Gaining Confidence over Large Jumps

[missparis]

I've been pondering over this for a couple of days whether to post this or not. For all the showjumpers that jump large jumps (I consider anything over 1.15m huge!), how did you get the confidence to do so? I used to be able to jump up to 1.40m courses, but as you do, I suffered a major confidence crisis (a couple of nasty falls) and it has taken me thing long to get my nerve back (quit horses, then went back into it again, maining Showing though over SJing).

My horse is very talented and very patient with me. He is older, but has the ability to jump at least a Foxhunter Course with his eyes shut. At Felbridge, it seemed that the course designer got a bit excited with the Discovery JO fences, at least one measuring at 1.20m last week, and that is where I got the refusal. I am sure he would have done it but I was a)Hesitating which B) in turn, completely stuffed up his striding. I am quite comfortable to jump up to 1.15m but how do you push yourself to take the next step? Any tips on how you managed to get over the fear of heights? I have set myself a goal of being able to jump a round of Foxhunters by the end of the year, and I know it is possible but I am the one letting the team down

Green Tea & Double Choc Coated Tim Tams on offer

 

[legend22]

Practice jumping bigger fences at home! Use related distances, accending oxers etc to help you build up confidence. If your used to jumping bigger at home fences in the ring look smaller! Also, if you get the opportunity to have a sit on and jump other horses (even if not over bigger fences) go for it! Good luck!

 

[TarrSteps]

Honestly? Practice. You have to jump the jumps at home and enough of them they don't look huge anymore. And it goes away - sj trainer talk about "getting a rider's (or horse's) eye up" if they've not been jumping larger for awhile. When I worked somewhere where I regularly jumped 4'+ at home I didn't think anything of it, but I know it would take me awhile to get that chilled about it again.

I also think it's imperative to have someone on the ground to set for you, too. It's easy to get your eye up if you can jump something, put it up and keep going but I find it's much harder for people to keep the momentum up if they have to keep getting off and setting their own jumps.

I've found it very useful to do clinics, especially "big name" ones with someone good who will push you. Doing a couple of days of jumping bigger jumps, in an atmosphere where that's all you have to worry about and everyone else is doing it, too, can be invaluable. I've jumped stuff in clinics I would NEVER have attempted on the horse the day before.

Of course a good horse, good training and making sure your skills are in order helps. Ignorance can be bliss when you're young but once you're passed that stage you can't "unlearn" your feelings. Some people find sport psychology or similar helps, too.

 

[claire_p2001]

Just be patient and don't try to rush yourself just because the horse is capable. This time last year I was jumping BN and now feel happy jumping Fox but it has taken time. Have regular lessons where your instructor knows you both and pushes you slowly up the levels. I owe everything to my trainer I could never have got to where I am without her The best way to get confidence over bigger fences is to put them at the end of a gird or a related distance so you can't muck up the stride. Don't put yourself under pressure to move up too quickly just enjoy each height get your double clears and then step up when you are ready. Sorry for ramble hope it helps

 

[LEC]

I find 3 day shows really useful for moving up at BS as I spend the first day in my comfort zone. On the 2nd day I do comfort zone class and then the one outside of it and then the same the next day. By the 3rd day you really have your eye in and your confidence really rises and I have found I walked away really happy with the horse having gone well and having jumped a class for the first time!

This year I have invested in jumps for home as I have really suffered not jumping at home. I have no arena so rely on training or going places and actually I think my lack of practice has really shown me up in the past and I want to be much more confident over larger fences as think that has held me back.

 

[ClobellsandBaubles]

Don't really have any advice but i do empathise i used to jump anything on my pony when i was younger and now just jumping 1m i find difficult because i have not had a horse since that i have trusted to get over anything bigger so i'd say take confidence from the fact your horse is quite capable and all you need to think about is before and after not the actual jump.

 

[kickonchaps]

Another question for you brave people - how often do you fluff your stride into big fences?! I've seen photos of people scrambling over 3'6+ from underneath and laughing it off, but in my eyes if I was on a rubbish stride into anything over 1m I'd freak and not know what to do!

I've seen people jump horrific rounds at BE Novice and get away with it, but I just couldn't see myself feeling happy going above 1m unless I knew I'd hit every stride perfectly (even though my horse was jumping 1.20 happily when I got him, and I've popped him over 1.10 spreads in the field on a brave day!!)

 

[claire_p2001]

Another question for you brave people - how often do you fluff your stride into big fences?! I've seen photos of people scrambling over 3'6+ from underneath and laughing it off, but in my eyes if I was on a rubbish stride into anything over 1m I'd freak and not know what to do!

I've seen people jump horrific rounds at BE Novice and get away with it, but I just couldn't see myself feeling happy going above 1m unless I knew I'd hit every stride perfectly (even though my horse was jumping 1.20 happily when I got him, and I've popped him over 1.10 spreads in the field on a brave day!!)

I actually find it easier to see a stride when the fences are bigger so i 'miss' less often! Sorry that doesn't help i was like you thinking i couldn't move up until i was getting it perfect over the smaller jumps, but when you jump bigger you canter has to be better and the stides come more easily. If you do get a bad stride don't let it worry you just learn from it and try and do better next time, it will only effect your horses confidence if you keep missing all the time.

 

[missparis]

Ignorance can be bliss when you're young but once you're passed that stage you can't "unlearn" your feelings. Some people find sport psychology or similar helps, too.

I think that is half the problem, when you are younger, you dont have the proper concept of "death" so you just seem to have the nerve to try everything and its not until you have a few falls that you realise what your doing is quite dangerous (at the same time, very addictive!). I may look into a Sports Psychologist as I know I have it in me but there is almost a mental block. In lessons, with an instructor its fine. I am slightly nervous but as its a control environment I trust my horse and him 100%. I also find it difficult to ride to a straight vertical opposed to an oxer or combination for some reason? There were some big combinations & oxers but it was the vertical that caught me out and it should be no different to ride to one of them than any other fence?

Thanks everybody for all ideas, by the sounds of it, I should try and do a couple of clinics and keep slowly pushing myself out of my comfort zone at home and at shows. I have come a long way in a short space of time but I feel like I havent come even close to what I want and should be doing

 

[hmccord]

Totally with you on the verticals, always found them more difficult! The only answer is practise; Related distances where you pop in nicely and then just keep on moving down on a nice stride to a bigger fence (probably 4/5 strides away) will get you used to the larger jumps without you having to worry about presenting the horse wrong. Ascending oxers or tripple bars where you can ride to the base of the fence always seem a little more inviting as well.
When learning to jump larger single fences I would be wary of giving yourself too much room, I always found it easier to turn up to the fence off a circle about 3 out than coming in a straight line from miles away (way too much opportunity to change your mind and fluff it!). For large verticals on their own - my instructor used to swear by canter poles down to the fence, that way the canter is sorted and again you can't fluff or put in a wee stride at the end.

Good Luck!

 

[gunnergundog]

What Tarrsteps and LEC say, plus what clinched it for me was seeing a pro take my horse around an advanced course and then say that he wanted to keep the ride! Being kind, of course, but it gave me a) confidence seeing my horse make light work of it and b) a kick up the backside to get my act together and not let him down.

 

[kickonchaps]

I actually find it easier to see a stride when the fences are bigger so i 'miss' less often! Sorry that doesn't help i was like you thinking i couldn't move up until i was getting it perfect over the smaller jumps, but when you jump bigger you canter has to be better and the stides come more easily. If you do get a bad stride don't let it worry you just learn from it and try and do better next time, it will only effect your horses confidence if you keep missing all the time.

Thank you, that does make sense! The few times I've whacked the fences up my horse has stopped wanting to tank everything and actually sat back on his hocks and worked it out properly, I seemed to end up on a perfect stride every time without having to do anything... he's clearly much cleverer than me!!

 

[xspiralx]

I actually find it easier to see a stride when the fences are bigger so i 'miss' less often! Sorry that doesn't help i was like you thinking i couldn't move up until i was getting it perfect over the smaller jumps, but when you jump bigger you canter has to be better and the stides come more easily. If you do get a bad stride don't let it worry you just learn from it and try and do better next time, it will only effect your horses confidence if you keep missing all the time.

This.

Its also worth noting that the scope and bravery of the horse have a huge amount to do with it. If you've got a scopey horse, you can get away with a bit of a duff stride now and again [not that you'd want to do it often!], and they can cope with it, even to a big fence. On a horse that is limited on scope or bravery, they're more likely to struggle and so a bad stride to even a small fence can feel like a much bigger deal than a dodgy one to a big fence on a talented horse.

 

[scheherazade]

Thank you for posting this, MissP, I have the exact same problem, although over oxers more than verticals but was never brave enough to ask the question. Very useful tips though - I will go and try them. Good luck with your confidence, the main thing is though that you should go out and enjoy what you do. xx

 

[TarrSteps]

What Tarrsteps and LEC say, plus what clinched it for me was seeing a pro take my horse around an advanced course and then say that he wanted to keep the ride! Being kind, of course, but it gave me a) confidence seeing my horse make light work of it and b) a kick up the backside to get my act together and not let him down.

It can also REALLY help the horse to school and jump around a few big tracks with a rider used to jumping lots of horses over big jumps.

I've started a lot of horses and always find it difficult to really push horses I've known as "babies" too far out of their comfort zone. It's been a revelation sometimes to have a good sj pro come to view one and start at the height I'd probably finish on. If all the pieces are in place and the horse has the scope, a lot of times it is only the rider's expectation that limits things.

 

[KatB]

It can also REALLY help the horse to school and jump around a few big tracks with a rider used to jumping lots of horses over big jumps.

I've started a lot of horses and always find it difficult to really push horses I've known as "babies" too far out of their comfort zone. It's been a revelation sometimes to have a good sj pro come to view one and start at the height I'd probably finish on. If all the pieces are in place and the horse has the scope, a lot of times it is only the rider's expectation that limits things.

This makes a HUGE amount of sense, and is the reason why I am considering "borrowing" a pro to ride madam round some bigger tracks later in the year.

To the OP, lots of grids as stated, and poles down a fence works really well too!! I was really suffering from "baby horse" eyes about 12months a go, and 90cm courses looked HUGE! I'm now happy jumping 1.15+ at home/lessons, but it's just practise tbh, and trusting the person on the ground who tells you to get on with it!!

 

[missparis]

The idea of getting a pro is a great idea! My instructor trains a lot of horses for most of the top riders so at the next comp, see if he would be happy to take my boy around a Foxhunter course. I know my horse can do it with his eyes shut as he has jumped larger courses but I guess seeing somebody actually do it may kill half my nerves. Shall chat to him next weekend about all these suggestions and see what he comes up with!

 

[algeredge]

1.15m is HUGE to me!! It sounds like you are already doing very well! I used to think 90cm was huge but I'm getting there now after a change of horse to a more forward thinking one, and plenty of regular lessons at a good establishment with lots of space and loads of different courses and fillers etc just like you'd find at a comp. I find I'm more confident with an instructor who'll say just go and do that one, and off I go and do it - if I was ay home I'd wimp out! Thats whats helping me so far and I'm sticking to it! Good luck, I know you'll do it by the end of the year x x

 

[racingdemon]

Practise... practise....more practise.... more practise

i've P2P & team chased when i was younger, & not only are the fences BIG, you jump them at speed, but i had a wobble on my first days hunting after having my 2nd child... over a post & rail, thankfully a friend shouted at me to pull my finger out & i've not looked back, but you do need to get your eye in, get used to jumping bigger than you have to so that you get to a show, & when the pressure is on it looks small & easy.

 

[Mike007]

Hi Paris, only me. There is a thing in the airline industry called human factors . basicly its all about what makes us screw up with all the best intentions. We are made to take a refresher course in it every two years. So.... Human factors. What we have here is a talented rider who has been out of it for a bit and also had her confidence dented a bit in the past. We also have a talented "profesional " horse here (good old Fritz). Both separately know what it is like to compete at a good level. So far so good. HOWEVER, the partnership is new.Horse and rider have yet to get out there and really show their stuff. Paris ,you know what you have been capable of in the past and it drives you because you feel you must be able to pick it straight back up again.That is human factors at work pressure to suceed. Add to this the undoubted fact that you have a talented horse. "Am I failing him if I dont get out there now and show what he is really capable of"More HF at work.
As we know ,the pair of you have been prettywell sidelined since before the snow ,for various reasons. More HF at work ,must get out there and make up for lost time.
At 1M Fritz can get out of trouble every time regardless of stride,but above this its not so easy even for him.Each time the pair of you miss a stride at alarger fence ,confidence is dented ,and right now that is somthing to be avoided. Regardless of what he can jump at home ,perhaps you should have a few schooling rounds at 1M . (impatience is also HF)As for getting a "profesional " to ride him, I think that is actualy counterproductive. He doesnt have a problem that needs a profesional. I think that seeing what he is capable like that would only add to the pressures you have placed on yourself. Go out and have some simple fun schooling classes for a little bit and get the Paris / Fritz plc partnership on the road.

 

[missparis]

Thanks Mike, everything you say is correct. I think the prob with last weekend is I deliberately downgraded myself to the 1m class, only for the JO to be huge (I believe BD is meant to go to only a height of 1.10m?). Patience is not a word I am used to and I guess will have to learn how to get used to it! Thanks for the pep talk - shall see you down at the stables later today or tomorrow!