Anxiety or Enthusiasm?

EventingMum said:
Can I just commend you on your attitude and desire to improve? Willingness to work and strive for more is worth so much. You take people's comments in the way they are intended to help you move forward. As we all know you never stop learning with horses!
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always been impressed with AE's ability to take CC in this way. Though I think the flip side is she is sometimes too negative about herself ;)
 
I agree with the comments re the saddle. Without meaning to be rude, you look insecure and are balancing on your reins, not always allowing Amber to jump out of a good rhythm. I think you need to work on your own balance and straightness and that will then allow you to help your horse in these areas
 
EventingMum said:
Can I just commend you on your attitude and desire to improve? Willingness to work and strive for more is worth so much. You take people's comments in the way they are intended to help you move forward. As we all know you never stop learning with horses!
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Thanks. I find it very useful when other posters put up videos for constructive comments because although I never feel experienced enough to critique them, I read other people's comments and try and see what they are seeing. But it can feel quite exposing sometimes so I am grateful people open themselves up to it. Hope my 'how not to ride' video is fulfilling a similar function!!
 
I am not the most experienced at XC by any stretch of the imagination and you are far braver than I will ever be (!) but I do also own a very capable pony like yours who loves to jump but has not had a rounded education before coming to me. As a result, he uses his wits and his speed and Dutch courage at times rather than taking a more technical, gymnastic approach.

The line that really resonated in your post is the one about Amber jumping fences that pop into her eye line even if that’s not what you planned. This used to happen to me all the time, to the point where a basic SJ round was terrifying because he’d just lock on and that was that. Dog legs were a bloody nightmare! We have spent a lot of time over smaller fences doing technical exercises, teaching him to listen and to wait, to take direction and to trust me as the pilot (a challenge given that I am not experienced or confident). It has made the world of difference so I definitely recommend more of that (as I’m sure you were doing!)

My father in law (awesome hunter and P2P jockey in his time) always used to say the same critique on my jumping vids and pics as well - shorter reins, jack up those stirrups girl and get your bottom out of the saddle! I suspect he’d say the same to you ? Also my husband’s favourite line whenever I’d complain was “well who’s driving, because it should be you!” A handy reminder ?

I hope you’re on the mend and don’t do yourself down or get too anxious about this. It’s so hard when you can’t get straight back on and banish the demons but you are so committed I have every confidence you will!
 
I've mentioned this on the forum before AE, but since people are commenting that you need shorter stirrups, I think it might be worth repeating. In my avatar, I am riding eight holes shorter than the length I did the dressage at. You're a bit shorter than me, but give a real hoik up a go one day and see if it gives you the feeling if security that it gives me to have my thigh in front of me when approaching a fixed fence. If I had to name just one thing that sorted my cross country riding out, it would be when I got a jumping saddle forward cut enough to get my stirrups really short. The instruction to stick my ass out backwards instead of my shoulders forwards was also quite useful ?

I wish I felt young enough to still be out there with you. I'm rooting for you getting back into it when your ankle is fixed.

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I find stirrup length so hard to get right - my jump position is at its very best when I jump without my stirrups but when I have them I much prefer to be short short short (subject to the saddle of course).
You'll get there, you're still miles ahead of most folk (myself included)
 
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