Re installing confidence jumping in a horse.

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auntienutnut

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Hi

After a thread I started last night, it seems the horse I have had for 3 months, as lost confidence in jumping with me.
He is 11 years old, only had one other owner but was out winning at 90cm so is able.

Im not the best of riders and lack height confidence myself, was happy to jump a course of 90 with my old horse and this is all I want from my new horse.


Best advice/exercises to install confidence again in my horse ?


Any stories of people who have been here and got out of it to cheer me up please.

TIA
 
Just sounds to me that it has gone a little pear shaped!! You can do it, so can he but you can't do it together at the moment! If it were me, and I'm just starting to jump again after a ten year break!, I would take several steps back. Jump very small jumps until your so confident its almost boring, then start to put them up a little at a time. Any time you have a wobble put them back down. If you could get an instructor involved at this stage too that would help alot. Good luck x
 
Charlie007 said:
Just sounds to me that it has gone a little pear shaped!! You can do it, so can he but you can't do it together at the moment! If it were me, and I'm just starting to jump again after a ten year break!, I would take several steps back. Jump very small jumps until your so confident its almost boring, then start to put them up a little at a time. Any time you have a wobble put them back down. If you could get an instructor involved at this stage too that would help alot. Good luck x
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Many thanks, I normally have weekly lessons but for one reason and another I haven't been, and its looks like I am dangerous left to my own devices :(

I was jumping small but maybe put them up to quick to soon, will go back to the bottom again and book a lesson for this week x
 
Unless you are in a rush to jump 90cm for some reason then take the pressure off. Your not alone in being dangerous left to your own devices!! :) having an instructor there for back up and encouragement is so important when you have a wobble. Keep at it, slowly but surely and you will reach your goal x
 
And don't think about it as going back to the bottom. You sound as tho you think you have failed. You haven't. You have recognised that things arnt as good as they could be and you are doing something about it!!
 
I'm in a similar situation whereas i've had my new horse 4 1/2 months after losing my old horse i'd had for 8 years. However old horse was not bold with jumping, plenty of stops! So for me its more getting my confidence back.....and hadn't jumped at all for 2 years when i got new horse bar a few cross poles on hubbies horse the day before i viewed newbie as i new i would have to do at least that when viewing!!
I had to wait ages for new jump saddle so only started jumping couple of weeks ago and had my 2nd session with him yesterday. Keeping everything small - like 60cm! In no rush to go higher until i'm ready (Neddy must think he's on vacatian compared to the level he used to event!! lol). Will say though that new boy is re-instilling my confidence no end. If i want to trot into a jump, he'll trot - if i want to canter he'll canter, without hauling me to a fence! But equally he knows his job and locks on. Very novel to me after a serial stopper!!
I would say take your time, its a new relationship and whilst you were doing 90 before and so was he - you weren't doing it together. No pressure to be doing that straight away, more important to build your relationship together.
 
I always find it handy to go to a local show with an instructor or good set of eyes and jump at a level you find easy, then another round at a level thats slightly out of your comfort zone. Then have the other person analyse exactly what has changed or where you are going wrong and work out a plan based on that.

It's very easy for a new horse to lose confidence in you if it knocks a few poles hard or crashes through any fences. Any new ones I have, I don't do anything challenging on them, or anything that I'm not 100% confident on, for months until we have a good relationship established. If it means only jumping 60s for a month or so then i do that. The raise the level so slowly you hardly even notice.
 
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