I know if that had been me on my own it would have been a disaster. I also know that next time I go to jump the horse that fell I will have some residual fear (couldnt remount last night as she was sore).

Give it everything at your show at the weekend. If you can get some rescue remedy or argent nit tablets they are great. If you cant eat before hand get some lucozade into you so you have the energy to kick! we all know you can do it xx

[joey_olop]

Thank you so much Siogfinsceal, Im def afraid of him stopping, but then I am making him stop by being afraid, viscous circle :o

I will def get the rescue remedy in & the lucozade, I find if I eat before a show I will throw up(sorry if too much info!!) so I tend just to have a drink! I eat afterwards when my butterflies have gone & the stomach is settled(sort of like a ritual!!)

Will def report back & let you all know how I do :)

[Siogfinsceal]

I will def get the rescue remedy in & the lucozade, I find if I eat before a show I will throw up(sorry if too much info!!) so I tend just to have a drink!

meet your sister I used to be the same! :D I still dont like to eat much before hand hence the lucozade or a smoothy is great stuff. The argent nit tablets are homeopathic and fantastic at settling a nervous stomach. Its gas everyone thinks im really confident cos ive won a bit before but I still get nervous before hand. The way ive started looking at it is as a positive thing - being nervous means you respect what you are doing. even the best people get nervous (they just hide it well!).

Good luck I hope it all goes fantastically. I know that viscious circle only too well I have only recently realised how often I hinder my mare by holding her back without realising which led to us knocking when we were away from home. Subconsciously I am afraid to allow her to take a big jump in case she doesnt take it! Ive been working on relaxing my hands and using my legs instead.

get your 'tough joey' act on before you get into the ring, use those legs and give the course everything. ;) x

P.s. re 2ft vs 2'3" get a ruler out and look at what 3 inches is. its small hun. now stop worrying about it blackie certainly wont be noticing the 3 inch difference and remember at shows they wont all be up to full height

[CER1389]

The best exercise I ever did with my instructor was before my lesson I would decide how high I was going to jump that day. Say 2ft3. Now I was happy goign up to about 1ft9 - it was when the jump got higher than that I would turn into a nervous heap of jelly!

At the start of my lesson my isntructor would take out a set of wings. Set up at x. She would then put the pole on the highest setting at the top of the wings. So about 4ft something. I would then have to warm up around this massive jump. She would also set up another set of wings in a different place where I would pop tiny x poles and things. Slowly as I warmed up the 4ft jump in the middle of the school would get lower and lower. By the end of my lesson the jump would be down to the 2ft3 height we had originally arranged. Now to end my lesson all I had to do was to turn down the centre line and pop this straight. 2ft 3 was still a scary height - but the jump always looked pretty small and insignificant compared to the massive 4ft that orginially stood there!

The one time I agreed to go to 3ft, my instructor did the same thing. However she made the 4ft fence a massive spread, with scary fillers, and a water tray. So as well as gettign lower, all the scary objects where taken away and the back bar disappeared. Then when it came to jumping the 3ft fence, it didn't look quite so bad!

It's all a matter of perspective!

[Nik-n-Kia]

I have the same problem and the only thing I can recommend is someone there with you that you trust either teaching you or supporting you.

I get very nervous as Kia is prone to throwing me through and over jumps willy nilly and it is unfortunately because I am giving him doubts most of the time.

He also jumps like a stag with a confident jumper on top. (four foot with my dad :rolleyes:)

I have just restarted and I am taking it slow and getting better with the smaller jumps before moving up to the bigger ones. i am staying at no more than 2ft to get our confidence up.

I also would jump anything when I was younger. Oh for the confidence of a 12year old lol!!!

Nikki xxxx

[ongo247]

Hi there. I have been where you are and it's so depressing and frustrating and terrifying, the knot in your stomach and the trembling in your legs. You want to do it, you know you can, but you just can't.

a few years ago I also was completely fearless and would jump anything on my lovely old loan horse, (and any nutty rs pony that came my way) so i made a typical mistake, being lulled into thinking I was a better rider than I was, went out and bought a 4 yo tbx.

Needless to say, the next few years were as tough as tough could be and resulted in many falls, a concussion and a knackered knee as well as a complete and total loss of confidence jumping. I would not jump over 2foot, only then on a good day and all fillers could just burn in hell as far as I was concerned. I went up to every jump thinking he's going to stop, leap or duck out. and I couldn't sit any of them!

What brought a turn around with us was a change of yard, I moved to a new yard, where it felt like nobody had any thing to prove, everyone just wants to have fun and enjoy helping each other out, it's not paradise, we still have bitchy sessions, but a huge improvement from the last place where you regularly publically humiliated and everything that went wrong was down to your terrible riding. One girl who was extremely talented and experienced jumping was between horses and I offered her mine to jump, she adored him and gave him so much confidence and he really started to enjoy himself and become more bold. The YO commented on how completely naff my saddle was for me for jumping, short legs on a vsd don't mix!. I was told that I needed a straight cut saddle as nothing else would fit with his big shoulder. Rubbish the yo said. do you think your top showjumpers don't have big shoulders?! so I went shopping and found a saddle that fits me & my horse. wowee. sorry this is getting a bit long, to cut an already long story a bit shorter, we recently had an Andrew Hamilton lesson and finished on 1m20!!, not to mention the 1st place at huntertrials and 1sts in 80 and 90 classes!.
top tips -
1. don't jump beyond your comfort limit. jump that till your bored, then gradually increase.
2. if your local shows are 2.3, then make sure you are jumping 2.6 - 2.9 at home. you need the jumps to look small when you get to the show.
3. keep big jumps up in the school if you are allowed. get used to seeing them big, even if you aren't jumping them, then they'll look little when you take them down to do.
4. practice and practice and practice.

good luck. sorry for the novel.

[Cuttle]

Hey :)
Im a bit nervy when jumping as well so completely understand where you're coming from!
One thing you could do is just stick at about 2ft for the moment but really work on your approach and trying to get it as relaxed as possible so that you're really comfortable over that height. then try raising the jumps really really gradually and just try and treat it in the same way (ie keep a nice rhythm, go straight and have a nice collected canter). hopefully it shouldnt feel too different as you increase the height gradually and that should make you feel more comfortable over the jumps.
Hope this helps and good luck! :)

[ongo247]

forgot to mention that a market harborough REALLY REALLY helped me - done up not too tight, it stopped him throwing his head up and cat leaping or ducking out. stopped using it once we got over 2ft6 though as thought it might restrict him a bit too much, they are legal bsj, so can't be that bad.

[madoose]

Hi there, I'm a new member, joined today. Yes, when it comes to jumping I think we all have issues, just some people are more willing to admit it than others. Love the comment re glass of wine or two, sort of thing I would say! Stone cold sober and a 3ft fence looks like the puissance, although after 2 glasses of zindanfel..... bring it on! Can you get done for drink riding???? Just kidding!

[charly1991]

Basically here is my story: I used to jump anything when I was a kid(I used to frequently win chase me charlies at my RS cos I was scared of nothing!!) Then when I was 19 I did my BHS exams at college & had a really nasty fall from a 16hh jumping about 3ft(I was off work for weeks, my back was severly put out!) I never jumped again for about 3 years.

Blackie(my current horse) is an awesome jumper but I just cant seem "to go with him"!! Ive been jumping on him for about 2 years now & I have got a little bit better but I still get very nervous to the point I start to shake or worse crying my eyes out!

Anything over 2ft & I start to shake & he just stops dead. Ive had lessons, Ive even done competitions but just cant seem to shake these nerves.

Ive plucked up the courage to do another show on Sunday(My 1st one since I did terribly at a show in August) & I am absolutely wetting myself!! Im not looking to come away with anything just to get round clear & safe & get my confidence up a bit.

Please can anyone give some advice???

i used to have a simular problem before i went to college i was pants at jumping partly because i have a youngster that doesnt jump and my pony befor her used to ditch me all the time lol. my first jump lesson in college nearly killed me i was so nervious and i kept getting left behind and stuff but now im more confident i can jump 2ft 3/6 and think nothing of it my teacher also gives me alot of confindece she is fab. im sure ul sort it out i no its hard but ul do it just takes time xxx