I'm such a numpty! grr!

H

HenryandPeta

Well-Known Member
Joined
1 May 2007
Messages
778
Location
Gloucestershire
Visit site
Am really annoyed and disappointed with myself. Took Henry to a HT on Sunday and was absolutely fine until I got on, when the nerves hit with a vengeance!! I couldn't even bring myself to jump a teeny log! Henry was massively excited, I couldn't stop! Managed to fall off in the warm up arena
blush.gif
as H stopped at a 2foot3 log and I slipped onto his neck, then ended up sitting on said log. Got back on and jumped it. Then set off to the do the course. 3foot and looked to my addled brain like Burghley! Henry jumped like a stag - but it scared me as he was sooo strong. I managed to fall off again - totally my fault, same thing, and at the smallest fence on the course
blush.gif
Got back on and completed the course, but I am so gutted with myself for being so stupid and letting Henry down
frown.gif


Anyone else get nerves like this? The annoying thing is I KNOW Henry is more than capable of doing the 3 foot course, he gave every fence about an extra foot, it's just me being terrified that mucks things up
frown.gif


BTW Kerilli, if you're reading this - he jumped the quarry and the large wall absolutely beautifully, I just messed up over the small fences! Gah!
 
Yep, I'm the same at the moment - the worse my nerves are the worse she generally behaves! Its so easy to say 'keep the rhythym, sit to the fence, leg on, fold' but I can't seem to manage that in reality!!!!!!

Just keep at it, and lots of rescue remedy!
 
oh brilliant, we've just got to sort out the small fences now!
honestly, it sounds as if you need a little bit more control to ease your nerves though... tbh, i'm very brave on something i've trained and know to be obedient, but i'm a nervous wreck on something i can't control.
sounds as if you need enough brakes that he'll slow down when you ask, but not too sharp, cos his natural enthusiasm, once tempered a little, will help you both get going!
when's the next one then?!
 
That's the trouble, if I could dictate the speed and impulsion better, and control the approaches, I wouldn't have been so nervous! I think it'll just take practice and exposure to events to help H calm down a bit. His flat work has improved so much over the past year that it's so frustrating to have it all shoot out the window at an event!

Am hoping to go to a 2'9" one in a couple of weeks...
 
Don't get too despondent - you finished the course! That's an achievement and something to build on. You can work on control etc and the more you do it the better you will feel about it.
 
Do u have a mantra? I know it sounds daft, but It works! My instructor got me to think 'cool, calm, collected' and relax and think non scary things, then I recite it when I do scary stuff and it works! It must do if I've found the confident to do 3-4ft fences when in April cantering at a jump - any jump - made me physically want to vomit!

But then still - like lexiedhb said, u did a 3ft xc so your way braver than me
laugh.gif
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top