To jump or give up

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bluemoon123

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Doing a little unaff jumping with ponio at weekend and in a class where average age of other riders is 11 (i'm an adult but it's the only class that is suitable). Ponio is a very green five and it was his third show, where we rather spectacularly parted company with a huge thud. Unaff competitions are pretty rare where I live but should I swallow my pride and continue on? Or leave it? I'd like to struggle on because I don't want to give up. But other people made a few comments which made me feel very old and hugely embarrassed. What would you do?
 
Ignore people that make you feel bad. If you have the confidence and the determination to take him, then go for it. Don't let anyone get you down. You'll get there with ponio. Good luck hun
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Bollocks to them!!!!
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I only learned to jump as an adult and comments that people made after a disaterous attempt at a local show with Monty almost made me give up.
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Now I think, who cares what other people think. We all have to start somewhere (horses and people!) and if you are willing to give it another go then stuff 'em.

Everybody should be able to go out and compete at a level that they and their horse feel comfortable at. Also I envy those riders whose horses have never dumped them on the floor at a suitably embarrassing moment!

Go and have fun with your pone....that's why we have them.

Here ends the sermon................
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Stuff them and go for it! I'll be with you in spirit as I'll be trying to do the same in the springtime with my ponio who will be 5 then...after a long time out of the ring and a few injuries I will be quite happy to stick at 2' having done 3'6" unaffiliated in the past...I have no wish to do that again! Enjoy yourself and feel proud!
 

Definitely go and enjoy it!!! I think I have probably forgotten how to jump because I haven't done it for years so as soon as I pull my finger out, actually do some jumping, find a suitable show and some transport... Me and my short ass cob will be first in line for the baby classes!!!

(And will no doubt give everybody plenty of cause to laugh!!)
 
Ignore them! Why do people feel the need...!
I fell of my old horse at my first 4 shows, just had to laugh really (he was 4-5). We went on to compete BSJA successfully. I was lucky to have a lovely group around me who helped me to laugh it off. My friend then got a new horse and fell off 4 times at her first show alone.
Have fun
 
I only got into jumping more properly as an adult too and my first 1'9" outing was crucifyingly embarrassing but I went back the following month and came 6th in a 2 ft class with one pole down and was on cloud 9 about how far we'd come in that month. In lessons I'm now managing several jumps at 2'3" to 2'6" and I am very proud of my boy and I. Don't worry about what others older or younger may think, it's what you and your horse achieve together at the best level for you both that is important. Remember, great oaks from little acorns grow!
 
Go for it! I really hate it when people have to make unwelcome comments. Just ignore them and do what you want to with your pony. I'm sure that, like most of us, you have a pony to enjoy and probably spend a fortune looking after it!! So you need to do what makes you happy.
I entered a clear round a few weeks back on the spur of the moment and burst into tears when we went round clear and picked up our little rosette! I'm an adult too and my jumping experience has been a brief lesson a few years ago and then jumping a pole in the field a few times. I really enjoyed myself and am planning on taking the R.C by storm next year!! He He!
Everybody watching me probably had a chuckle as I bobbed around on top as my faithful neddy took me around but I really didn't care
Your pony is still a baby as well so you should do what's best for you both
Good luck, have fun and ignore these people!
 
Could you join a riding club, so only adults jumping? Saves the humiliation of being beaten by children.....!! At my RC we all regularly fall off, but have great fun having a go which is what it is all about.
Good luck
 
do not give up on what you are doing.Okay so you fell off and you feel people are making remarks,well so what,let them get on with it.Everyone has to start somewhere and your horse is a baby and needs to learn before he can improve.Far better to start him off small and get his confidence than risk ruining him just for the sake of saving face. Maybe this time next year or the year after you will be out there beating them in the bigger classes.
When I regained my nerve to jump after having a nasty fall some years earlier I was jumping in the miniature classes with cross poles barely off the floor.I took my time to move up the levels and several years later I was competing successfully for my riding club and happily jumping big courses. I had a car accident and didn't jump for almost 2 years and now have a green 7yr old who hasn't jumped a course yet so I will also be out there doing the crosspole classes again to gain his confidence so we can get out there and do more.I don't give a monkeys uncle what people say about it knowing I will most likely be out there competing as the only adult in the class.At the end of the day those people don't know me and won't have a clue what mine or my horses capabilities are so if someone says something I will put them straight and carry on as before.
 
Go for it! you'll be the one laughing when you jump the bigger courses confidently because you actually spent time and got the basics right!

Don't worry what anyone else thinks, they'll be in that situation eventually too and will regret the day they said something!
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I plan on doing a very small hunter trial soon and I know I'll be the only adult doing it, but honestly I don't care, I'd rather be doing something confidently and people sniggering behind my back than doing something unconfidently and getting scorned for my awful riding!!
 
Do It!!!!
I competed against kids over the summer and will be competing against kids with other horses.
I'm not worried about it, its about having fun and getting out and about.
Ignore the other people, they have no right to make you feel like that.
Go out and have a whale of a time!
 
Well, you're already way superior to those on the ground criticising - you are the one doing it. And not everyone has a push button horse either, it takes way more application, determination and effort to work through difficult things than to criticise or give up. Never pay any attention to negative criticism, by all means take on board the positive and learn from it, but ignore sniping, stupid people.
 
Hi Bluemoon

I too am a little like you. Having only had my own horse since May and her being a lovely little hairy coblet neither of us have done much jumping before.

I have entered a couple of riding club jumping events in which she did really well and a more experienced friend jumped her for me at a local show and she came 6th!

What I am finding is that now she absolutely loves to jump and in fact almost scares me at how high she jumps. In fact I think she has already outgrown me in ability but I am going to continue. I am jumping her at the weekend at a height that will be comfortable to me and probably way too low for her but once I get my confidence I will go higher.

Don't let what other people say and think bother you. It's your life so just do what you want. I spent all my childhood years dreaming of owning my own pony and now I have one I am bloodywell sure that other people are not going to stop me doing what I always dreamt of!

Wishing you good luck hun and happy jumping.

Bessieboo x
 
Hi Bluemoon,

I went to a show recently and there were 2 separate jumping rings. Not having the bottle I used to have when I was a teenager (much older now) and wanting to try and help with the nerves and for us both to enjoy ourselves I decided to go in the smaller ring. Yep it was all kids, I was the only adult, but we had a great time, It wasn't exactly the most graceful of rounds but we enjoyed ourselves and that is the most important thing
 
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