The mental aspect of riding

LEC

LEC

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Was having a lesson last night for jumping and my instructor says I really struggle with jumping. I wait for instructions a lot more whereas on the flat I pick it up, go with it and implement it very quickly. I think this is a lack of confidence with jumping - I just do not trust myself enough to make the right decision or I cannot make a decision quickly enough this is SJ as oddly xc I am fine. This has got me thinking about how much riding is a mental thing much more than a lot of sports I have played. Maybe I think about it all too much?
Lucinda Green thinks a top rider can be made but I really do not think this is true as you can have all the lessons in the world but not the right mentality?
Any thoughts?
 
You think too much. Jumping is best if you're mainly concentrating on something else I find, generally at a competition I'm so busy planning ways of killing the dressage judge when they read out my score that I jump great
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I absolutely agree.
When I used to ride more seriously than I do now, I was a complete natural, could see a stride on everything I rode and never had a moment of self doubt.
Now I dither and pither about mising strides and dumping Sienna in the poo, and the only time I ride really well is when I'm angry with myself for stuffing it up. Then I ride positively and effectively.
And the worse possible situation for your head - being in the top two prior to XC... then you forget how to ride completely - unless you are Zara Phillips...
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Headology is the hardest part of riding. It's when you know what can go wrong that it all starts to unravel as you start thinking about it.
 
Sure is, I always think too much! get frustrated because it doesnt go right, feel that im letting my horse down because im not that quick thinking in the SJing arena. But again, find flat work and xc far easier.
I must admit if i try and think about other things, what im gonna do wtih the other horse or what ive got for supper i then start RIDING like i know i can.
I need a button to press when i go sjing, to stop me thinking lol
 
I think we're all mental!!!
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No seriously, I am the worlds WORST over analyser (word??).

My "thinking" approach to riding is my biggest asset and worst flaw all at the same time!!

I do think though that that's why I love flatwork, I have to almost stop thinking and just feel for anything to actually begin to work.

Jumping I always totally over analysed and got all kinds of visuals in my head before and during jumping!
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Since I've got more happy with flatwork now though, and can just focus on rhythm etc, the jumps have become less significant and my nerve is increasing as a result
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I don't jump VERY big though (yet) so maybe once they go up a notch I may end up up with a whole new can of worms!!
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Sorry, but I am the worlds worst over analyser. Keep myself awake at nights over my riding.

Now thinking of going for some of this 'tapping therapy' that everyone on here goes on about to sort my head out!

Wonder if it will work...................
 
Where were the posts on the "tapping theory"? I saw the programme on telly about fear of flying and it was amazing the effect it had on those people, so maybe it will work for me (that and Rescue Remedy!)
 
I have been told by mum that i am a better dressage rider than jumper which at times is true, I have started losing my confidence really easily which is now reflecting on Honey, i am riding her like a complete an utter retard! I have started thinking too much about the striding and keeping a better rhythm and slowing Honey down round a course as she gets flat. But now all thats happening is we're going in and have stops at stupid fences. think it makes it worse that i only ride when i am home from uni so every 6 weeks. roll on the summer!
 
There were lots of different ones some time back. Some people were recommending Jo Cooper who has a really good website.

Google and you will find it.

I would put the link in here but 'new' and still learning how to use this site Im afraid.

Let me know what you think, I wondereing about going ahead.
 
My mum is like that, she will fly round a XC, but gets soo paranoid about the SJ. Its now got to the point where I try to only give her 4 jumps max in the collecting ring, any more and she gets progressively worse with nerves!
Pammy Hutton is somebody who believes that state of mind is very important when riding, (and I dare you to tell her she is wrong!)
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Well you know my views on sj and yes it def effects performance. It's def all in the mind but I can't talk myself out of worrying about it
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I think that's why there are more men at the top of sj. Look at J Whittaker super cool and laid back.
 
I completely agree. I have discovered that if I concentrate on the quality of the canter for s/j and "forget" about the jumps we get on much better. I'm jumping up to 1m10 so things may get more technical after that. But for now once the canter is one he can jump from, round with energy and he doesn't lengten or shorten in his approach, die or lengthen off the corner, we will succeed.

I also find I am more instinctive for dressage or cross country. I think for c/c we have more power in the canter and I know we need that power to jump solid fences. But for some bizarre reason our s/j canter is not so instinctive and doesn't come so easily.
 
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My "thinking" approach to riding is my biggest asset and worst flaw all at the same time!!


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Ditto
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I am too overwhlmed by how worse I got practically when I got to know more teoretically. At some point I just realised how much there is still to know and how little of that I was good at. 10 years ago I jumped 1.30m tracks without giving it a single thought. All these years on, I got involved in teaching, digging in theory and learning how to pass the knowledge but somewhere on the way I seemed to have lost my own natural abilities
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As to mentality - I believe this can be changed. And Lucinda G. is right that the top riders can be made but I think it requires much more mental than the actual physical work.

Another thing I noticed with myself, not sure what you guys think - when I ride with an instructor I seem to concentrate on what he/she says and my reactions are much slower than if I ride on my own and really listen to my own and the horse's body and movements. That's with flatwork and jumping.
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Am i the only one that doesn't think enough then?? probably why i don't 'get' dressage.. i never think about the SJing/XC and those are the bits i'm best at.. esp. the SJing, i love the SJing and find it pretty easy, which i think is strange for an eventer
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Where as the theory of dressage really confuses me
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not that it takes alot to confuse me.. i wouldn't be the sharpest tool in the box haha (i blaim it on one too many bangs to the head)
 
ive been told that i could jump bsja. But i just dont have the confidence to jump the jumps. I prefer galloping around lik an diot in horseball :P
 
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