Confidence low... XC this weekend

S

sloulou

Well-Known Member
Joined
12 December 2006
Messages
3,640
Location
Azerbaijan (or London and Suffolk - maybe...)
Visit site
Not totally sure what is wrong with me...

Have decided to do a really really tiny XC course on my new (ish!) horse - he is 5 and I got him in October.

we haven't done any competitions yet - and this course is only 2ft... which is ridiculous - why am I already really scared?!

He's a 15.3hh TB x cob and we've jumped at least 3ft at home so far...

Is 2ft far too small? Should I really be starting on 2ft 6 or 2ft 9 ?

What has happened to me - I used to be able to jump a 3ft 6 course
crazy.gif
confused.gif
am so worried am going to mess him up...

sorry - pointless post I know...
 
Hi - if 2ft is what you want to jump then it is DEFINITELY the right height to be doing - especially if he is a youngster and new! I had a similar conversation with my teacher the other day as I have come back to jumping after a long break and am rebuilding my confidence (at the same time as training the hoss). Even though we jump 3'3 - 3'6 at home training I am planning to do my first show at 2'6. That is because it is much more important to do it lower but well and most importantly increase my and my horses confidence than it is to do it bigger and scare yourselves. So I say go ahead and remember we are supposed to be doing this for fun
grin.gif
 
You have to start somewhere! It's far better to go round a 2ft course and enjoy yourself than do a 2'9" course and scare you both! At least at 2ft you can jump them from a stand still if you need to.

I'm going through much the same thing now with my confidence as I have a 5 yo that I bought back in the autumn and thought I would be able to take over where I left off with my 6 yo I had just sold. It takes time to get used to a new horse - maybe even up to a year until you know one another really well. So start off small and enjoy yourself!
smile.gif
 
Well I could enter the 2ft 6... but as there is a 2ft option I am being SUCH as wuss.... am v. cross with myself...

Has been a long time since I last went xc... at least 5 years.. am petrified...

You are right - am being silly - 2ft is ok. I just didn't want him to spook at them as they too small... but he prob won't...

thanks xx
 
The good thing is if they are only 2ft and he does stop or spook you can just give him a kick and jump them from a standstill so should help him as well (helped teach mine anyway that run outs werent a good idea
smirk.gif
). Can you not do the 2ft on the day and then enter the 2ft6 depending on how it goes? I am thinking of doing something similar at a hunter trials in a couple of weeks.
 
[ QUOTE ]
You have to start somewhere! It's far better to go round a 2ft course and enjoy yourself than do a 2'9" course and scare you both! At least at 2ft you can jump them from a stand still if you need to.

I'm going through much the same thing now with my confidence as I have a 5 yo that I bought back in the autumn and thought I would be able to take over where I left off with my 6 yo I had just sold. It takes time to get used to a new horse - maybe even up to a year until you know one another really well. So start off small and enjoy yourself!
smile.gif


[/ QUOTE ]

thanks
smile.gif
It is taking me a long time to get my confidence back... which is really frustrating... I don't want to mess my baby horse up. Am sure it will be fine... and at least, as you say, I can jump them from a stand still!
 
enter the 2ft class and go out and enjoy it
grin.gif
I still poo myself at the thought of jumping yet used to jump 3'6" quite happily as a teenager
crazy.gif
wouldn't even dream of jumping that height now
frown.gif
 
[ QUOTE ]
The good thing is if they are only 2ft and he does stop or spook you can just give him a kick and jump them from a standstill so should help him as well (helped teach mine anyway that run outs werent a good idea
smirk.gif
). Can you not do the 2ft on the day and then enter the 2ft6 depending on how it goes? I am thinking of doing something similar at a hunter trials in a couple of weeks.

[/ QUOTE ]

yep - I could do... the course is quite short I think, so I could do the 2ft 6 as well.

at home he does just jump - slowly - but he has never stopped.. so I guess he should be ok...
 
2' sounds perfect, if you walk it and think "these are piddly, we're just going to sail around here" then you will ride in a good positive way, he will go brilliantly, and your confidence will balloon.
if he's fab round the 2' why not do the next class up if you can? have a fun easy warm-up and if he's brilliant, get on with it!
very best of luck, i bet your adrenalin will start pumping and you'll have a great fun round.
 
[ QUOTE ]
enter the 2ft class and go out and enjoy it
grin.gif
I still poo myself at the thought of jumping yet used to jump 3'6" quit happily as a teenager
crazy.gif
wouldn't even dream of jumping that height now
frown.gif


[/ QUOTE ]

thanks pidge
smile.gif


I did jump a 3ft 3 course will my loan horse last year (who was an old hand) and completely went to pieces... he did jump it ok tho... the nerves are just so much worse these days... can't imagine being able to do 3ft 6 again
crazy.gif
grin.gif
 
[ QUOTE ]
2' sounds perfect, if you walk it and think "these are piddly, we're just going to sail around here" then you will ride in a good positive way, he will go brilliantly, and your confidence will balloon.
if he's fab round the 2' why not do the next class up if you can? have a fun easy warm-up and if he's brilliant, get on with it!
very best of luck, i bet your adrenalin will start pumping and you'll have a great fun round.

[/ QUOTE ]

OK - so is not far too small - am feeling better now... was worrying that people would be wondering what a 15.3 was doing attempting to jump just 2ft
blush.gif


They will be tiny - not sure why so worried... I think is the unkown - have never tried an xc course on him before - just the occasional log and ditch when schooling...

thanks kerilli
laugh.gif
 
Widget I am also in the same boat as you..I am also going to a tiny Hunter trials at the weekend (probably the same place) on my 4 yr old and can guarantee she will prob spook and have a stop this will be her 2nd time at Hunter Trials.but its just a schooling round for me..have to start somewhere with these babies! so dont wory and just enjoy..thats what I am telling myself anyway!
 
I'm another who thinks that you should try the 2' and then if you're happy and he's happy have a bash at the bigger one.

And don't be embarrassed at doing 2' on a 15.3. I'd put money on it that you won't be the on the biggest horse by any means!

Take some rescue remedy and ENJOY!
 
Havent read through everyone else's post post so apologies if I've repeated what anyone else has said but are you sure your not mistaking your nerves for excitement?...sounds strange I know.

2ft for a 15.3 is pretty tame, however XC fences don't knock down, mistakes can easily be made at small fences the same as larger ones but if your popping 2ft well, your horse is comfortable with this height then I'm sure you won't have anything to worry about, nor should you feel daft.

Its better for you and your horse to build your confidence up slowly, to have a good round and finish thinking yeah that was great fun and have no knocks, runouts or falls rather than go for 2ft6 etc and not be 100% with how you feel and how your horse will cope.

After all you've got all the time in the world to go for bigger classes, you never know you might do it and think it was too easy and not quite challenging enough but give yourselves chance to find out.

I'm sure you do fine, good luck and enjoy it!
grin.gif
 
Hang on, just read back and he's a BABY! He's got to start somewhere.

FWIF this is my baby jumping her first ever XC course. It was 2'3 and in hindsight had there been a 2' class it might have been better (for her rider certainly!). She's 15.2

First XC

I love the expression on her face.

This isn't posted for CC please, horse and rider were very nervous and they were both good girls to have a bash at it.

edited to add

I should add that a very few weeks later she took part in her first 2'9" ODE and came third!
 
thanks Kenzo... am not sure
crazy.gif
could be excitement - but does feel like nerves at the mo. guess might be different when am on him...

The height won't bother him - but we sometimes run out of steam (then he hauls over fences in slow motion) so I didn't want to do anything too big - just wanted to see how he was - and try to get him going forward a bit more... I know you are right... am being silly...

Thanks
laugh.gif
 
Jemima - love her face - she looks really careful and so babyish
grin.gif


I know he's a baby - but I don't think this will be his first course... hard to say though... am not 100% sure what he did do before I got him
blush.gif
either way - he's very green - so you are all def right that it will be good for him...

I was just worried that 2ft would be a bit small... but I feel happier starting there...
 
She's the horse I'd have killed for when I was a teenager!

Sadly she and my daughter don't get on and I'm too heavy to be fair to her so I've had her turned away since October and I really need to make a decision on her future. I talked it through with her (the horse!) the other day but it breaks my heart to have to sell her. She's just a lovely, lovely little horse to have about - as well as rather talented!
 
I don't think you are being silly at all, if anything you are being very sensible. As you say your horse has not done a x-country before and it has been some time for you as well. What does it matter what height you do, you are far better off jumping the smaller ones first and get you horse jumping well and having fun and then start to jump the bigger fences than the other way round, jump the bigger fences first and then end up with a horse that won't jump because it has been frightened and don't enjoy it. Go and have fun this weekend and if you do have any stops so what hes a baby!!!!!!!! it's all new to him. It took me nearly a year doing this with my horse taking my time, she now comes out and jumps clear doing 3ft 3" and loves the job. Most important HAVE FUN and for both of you come home happy with a big smile on your faces
laugh.gif
laugh.gif
 
Hey your not being silly at all hun.

Remember no matter how your horse jumps, how much experience you both have or your nerves etc etc please please make sure your horse is fit enough, no matter how good or how big a horse can jump, a tired horse will make errors and will not enjoy the experience.

Only you will know how fit your horse is though, don't push him round if he can't cope with the distance, you can always retire half way round if you think its too much and then learn from this and concentrate on getting him fit and fresher for the next time.

A hilly course can take it out of them if there not used to it, ideally you should finish on the same rhythm and impulsion as you started, if you find he's jumped sloppy towards the end then he's not fit enough.

Don't worry about the finish, it takes a better rider to not finish and put his horses welfare and safety first than a rider that finishes on a horse that's been pushed round and jumped badly.
smile.gif
 
thanks sarah - that's a lovely post - I do feel alot better for reading these replies
smile.gif


I suppose he won't care if they are tiny - he doesn't have ambitions - which I do...

the most embarrassing bit will be seeing kids I teach at pony club in the bigger classes
blush.gif
grin.gif


jemima - shame
frown.gif
- what did she (the horse) say?
grin.gif
 
She said that she was promised she'd get her first go at BE this year and she was expecting have at least had a couple of runs at Intro by now and what about the promised PNs for the end of the season! Why hadn't she been out dressaging over the Winter when everyone had said how good she was going to be and what was this "showing" business and "county"? Oh and can she go back to the seaside again please because she enjoyed galloping for miles and jumping around in the waves. But she'd rather not do PC camp again because although it was fun it was very hard work and all the younger children kept coming and petting her when she was trying to go to sleep!
 
[ QUOTE ]
She said that she was promised she'd get her first go at BE this year and she was expecting have at least had a couple of runs at Intro by now and what about the promised PNs for the end of the season! Why hadn't she been out dressaging over the Winter when everyone had said how good she was going to be and what was this "showing" business and "county"? Oh and can she go back to the seaside again please because she enjoyed galloping for miles and jumping around in the waves. But she'd rather not do PC camp again because although it was fun it was very hard work and all the younger children kept coming and petting her when she was trying to go to sleep!

[/ QUOTE ]

She seems to know what she wants - sounds like she'll be a star
grin.gif


I know a few that don't want to ever do camp again...
blush.gif
grin.gif
 
I'm completely in the same boat as you - used to jump anything put in front of me, now common sense has taken over (after years of working in a Riding School and having to jump lots of less than quality horses) and the sight of something 3 foot makes me feel sick...! I have a lovely young horse that I don't want to ruin so for our first event were doing a 1'9-2foot ODE. I know my mare can jump 2'6+ and I know that I used to jump 2'6+ (and have on her in the school at home) but i dont see the point of going and jumping a higher class just because of what people might think! I'm doing it because I know I'll be fine round that height and wont worry or get nervous and if I'm ok my horse is ok - thus its supposed to be a fun learning experience for all of us. if we go ok the same venue have a 2'3 ODE the following month, if not then we'll try the little one again - its no drama!

When I saw the class advertised I emailled the venue for details to see if it was limited to kid or ponies or whatever and i got a lovely friendly email back saying its was open to all and that I wouldnt be the only wobbly adult on a novice horse there and not to worry and enjoy the day...

Do what your comfortable with and most imprtantly have fun - we'll both be flying over 2'9 again soon...
laugh.gif
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top