Ponymad21
Member
What jumping exercises would you recommend for a rider who is nervous jumping?
Nervous jumping exercises
- Thread starter Ponymad21
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Bunnymare
Well-Known Member
Following this closely as I'm a Nervous Nelly when it comes to jumping 😊
Hexx
Well-Known Member
Repetition, repetition, repetition.
What I do with my nervous nellies is put up a small jump on either side of the school. and then get them to canter a circle jumping each jump and then to keep going, just so that it becomes normal to jump a jump. Doesn't need to be big, big enough for the horse to jump it properly, but not big enough to scare. Change the rein, then repeat, then rest.
Another exercise I found really good was to lay out a few "jumps" around the school, just poles on the ground. Get the rider to practice seeing strides and changing legs over the "jumps", then gradually put the jumps up and get them to repeat the exercise.
I find you have to make jumping just one of those things you do and not make it a big thing. These two exercises certainly helped me - I am the nervous-est of nellies when it comes to jumping!
What I do with my nervous nellies is put up a small jump on either side of the school. and then get them to canter a circle jumping each jump and then to keep going, just so that it becomes normal to jump a jump. Doesn't need to be big, big enough for the horse to jump it properly, but not big enough to scare. Change the rein, then repeat, then rest.
Another exercise I found really good was to lay out a few "jumps" around the school, just poles on the ground. Get the rider to practice seeing strides and changing legs over the "jumps", then gradually put the jumps up and get them to repeat the exercise.
I find you have to make jumping just one of those things you do and not make it a big thing. These two exercises certainly helped me - I am the nervous-est of nellies when it comes to jumping!
Cowpony
Well-Known Member
Put up a course of tiny jumps and just play. You'll be concentrating so much on the next fence you won't have time to be nervous.
loobylu
Well-Known Member
Lots of light seat work til you can canter around quite happily in balance, even if just trotting over jumps. Jumping is scary if you're not secure so working on the stability of your lower leg will help long term. Then cantering over poles several times a week until that's easy and normal. Then fences. Do a little, often.
Ponymad21
Member
I'm secure in the saddle but I've had a lot of bad experiences jumping and not many good due to riding excitable horses who massively over jump or run off bucking after a jumpLots of light seat work til you can canter around quite happily in balance, even if just trotting over jumps. Jumping is scary if you're not secure so working on the stability of your lower leg will help long term. Then cantering over poles several times a week until that's easy and normal. Then fences. Do a little, often.