Pothunting?

[MizElz]

I havent even gone jumping yet, and I'm finding things to worry about

I'm really worried that people are going to think that I'm pothunting when we get back to jumping. Before our fall four years ago, we were consistently jumping Newcomers amd 1.05 opens - now, however, I cannot see us getting beyond 75/85cms

The thing is, I'm doing this purely for fun now - I'm not having lessons, I'm not training at home - it's simply a case of going out as and when we fancy it. And it is me who has the problem - Ellie, bless her, jumps better over bigger tracks and would pop round 1.10m with her eyes shut. But numpty here feels safer at 2'6 - 2'9 - part of the reason I gave up in the first place was because I had completely overfaced myself, even though I had a horse with far more scope than we had utilised

I cannot wait to go out on Wednesday, but I worry now that as we're both very competitive regardless of height, people are going to watch us pootling round a 75cm course and think that we're depriving others of their chance.

I used to despise pothunting when I was younger, and I really dont want to end up being a hypocrite

Is it wrong to be going out with no real ambition or plans of 'going up through the ranks', so to speak?

I am rambling on, I know, and please feel free to tell me I'm being an idiot

It just seems that my old collywobbles are now being replaced by an attack of conscience

 

[TiaPony]

Stop worrying!!! Just have fun - you don't feel confident enough to jump the bigger tracks right now and unaffiliated is for enjoying yourself and confidence building so you've every right to be there!

 

[Ottinmeg]

[ QUOTE ]
and please feel free to tell me I'm being an idiot

[/ QUOTE ]

your being an idiot

. seriously don't worry about it. You have a legitimate reason for jumping smaller tracks and if you havn't been out and about for 4 years i doubt that many people will remember you anyway! Your not what i would call a pot hunter. Just go out and enjoy it.

 

[PennyJ]

No, not at this stage with your history. If however you are still in 2 years time jumping the same tracks and winning everything locally, then yes I would call you a pothunter at that time in the future.

Good luck!

 

[MizElz]

Ah thanks guys, that makes me feel a bit better! I guess I'm just a bit paranoid....I know I used to watch smaller classes and see combinations go round that you knew were capable of so much more, and it didnt seem fair on the true novices. I dont want to kid myself - we were never going to be world beaters, and it's not like anyone now would remember me or Ellie. And I guess plenty of people 'drop down' a level due to injury/age etc. So it isnt that different, is it?

 

[cavalo branco]

There are lots of people who have lost confidence, are back from injury, haven't jumped for a while, or, like me, who are now going back down the ladder because of getting too old!! I also wonder whether people think I'm pot-hunting but my stamina and balance are much less so I'm happy with the novices. If you feel that bad you can compete HC, but I'm sure nobody minds unless you win everything!!

 

[vieshot]

so long as it doesnt get to a point where you and your horse are winning all the time then its fine.

 

[muffinino]

Nah, you'll be fine at that height. Even if people chattered (which they won't) who cares what they think? It's nobody's business but your own.
I dropped down to minimus showjumping/x-country (around 2') earlier this year after jumping 2'9''/3' last year(not huge, I know, but it was the first season jumping for both me & T). I'd been in hospital with a ruptured ovarian cyst and wanted to ease back in to competing. Everyone was understanding and encouraging, in fact they probably would have stopped me if I wanted to jump higher

There would have be no point in either rushing it, frightening myself & the horse, or endangering ourselves, and I would say the same to you. Don't worry what others think, you know you're doing the right thing.
Good luck, I'm sure you'll do well and it's a big achievement for you to be so brave and tackle your nerves. Which show are you going to?
Just remember ''We must do the thing we think we cannot do''!

 

[rara007]

You are not a pothunter- and neither will people think you are. People who know you should understand you have had time off, and those that don't won't know your previous experience.

 

[dieseldog]

I love the way you assume that everyone thinks you are a pothunter. I would be surprised if you went out and started winning straight away

. I think you are going to be surprised when you get to WW and see the standard of the other people.

 

[Smash]

See how you go before you start worrying about being a pothunter - you have to actually win first!

 

[ladyt25]

Someone's gotta win! I got accused of this once year ago on a fab pony I had. He was ultra fast in jump offs BUT he had bone spavin so could only jump to a certain height. Someone actually complained at a show I was at as I'd won a couple of classes and she said she reckoned my pony was this affiliated one (he was a 14.2hh red & white and i actually knew who owned the pony who looked v similar who WAS affiliated). I never took him in a class that I shouldn't (ier restrictions didn't allow) but not being funny and not to insult them, IF my pony was this affiliated one WHY would I be competing at a tin pot SJ competition when i could have been competing BSJA winning money??!

I believe some people are just sore losers. Yes I have seen people at events who i have thought "Hmm, I don't believe that's a 'novice horse' or whatever BUT if they fit the criteria and have not say "won a first at any SJ event" etc then they are perfectly justifed and allowed to be in that class!

 

[Angelbones]

just checked out your pink sheepskin pad, no size on the ad? May have to have a punt on it!

Don't worry about the pothunting malarkey - just go and enjoy yourself, and if you come home with a 'pot' then good for you!

 

[MizElz]

Thanks for that, DieselDog - nice of you to assume that I think we're going to go out and win first time out

In fact, I have never said that at all - in fact I would be extremely surprised if we come back with anything, it is far more likely that my nerves will see me buried in the bottom of the first fence

What worries me is that a lot of people knew Ellie, knew where she had come from and knew the kind of standard that we were jumping at in the past. But no matter. I am perfectly aware that Ellie and I are going to be totally useless and outclassed by the competition

Angelbones - I have now put the size of the pad on Ebay

 

[dieseldog]

Thats OK

You are going on and on about pothunting - you have to win first, well win about 20 classes on the trot before anyone will consider you are pothunting - so I think it is a fair assumption that you think you will be doing that from your post.

I live in the same area as you and I was probably jumping at all the same shows as you when you were doing BSJA more than likely in the same classes and I have not got a clue who you are - so I don't think everyone is going to know you and think you are a pothunter.

Good luck on wednesday and if you do win don't feel guilty.

 

[MizElz]

Sorry if it seemed that way. I was not implying we would be winning anything - I dont believe that for a second, I was thinking more along the lines of the fact that we used to compete BSJA, and are now dropping to 75cm unaffiliated.....it just makes me feel a little uneasy, knowing that I used to judge people who did the same thing in the past. Winning doesnt really come into the equation - maybe I should have stressed that at the start

I havent a clue who you are, either, so maybe our paths crossed, maybe they didnt!

 

[MizElz]

I've just re-read the whole thread, and I think we're talking at cross purposes, Diesel Dog. When I say I'm worried about being considered a pothunter, I dont mean on our first time out on Wednesday - Christ knows, we're going to look complete idiots, both of us! I'm looking at the long term - if indeed, there is one - what I mean is that we will be going back to jumping much smaller tracks than we did previously, but this time with no ambition to go any higher. I know I lost my confidence when we went above 1m, so this time, we will stay below that. I think what I worry about is the fact that I am naturally competitive, and Ellie too, and that even though we will be jumping in smaller classes, I will still be entering with the aim to do as best I can. If this means winning or being placed top three, then that is great - but I dont want to then be seen as a pothunter for not wanting to move up to the next level.....

Of course, we may enter on Wednesday, I may fall off and find that I really havent got the heart for it at all, and that may be the end of it all once again! I hope I've managed to explain myself a bit better - I'm paranoid again now that everyone thinks that I'm the type of person to expect to win all the time - I promise you, that couldnt be further from the truth!

*mental note to self - stop caring what everyone thinks of you and just get on with life

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