First Jumping Lesson in 8 Years!

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Cheshire Chestnut

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Ok so I've just got back into riding after 7 years out and got myself a lovely 6yr old welsh D gelding. I have my first jumping lesson on Monday for 8 years! Arrghhhh! Well it's my first lesson at all in 8 years but I have developed a silly fear of jumping in my riding absence. No idea why, haven't had a bad experience or anything to put me off.. Maybe now I'm older and had a break it's ruined my confidence in myself. Annoying because I used to jump anything and everything before. Pony is great and will jump anything as long as I want to do it (otherwise he will worry too).

I've tried looking through my old photos at jumping big and 'scary' jumps to try and gee me up a bit but nothing seems to help with my nerves... What is wrong with me? I feel sick already! I just want to love it again and my boy loves it :(
 
Nothing is wrong with you! You're just naturally nervous as you're rusty, but chances are when you're actually doing it/done it you'll feel great! So hold onto that feeling. Start small and don't feel because you've jumped big and scary before doesn't mean you have to do it again. Good luck, let us know how you get on :)
 
HorsesHavingFun said:
Nothing is wrong with you! You're just naturally nervous as you're rusty, but chances are when you're actually doing it/done it you'll feel great! So hold onto that feeling. Start small and don't feel because you've jumped big and scary before doesn't mean you have to do it again. Good luck, let us know how you get on :)
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Thank you, I will. My instructor seems nice and I liked what she was saying on the phone so looking forward to meeting her. Booked a private lesson so no one else can watch - that would make me more scared! Thank you for your encouragement :)
 
You will be fine! I jumped properly for the first time ever in my lesson the other week, I am 33yo never stayed on over a jump ever before in my life! I love my trainer, he is a star!
 
I say trainer rather than instructor only because he hasn't been thru the BHS training. He is a much better trainer than the riding school instructors tho, he just knows horses....
 
Firstly, don't feel bad for feeling scared.

Jumping is scary ****. Just make sure to let the instructor knows you havent done it in a while so to treat you as a newb really. Start from the start. Its much more fun than you think at the time, i always hated and still hate jumping, but when i do a jump i love it lol
 
Moomince Pie said:
Tankgirl, the word instructor should not make any difference in any choice of someone to help.
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I am a qualified 'instructor' but I refer to use the term 'trainer' as instructor makes me think of someone in beige cord jodhs and long rubber riding boots, with a weathered, stern face barking orders.

OP I know many people who event internationally and there are very few who, at the start of the season after just a few months off, don't get that 'oh ****' feeling when faced with their first fence.
Pretty much EVERYONE who rides at a decent level gets the needle after a bit of time off jumping. It's just that the more experienced they are, the better they are at hiding their fear (from spectators, themselves, AND the horse).

<<<ssshhhh though......it's one of the best kept secrets in the competition world!>>>
;)
 
Thanks everyone and SnowOnSnow, that's set me at ease a lot to know even the professionals gets scared too! I think I just need to remember that I CAN ride even though I'm nervous so I should be ok. Nothing happens over night so you're right in saying Showpony to start little, I don't need to jump massive to start with!

Will keep you updated but it really has helped knowing in not the only one who's scared of jumping - everyone at my farm is so confident and it doesn't help that they've all jumped my pony theirselves and keep telling me how good he is. They're only trying to help but it's not helping!!
 
Start little and just keep doing it :)

Lots of practice and it will become the norm (not overdoing it with regards to the horse of course!).

Welcome back to the world of insanity, poorly bank balances, tatty nails, and a full and happy heart :D
 
MrsMozart said:
Start little and just keep doing it :)

Lots of practice and it will become the norm (not overdoing it with regards to the horse of course!).

Welcome back to the world of insanity, poorly bank balances, tatty nails, and a full and happy heart :D
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Well put!! That is EXACTLY what having a horse is all about. In my break from riding I had money to go out, fancy clothes and meals out but now I'm back shoveling poo, smelling like a barn and having no money for anything else, I'm happier than ever!! :D
 
**UPDATE** Lesson moved to Friday lunchtime because of the weather, wind too bad I wouldn't have been able to hear a word my instructor was saying!
Popped a small cross by myself in the school though as I has geared myself up to jump and it went well so that's a start :)
 
**UPDATE** Finally had my lesson on Thurs (cancelled twice due to flooded school and then a thrown shoe). I was so nervous but my instructor was great, she really helped with my nerves. Instead of just whacking up jumps and forcing me to do them, she put out different obstacles for us to tackle and stop my pony (and then me) being so nervous of bright coloured 'scary' things. We had Polyblocks that we had to canter through, cones to go inbetween with coats hung on them and then a set of 7 raised poles. We had a very scary looking plank (it had zigzags on - looks liked hoof biting teeth to the boy!) to step over. It all went well and although he was walking backwards and refusing to walk over/through them at first, however we were trotting and cantering over/through them without a second glance by the end :)

One small step for horsekind but one HUGE (sometime literally!) for us :D

Booking again for two weeks after we do some 'homework' on our own. Thank you for all your support x
 
Cheshire Chestnut said:
**UPDATE** Finally had my lesson on Thurs (cancelled twice due to flooded school and then a thrown shoe). I was so nervous but my instructor was great, she really helped with my nerves. Instead of just whacking up jumps and forcing me to do them, she put out different obstacles for us to tackle and stop my pony (and then me) being so nervous of bright coloured 'scary' things. We had Polyblocks that we had to canter through, cones to go inbetween with coats hung on them and then a set of 7 raised poles. We had a very scary looking plank (it had zigzags on - looks liked hoof biting teeth to the boy!) to step over. It all went well and although he was walking backwards and refusing to walk over/through them at first, however we were trotting and cantering over/through them without a second glance by the end :)

One small step for horsekind but one HUGE (sometime literally!) for us :D

Booking again for two weeks after we do some 'homework' on our own. Thank you for all your support x
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Well done, sounds good!

Its really natural to feel nervous after time off. I find if i don't jump regular i find the sight of a tiny x pole terrifying! But once i start and build it up i quickly get brave again! am sure half my issues are due to a few nasty stops that my old mare used to throw in!
 
cob&onion said:
Well done, sounds good!

Its really natural to feel nervous after time off. I find if i don't jump regular i find the sight of a tiny x pole terrifying! But once i start and build it up i quickly get brave again! am sure half my issues are due to a few nasty stops that my old mare used to throw in!
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Thank you. Glad to know it's not just me then! Too many confident jumpers at my yard so I sometimes feel I'm the only daft one being nervous. He threw in a few last minute emergency stops in our lesson but because the jumps were so small, I could make him step over them. Phew. :)
 
You both need to get back into it - I put it off for so long because I was scared but once I got my head round things and pulled myself together and actually found myself... dare I say it... ENJOYING MYSELF :D Yey!
 
Im currently trying to find a school to have some lessons before my boy comes in a few weeks then will continue on him, havent actually jumped for about 16 years :( apart from little cross poles etc stuff you could pop over i would love to do the big jumps again just dont know if my body injurys could hold the position lol but i defo want to give it a go cus again, so glad it went ok for you :)
 
louiselowe said:
Im currently trying to find a school to have some lessons before my boy comes in a few weeks then will continue on him, havent actually jumped for about 16 years :( apart from little cross poles etc stuff you could pop over i would love to do the big jumps again just dont know if my body injurys could hold the position lol but i defo want to give it a go cus again, so glad it went ok for you :)
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Ok so I did some 'homework' last night and used a scary plank laid on the floor - walked over it fine but went to trot it and he changed his mind last minute and I went over it myself! Landed on my feet though so no injuries but my boy was just staring at me like I was nuts! :D
 
Only just seen all these updates!! Glad you're enjoying it, I always find that the buzz of jumping is like nothing else! Sorry you came off though - all part of the fun of jumping! Keep us updated! :)
 
HorsesHavingFun said:
Only just seen all these updates!! Glad you're enjoying it, I always find that the buzz of jumping is like nothing else! Sorry you came off though - all part of the fun of jumping! Keep us updated! :)
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Thank you - I am enjoying it again and once I get through the nerves I don't want to stop! Haha yeah I'd forgotten about the falling off part - first one is over now so hopefully the rest won't be quite as much as a shock to the system :)
 
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