So. I'm feeling okay enough to submit this without anon. I love riding and everything about it, but I still get super nervous when I jump, ESPECIALLY if it's an oxer. The first time I jumped an oxer I fell off, and now I always end up psyching myself out when I jump in lessons. When I fell off it was over a year and a half ago.cEven if I tell myself to focus past the jump or not look at it, I end up looking and messing it up even more. Do you have any advice on how I can stop being so nervous?
Take your time. Get super confident with verticals and maybe introduce oxers slowly again within gymnastics as like a small crossrail oxer. Continue only jumping oxers in low gridwork until you get more comfortable. When you can confidently jump low crossrail oxers in gymnastics put one or two as single jumps in easy lines. If you want, invest in a “grab strap” that you can put around the horse’s neck and use to hold on to when you jump! A lot of times this helps riders with a confidence issue because it’s something tangible they can grab and hold on to. You can use an old stirrup leather or even a fun colored/patterned belt! Don’t push yourself wildly out of your comfort zone, but do push a little or else you’ll never get over it. Make sure you’re on a super steady horse that you know won’t do anything silly, so that you can focus on you. When you get nervous, just exhale slowly, straighten yourself, and put on leg. Breathe. Count strides, if that helps you focus. Just remember to stay tall, leg on, breathe, and grab that grab strap!
Talk to your trainer about your nerves and see if you can both come up with more ideas that will help you! Being nervous is 100% okay! The key is to not let it control you. You know what makes you nervous. Now problem solve a little for ways you can slowly conquer those nerves and make them work FOR you, not against you!
