Tips on how to get over an oxer phobia!!

[mknight994]

Hi all,

As you can probably tell by the title, i am a little scared on oxers/spreads!
I get up to them, and all of a sudden look down (even though i know im not supposed to) and i pull my horse up to a stop. It then messes up her mind!
Im hoping someone has a good tip!

Thanks

 

[milliepops]

Haha, I saw the thread about upright phobia and thought... nope, not me, I had an oxer phobia.
My problem was seeing horrendous strides - I see long strides everywhere and if you see a long one at an oxer,the back rail is a long long way away.

When I was eventing I worked with my trainer to learn how to push forward for a shorter stride (which ended up being a good spot, not deep). I really had to learn how to ride forward to a shorter distance rather than hold, as that makes you ride negatively.

A good exercise that helped me was to jump across oxers at an angle, somehow that helped me get my eye in and it was something I returned to frequently. We'd put up a 2 stride double and ride a figure of 8 around it, jumping across the 2 fences until I was seeing good strides, then ride the double and then ride a course.

Do you have a good trainer? What do they say?

 

[Xtra]

I suffer the same issue but now when I walk the track I visualise the oxer as just the front part and if I would jump it like that I can tell myself I can get the back rail as long as I have a good canter. as above a decent canter and not rushing at the last minute and you will get it. To me its a mental thing though!!

 

[dixie]

I suffer the same issue but now when I walk the track I visualise the oxer as just the front part and if I would jump it like that I can tell myself I can get the back rail as long as I have a good canter. as above a decent canter and not rushing at the last minute and you will get it. To me its a mental thing though!!

This is me !! Also, after speaking to my trainer the other day he said that horses aren't stupid and won't purposely crash through an oxer and for some reason that made me feel better. Funnily enough he always starts our lessons doing the figure of eight exercise mentioned about although the striding in between is usually 4 or 5, but it definitely helps to make me ride into a better canter.

 

[My Boys M&D]

I'm the exact opposite (see my thread on upright phobia)! I've always found jumping oxers much easier when you have a good canter and a good takeoff point (i.e. not too far away). Start with a grid just to build your confidence in your horse getting you to the other side. You can then gradually take the grid down so you are approaching over a line of canter poles, then a pole followed by 1 canter stride then oxer. Eventually you can take the canter pole further back so you have 2,3,4,5 strides before the oxer etc. This way you still have the reassurance about getting the right takeoff spot and you can get a feel for the canter/ rhythm you need to jump the oxer.

Also, don't overface yourself! Don't jump anything that makes you so scared you knock your own confidence, its supposed to be fun

Having said that, I know I should follow my own advice about uprights, but I know how hard it is when you just have a mental block about something!

 

[PorkChop]

Set up a small course of jumps, all oxers. Try to include one or two dog legs. Have your first two oxers in a straight line. Set all the distances on an even five or six strides, it doesn't really matter as long as they are the same. Put a one stride marker pole to the first line and use that to get the feel for the canter, then all you need to do is maintain that canter around the course. Don't be afraid of letting your horse get a bit deep, you just concentrate on keeping that same canter.

Keep the fences small to begin with, I might not have explained this very well but it does work.

 

[PaddyMonty]

Forget the back rail. Just think of it as an upright. At the lower levels (below 1.20mtr) the horse will take care of the back rail for you so just ride to the fence as you would an upright. It is thinking they must be jumped differently that causes the problem.

 

[mknight994]

I train with Rachel Sheldon who is based in Glos. she is an event rider who has beat Mary King and William Fox Pitt. We are currently working on oxer fears, but just wondered if anyone thought anything different.

Thanks for the tips! I will hopefully try this exercise on the weekend as it sounds great!

 

[mknight994]

This is a good way to think of it actually. Thank you for that!

 

[mknight994]

Thank you for this! Will try a few exercises on the weekend.

 

[mknight994]

Haha, I saw the thread about upright phobia and thought... nope, not me, I had an oxer phobia.
My problem was seeing horrendous strides - I see long strides everywhere and if you see a long one at an oxer,the back rail is a long long way away.

When I was eventing I worked with my trainer to learn how to push forward for a shorter stride (which ended up being a good spot, not deep). I really had to learn how to ride forward to a shorter distance rather than hold, as that makes you ride negatively.

A good exercise that helped me was to jump across oxers at an angle, somehow that helped me get my eye in and it was something I returned to frequently. We'd put up a 2 stride double and ride a figure of 8 around it, jumping across the 2 fences until I was seeing good strides, then ride the double and then ride a course.

Do you have a good trainer? What do they say?

I train with Rachel Sheldon who is based in Glos. she is an event rider who has beat Mary King and William Fox Pitt. We are currently working on oxer fears, but just wondered if anyone thought anything different.

Thanks for the tips! I will hopefully try this exercise on the weekend as it sounds great!

 

[mknight994]

I'm the exact opposite (see my thread on upright phobia)! I've always found jumping oxers much easier when you have a good canter and a good takeoff point (i.e. not too far away). Start with a grid just to build your confidence in your horse getting you to the other side. You can then gradually take the grid down so you are approaching over a line of canter poles, then a pole followed by 1 canter stride then oxer. Eventually you can take the canter pole further back so you have 2,3,4,5 strides before the oxer etc. This way you still have the reassurance about getting the right takeoff spot and you can get a feel for the canter/ rhythm you need to jump the oxer.

Also, don't overface yourself! Don't jump anything that makes you so scared you knock your own confidence, its supposed to be fun

Having said that, I know I should follow my own advice about uprights, but I know how hard it is when you just have a mental block about something!

Thank you for this! Will try a few exercises on the weekend.

 

[Polos]

I Used to have virtually no confidence jumping and my absolute saint of a mare would have to get me out of trouble frequently as I would just freeze and stop riding.

I started having sessions with a sports psychologist and since starting them I have been a lot more relaxed and have been less of a passenger and more of a rider and have had the confidence to jump a couple of 1.30's and a 1.35

The main thing I have taken away from this is to be as relaxed as possible (even if it means walking for a couple for minutes to chill myself out before jumping round the course again (in lessons/course hires etc) and thinking positive all the way (I can do it, I want to do it and I will do it)

I have started very small (poles on the floor to make sure I could see a stride etc) and built my way up very slowly (Placing poles are a huge help you are taking off at the right spot and setting the horse up nicely for the fence. Even if the oxer is only 30cm this will help).

It's important not to overface yourself. I know its important to push yourself but don't go and scare yourself. I have no shame in asking for someone to put a fence down a couple of holes so I can jump it at the height I'm comfortable at before putting it up a little.

 

[mrsh2010]

So glad it's not just me!! I panic at oxers all the time!

 

[Luci07]

Go and help at a warm up with a big jumping class or at least Novice for BE. Without exception the horses seem to warm up so much better over the oxer than an upright as seemed to find it easier to judge. Took away my worries about jumping them!