Loss of confidence jumping ... I'm being completely pathetic!

[Eistee]

Hello,

I'm fairly new to the boards and am hoping that some of you might be able to shed some light a few problems I'm having! I'll start from the beginning, as well, what better place is there to start from! :p

I've been riding for about ten years and for the last three years have been having lessons at the yard I work at. I'm taught by my boss, YM and the senior instructor - all fantstic instructors who I get along with really well and are able to push my riding along without ever making me feel as though I am out of my depth. The lessons are challenging but do - able, if that makes any sense? At the moment in my lessons I'm riding a variety of four or five horses - 2 of which are showjumping schoolmastery types, one is an intermediate eventer and the other two are dressage types competing at medium level - so pretty well schooled and nice horses.

I'm not a nervous rider by rights - will hack hack out and school pretty much anything as long as it isn't too horrible! :p And often ride young/green horses or those that need a little bit of extra schooling and feel reasonably happy and confident with most things they throw at me.

My problem is jumping. To put it bluntly, I'm pathetic. I can physically do the jumping, that doesn't seem to be the problem. I have a reasonably safe seat thanks to my YM and Senior Instructor who both event and drilled the 'safety seat' type position into me. I've always preferred dressage to jumping, but have usually been quite happy to jump up to and round about the 3'6/9 mark on a horse I feel happy with. Recently though, it's all changed and I don't know WHY.

Over the last few months I've become more and more, I wouldn't say nervous per se, but definately less happy about jumping. I just thought I was going through a little wimpish stage and didn't think too much of it. I would just tell my myself I was just beig pathetic and get on with. But each time it gradually got worse and worse until I just found myself so unnerved by having to jump I just couldn't get my mind to do it. I literally burtst into tears and really found myself strugling mentally over like 2 foot jumps on a schoolmaster horse who's been there and done it all.

It's so infuriatiang as there is no rhyme or reason to it - I havn't had any nast accidents or falls (I had a small fall a few months back but it was certainly nothing major and was jumping 3 foor by the end of the lesson quite happily), I don't feel as though I've been over pushed or over faced in any way. It just doesn't make any sense! My instructors are being fantastic about it - they all sat down after the staff meeting and we talked it through together and trying to come up with a plan of action.

So, I was hoping if any of you could help? How do I get my confidence back, especially after nothing has happened for me to lose it in the first place! I'm capable of jumping physically, but mentally seems to be a completely different ball game so to speak! The horses I ride are more than capable and it's so infuriating that this has happened for seemingly no reason!

Help!

Tee xxx

[horseygal90]

It sounds like you just don't trust yourself - you said that the horses can do it!

I would say, just before you're about to go and jump, visaulise yourself on the horse landing the other side safely. Its often just a case of mind over matter. If that doesn't work, maybe ask your trainer to pop the horse over it first for you, or to put it down a bit. Don't try and go too fast, if you're not happy with something, don't do it!

Good luck!

[Elvengirl]

I have been having the same problems with jumping. I will jump 3 foot just fine but anything above that I go into a silly panic and miss distances. I've never had a bad fall over fences (knock on wood) but I did have the unfortunate experience of seeing a friend killed while jumping, so I think that is why I am afraid of jumping over 3 feet (she was jumping 3'3") Anyways, my trainer has been patient and with the help and suggestions from this board I have been doing much better.

Did you hear of someone injuring themselves badly jumping or witnessed someone getting injured jumping and that has given you a scare?

I would just suggest you start at the beginning again, just jump little jumps, don't feel embarassed or unworthy if you feel uncomfortable jumping bigger fences. Just take it one step at a time and don't allow yourself to get bogged down by this temporary loss of confidence.

I just always pictured as I approached a bigger fence how wonderful it was to jump the fence, how much fun it was to be up in the air so high and how much I trusted my horse to get me over and I just stopped getting silly and missing distances. Not sure if it will work for you but don't worry, it'll all come back to you soon enough!

[BackintheSaddle]

Just the other day I was coming up to a teeny little fence, one that I have never had any trouble with. On the approach I suddenly thought to myself "gosh, that looks like a long way to jump" and I felt really nervous. Poor Barney felt me tense up and made a heroic stop in front of the jump. I know I shouldn't reward him for balking, but I was so happy not to go over at that moment. Rode around for a bit and tried the jump again without problems.

Maybe you can do something different for a while, like gymnastics over itsy bitsy cavaletti, and stick to dressage for a while.

Good luck

[kyanya]

I'm not sure if this is the right approach to take, but I'd say maybe don't do any purposeful jumpign for a while. By that, I mean don't go into a manege thinking 'Right, this is jumping time'. Instead, see if you can take it back to more simple hacking/flatwork. Do you have any nice hacks around you with small fallen logs etc? If so, work on hacking out, and occasionally popping a log. The whole aim I'm thinking about is not thinking lots aobut the jump you'll be doing, but instead just taking everythign in your stride. You obviously don't have any problems with the actual jumping, so just do it when you feel ready, but don't feel jumping is the ultimate aim. Instead, feel that getting over a jump is a bonus, which should build your confidence.

I'm not sure if this makes much sense, but I hope it helps a little! Good luck, and don't stress. Jumping isn't particularly important, as you can ride without jumping, so make sure you enjoy whatever you are doing!

[kedwards]

Kyanya's idea sounds like a good one. I remember reading about the training methods of an advanced eventer (can't remember who though), who said he always had a couple of small jumps in the ring. When he was working with horses or riders who needed to build confidence, he'd have them pop a fence occasionally during flat work, rather than massing practice only in "jumping lessons." This way, doing singles would become part of the everyday routine.

It made sense to me. I did something like that when I was trying to build my horse's confidence in jumping again after unsoundess.

[Black_Topaz]

I also had a total breakdown the last time I did jumps there were bounces, and Mike would run out the second one. I went back and did them again, but I felt that it was no control, it was just Mike and me occasionally yanking on the reins, because he didn't seem to be listening to anything else. I don't know if this applies to you, but I realized that my fear and uneasiness was due to an extraordinarilly horrible sitting trot without stirrups. Since you say you are usually so good with jumps, could it be something else (horse spooking, fall, anything?). I am still nervous about even just going back to my barn, but I will go, and I will try, and most likely not do any jumps :p
Hope this helps
Kya

[Eistee]

Thank you for all your replies guys! :D

I had a lesson last night and afterwards spent a good 45 minutes talking to my boss and Yard Manager, both of whom teach my regurlarly (twice a week term -time and more often during the week). They are both so supportive (as I knew they would be) and have vowed to spend however long it takes until I'm ready to jump again.

My boss has come up with a theory of her own - she thinks part of the reason I'm so mentally worried about jumping might be linked to the sort of the horses I ride. That they are competition horses and well - schooled to hiher levels and that I might be subconsciencely (sorry about the awful spelling!) thinking they are too good for me and that I think I'm not up to the standard they are, even though I am. If that makes sense? .... It's an intresting theory and might actually hold some weight :D

Elvengirl - Thats a really intresting point, which I hadn't thought of. A close friend of mine who's one of the instructor's at work had a rather nasty accident last year jumping a horse at a competition and spent some time in hospital as he suffered a fair few injuries from the fall - two broken ribs, concussion and a fractured wrist. Ironically, he's the one that fell and is now back eventing and showjumping and I'm the one that can't quite jump a cross pole without falling to pieces! But it might help explain some of my irrational fear ...

As I said, they are the ones being so supportive and understanding - I'm the one putting the pressure on myself! I think that it's partially to do with the fact I am doing Nvq levels and BHS stages - I will need to jump at stage 2 and beyond. But, after talking to them they reittareated there was no rush for me to jump right now and that when it came to deciding about the exams, I could just take my stage care first and worry about the riding later when I feel happier.

As for the my actual riding - I havn't jumped for a little while as my boss and YM have all had the mindframe that it orries me so bother right now with it. They and I both know that I *can* jump, but instead we've been concentrating on the other aspects - recenly I've been doing a lot of dressage training which I'm really enjoying, helping school and bring on the younger/green horse on the flat and hacking out.So I've plenty to think about and keep me busy without needing to ever leave the greound!:p But I'm still been worrying about the jumping and it niggling away in the back of my mind.... which is totally silly as I'm only putting the pressure on myself! :rolleyes:

Thank you for all the replies - It's somewhat comforting to know I'm not alone and other people have experienced the same kind of thing.

Oh, one last thing - has anyone had experience with the various nervous rider mental excercises and things - the sort of stuff that is featred in You Horse magazine and stuff? My boss mentioned maybe it might be worth looking into those sort f things?

Thank you again!

Eistee xxx

[kedwards]

Regarding the nervous rider mental exercises, I'm a big fan of using mental rehearsal, basic relaxation strategies, imagery, and positive self-talk (in part because I'm a Psychologist, so I know how useful such things can be for non-equestrian issues).

I have Jane Savoie's book "That Winning Feeling," and I think it's great. When I first started reading it, I thought it would be a little silly, but I actually found it a very useful book. I pick it up regularly if I find myself stuck in mental blocks. She presents what amounts to some basic sports psychology concepts and exercises in a very straight-forward, enthusiastic, and user-friendly way.

Best of luck!