Panic attacks before jumps / Confidence knock after bad week

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SunnySide12

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Hiya!
Probably already sick of seeing this but yeah. In short had amazing huge progress with my horse, started jumping confidently and all was going very very well. Don't even know what happened but suddenly I cannot jump anymore. In one week I fall off 8 times. Result? Panic attacks before jumps. I don't even know like I know how to jump, distances but now even small cross pole gives me panic. I'm so scared to jump. I spent whole evening crying and thinking that now I have lost all my progress. And this happens only before jump. I'm not even scared of cantering just jumping.
I'm lost now and really would love to hear some advice. I'm starting to loose hope.

p.s. my trainer is trying to help me but this is something in my head that i cannot get over
 
stop jumping and take the pressure off yourself, you don't need to jump. go back to ground poles and canter grids of ground poles, until you are bored and wanted to raise one up slightly. go at your own pace and don't try and push through the fear, because in doing that you tense and panic and things are more likely to go wrong.

it's such an extreme reaction for you to have I;d wonder is something else going on behind it that isn;t related to horses at all. I had a similar thing happen and found hypnotherapy brilliant
 
You fell off 8 times in a week? Heck, I'd panic too!!!

My last horse had me off 2 times in 3 weeks and I sold her! I was under a lot of stress with being LPA for mum who had dementia and I couldn't risk it.

I don't think this is an unexplained loss of nerve: I think this is well deserved self protection!

I would dial it right back. Start afresh from ground work, with a good trainer. I would perhaps have lessons on a simulator to see where my seat could be improved. Do Pilates, I strongly recommend rider pilates. I would have the saddle checked, revise eating plans for the horse. I may out an experienced rider on the horse for their opinion. I would also perhaps have the horse examined by a vet in a performance work up.
 
What is the trainer doing to improve matters? I have had unstable riders who have previously been jumping with other trainers but I don't let someone jump with me until they can either sit, stand or crouch in the stirrups, at will, at my calling, at canter.

Can you do, say, 5 strides of canter sitting, 5 strides standing bolt upright then 5 crouching, without your backside touching the saddle at any point, or leaning on the neck, then back through from crouch to stand to sit?

If not, you are simply not stable enough to jump.

Many riders give away their lower leg backwards when jumping, and also lean forwards. That is not stable at all. That is a disaster waiting to happen.

Once a rider is 'getting it' I then often go to a hillside to canter up and down. Up is like a take off; take off; take off; take off. Down is like practicing a landing, landing, landing, landing.

Heels stay down and legs stay at the girth. Body is supported on the strong leg position.
 
Red-1 said:
What is the trainer doing to improve matters? I have had unstable riders who have previously been jumping with other trainers but I don't let someone jump with me until they can either sit, stand or crouch in the stirrups, at will, at my calling, at canter.

Can you do, say, 5 strides of canter sitting, 5 strides standing bolt upright then 5 crouching, without your backside touching the saddle at any point, or leaning on the neck, then back through from crouch to stand to sit?

If not, you are simply not stable enough to jump.

Many riders give away their lower leg backwards when jumping, and also lean forwards. That is not stable at all. That is a disaster waiting to happen.

Once a rider is 'getting it' I then often go to a hillside to canter up and down. Up is like a take off; take off; take off; take off. Down is like practicing a landing, landing, landing, landing.

Heels stay down and legs stay at the girth. Body is supported on the strong leg position.
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So of course im not jumping anymore. We are working on balance - aka not using reins for supporting myself as now im clenching in them from fear. And doing different tasks like in canter sitting 3 strides being 3 strides in 2 points. Also working on poles as on poles im fine
 
I can jump well, I just don’t like it that much. My technique is fine, no leg swinging, etc but I struggle to stick the landings, I can do it but it takes a substantial amount of effort- to the point where it’s unenjoyable (due to my clinical lack of balance). So I just don’t enjoy it that much, I think there’s little point in my doing it, other than knowing how as a basic skill. Panic attacks are not fun, and I can imagine it doesn’t make jumping enjoyable, so take a break and don’t pressure yourself to get back into it. I used to think I aught to enjoy jumping because everyone else does, but that made me internally dread it. I’m now at a point where I would pop a jump if I fancied it, but for the most part I’ve accepted that it’s not really my thing.

To work on my balance I always choose to ride without stirrups or bareback and choose to do rising trot (without stirrups) to strengthen my leg and core, and train myself to maintain a good leg position.
 
Ask your GP about propranolol - I have panic disorder and it's been amazing for me. You need to break the cycle of physical symptoms while you figure out the root cause. 💐💐
 
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