Serious confidence boost neededi

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~Howrse~Mad~

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Feeling low, and dont have no hope in my riding ability, looking to go to some local shows and do clear round the jumps are about 30cm, i know my horse can clear this with ease, but i am lacking confidence and keep making lame excuses, of "i'm not ready", "i dont have my show attire", "i'll probably get lost, they're are too many jumps" Please help. I look at my friend who has competed at hoys and won at less than 12 years old, and i am hoping to get to standard like that and this is my first show and i am being a wimp about 30cm jumps! Kick up the bum needed please, but good luck to you as i dont know how :(!
 
I'm rather similar to you - my horse has tonnes of scope and could jump round courses without any input from me, yet the thought of jumping a course bigger than 90cm terrifies me at the minute even though its well within our capabilities and we jump bigger single fences without any issues.

I would go along and get the first one over and done with. your horse can walk over the jumps - take it at a steady trot so you have time to think about what you're doing and think 'sit up and kick on'.
You'll feel 100 times better once you've done it. :)

is there a course you could hire to have a practice beforehand? you could even start by doing a course of poles on the ground to get you started.

Go for it - make sure you let us know how you get on. :)
 
Thank you i will, the only problem is it is in a week i considered doing it earlier in the year and shook it off, and my boy isn't the keenest off loading but i am hoping in a lorry he should. It's just the thought of twelve jumps and getting the course mixed up.
 
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Hi, well I can only speak for myself in this matter as I am the most fearful person I know (a mixture of bad experience and becoming a mum). However, I don't think self pressure works, I think an inner determination is what drives us. Please dont compare yourself, I don't think it helps anyone, and i would not put time frames basically zero pressure. What I would do is get some poles, hang out with each other, make it fun, i think we all should enjoy them in this way more, my lad is a little character and i wouldn't see half of the stuff he does if all i did was ride. Go easy on yourself and that inner determination will guide you to where you're destined to be. Big hugs, I hope you get there...as for comparing, even the creme de la creme have fears...and top trainers, facilities, grooms, basically support and tons of it too. Good luck, enjoy the journey.x
 
is there someone who can walk the course with you?
I try to watch a few go before I go in to make sure I know where I'm supposed to be going. that said, I have gotten lost before and pulled up before spotting my next fence. :p

You'll honestly be fine - trot if you need to and just take your time. treat it as a posh schooling round rather than as a competition and most importantly, try to enjoy it. :)
 
Thanks everyone, and thanks for the suggestion of someone walking with me, and using it as a schooling experience, and haha i will try turn those butterflies into dragons! x
 
Don't compare yourself with your friend - we are all different. If it is a local show you are planning to go to and one of your big worries is remembering the course then I am sure they wont mind you either having someone in the ring with you to guide you round the jumps or having someone outside the ring shouting out the course to you.
 
Sometimes the organisers will let you go round 'hors concours' HC which means that you can have a try and see if you can remember the course. If they do it nice and early then no one will be there to watch either. But it's much less stressful to start that way, with no pressure to win, or beat the clock. If you don't make it to the show, could you perhaps see if a local riding school would set you up a course of a few jumps and then they might have someone who could talk you through it and then you can give it a go. Its only the first time which is super scare making! very best of luck.
 
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