what you think when peole say they dont jump?

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summertoots

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I dont jump. I get no pleasure from it, I am not scared, just find it boring and therefor I hardly ever do it. I even think it is boring to watch at shows and on TV.
However I understand there are loads of people who love to jump, its their thing and they get a huge buzz from it, and I would never ever put someone down for saying they prefer jumping to dressage.
But there are times when I hear myself almost apologising for saying I do dressage. I can see this look of pity on folks faces.
I recently did my NVQ level 2. I sailed through my jumping phase and after it was finished I said that was it I will not jump again. This was met with gasps of "why? you have done so well" and a complete lack of understanding to my expanation of "I dont enjoy it"
So what is the first thought when you hear someone say they dont jump? Do you think they are scared, or a poor rider?
I am not a fantastic talented rider, but I can hold my own and even though I will not take silly risks I am far from scared of horses. So why do I feel I have to explain, in an almost apologetic way, my recent decision to concentrate on flat work from now on??
 
I dont jump, i have no real desire to jump, i love dressage i make no apologies for it, yes when my boy is older i will jump him maybe if i so feel the need, and i do get looks of oh you poor thing not jumping but why do something you dont enjoy.

so toots you are not alone
 
I do jump but prefer dressage. I do know what you mean about feeling apologetic for feeling like that
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Flatwork is a bit of a guilty pleasure I reckon!
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That and the fact I prefer none-violent handling methods mean I often feel like I'm considered some sort of Hippy lunatic!!
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I do jump but prefer dressage.

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same for me, but its not really dressage that i do its more flatwork at the riding school.

when jumping, i enjoy it more if the jumps are quite big as its more of an adrenalin rush rather than just little jump you pop over.
 
I am a SJer and i dont think of anything if people say they dont jump. I just assume that they enjoy dressage more.

Its never crossed my mind as each to their own. Just like some people just enjoy hacking. Dont make them any less of a rider they just enjoy hacking more than being all serious.
 
Know exactly what you mean, I find myself apologising for doing dressage on my pony that has JA blodlines (but not a JA brain!) People dont understand why I dont perservere "more" with a pony with so much talent, the simple answer is he doesnt enjoy jumping, when there is any pressure involved!

I have nothing against people who say they dont jump, imo al oved horse cant be wasted, and I dont see the point in scaring the horse just for the sake of jumping without sufficient confidence yourself!
 
never feel like you should justify yourself... do your own thing and enjoy it! i love to jump but am always impressed by dressage... might be next on my list of things to have a go at
 
I don't!!! Did when younger but with a poor back was advised not to,infact,advised not to ride.......but my consultant said you will still ride won't you......sad thing is my cob is a great little jumper,so worry he is wasted with me!
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I have loved jumping since I was a kid and used to think stressage was boring. Now though, I find meself longing to be able to ride nice dressage tests and not so excited about the jumping. (I'm talking SJ here, I'll never stop loving xc, I don't think!) Have not renewed my BSJA membership this year and seriously thinking about going BD instead.
Don't feel you have to apologise - do what you enjoy doing and don't worry what others think.
 
The thought that people who don't jump are poor riders never crosses my mind. I have a great deal of respect for people who do dressage, I enjoy it too but I love to jump.

I understand how you feel because people always give me that 'look' when I say I don't like cross country. I have evented but going on the cross couse doesn't make me happy. Everyone assumes I'm scared but I'm not, I just don't enjoy it, I would much rather show jump. Each to their own I guess.
 
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I am a SJer and i dont think of anything if people say they dont jump. I just assume that they enjoy dressage more.

Its never crossed my mind as each to their own. Just like some people just enjoy hacking. Dont make them any less of a rider they just enjoy hacking more than being all serious.

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Why cant my so called friends feel like this. They say they do, and when we talk to others who say they dont jump they accept it, but when I say no more jumping I get such a strong reaction from them I may as well say "oh Im a serial killer!"
 
I would really love to say I jump my boy but to be honest I didnt do much as a kid so find it quite scarey!!
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Ive got the best of both worlds though coz when he comes back into work Im gonna to in-hand and dressage which I prefer and my friend who has "balls of steel" will jump him for me coz he loves it!!
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You see, I am met with the same looks of disgust when I say

" I HATE DRESSAGE!"

My horse gets schooled on the flat, I have flatwork lessons with Markus Bauer, he does lateral work etc, and apparently I ride 'nicely'....mention the D work though and I cant get away fast enough!

Yuk yuk yuk. I can think of nothing more boring than paying an entry to be told that your circles are not round enough or your horse needs to stretch more or stand squarer. Yuk!

So yes, I do understand.
 
I jump (a little!) to prove to myself that I can (and cos I know the horse can do it!)

dressage on the other hand is something I'd actually love to be good at....not so bothered if I never make it past 1m!

So I usually think that whoever it is (who says they don't jump) is probably a much better rider than i am!!!
 
I'm the same as you FF.

If somebody tells me they don't jump then I would ask why, out of interest. I don't assume they're scared, but it would cross my mind. That doesn't mean I'd think less of them.

Likewise if somebody told me they don't do dressage then I'd ask why. Personally I think everyone should do it to an extent, for the benefit of the horse, but not necessarily compete it or have to enjoy it - I don't especially.
 
I don't jump either, I'm not scared I just don't like it! I do Dressage and Showing with my horse, who incidentally loves jumping!

I used to showjump my last horse and we were doing BN and Discoveries when he was a 4 yr old and Newcomers as a 5yr old and he was a fantastic jumper, I also hunted him jumping massive hedges and things and loved it, basically if it was there I jumped it, lol!
I sold him and gave up horses for a year and had a 'proper' job in London, but after a while I got fed up and went to work for an Olympic Dressage rider and got completely hooked on dressage
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I am not interested in jumping any more, I would much rather do a dressage test then a course of showjumps (my old friends can't believe it)

Although I keep my horse at an eventing yard and there are always showjumps up in the school, I am the only person on my yard that doesn't jump.
Everyone is always on at me to start jumping Axey so I have done a small amount with him and he loves it! At the moment I only have a Dressage saddle so I am going to get a GP and will start jumping him properly, mainly because I think it would be a shame for the horse to never jump.
I'm quite competitive tho and if he's any good I can see myself getting into jumping again
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