Feeling good again! Take that nerves...

rosiesowner

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Well, as some of you know if you read my thread last week, poor old Chilli and I had a scare on the roads... Luckily we came away with the most minor injuries when it could have been a lot worse.

I hacked her out the next day as she was sound and I felt nervous at first but then better the further into the ride we got. She then had a day off, and the day after that I took her out again and I felt horrific. It was a windy day and she was pretty sharp doing the usual Chilli tiny spooks which normally wouldn't even register with me. However every time she so much as twitched I felt sick and came out in a sweat. My nerves were frayed, which I found pretty humiliating as normally I can master them and get on with things. Either way I was disappointed and upset with myself, feeling pretty down and sorry for myself.

We have an event coming up on Sunday, and we're doing some jumping. With how awful and nervous I'd been feeling after our near miss I didn't think I could manage it. Again, this made me feel awful as we've worked really hard and I hated myself for letting one thing withdraw all the additions I've made to my confidence bank since getting Chilli! Plus, her owner may be coming to watch and I didn't want to let her down... Either way, the thought of jumping made me feel physically sick.

And so, naturally, I decided to have a jump school the next day. So yesterday I enlisted the help of my long suffering mother to do the fences for me and film. And guess what?! Despite feeling as though I could throw up at the start, by the end I was having so much fun and jumping triples, which are probably my least favourite fence... So, this has been long enough already so I'll insert some photos and videos!

We started over a tiny single fence. (In fact, before my mum arrived I was warming up and just jumping the cross that's underneath the top pole which I find a little embarrassing but am not ashamed to admit!!)
13940149_616540608505590_770777361_o.jpg


Then we popped the fence up a little bit
13921008_616158705210447_7033951376098369174_n.jpg


And added a spread as the second element...

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We just kept the fences plenty small more for me than her to build my confidence back up. Then Chilli started to get a bit fed up of boring doubles, so we popped a triple up. Again, keeping it small so that I didn't feel too worried!

[video=youtube;upWf3o2pYFw]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=upWf3o2pYFw[/video]

She was being really strong, and so I had to remember to wait for the fence to come to me, instead of riding her right into the bottom of it due to nerves which is often why we will have a fence down!

[video=youtube;Rc5nxQ10xRU]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rc5nxQ10xRU[/video]

We jumped that on the left and right rein and then finished up while I still felt confident!
Here's a few more clips:

[video=youtube;1m3llRRVgMY]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1m3llRRVgMY[/video]

I just love my horse. She always looks after me but still challenges me, she's just what I need! I hope everyone else has had a good past few days with their horses, even if the weather seems to be baking one minute and tropical monsoon the next...

H and Chilli xx:)
 
Well done you! It's never easy conquering nerves and you're far braver than me at the jumping. That fence you call 'small' is plenty big enough for me!!! Hope you get your confidence back fully soon.

She looks like a lovely horse and you look lovely together. My only cc would be that make sure you do fold forwards from the hip when you're going over the fence - you've got a lovely give with your hands, but sometimes it looks like you don't follow your hands when they go forwards?

Good luck at your event on Sunday - I seem to remember you did quite well at the last one you did, so fingers crossed for similar results again!
 
Well done you! And good luck for Sunday.
You both look fab and it's great to have a confidence giving session after a knock! I did read your previous post but didn't comment on it :)

I wish I could call fences like that small! I would be over the moon if we jumped a fence like that in our jumping sessions (we stick to quite tiny fences at the moment - think i need some confidence building haha!)
 
Well done you! It's never easy conquering nerves and you're far braver than me at the jumping. That fence you call 'small' is plenty big enough for me!!! Hope you get your confidence back fully soon.

She looks like a lovely horse and you look lovely together. My only cc would be that make sure you do fold forwards from the hip when you're going over the fence - you've got a lovely give with your hands, but sometimes it looks like you don't follow your hands when they go forwards?

Good luck at your event on Sunday - I seem to remember you did quite well at the last one you did, so fingers crossed for similar results again!

I would agree with the fold from hips thing! That's one of the main reasons I ask mother to film, so that I can watch it back and make sure I'm improving! It is getting better though and I try my best not to just 'tip' forwards (one of my ((many)) old bad habits):D
She's such a good girl who knows her job and looks after me :)
 
Well done you! And good luck for Sunday.
You both look fab and it's great to have a confidence giving session after a knock! I did read your previous post but didn't comment on it :)

I wish I could call fences like that small! I would be over the moon if we jumped a fence like that in our jumping sessions (we stick to quite tiny fences at the moment - think i need some confidence building haha!)

Keep on going! When I first got Chilli I hadn't jumped more than 75cm for about a year. I had no confidence with bigger fences!! However I learned to believe in myself and the horse and spent a lot of time with polework and then smaller fences to learn how to jump 'with' her instead of against her as she is very different to my last pony... Either way, keep on going! Remember, it's not the size of the jump that matters, it's the rhythm and balance you maintain that really serves to showcase a rider's skill :)
 
You both look great and make me want to go jumping now ... which is no mean feat, lol!

*chants* do it, do it, do it! I love flatwork and feeling an improvement by the end of a session is awesome, but there's just something about the feeling of being in full flight (even if it is only 85cm :P ) which can't be beaten!!
 
I would agree with the fold from hips thing! That's one of the main reasons I ask mother to film, so that I can watch it back and make sure I'm improving! It is getting better though and I try my best not to just 'tip' forwards (one of my ((many)) old bad habits):D
She's such a good girl who knows her job and looks after me :)

I wonder if popping your stirrups up a hole or two would help?
 
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