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Post by racaille on May 17, 2014 6:15:25 GMT
Had a SJ lesson yesterday which went really well. I had a frank chat with my coach about why jumping freaks me these day (it never used to) and why I fell off on the XC. My coach is lovely: she told me that quite recently she had been taken up a ski run and when she got to the top, with no other way down than to ski, she was crippled with fear and wept all the way down with her chap holding onto her. She said it was a great experience as now she 'gets' fear and confidence issues and knows how debilitating they can be. Anyway, I wanted to work on me and my position and there was plenty to do! But first she did tell me to stop beating myself up: Her verdict is that Paco can be a bit of a beast and over the years I've come to do all his work for him. Back to the old mantra: it's the rider's job to get the horse to the jump 'correctly', the horse's job to jump. He's not doing his bit. First my position was changed: blimey it felt weird to be so short (but she said it wasn't so short!) and almost as if my legs were sticking out in front but I saw why long legs don't work for jumping and I have a tendency to put them too far back which destabilises me. It did hurt though! But I felt more secure her way  Paco proved the point when he did a dirty stop in front of a small bounce jump and was very surprised when I got cross with him (should be doing that more, he gets away with too much) and didn't intervene when he got things wrong, even though a lot of work was being done for him with a stride pole in front of the jumps. But he started to work it out himself a bit better and I was able to concentrate on me. It was a tough hour and a half but I came away grinning. I felt a lot of things had been rerouted: not there yet but on the way to being better. Most importantly it was a great confidence boost for me. Rosé if you got this far! |
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Post by brigadier on May 17, 2014 7:54:18 GMT
Well, determination and tenacity are all that's needed to sort an issue, so think you've got it on the run, well done.
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Post by dannyboy on May 17, 2014 14:04:18 GMT
Sounds like a great lesson Rac, I'd love a lesson with your RI - she sounds fab.
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Post by zara on May 18, 2014 6:03:41 GMT
Your coach sounds great; I admire your tenacity and motivation.
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Post by fleabitten on May 24, 2014 21:19:21 GMT
Thats great rac, you feel on top of the world when you have a great lesson! Go you!
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Post by fimacg on May 25, 2014 7:59:34 GMT
Funny how we have both gone through the same thing at the same time but separately... I have been riding defenisvely as he kept putting me on the floor, my instructor basically told me to stop riding him like he was a baby and just expect him to jump rather than misbehave
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Post by racaille on May 26, 2014 7:56:48 GMT
Yup Fi, exactly. I have been riding very defensively over jumps because I expect either the dirty stop or the head down on reception and the bucking thing - both of which I got on the XC. But now my position is better (not perfect yet but I get the idea) I do feel more secure and at his age FGS he's got to step up and do his work. I am no longer able to tolerate his silliness.
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Post by racaille on Jun 4, 2014 4:35:11 GMT
Well, put it all to the test on Monday when I had another jumping lesson. Probably wasn't very good timing as I was very tired after the huge w/e I'd had and it was very hot too. It felt so weird still to have my feet 'sticking out in front'. Well, that's what it feels like! My position is improved apparently and I do feel more secure. Just as well as Paco was an @rse: he got one jump so wrong that he did a faceplant on reception - I thought he was down but he managed to scramble back up. I was down his neck but since my bum and legs were in the right place I was able to sit straight up and help pull his stupid head up from the dirt. My coach was pretty cross with him and said I did nothing wrong,(for once ) it was all his fault. Course, it didn't do much for my confidence.  Came away wondering if I really enjoy jumping. Or jumping Paco, anyway. I have to work on my approaches now, I have a tendency to cut corners too much. And Paco has to work on doing his bit: going to take it back to basics with him with a stride pole as he isn't 'seeing' the jump, he makes too many mistakes which are often quite alarming. I know he's not a natural jumper (these ruddy iberiques) but he can do better than he's doing. |
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Post by fimacg on Jun 4, 2014 7:03:33 GMT
Sounds like a productive lesson, if not exactly an enjoyable one, can you set up a couple of jumps in one of your fields?. I currently have a simple cross pole and a single straight bar set up, lower than I normally would, but the exercise is designed to be simple so I can just concentrate on my position and if it all goes wrong then it really doesn't matter.
I am finding that it is really working too, Brave is finding his rhythm and stride without me interfering more and more often, and the shape he is making over the fences is so much better and when I get it right to it is an absolute joy.
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Post by racaille on Jun 4, 2014 13:36:06 GMT
That's exactly what my coach told me to do too Fi! She says he has to get blasé over jumps; he has to 'see' what's coming up and know how to do it so I have to get him over jumps with a stride pole as much as possible. I currently have two garden chairs and a straight pole in the bottom field! Will put up another asap.
She is quite cross with him because he shouldn't need all this help, he's not a youngster. But the benefit of all this back to basics is that I can concentrate on me too and stop heaving him over. I'm finding it very hard not to interfere, especially as he is capable of bulldozing everything! As you say if he messes up small jumps it's not too bad.
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Post by fleabitten on Jun 4, 2014 13:47:17 GMT
As fi says at least it was productive! Rather scary when they face plant! At least now you can practice at home too! Maybe some grid work would help? Or raised trotting poles (one end raised and other on the ground)
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Post by pboy on Jun 6, 2014 9:05:51 GMT
Sounds like you have a great teacher there Rac! I guess though that if Paco has never been taught to jump correctly his age is irrelevant - he's green and doesn't have the natural talent to work it out himself (based on what you're saying). Classy was similar when I started jumping him, he would grind to a halt in front of the fences and tended to knock them behind. An Irish SJer came over and gave us some lessons focusing first on a small grid then on tiny jumps - basically cavaletti so barely 30cm high - set up as a course with a double, related distances etc. etc. Classy did his usual grinding-to-a-halt but eventually the penny dropped and after that he stayed in a lovely rhythm when jumping regardless of fence height. Could be something to try with Paco?
I feel your pain with the jumping position, I really need some help with that too once I get back into regular riding...
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Post by racaille on Jun 7, 2014 4:41:09 GMT
All this is true. We used to jump a bit years ago but never really got into it as one or two were fine but over a course he would get flatter and flatter ... but in those days I had a coach that really wasn't interested in me and my little rustic horse (WHY did I stay?  ) and I lacked the knowledge so really, you're right Pboy, he hasn't done enough groundwork. And he has no natural talent. (Me neither!!!)  Yes, Flea, good idea. Will try to sort something out. |
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for so much hard work we thank ye!!
) and I lacked the knowledge so really, you're right Pboy, he hasn't done enough groundwork. And he has no natural talent. (Me neither!!!) 
