remembering jumping courses ?!?!

[hannah28]

hey guys

so its my first show on my new horse this weekend, i am going to be jumping, it just a small show but i am worring about rembering the course, i have done showing shows and dressage before on another horse but never jumped in a competition

i did about 5 novice dressage tests last year and did not have them read, so do you think i will be ok with remebering the jumping course?

any tips ?
also any tips to takle first show nerves ?

thanks

 

[Farma]

Remembering sj courses is really easy - walk the course - watch a few go and voila youll be fine.
Low level sj courses always have a natural way of running from one to the next so as you do each fence count down the numbers and the next jump is usually within your view straight away

 

[floradora09]

I'm awful at remembering courses, but the more you do- the easier it gets! I find indoor jumping over the winter especially hard, as there are so many tight turns and such little time that you really need to know every stride of the course inside out! Go with a clear aim, eg- a nice controlled flowing round. Get there fairly early so there are no time pressures, and walk the course as many times as you want to so you're confident you know it! Jumping outdoors isn't too tricky, most courses flow anyway so you can often predict where the next jump's going to be! Then close your eyes and try to imagine riding it, I find this really helps! I also used to get nervous, just take a deep breath, breathe out and smile! It's just for fun anyway Good luck! xxx

 

[MegaBeast]

Being a small show you'll probably find the course wll be a simple figure of eight. Typically courses are quite logical and there's normally only one "comfortable" way to turn after a fence if that makes sense so they flow. The more courses you do the easier it gets as they are generally logical.

By logical I mean this... if you imagaine jumping a jump on the KXM diagonal, then the logical way to turn off the diagonal would be left as to turn right would be a real tight turn back. Ie you turn right at K towards X over the jump and then flow left after the jump

 

[rossiroo]

well done on giving it a go,I always allow plenty of time to walk and try not to get distracted by other peoples comments or chit chat. Walk the course on the line you intend 2 jump and check your bearings as you go.When you have walked it, before you leave the areana, count the jumps slowly and visualise the course. And so what if you do go wrong, we have all done it, perhaps you will be allowed to jump again as a non competitor ! good luck

 

[Kokopelli]

Whilst walking the course stop after every 3 fences and go through the course pointing at each jump.

Once you walked the course I find it helpful to tell someone else it (I teach the course to my mum) which helps me learn it.

Then watch others! Worst comes to worst you get a bit lost and a spectator has to tell you where to go, just keep an eye for the numbers of the fences and have fun!

 

[RomanyMayday]

Agree with the others, also I was told to count the jumps as you jump them to ensure you don't miss any or go past any

 

[Katie]

most small jumping show courses arent that long so you should be fine - and DONT go first i made that mistake! If you're not sure if you;re gonna be first, wait a while until you enter, don't enter immediatly. Also i sometimes remember courses like 'first - white cross, second is the blue spread' etc etc.

 

[MandyMoo]

if its low level the course should be quite simple to remember, i.e. it may be in a figure of 8 and a couple of fences down the long side.

what i do is when i walk the course, every 3-5 fences i stop and re-go-over the last few fences looking at each one. once i've walked it i then stand at the entrance and go over it.. then i turn my back away from the fences and visualise the course in my mind without looking at the actual arena... i then warm up etc, and just as the person before me is jumping i watch them go round to remember the course.. and i'm all set

remembering sj courses is easy to be honest. once you've walked it once it sticks in your head really - i'm just overly cautious

good luck! xx

 

[helencharlie]

Always walk the course on the line that you plan to take. I always try and walk the course at leats twice. If it is a 2 phase course, always ensure that you walk the second phase as well. I did not do this at one show, as I was convinced that we would not get through the 1st phase. However, we did and I lost my way, crossed my tracks and got 4 faults for this! I am terrible at remebering courses, but the more that I have walked the easier that this has become. Before I leave the ring I always stand in the middle and ensure that I know where I am going. Charlie is great at getting the clear rounds, but I am terrible at the navigation! Good luck and most of all enjoy it.