Having the confidence/guts to jump higher?

[SuzySue]

Those of you who regularly jump 1m and above, how did you get to jumping that high? Are you the "no fear anyway" type and don't worry about the height at all, or has it been a gradual process?

I'm currently (show)jumping 85cm fairly happily, but my instructor says I should be going out doing at least 90-95cm before we go to the Trailblazers Final in July. I did do my first ever 90cm class back in November and had a beautiful clear but chose to quit while I was ahead and pulled out of the jump off. I was terrified beforehand though.

My mare is very capable, and rarely touches a pole, and you can see on the videos she's often jumping a couple of feet over the height anyway. How can I convince myself to jump higher fences? I know if I do I'll be over the moon, but the terror beforehand is very real!!! They just look huge coming in to them and I freeze!

Is it just a case of keep at it and do it gradually like I am doing? Once upon a time 85cm seemed too high

TIA

 

[MegaBeast]

build it up gradually... like you say 85cm seemed big, well aim to gradually increase to 90cm and only when that now seems small make it 95cm etc etc. All the time you're striving to push the boundaries of your comfort zone but not leap out of it. Don't go out and compete at a higher level until that size is well and truly established at home.

If you're not totally happy to move up a level yet then don't. Wait til you get to the point when you look at the 85cm jumps and think heck, these look tiddly, there's no point jumping them when they're this small... and then put them up a little

 

[JustMe22]

Maybe try putting a bigger fence at the end of an element or combination? That way you know the stride is right and so on, and make it a fence that you aren't scared of. If you prefer uprights, go for one of them. Keep it nice and plain so there won't be any spooks etc etc.

Or get an instructor who just full on insists

 

[Weezy]

Agree - make a grid, keep raising the *out* element (get someone to do it for you as you are on your way round to re-jump) - little by little it won't seem so big

 

[illy89]

I would agree with using a combination....maybe a grid with a bigger spread at the end, should help build your confidence and your horses too!!

 

[SuzySue]

Thanks guys. That makes complete sense Megabeast and I guess is what I have been doing. I actually lost my confidence after crashing into a fence (with a different horse) and went through a phase of refusing to even jump 2'3! I'm now at the stage where I think 75cm are piddly and use them for trying out new ideas and don't worry about them at all, and the 85cm I kind of worry about a bit more, but then usually have no problems once we're over the first fence.

Strangely enough I won't jump much at home at all. 1, because I don't want to just keeping jumping her and she's not the one who needs to practice , and 2, because there's no incentive I don't really bother, and am not brave at all. In the ring I'm prepared to feel the fear and do it anyway, but I'm more interested in just getting round than winning anything tbh! We're pretty good at the steady clear, which sometimes pays off, hence how we qualified for TB.

Also, has anyone been to the TB Final? I've qualified at 75cm and 85cm, but have been warned about entering the 85cm because it has been known to be nearly 1m by the second day. Is this correct? I plan to enter the 75cm but don't want to be pressured into doing the 85cm if I feel it's too high and out of my comfort zone. Unfortunately entering in advance means I either have to commit or lose around £50 entry fee I think. Still have time to think about that one though.

I'm not sure what I'm afraid of exactly, as I'm just as likely to hurt myself at 75cm as at 95cm, right? And she jumps better the higher the fences are. Gotta be brave!

 

[MegaBeast]

Can you go to a show before you put your TB entry in and try a bigger class?

Personally for a final like that I'd stick well within my comfort zone and work on upping the height at one off shows

 

[SuzySue]

Yes I definitely plan to do that. We have 12 weeks to go yet, not that I'm counting, lol!!

Schedules haven't arrived yet and I think entries close about 6 weeks before so I've got a bit of time. Am hoping to go out Sunday and plan to do a 75cm to practice something I did in my lesson this week, then the 85cm. Then from then on will hopefully start at 85cm and take it from there.

I agree I need to feel comfortable at the Final. That's what my friend said. There's no point going and spending the whole time worrying about the class when I could just enter the 75cm and actually relax and enjoy myself. As it is, from videos I found on youtube, it all looks intimidating enough as it is, but it's been my goal for a while so I really want to go, despite the cost! Considering this time last year I thought I've never even jump 75cm again, the fact that I have this dilemma is wonderful )

 

[Captain Bridget]

I agree with increasing the height of the last fence in a grid, I totally lost my confidence with jumping and wouldn't even jump 1ft. I've recently started sharing an ex eventer who is capable of jumping quite big and when I started jumping him we started really small and have been increasing as I gain confidence in jumping him as I know he will always jump. I finally got up to 3 ft on Tuesday and did it at the end of a grid in a spread and then a nice inviting spread on its own.

If you're not comfortable jumping the height don't pressure yourself, you don't want it to be an unpleasant feeling forcing yourself to do it, you want to feel like it comes easily and you are ready to move up in height.

 

[vikkiandmonica]

I was quite lucky by which I had lessons at a riding school, that was pretty no nonsense. If we were a little worried, we were told to either jump it or not, and I always jumped it, so once the heights got higher, I got more confident. When I got my pony, she was a good jumper, and I was a pretty nutty kid with no fear, so would often jump upwards of a metre in competitions for fun (wasn't even scared, even though she was 13.2hh ).

When I got Wings, he was very nervous, and we had lots of refusals, but in a way, me being both angry and myself, and him a little bit, made me even more determined to jump the jump, so didn't really feel nervous. I did build it up fairly slowly, him and me getting more confident together, and now at home we jump about 1.10m courses, and neither of us have any problems at that heights, though at competitions, we are still increasing it. I do find it harder to jump him, however, as he often over jumps them by quite a lot, so will jump a 1.10m jump as though it was 1.20m etc., whereas Monica just does what it necessary.

The main thing I would suggest, is just building it up slowly, and if you get nervous, don't go in for a higher class, as you don't want your nerves to travel to your horse, in which case they may refuse, and knock your confidence more.

Hope this helps