Jumping

[horseylady]

So I've quite literally reached rock bottom now with jumping. Confidence wise etc. and fence heights. I know I can only go up from here but do I try a riding school to get my trust back (I know I'll prob hate it) or do I continue as I'm doing with my instructor and just gradually build the fence height and my confidence up?

Long story short, mare very green jumping. Built her up to jumping good 1m courses at home ( wouldn't jump away from home) I had a fall, dropped height back down, never really recovered confidence wise, fell pregnant now picking up jumping again. I fell off three weeks back (nasty nasty stop) and am basically a wreck in front if fences. Instructor rode her and she threw her off too by just slamming the brakes on. Someone has suggested sending her away for a couple of weeks but I'm not convinced. I think I'll undo the work.

Daft part is, once she's got over the fact were jumping she's pretty good!! She makes a superb shape, she just lacks confidence/concentration.

[EMUZ]

Stupid question maybe but do you want to jump?

[horseylady]

Not a stupid question at all!!! Yes I do. I enjoy jumping, I just don't have any confidence at the moment.

[EMUZ]

Do you know why she's stopping? I would stick with an instructor that knows you and horse. Although going having a "schoolmaster" lesson and jumping something different can be v good for confidence
Take the pressure off a bit, polework, school around jumps but don't jump, keep them tiny if you need but practice corners/angles/turns

[horseylady]

To add, what's prompted my posting was I thought for me it was a showjumping issue so went xc schooling yesterday. Even then it took me a while to jump a little log!!! I did jump, just not like I would normally. I don't trust her.

[EMUZ]

That's the issue probably. Not the jumps it's the lack of trust. Have you got a farm ride you can go on (one of those with little xc jumps)?
Do you hack?
Personally I would make sure you totally trust her hacking/schooling/over poles, go for a few lessons on another horse (jumping) so you don't have that worry of her as well as jumping and maybe have someone else jump her?

[Littlebigbum]

Hang in there Horselady, You say green is she a youngster? Grid work and mentally restart for both of you. Having trust and the bond takes time. I'm a great fan of logs out hacking.

[Callisto]

Gridwork, free jumping, start small and build up during lesson. Is your instructor good enough?

[SaggyOldClothCatPuss]

What about free jumping her, or jumping her on the lunge. You can teach her to keep going forwards and work through the stopping without being on her back and risking a fall. It sounds like her confidence is shaken as well as yours. She was jumping, you fell off really badly, it probably shook her as much as it did you. The fact that the instructor fell too shows that it isn't just a problem with your subconscious signals.

[sleeton]

I would suggest that it is not only okay to use different instructors sometimes, but that it is actually appropriate to use a specialist instructor for different disciplines.

Gosh that sounds a bit messy .... I'm having one of those moments where I can't construct a sentence!

What I mean is, get a jumping instructor for this, not a general riding instructor. It is not at all unusual to do this and your current instructor shouldn't mind (in fact she'll probably be relieved to have a second opinion, especially as your mare is getting her off too!).

You can ask around for recommendations or (what we do) use professional riders who also do clinics and instruction. That way you are picking exactly the professional for the discipline you are trying to improve in! (Also you'll be surprised, it is not mad expensive to have lessons from, say, a professional eventer).

Also (maybe contrary to advice you've already had) I would suggest that actually you don't turn her away for a while, but instead get the appropriate help asap.

Good luck!

[horseylady]

Thanks everyone.

My instructor is superb. She's said we're just going to do lots of small jumps right back to basics which we did in the week. Jumped at angles, skinnies, water trays etc. all just about 1ft.

We were doing canter poles then stuck a tiny cross pole at the end. She cantered as she had been doing then quite literally slammed the brakes on. She could have stepped over it. And I fell. She did a similar stop
With my instructor.

She hacks well, schools well, shows, does dressage, competitive endurance. She's been hunting but not jumped etc.

I've tried lunging and loose schooling. She just stops. And from a good canter to slamming the brakes on?

She's ok teeth/back etc. it's like I don't know what. Im actually at a loss.

[horseylady]

sleeton no turning her away would almost be the worst thing to do I think. I use her for jumping, I have a dressage instructor too and she's also aware of the issue, but has nothing to add as its not her area. I know my jumping instructor has been asking her trainer about it. Perhaps I need to go to her directly? Ill ask her see what she thinks. It's so hard.

Yesterday at the end I jumped a ditch then two strides into a log. She just popped over it. This was only one of two fences she jumped without a fuss for the session?

[Pixel]

Would she follow another horse over some little jumps to boost her confidence? And yours too if you have a laugh and make it fun so there's less pressure.

[sleeton]

I am glad you are going to persevere horseylady , well done! Yes, do ask your jumping instructor's trainer, directly.

It's hard to advise without seeing her, but (given that you've done all the back/teeth stuff and neither you nor your instructor are noticing anything untoward) one thing to consider is that she is doing this simply because she has discovered she can.

That's not always an indication of wilfulness, it can simply be they have found their way of 'coping' ... getting out of it.
[Indeed I have encountered a horse who reached a certain point very quickly, maybe too quickly, because over a short period of time he almost seemed to 'frighten himself' in his progress and started to run out. We went back to a lot of flatwork, zillions of stuff like transitions, and then heaps of good old fashioned poles and cavaletti. It definitely turned out to be a confidence thing ... though, maybe we bored him into jumping ].

I do hope your instuctor's trainer can help.

[Callisto]

Sounds like she is taking the piss then. Have you given her a wallop with a crop when she does it? I'm no fan of beating any animal, but putting dirty stops in like this is dangerous. She needs to be told that it is also unacceptable.

[miggy]

Do you have an Airjacket, really helps it to not hurt when you do fall off and might improve your confidence, thus giving her more confidence?

[horseylady]

Thanks all!! We had an accident last week, which resulted in me being in a&e. anyway.

I competed her Sunday on the flat and she was fab. Did the tiny clear round course too.

Took her xc schooling again yesterday, my friends daughter sat on her and jumped her. Or at least tried to. She had similar issues. She's a very very good rider. Basically she just throws her shoulders out and sets her neck against you to run out. Was interesting watching from the ground as I've not seen her jump in months. It's always been me on her. Anyway. I'm strangely happy with this. I think we can work through it, as its not just me. Which I thought. It's her too. So lots and lots of work ahead. Shame really as on the flat she's beautiful and not at all evasive!!