Would hypnotherapy work?

Bosworth

Bosworth

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www.ballhillequestrian.co.uk
Just wondered if anyone had tried hypnotherapy to help them get over a mental block with show jumping. My last horse would stop at just about evey fence and drop me and with my current horse I am letting him down as I can't help but look at the base of every fence. I end up riding defensively and I am the cause of our jump problems. He isn't experienced but he is honest - however he also responds to what I want - tilt my pelvice forward and he lengthens and sit up and he shortens, so me looking down at the fence naturally sits me up and we shorten so he ends up on an awkward stride.

I know its a mental block so I need a way of getting me out of this and I need help as I do actively think about not doing it but still it happens. We fly XC and I am happy with that and I know I don't look down and we are always near the top after dressage but SJ we frequently get eliminated becaus eof my lack of confidence. AAAAAARGH it is such a mental block. Any suggestions would be fantastic.
 
You sound exactly like me!!! I had huge jumping problems with my old horse and consequently struggled with my new one who was very honest but also inexperienced!!!!

Can highly highly highly recommend Jo Cooper, as will lots of people on here as thats how i heard about her. Have a look at her website
http://www.equestrianconfidence.com/

She has really helped me, thanks to her (and my lovely new horse who puts up with me!) i'm actually starting to enjoy show jumping!!!
 
If hypnotherapy worked wouldn't it put an end to the fat people?!

I would try to refocus, but instructor makes me look over the jump but holding up fingers you have to count at the point of jumping.

The other thing is to focus on the top rail, which is better than the bottom as you can see strides and don't tip forward as much

Its just drumming this in and building confidence.
IMHO better to spend money on good instructor than some dodgy hypnotherapist!
 
I have a bloody good instructor - and she has identified what my problem is - but unfortunatley she can't come to competitions and stand at the other side of the fence. I know it's vital to look at the top rail - but I can't do it. My subconscious takes over.

And I certainly was not thinking of a dodgy hypnotherapist I was thinking of a decent one - and yes fat people do get thin sometimes with hypnotherapy. Same as some people stop smoking with hypnotherapy
 
I think this sounds like a pure confidence thing rather than a nervous tick.

I would jump the lowest high where you are perfectly comfortable (even its its 1ft) and jump and make sure you don't look down at all. Then start climbing back up the heights and the moment you start to look down drop back down. It might seem stupid, but this repetition being drummed into you should do the trick

Otherwise:
kenny_craig.jpg

Look into my eyes
(o) (o)
Look into my eyes
Not around the eyes
Look into my eyes
*click*
You are under

Do not look down when jumping ever -focus on the top bar
Also spend lots of money with shop with the the words cotswold and sport in the name.
*click*
And you are back in the room


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Jo isn't a hypnopherapist and she isn't dodgy either i assure you. Have a look at her website and maybe give her a call.

Somethings really are in the mind, i know my issues are, but it is possible to improve things.

Good luck
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I totally lost my confidence show-jumping due to self esteem type issues rather than anything physical like a fall. The loss in confidence manifested itself exactly in the way you describe...I was looking down at the fence, dropping the contact & letting my horse decide with the obvious outcome. This then reinforced my belief that I was a useleess rider! I found a really encouraging positive instructor AND had 2 sessions of hypnotherapy. combined with NLP. I wasn't convinced anything earth shattering had happened during the but didn't feel so nervous next time I went for a lesson. Last week I went to the first jumping competition I've done in 2 years. My aim was to jump a round without getting eliminated. I came home with a first place rosette!!!
I enjoyed competing (previously I would've thrown up before going in the ring!!)
I can't say for sure that it was the hypno..probably a combination of being more positive for all sorts of reasons, but as far as I'm concerned it wasn't wasted money because it gave me that little extra belief I needed.
Beleieve me I'm a cynic & don't have money spare to throw at crack pot ideas but I was willing to try anything & it worked for me, surely thats the most important thing. Good luck whatever you choose to do
 
Actually CotswoldSJ - forget it - you have no idea what you are on about and your comments are rather infantile. Please don't commnent on something you have no idea about at all you just look childish. It is not a nervous tick - no one mentioned that - it is in the subconscious so although I intentionally look to the top I cannot help looking down. And repetition is pointless as it just happens again and again and reinforces the issue. NLP is supposed to help - I know Pippa Funnel did something along these lines to help her XC and look how it worked for her.
 
Try the Riding with Confidence CD's, the lady does one for showjumping I have friends who have used different CD's for different things and everyone of them have said how good they are.

http://www.confident-rider.co.uk/

Sharon is very good and I think she even does special CDs if you have a specific problem.
 
Bosworth - Chill out, its an open forum. Obviously this is a very touchy subject for you, and I hadn't appreciated your sense of humour failure.

Here is where I am coming from - my grandmother had electric shock treatment, hypnotherapy, acupuncture, serious amounts of seriously dodgy drugs and nothing worked.

I have a very dim view of complimentary therapy and often think that it is a con designed to relieve people of their hard earned cash.

Then again I don't understand depression and why people cannot just fix themselves (which is linked to my grandmother above).

I would put more faith in a sports psychologist than a hypnotherapist.
 
Or possibly look at a sports phsyocologist (apologies for spelling) which is perhaps more along the NLP lines. I had one session with such a person which wasn't about nerves as such but to work on putting me into a more positive frame of mind. I am an amateur with a full time job but competing at top level and I often feel inadequate next to the professionals. Talking through this and getting the right mind set definitely helped me to stop thinking that way and it may be the same with your jumping. Good luck.
 
Hi Bosworth
I've tried hypnotherapy before for the same type of problems. Some helped but it didn't completely resolve it.

The more you think you must stop looking at the bottom of the fence the more you will do it. You must forget that thought completely and concentrate on something else, easier said than done I know.

Try spending time every day visualising yourself jumping and looking over the fence and try and think how that feels. Try reading about NLP. There are a few horse related books on this with exercises to try.

An instructor of mine had me jumping a fence whilst looking to the side to see her and I wasn't allowed to look at the fence. Start by doing this over a pole on the ground and gradually build up height until you are more confident. I found this very beneficial but also hard work to start with.

You have to find what works for you.
 
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Then again I don't understand depression and why people cannot just fix themselves (which is linked to my grandmother above).

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Said it yourself, you don't understand it, so please don't make assumptions about how it can be treated - ie 'just fix themselves'. That's like telling someone with a broken ankle to 'just go for a run'.
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Amaretto did you actually bother to read my post above?

I suggested repetition at a level where the stress is lower - it is well known this (repetition) forges new pathways in the brain and is a proven solution. It also induces subconscious behaviour.

For example if you drive the the same route to work you get in a pattern (which is actually considered a mild hypnotic state, as many people cannot remember finer details of their drive to work). However achieving that relaxed state after say a car crash would be harder.

So I suggested repetition jumping at lower levels to try and focus the eyes and train the brain to a) not panic and b) develop auto pilot when jumping.

Post below that one explains why I don't think hypnotherapy is a viable solution.

Although apparently I'm infantile and make heinous assumptions, so what the hell do I know????
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[ QUOTE ]
Amaretto did you actually bother to read my post above?

I suggested repetition at a level where the stress is lower - it is well known this (repetition) forges new pathways in the brain and is a proven solution. It also induces subconscious behaviour.

For example if you drive the the same route to work you get in a pattern (which is actually considered a mild hypnotic state, as many people cannot remember finer details of their drive to work). However achieving that relaxed state after say a car crash would be harder.

So I suggested repetition jumping at lower levels to try and focus the eyes and train the brain to a) not panic and b) develop auto pilot when jumping.

Post below that one explains why I don't think hypnotherapy is not a solution.

Although apparently I'm infantile and make heinous assumptions, so what the hell do I know????
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Yes I did, completely agree with your suggestion
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But not your view on 'fixing depression'.
 
Doh!

That was my point, I didn't say people 'should' just fix themselves when they are depressed, I said I didn't understand why they couldn't because unlike something more physical its much more complex and I don't understand it. I think unless you've had proper depression you probably cannot comprehend.

However the jumping thing is very understandable, because I believe in the case of Bosworth her prior horse stopping has trained her brain for "brace brace brace". Which is a very normal reaction to the imminent departure from the horse into the jump- the brain is doing just what it should and trying to engage a protective mechanism.

So my suggestion is more of a physical fix to try and reassure the brain that the brace procedure is no longer required.
 
I fear we have drifted into a debate about depression which is a very complex and emotive subject!
As I have tried it (hypnotherapy/NLP that is!) I just want to say it wouldn't work for anyone that didn't want it to, but I feel it helped me in my particular circumstances. I'm not open to con artists of any sort & now don't cluck like a chicken if someone clicks their fingers! It was a relaxing experience and I drove home singing along to the radio so I'm happy with my experience of it!
As a practical tip I would suggest trying looking way above the jump eg at a tree in the distance. Its a lot bigger movement then to look down at the base of the jump, whereas its only a tiny glance from the top pole after all the jump doesn't move once you've turned to approach it)
 
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Doh!

That was my point, I didn't say people 'should' just fix themselves when they are depressed, I said I didn't understand why they couldn't because unlike something more physical its much more complex and I don't understand it. I think unless you've had proper depression you probably cannot comprehend.

However the jumping thing is very understandable, because I believe in the case of Bosworth her prior horse stopping has trained her brain for "brace brace brace". Which is a very normal reaction to the imminent departure from the horse into the jump- the brain is doing just what it should and trying to engage a protective mechanism.

So my suggestion is more of a physical fix to try and reassure the brain that the brace procedure is no longer required.

[/ QUOTE ]

Doh aimed at me? Cheers for that!
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You didn't put enough context around the first post for that to be clear, so apologies if I came across as having a go.

You are describing Cognitive Behavioural Therapy ie training the brain to react differently to a stressful situation, so that you can react appropriately to effect the best possible outcome (achieved through discussing fears and negative thoughts with a Sports Phychologist)

Which, in the context of this thread, I would agree is the best approach before attempting more holistic treatments.
 
Feel free to pm me, just shooting of to the horses now. I went last two weeks ago to be hypnotised (sp?) for nerves when showjumping!
 
[ QUOTE ]
I fear we have drifted into a debate about depression which is a very complex and emotive subject!
As I have tried it (hypnotherapy/NLP that is!) I just want to say it wouldn't work for anyone that didn't want it to, but I feel it helped me in my particular circumstances. I'm not open to con artists of any sort & now don't cluck like a chicken if someone clicks their fingers! It was a relaxing experience and I drove home singing along to the radio so I'm happy with my experience of it!
As a practical tip I would suggest trying looking way above the jump eg at a tree in the distance. Its a lot bigger movement then to look down at the base of the jump, whereas its only a tiny glance from the top pole after all the jump doesn't move once you've turned to approach it)

[/ QUOTE ]

No debate - just misunderstood the comment about 'fixing yourself' which annoyed me, as like you say, depression is far more complex than that.....there is a link to this issue tho, ie training your brain to think more positively...
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See my comments re CBT above.
 
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