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watermelons77

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I'm hoping to enter a small local clear round type thing on my new loan after lockdown. I haven't been able to go see him for about a month ( yard rules). my plan is after lockdown to maybe take about 3 weeks to bring him back into work and have 2 lessons with my instructor. i got him on loan to try and give me confidence but also challenge me a bit more than the riding school ponies! he is 22 but hates not being in work and loves jumping. I started loaning him at the end of februray but then obviously lockdown happened so i've ridden him about 6-8 times. i've taken him over a tiny cross pole and i really enjoyed it. due to riding a stubborn mare who used to refuse every jump and buck and throw me off at my old riding school i thought it was time o move on from that mare and find a loan. so my new loan is super speedy like super speedy he gets eliminated from xc for being too fast but obviously he is a connemara and he is 22 so been like this his whole life. he is not dangerous and he does have breaks but its just me still trying to get used to him due to previously riding slow lazy highlands. i have not managed to have a lesson on him yet. i just lack alot of confidence and need to learn to trust him more. i find it easier to ride with no one watching me and i can focus on what i want. so i think my plan is to take about 3 weeks to get to know him better have a couple lessons and jump him a couple times by myself. for the height of the jumps i was thinking about 60cm as i said i am majorly lacking confidence and trust. i have never been to a show before but have an instructor who will help me and come with me. if anyone has an tips on gaining trust and confidence and also to help me sit in my canter that would be great. also what does everyone think about this plan? tia x
 
I think having a plan and something to aim for is a good idea but that all seems a bit rushed to me, as an instructor I would want my clients to be as well prepared as possible before going to their first show, even more so if they lack confidence, 3 weeks is not long to get him back to work, gain some trust in what is still a very new partnership and to learn how to ride a full course of jumps.

I would expect to give you a couple of lessons on the flat, maybe doing some polework, then a few lessons with some jumping working up to doing a full course before taking you to a clear round off site, if your confidence was low I would want you to be built up as much as possible so if anything went wrong at the CR it would not set you back too far, confidence is a fragile thing and in my experience it is better to be over prepared than to be under prepared, so I would suggest your plans are a bit flexible, the CR as the target but with several stepping stones to aim for along the way.
 
be positive said:
I think having a plan and something to aim for is a good idea but that all seems a bit rushed to me, as an instructor I would want my clients to be as well prepared as possible before going to their first show, even more so if they lack confidence, 3 weeks is not long to get him back to work, gain some trust in what is still a very new partnership and to learn how to ride a full course of jumps.

I would expect to give you a couple of lessons on the flat, maybe doing some polework, then a few lessons with some jumping working up to doing a full course before taking you to a clear round off site, if your confidence was low I would want you to be built up as much as possible so if anything went wrong at the CR it would not set you back too far, confidence is a fragile thing and in my experience it is better to be over prepared than to be under prepared, so I would suggest your plans are a bit flexible, the CR as the target but with several stepping stones to aim for along the way.
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yeah hes currently still in work with his owner. i have been riding about 4 years now and confidence is something i have always struggled with no matter what horse i am riding. i have been to power cross ( adjustable xc jumps on carpet surface ) like you say i think ill probably maybe take a bit longer to build more confidence. ill talk to my instructor a bit more aswell. x
 
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