Confidence boost needed!

ownedbyaconnie

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Warning, self pitying thread coming up.

Just having one of those periods where I'm feeling really down about my riding. Had a couple of jogging home episodes out hacking which have knocked my confidence and I have entered Intro B and Prelim 18 in a local unaff dressage comp and ever since I entered I've started panicking! I haven't done nearly enough schooling as I hoped to have done plus I work in tax so my time is really limited over January (our test is end of Jan).

Can anyone give any confidence boosting tips/stories of how you overcame your confidence issues?
 

Theocat

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Lessons, new things, never overfacing yourself. You need someone on the ground to push and reassure, new things (Trec? Poles? Games?) to have fun and laugh, and you must never get off feeling frightened. Find your slowest, safest horsey gang, and hack with them somewhere you're comfortable- don't feel you need to gallop, canter or even trot, if you don't want to!
 

ownedbyaconnie

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Lessons, new things, never overfacing yourself. You need someone on the ground to push and reassure, new things (Trec? Poles? Games?) to have fun and laugh, and you must never get off feeling frightened. Find your slowest, safest horsey gang, and hack with them somewhere you're comfortable- don't feel you need to gallop, canter or even trot, if you don't want to!

Completely agree with lessons, I know I feel better when I have regular lessons. My regime has been ruined by exams/work but I’m hoping from this weekend I can get back to a weekly weekend lesson.

Weirdly trot is the one I’m having a mental hang up about at the moment. I think because I can sit a fast canter so much easier than a fast joggy trot!
 

blitznbobs

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What is scary about a dressage test? Can you walk and trot? Yes? So the worst that can happen is that it goes terribly - at which no one dies and every judge has had a terrible test at some point in their life - no one is going to think less of you ... and do you know what’s even worse than failing? Not trying ... and btw you might even do better than you thought you would ...
 

ownedbyaconnie

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What is scary about a dressage test? Can you walk and trot? Yes? So the worst that can happen is that it goes terribly - at which no one dies and every judge has had a terrible test at some point in their life - no one is going to think less of you ... and do you know what’s even worse than failing? Not trying ... and btw you might even do better than you thought you would ...

Very true! I guess I’m worried of letting Rosie down, she’s very green with stuff like this and I’m worried my nerves will transfer to her and ruin the experience for us both. I couldn’t care less about placing or what other people think of us. Just want to give her a really positive experience! Silly really, she’s more than happy out hacking and doing the odd clear round at home, she clearly couldn’t care less about going out and doing dressage!
 

Vodkagirly

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Stop stressing, its dressage the worst that happens is that you get feedback that you need to work on stuff. Most of which you probably know you need to work on already.
Take a deep breath, smile, something good might happen.
 

ownedbyaconnie

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I was SO nervous before my first dressage test (Intro B) 18 months ago! So I set these targets:

1. Do not fall off
2. Do not get disqualified
3. Do not disgrace myself

Mission accomplished :).
Good luck, let us know how you do, the pre-test fear is way worse than the test !

That’s actually so helpful! Thank you!
 

tallyho!

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Yes exactly what Rumtytum said... baby steps - don't put pressure on yourself - it's not the Olympics :D

Re: the jogging, maybe also needs nipping? Nothing worse than a feeling of disconnection with your mount to set you on edge. Regain control, ask for some respect to your aids.
 

ownedbyaconnie

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Yes exactly what Rumtytum said... baby steps - don't put pressure on yourself - it's not the Olympics :D

Re: the jogging, maybe also needs nipping? Nothing worse than a feeling of disconnection with your mount to set you on edge. Regain control, ask for some respect to your aids.

Definitely needs nipping. She’s never really done it before and it was very out of the blue, as far as I’m aware nothing spooked her. I’m having her saddle checked as she’s put on a lot of muscle and she’s due a dentist check up soon. Next option after that will be to get the bit lady back out and see about getting a slightly stronger bit for exciting stuff. She’s in a lozenge snaffle atm so when I do lose her attention I just feel like I’m constantly nagging on her mouth and she’s just running through it.
 

tallyho!

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Lifting the bit has more of an effect on a horse that evades like that - the upward action lifts the base of the neck a bit. Jogging can give the illusion that they are already high but actually they are low between the shoulder blades and if the saddle isn't fitting or too far forward then the horse gets discomfort on the whither/shoulder blades, compounding the issue.

Good idea to get saddle checked and it may be you just need to adjust hand height depending on where the horse's head is. Straightness Training for dressage is really good, have you looked it up?
 

blitznbobs

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Stop the jogging by making her work harder if she jogs rather than asking for walk use the energy ina shoulder in or leg yield - do four steps one way then change the bend and go the other way ... then do a few steps of baby traverse - this way you will get what you want improve your schooling and get a horse that realises that jogging is not actually all that fun
 

ownedbyaconnie

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Lifting the bit has more of an effect on a horse that evades like that - the upward action lifts the base of the neck a bit. Jogging can give the illusion that they are already high but actually they are low between the shoulder blades and if the saddle isn't fitting or too far forward then the horse gets discomfort on the whither/shoulder blades, compounding the issue.

Good idea to get saddle checked and it may be you just need to adjust hand height depending on where the horse's head is. Straightness Training for dressage is really good, have you looked it up?

I’m definitely not helping matters then! I am guilty of having lazy hands down by the withers. Will definitely try this next time. Thank you!

Stop the jogging by making her work harder if she jogs rather than asking for walk use the energy ina shoulder in or leg yield - do four steps one way then change the bend and go the other way ... then do a few steps of baby traverse - this way you will get what you want improve your schooling and get a horse that realises that jogging is not actually all that fun

Thank you, will definitely try this. I’m getting better at not panicking when she jogs and try and not tense so I will give her a little school next time. I often do this if she doesn’t listen to me when cantering, i’ll make her carry on a bit longer than when she decides she wants to slow down. Just need to work on the trotting side!
 

Mule

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Regarding the jogging, keep asking for walk to halt transitions before she starts to jog. Once you get them listening to the halt aid they become more receptive to slowing down
 
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