me and Roo went showjumping. I messed up! :(

[RubysGold]

You may remember my post from a fortnight ago. when we went showjumping but we only trotted round most of it.
Well, I bought my new flash noseband, meaning that in canter, I could have a bit more control over her.
however that means I can keep her nice and steady but I hold and she loses impulsion and then has to stop and cat leap when we get to the fence.
I can sit and think of everything I need to do, before I start, but then I just freeze when we attempt it.
Anyway, we went to the show, and I cantered round, we went clear. But with a lot of slowing right down and cat leaping. And when I turned to the double I panicked and trotted.
Anyway Neil told me I had to do a jump off, it never entered my mind because I've never done one.
Went in, and the pressure hit me, I panicked before approaching first fence. We never even got into canter, so we trashed the first fence. Managed to keep next 2 up but with uncomfortable jumps. I copied the turn everyone else did to the double, but messed it up completely, she stopped and then tried to jump first part, knocked it down, bucked, was directly in front of second part, and sort of half jumped it half ran through it. I was so embarassed I thought I'd just walk out the ring, but then I thought 'no i wont give up that easily, regrouped my nerves as best i could and did a fairly nice last fence.
I was humiliated, but it made me realise just how honest my mare is. Any other horse would have refused at least 3 of those fences, but she knew she had to look after me, and she put her all in for me.

She's so special and I wouldn't swap her for the world.
Nickie

 

[chantypanty]

Well done for carrying on. It sounds like you actually had a productive day if you think about it. You went clear and cantered round which i'd say is a pretty big achievement as you say you only used to trot at fences.
Ignore the messy jump off. Concentrate on the positives.
And as for being embarrassed, everybodys been there.. I don't think anyone would be looking down on you for it.

 

[Flame_]

Don't worry about it, you'll bounce back.

Stick to jumping small fences, don't look down at them - look over and ride forward to where you're going and Ruby will sort the rest out.

 

[MrsMozart]

Don't fret hun. You did well

. Just keep at it, you will get there

.

 

[Cash]

You got through to the jumpoff! Well done!

 

[wildwoman666]

keep trying your soon get there it all takes time.
never look down at jumps or worry about them when u get to them push her forward and look for the next fence if your looking for the next jump so is she. like u my old horse was same till i looked for next jump and pushed him on. he done really well till he got to last but one fence and though no ways my butt fitting thourgh that.....lol did not help i was thinking same......lol I was same as you when i first started show jumping. your soon get there.

 

[rlhnlk]

Well done for doing a clear and then for carrying on in the JO. Why not set up a grid at home with a placing pole a stride out where its 1 stride then 2 strides then 3 strides. This will mean you know what stride you will hit the fence on and you won't slow down too much, it will help you see a stride better when you compete and you can put the last fence up a bit as you know you're going to get a good shot at it.

 

[bex1984]

well done you, never mind what happened in the JO, focus on the positives

You sound very like me - I have a tendency to hold my pony back when I shouldn't and I've had to really work on this lately. I find cantering into jumps a bit scary so I usually trot, but even when trotting I've found that really telling myself not to hold him back on approach has made a massive difference to how he jumps and it's much more comfy for me because he's not doing the pausing then leaping thing. Look up over the fence and tell yourself not to hold back, and get your legs on

 

[annret]

Sounds like you did a good job by getting into the jump-oof, anyway!

I'd take off the flash & work on your rhythmn if I were you - it's fab when you can trust your horse in canter to not speed up & just concentrate on steering. Nine times out of ten, letting the horse think for itself is the best thing you can do!

 

[Gorgeous George]

I think you did really well and you got to the jump off - quite an achievement in itself, so as other have said try and concentrate on the positives (easier said than done I know).

I have a similar problem, I tend to be a bit scared of cantering at jumps so I trot towards them and George canters the last few strides, then I bring him back to trot and so on, so he can never get into a rhythm and gets even more unsettled.

But hey at least you didn't fall off like I did last time out and have them asking if I was ok over the tannoy!!

 

[Hippona]

Hey...you entered and got through to the jump off......much much more than I ever do....very brave for jumping in public, well done.

ps I only really jump logs in the woods...and only then if no dog walkers in the vicinity!!