teapot
Well-Known Member
Will sound silly/stupid to those of you out competing etc but I've got a massive thing/fear/issue about jumping outside of the arena. Put me in a field with jumps and fillers and I turn into a jibbering wreck
Think it comes from having most of my nasty/bad experiences when jumping on grass, so I've always managed to worm my way out of doing it - always helpful. I can count on one hand how many good experiences/lessons I've had on grass and never really confronted it.
So anyway, watched my best mate ride her pony this morning down the field and started to get that "I want to do it too" so as was having a lesson anyway, actually asked to jump down the field
- first big step in the right direction.
Warmed up, was a bit hesistant as was only my third time riding in a year (due to health etc) and the last time I jumped on grass was over 2 years ago (that's how much I've wormed my way around it
& last ride on grass ended in tears
)
Began to get into it, started to push on in the canter etc, really enjoyed that. Best mate was really encouraging and just kept saying have a play, see how you feel etc etc. Was fine over first couple of jumps - very small cross poles and straights, then a style and some planks
Backed off a couple of times over the fillers; had one moment where I completely stopped riding and pony still did it. That was probably his only honest moment of the day, decided that every time I used Mr Stick to wake him up a bit, he would buck to kingdom come - good job I've got long legs
- so he wasn't really wanting to play ball which probs isn't the ideal way of trying to improve your confidence.
But I did it
, finished up with a little course which was good. Really need to work on the position now but for the time being, was concentrating on just getting over them in a nice rhythm and being happy with what I was doing. Doesn't help that when I'm nervous/tense, I tend to want to hide and round my shoulders but am much better than I use to be (you'll see in the pic)
But woooo
Know I can ride much better than I did today which is good as I want to go out and do it again ASAP. The fact that this morning I said "I want to jump down the field" is such a big step for me that the rest of it was just a bonus
Just one piccie (well vid still) (and please be nice, am a little rusty) http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a380/stickyVix/Joboworkponies/Meriding/lefield/xpole.jpg
Think it comes from having most of my nasty/bad experiences when jumping on grass, so I've always managed to worm my way out of doing it - always helpful. I can count on one hand how many good experiences/lessons I've had on grass and never really confronted it.
So anyway, watched my best mate ride her pony this morning down the field and started to get that "I want to do it too" so as was having a lesson anyway, actually asked to jump down the field
Warmed up, was a bit hesistant as was only my third time riding in a year (due to health etc) and the last time I jumped on grass was over 2 years ago (that's how much I've wormed my way around it
Began to get into it, started to push on in the canter etc, really enjoyed that. Best mate was really encouraging and just kept saying have a play, see how you feel etc etc. Was fine over first couple of jumps - very small cross poles and straights, then a style and some planks
Backed off a couple of times over the fillers; had one moment where I completely stopped riding and pony still did it. That was probably his only honest moment of the day, decided that every time I used Mr Stick to wake him up a bit, he would buck to kingdom come - good job I've got long legs
But I did it
But woooo
Just one piccie (well vid still) (and please be nice, am a little rusty) http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a380/stickyVix/Joboworkponies/Meriding/lefield/xpole.jpg
