Going out jumping alone

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JCbruce

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Hello!

I was wondering if anyone goes jumping on their own?

I have a lovely young warmblood who is really well behaved. I have been pulling up my big girl pants and going to dressage alone and been doing really well but I want to get out jumping.

The thought of going jumping alone is really scary - who is going to do my warm up jumps, who is going to hold my horse while I walk the course and who will drive my horse home when I break my arm falling off 🤣🤣

My old horse used to go over the partition so I have a little ptsd so don't like leaving horses on the trailer to walk the course, although my horse is an angel. I don't even like to go training on my own unless it's a lesson or clinic.

Do I just suck it up and go because otherwise I won't get anywhere or do I stick to dressage and clinics until I can find a friend to come out with me. I'm relatively new to the area so don't know people and the people I know are out doing higher level BE/BS and I would need some time to catch up.

He's bred to SJ and is 6 and all I have done is a couple of SJ arena hires and I feel like I'm not doing him justice.

Thanks 🙏🏻
 
I go to everything on my own! He's not the best left on the box - pawing and stomping - but it's a good life lesson.

I leave my emergency details on the seat of the lorry. And yes, I have fallen off at venues but fortunately just bruises and damaged pride.
 
I used to do a lot of jumping on my own and would normally be able to find somebody to hold the horse whilst I course walked at high speed or I would just walk any related distances or combinations and not worry about the rest. Left her with a Gurkha soldier at Aldershot show once year! On occasions, I wouldn’t even walk the course but just watch a few other horses go if I felt I needed to look at distances, etc. Hopefully if you get out and you will soon meet other people who can help.

Edited to add I got quite good at eyeing up who looked like a likely horse holding candidate and it’s not being afraid to ask. Obviously to some extent that does depend upon how good your horse is to be held and stand.
 
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pop something in a local group and see if you can find someone who’s going to be there who will kindly hold him for you!

our first working hunter show i only had OH who wouldn’t have been able to keep hold of her in that environment if she decided to do one, and they very kindly let me take her in with me to walk the course🤣 mind you this was a lowkey local show, and i didn’t need to walk out strides etc
 
Like SEL, I used to keep a printed sheet of emergency contacts, including yard address where box and equine were to be returned to.
Plus a copy just inside rear door of box.
Printed contacts are v useful as a 'just in case' and your phone gets trashed or expires etc, you can always borrow someone else's in emergency.

If DH was at home, I'd leave him details of where I was going in the box. He's not horsey at all but perfectly capable of grabbing a friend for a lift, to have brought back box and a Fuzzy.
If he was away, then I'd find a friend who would be around as my contact for extreme emergency.
Never needed to SOS anyone but putting a plan in place means I had peace of mind.
 
I go out by myself too, but I spent most of my teens being a travelling groom/gopher for various friends of my mum and my instructor, absolutely loved it and learnt a lot, was never paid but thought it was a bonus if they bought me lunch at the burger van!

Maybe ask around and see if there are any keen and sensible teenagers near you. Even if it's just an extra pair of eyes to watch him at the trailer and call you if needed, peace of mind for you and a horsey day out for them could be a win win 😊
 
There's a facebook group for solo showjumpers. People put where they are going and what classes they are jumping and the help they require or any help they can offer. Be worth you joining that. Very supportive and also means that others know you are alone so they look out for each other
 
I’ve held horses at shows for people before whilst they’ve walked courses etc and also called a test for someone at a local show who I’d never met! If someone asked, I’d always be happy to help with warm up jumps etc as well.

Normally there will be people around to ask and as others have said, have your emergency contacts details on your lorry in easy access and have someone available who could get to the show if you did need a back up driver for your lorry.
 
If you are really worried about leaving her or finding a random to hold her, how about hiring a stable at the venue for the day? Most of the bigger venues are happy for you to do this. It’s usually about £10 so probably worth it for your first few outings for your peace of mind.
 
I think that it is tricky of the horse can't be left on the trailer. I leave mine and get on with my day when alone. I too have a printed sheet with my mobile as top number, so if an incident occurs at the horsebox, people can contact me.

Someone always knows where I am.

As for the warm-up, I just find someone else starting a warm up and jump in with their fence. And apologise profusely if mine knocks it down!
 
I am always on my own sadly.

I find people really nice at most venues (and you learn which are not nice). I follow someone warming up broadly at my pace and thank their helper profusely if I knock a warm up fence down and they have to pick up.

For small courses I don't walk them - just learn the route by watching over the gate - at our v low level I'm not exactly making every stride count.

I can leave mine on the lorry tho, if I couldn't then I would be bribing friends - even non horse friends
 
JCbruce said:
Hello!

I was wondering if anyone goes jumping on their own?

I have a lovely young warmblood who is really well behaved. I have been pulling up my big girl pants and going to dressage alone and been doing really well but I want to get out jumping.

The thought of going jumping alone is really scary - who is going to do my warm up jumps, who is going to hold my horse while I walk the course and who will drive my horse home when I break my arm falling off 🤣🤣

My old horse used to go over the partition so I have a little ptsd so don't like leaving horses on the trailer to walk the course, although my horse is an angel. I don't even like to go training on my own unless it's a lesson or clinic.

Do I just suck it up and go because otherwise I won't get anywhere or do I stick to dressage and clinics until I can find a friend to come out with me. I'm relatively new to the area so don't know people and the people I know are out doing higher level BE/BS and I would need some time to catch up.

He's bred to SJ and is 6 and all I have done is a couple of SJ arena hires and I feel like I'm not doing him justice.

Thanks 🙏🏻
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Gone out on my own for 20 years.
Rather that than have a trail of people with me like some people do. I'd hate that as I'd feel pressurised.

I'm a very independent person though.
 
JCbruce said:
Hello!

I was wondering if anyone goes jumping on their own?

I have a lovely young warmblood who is really well behaved. I have been pulling up my big girl pants and going to dressage alone and been doing really well but I want to get out jumping.

The thought of going jumping alone is really scary - who is going to do my warm up jumps, who is going to hold my horse while I walk the course and who will drive my horse home when I break my arm falling off 🤣🤣

My old horse used to go over the partition so I have a little ptsd so don't like leaving horses on the trailer to walk the course, although my horse is an angel. I don't even like to go training on my own unless it's a lesson or clinic.

Do I just suck it up and go because otherwise I won't get anywhere or do I stick to dressage and clinics until I can find a friend to come out with me. I'm relatively new to the area so don't know people and the people I know are out doing higher level BE/BS and I would need some time to catch up.

He's bred to SJ and is 6 and all I have done is a couple of SJ arena hires and I feel like I'm not doing him justice.

Thanks 🙏🏻
Click to expand...
JCbruce said:
Hello!

I was wondering if anyone goes jumping on their own?

I have a lovely young warmblood who is really well behaved. I have been pulling up my big girl pants and going to dressage alone and been doing really well but I want to get out jumping.

The thought of going jumping alone is really scary - who is going to do my warm up jumps, who is going to hold my horse while I walk the course and who will drive my horse home when I break my arm falling off 🤣🤣

My old horse used to go over the partition so I have a little ptsd so don't like leaving horses on the trailer to walk the course, although my horse is an angel. I don't even like to go training on my own unless it's a lesson or clinic.

Do I just suck it up and go because otherwise I won't get anywhere or do I stick to dressage and clinics until I can find a friend to come out with me. I'm relatively new to the area so don't know people and the people I know are out doing higher level BE/BS and I would need some time to catch up.

He's bred to SJ and is 6 and all I have done is a couple of SJ arena hires and I feel like I'm not doing him
Click to expand...

JCbruce said:
Hello!

I was wondering if anyone goes jumping on their own?

I have a lovely young warmblood who is really well behaved. I have been pulling up my big girl pants and going to dressage alone and been doing really well but I want to get out jumping.

The thought of going jumping alone is really scary - who is going to do my warm up jumps, who is going to hold my horse while I walk the course and who will drive my horse home when I break my arm falling off 🤣🤣

My old horse used to go over the partition so I have a little ptsd so don't like leaving horses on the trailer to walk the course, although my horse is an angel. I don't even like to go training on my own unless it's a lesson or clinic.

Do I just suck it up and go because otherwise I won't get anywhere or do I stick to dressage and clinics until I can find a friend to come out with me. I'm relatively new to the area so don't know people and the people I know are out doing higher level BE/BS and I would need some time to catch up.

He's bred to SJ and is 6 and all I have done is a couple of SJ arena hires and I feel like I'm not doing him justice.

Thanks 🙏🏻
Click to expand...
You sound nice ..You just need to make friends with some like minded people competing at local unaffiliated shows .. where abouts in the country are you ?
 
Honestly, I used to hate the idea of going on my own but now I hate taking anyone with me! I usually ask the venue to go later in the draw to give me time to walk the course before I get on, and then tag along with someone else warming up.

The only thing I’ve not mastered is asking a stranger to film for me, I always worry that I’ll have a shocking round and they’ll judge me 🤣

Do make sure venue have emergency details just in case.
 
I do a lot by myself. Usually ask to go later in the class so I can leave the horse on the box while I walk the course. I’ve also had people hold him for me before, but I hate asking anyone and would rather just not walk it 😅

Luckily my horse is generally careful so I don’t have to worry about warmup jumps too much, but it does mean I just have to warm up over whatever is there rather than being able to adjust it.

I have emergency contact details sheet stuck on the door of the lorry, and it’s insured for anyone over 25 to drive. Have yard address and vets details on the sheet too. Though not sure how useful my emergency contacts are since it’s my parents and they’re non-horsey and live 4hrs away (I don’t have any friends who live closer I’d be happy to ask to be my emergency contact)

I think it’s only really doable if you have a horse that can stay on the box by itself though. Although saying that, my current one is now great but wasn’t when I first got him. I used to have to keep all the doors and windows shut or he’d kick off, but now you barely hear anything from him. I think it’s a good life lesson for them to learn!
 
Sjing yes - XC never.
Xc I either join group lessons or take someone who can drive with me.
 
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