Cowpony
Well-Known Member
So......I'm now (whisper!) 55 (but don't tell anyone!). I've owned my pony for 4.5 years and I bought her as an allrounder. She loves jumping and I enjoy it at a low level, but prefer dressage. We compete at both, although we do more dressage than jumping and more jumping than xc. We've had some good results at everything, now competing at Novice dressage and 2'3 - 2'6 jumping and xc.
Yesterday, in a lesson, my 100% honest jumper went to stop at a scary filler, I put my leg on and she launched herself about 10ft in the air and I came off. Got back on, went round again, she put in a dirty stop and I flew off again. Took the top pole off, so we were jumping just the filler and she popped over beautifully twice.
I wasn't hurt, I'm normally quite good at falling on my back. But I've spent most of today feeling like bursting into tears. I've booked a private lesson with my instructor next weekend, and I'll see how that goes, but my question is, do I take this as a sign that it's time to give up the jumping or do I just need a good kick up the backside? Everybody else at the yard who is my age or older has either given up jumping completely or just does the occasional low level competition. It goes against the grain to give up and just say maybe I'm past it!
Yesterday, in a lesson, my 100% honest jumper went to stop at a scary filler, I put my leg on and she launched herself about 10ft in the air and I came off. Got back on, went round again, she put in a dirty stop and I flew off again. Took the top pole off, so we were jumping just the filler and she popped over beautifully twice.
I wasn't hurt, I'm normally quite good at falling on my back. But I've spent most of today feeling like bursting into tears. I've booked a private lesson with my instructor next weekend, and I'll see how that goes, but my question is, do I take this as a sign that it's time to give up the jumping or do I just need a good kick up the backside? Everybody else at the yard who is my age or older has either given up jumping completely or just does the occasional low level competition. It goes against the grain to give up and just say maybe I'm past it!