Confidence Crisis - help needed

[Pidge]

Jumped a couple of 2'6" fences on Wednesday night with my sis and a friend helping, felt fine and Pidge jumped them ok. Decided to do a small course of 3 tonight with a small cross pole to warm up with as was on my own in arena - people were on the yard tho in case of problem. What a disaster we cat leap a couple, knocked a couple down and it was all down to my lack of confidence

and we even stopped at one which is so rare for him. I jumped a 2'6" course a couple of week ago at a show and quite happily jump 2'3" without batting an eye. BUT at home my confidence hits rock bottom, and after the advice from people on here I'd like to jump bigger at home so that when I go to a show its not scary. It's like I've paid my entry and therefore I've got to do it and if I'm happy Pidge is like a cruise missile, but when I'm not its awful. Feel really down and would appreciate some advice please.

 

[madabout2]

Firstly I'm not a jumper - but I'd heard you tend to jump smaller at home for confidence.

What about getting a trainer to train you at home and then come to a show with you?

 

[Pidge]

At the show I'm fine, we fly round no poblem at all - I think my adrenelin gets me round

It's just at home it all seems to fall down - literally LOL I did get my sis to put the fences down to 2' tonight when she got there and we were fine and flew round them no problems, its just when they get bigger my confidence drops. Think I will have to see if I can find an instructor to come over and give me some lessons, do you think they mind if you only jump small?

 

[MissDeMeena]

don't worry about it too much.. i'm the same, only jump small fences at home, and usually not that well.. will jump anything in the ring tho!!

 

[Pidge]

Trouble is I do worry about it though. I feel like I've let Pidge down and that's not right...... Was supposed to be doing the 2'6" class at Penkridge on Sunday but after tonight am not so sure. Do I have a nice ride tomorrow with no jumping, and go for it Sunday or just do the ridden hunter class? Are you sure I shouldn't worry about jumping small at home as lots of people reckon you need to jump bigger at home, and I've not done a lot of SJ'ing since I was a teenager so any advice is much needed and appreciated.

 

[Baggybreeches]

Have a nice ride tomorrow and go for it on Sunday. My mum is like you, she gets nervous in front of people she knows and often at a show I send her in to jump after only 2 or 3 practice fences because the more she does the worse she gets!! Have fun whatever you decide.

 

[lizzie_liz]

If you are not having problems at shows then don't jump at home. I barely jump mine at home as she is fine competing and is not the same, so makes it harder to work on the problems we have in the ring.

Maybe its worth to have a couple of lessons with an understanding trainer and only jump with them, even if its only once a month and build it up.

If you are fine at shows then i would just go for a hack or do some flatwork tomorrow then go to the show and see how you feel and if you feel ok then pop round the course. You ay surprise yourself

 

[Pidge]

Thanks for the advice, will go for a hack or school tomorrow with sis and then see how I feel at the show. Fingers crossed.

 

[eohippus]

Self confidence has been defined as the belief or degree of certaintly you possess about your ability to be successful in your chosen sport or about performing certain aspects within this sport. Some people are confident but posses a certain amount of self doubt. How you can help yourself with this is based on identifying your strengths and weaknesses, improving your focusing techniques and implimenting strategies that will control your anxiety.
individual performance accomplishment and goal setting will help, as will verbal persuasion.
Firstly in regards to your chosen discipline, write down ten things that you consider important qualities necessary to acheive good performance. (this can include physical, technical, psychological, strategies ect.
Then for each part of your list, rate yourself honestly in your pecieved ability to do these well. 1 - 10 ten being good.
This will give you feedback on your strengths and weaknesses and will give you things to set goals for. You may find that there are only a few things needing more work, you may find that actually you are competent in lots of them.
Then you need to write down some of the things you need to be focusing specifically whilst in the ring. ie. the Pace, the Rhythm, the Approach, the Contact. and when practising at home keep reminding yourself of these, you may only need to say aloud these key letters P R A C, this will help you to concentrate on what is needed rather than the external environment.

Also for anxiety Breathing is probably the most important thing to remember to do.
Use your key letters for focusing to help you breath, so breath in for P, breath out for R ect ect.

Tell yourself aloud that you have done well, YOu were really pleased with this or that movement or jump or whatever. Hearing your own voice saying something positive about yourself is very helpful. and/Or tell someone you trust about it. Ie your family, instructor or best friend.

Getting someone to video you will also help as you will be able to see what other see, it may not be as bad as you are worrying about, it will also give you an idea of any improvements that maybe needed, if any. It will also acclimatise you to being watched, although now you are using your key letters for focus and breathing you will not even be aware or bothered about it.

Hope this helps
Dawn

 

[Pidge]

Wow thanks for this Dawn

, will definately try this. Funnily enough when I concentrate hard on riding I forget to breathe, well not entirely DOH but not properly anyway. Having a jumping session on Friday night as didn't jump at the show as the RH class was running late and I didn't want to jump over 2'6".

 

[eohippus]

Enjoy your lesson. USe your cue words/letters and breathe. You can also talk to your instructor about what you have identified through your list and ask them to help you work on your weaknesses.
Best of luck
Dawn

 

[Pidge]

Thanks ever so much, will let you know how I get on