Lesson - bit glum and jumping advice.

[Walrus]

Hi,

I know I don't post a huge amount on here (I just tend to lurk) but had a bit of a bad lesson tonight. I asked at the riding school if I could join a lesson with some jumping as I haven't jumped for ages and the flat lessons were really quite boring, a bit like an extended warm up!
Joined another lesson tonight and it was a group of teenagers who clearly have no fear! Now I'm only 23 but having not jumped really for at least 2 years (bar the occasional cross pole) this was entertaining to say the least. Warm up consisted of a cross pole without stirrups or reins (something I never had the chance to do as a child!). I'd also never ridden the horse before. Got stirrups back and worked on a 1 stride double. Now even when I did do a bit of jumping I wasn't amazing at combinations. Horse was quite a pleasant riding school horse, leaned on the hands a bit and I couldn't really get him collected, everything seemed to work best when I came in with a looser rein. Really struggled to do the second part of the double, seemed to lack impulsion in the centre no matter how much we came in with, didn't really want to start doing thelwell style kicking in the middle tho. Sort of got there in the end but wasn't very pretty and I was getting very annoyed with myself (had jaw ache when I got off - oops, maybe a little tense). What I'm really asking is has anyone got any advise for maybe boosting confidence or tricks to help keep my lower leg down and on the horse esp in the middle of a combination. I've agreed to go back next week for another go but just a bit annoyed with myself as 5 years ago before I went to uni I was jumping quite a few different horses including lessons on a lovely retired grade A showjumper (admittedly he just did the work for me!) and tonight I felt really pants! Sorry for long post but no one horsey to talk to.
Sweeties for anyone who got this far!

 

[Daisychain]

Dont beat yourself up! sounds like you had one switched off horse! You could probably do with something a bit easier to get you going again.

 

[Vicki_Krystal]

ask for a more forward horse, and then when you have your confidence you can ride the one you had tonight again and work out which buttons you need to press!!
Do i get sweeties now??!!!

 

[Weezy]

The most important thing to remember is you NEVER stop riding through a combination - if the horse needs a kick between fences, then kick it! It sounds as though you were dropping all leg and hand, and therefore any impulsion you had, before the first element, bunny hopping over it and then having nothing in the tank for the second element. If you do not think your approach is good enough, circle and then represent at the first part - the approach is THE most important thing, you want to contain the horse between hand and leg and get a nice, bouncy rhythm - you do not need a firm rein to do this.

Lighten up on yourself - you said it yourself, you haven't done this stuff in ages

 

[Walrus]

Thanks guys, have calmed down a bit now! Couldn't find sweeties but:

and

 

[Vicki_Krystal]

but i dont want popcorn, lol

 

[maggiehorse]

i,ll have it then , i love popcorn, specially at this time of morning lol

 

[SunshineTallulah]

Just lots of practice and a good tutor. Perhaps they have a more forgiving horse for your next lesson?