First attempt at BSJA... nerves are building!

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Flashbacksj

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Hello

So ive been jumping unaffiliated for about 5 years now... Owned my boy for 10 years.. first and only ever horses ive owned... we have together moved slowly up the unaffiliated heights and we are now consistently jumping double clears at 3ft... and winning (YAY)

I want to give us both a new challange so Ive been plucking up the courage for goodness knows how long to have a go at a BSJA course... and ive decided that weather permitting Saturday is the day...

But im drifting from REALLY excited (sad i know) to panicing that Flash will suddenly decide he cant jump at all and i will hit the deck at fence one!

i think im being stupid really given the show im going to is doing everything from a 0.60cm open to a 0.95cm open... (its a special BSJA intro level show) which clearly is only around the 2ft9 mark anyway... so nothing bigger than we are used to but BSJA spreads are just so god damn wide... im scared!
My boy is only 15hh high (just under) and is 14yrs old... and can be occasionally hit and miss if he will make one stride or throw in a random short second one through doubles...

He 90% of the time make its out clean even if its awkward but im scared that will we die in the middle of a combination or related distance! ARRRG! why cant i stay excited! damn it!

Can someone tell me to stop being silly and help me calm down please!

Cyber slap me if nessesary!

Thanks...

p.s. im thinking i will do the 0.80cm open as a warm up then have a go at the British Novice class???

Video of us on Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/flashbacksj watch a few and tell me that we ARE ready please! (or not if you dont think we are!!!)
Flash is the grey one... as in my sig x
 
Do NOT be worried at all - if you are jumping 3 ft unaff course fine then you have nothing to worry about at all!

I would def say start with the 80cm and do the BN - you will realise they are not as big as you are imagining and certainly at the intro shows they do not do anything big or scary.

I was jumping BSJA for years (up to NC height) but over time I have become such a wuss and now I only just about brave enough to tackle 1m courses (and that's with a lump in my throat!). the smaller open classes are nice ones to do. Just go and enjoy yourself!
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You'll be fine and the show sounds perfect. I used to find BSJA easier as the courses weren't as twisty and the striding was better. My little boy was 15.2 and jump up to 1.30 before his injury.
Also there aren't all the little ponies galloping around the practice ring
 
BIG STINGING CYBER SLAP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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WHACK!!!!!!!
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You will be fine. Try to enjoy yourself (yeah right I no) Def do the smaller class first - get your confidence going. Good on you for pushing yourself. Hope all goes well
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You'll prefer it.
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The tracks are correctly built and far nicer to ride than your average RC course. The one difference you may notice is that they are built for an average size horse (16-16.2) and you'll need to ride a flowing, forward canter. Once you hit that rhythm though, the fences just come to you - enjoy!
 
I first jumped my horse aff when she was about 13 and she was only 14.3. We had no problems and had done all the unaff sj winning 3'3 and 3'6 classes. Honestly you'll enjoy it and the courses are much nicer and you might find that he will stop putting in the choppy strides and you'll feel more confident in the long run.
The only thing i found that as the jumps got bigger she started to sturggle with the distances in the combinations but this only after about 1.10.
Def start with a smaller class, better for both of you, no pressure.
Have loads of fun.
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95cm is actually 3 foot 1 by the way.

But it sounds like you and your boy are MORE than ready for this. Don't build it up to anything different just beacause it happens to BSJA. It will not be that different. Depending on where you have been jumping there may be more fillers and they will look more substantial and the spreads will be wider but they cannot be higher than the upper limit so even if they look bigger they are not just remember that. Often looking more substantial gives your horse more to jump anyway.

80 cm sounds the perfect warm up for you. That is only 2 foot 7 and the jump off can be up to 90 cm (2'11")
British Novice height is 90cm aand jump off can be up to a metre (3'3")

Good luck and enjoy!
 
tell me about it i used to compete 1.20m level with my mare who then had a foal and he is now 4yo - i went to do a BN the other day and couldnt ride but did a perfect round in the clear round !!!! i could of kicked myslef x
 
Thanks all...

DarkHorseB...
Sorry the 95cm was a typo... its a 90cm qualifier or something... must be my nerves making it higher!

i think ive just got to get on with it....
like DarkHorseB said... i need to get over the "BSJA" booming voice in my head and remind myself its showjumping... we can do showjumping!!! : )

silly really... im never nervous at my RC shows... and he doesnt look at Fillers... and loves the venue we are planning to go to so i just need to CALM DOWN!!!

Thanks for the SLAP aswell i needed it!!!
i might print this out and read it when i get scared on Sat! x
 
I appreciate that you are bound to be a little apprehensive but honestly there is nothing to worry about. The course will be built better than the affiliated ones that you have been jumping. The strides between fences will be correct, there will be no 'low balls' everything will be correctly built & you should enjoy it. The smaller classes, BN etc are designed to intoduce riders & horses to jumping so there will be no real surprises, it should be pretty staight forward. Just go along, enjoy the experience & then post about it on here when you get home. Good Luck.
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You will be absolutely fine – honestly! Sounds like you are more than capable. I managed to get round a BN on my dads ex racer and he hadn’t even done much unaffiliated let alone win anything. You can do it!!!
 
If you have been to that venue before chances are the actual fences will be made from the same filers etc as you have seen before so no worries about your horse noticing a difference.

The difference will be that it will be an approved course builder.

That should help you. Lots of RCs the course builders aren't ideal. Ours is a BSPS course builder, so we have WH type tracks for SJ......... A BSJA course builder will build to standard stridings.

If your horse is used to jumping bigger he will be fine, you just have to forget that there is any difference this time.

Best of luck!
 
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