I have gradually lost my confidence over the years with my jumping. Eight years ago and more I used to SJ Newcomers quite confidently on a spooky, difficult horse and riding a different horse would do Open XC, and he was a mental horse! After a few nasty experiences with various horses and my advancing years (!) I find myself desperate to SJ again, as I now have a horse (Rocky) who is not spooky, difficult or mental and he has the ability and desire to jump!
I found myself in a quandary. I have tried different instructors who have all been immensely patient whilst I over-analyse every little inch where we were not quite at the perfect take off spot (major problem in my head), or the sand was deep, or the going slippery, or I have a cold, you name it every little thing affected me. I must thank those instructors un-reservedly, poor Maria Green tried everything in her power to get me to not over-analyse but I couldn’t help it! On the way to a jump I would imagine in my head every little thing which could go wrong as I seemed to feel that it was necessary to do this so that I was ready for it. And I did try not to do this but have you ever tried not to do something which just happens automatically? I am very lucky that Rocky did not take advantage of this but it hasn’t done his confidence any good. The really silly thing is I know I am a good enough and instinctive enough rider to deal with any situation as it occurs anyway.
In the April issue of Pegasus I read an article about a lady who had lost her confidence jumping and had gone for hypnotherapy with a lady called Sherree Ginger and it had worked. Now, we have all read these articles and you do wonder (cynic that I am) whether they are written by the person advertising their skills. However, I looked up Sherree’s website and plucked up the confidence to call her. Sherree is a BHSAI, rider, hypnotherapist and NLP practitioner and lots of others things which I don’t understand but basically she can get inside your head (my description not Sherree’s)!
I visited Sherree on Monday 18th May at her house, we had a cup of coffee (I needed that or gin!) and a general chat then Sherree started to write down my answers to her questions, trying to find out my thought processes and where my fears come from and how they affect me (all very simple and friendly, I promise). We then commenced the hypnotherapy and for those who have never done it before there are no ticking clocks and you do not suddenly think you are Elvis either! I was sitting back in a comfy chair with my eyes closed and I was completely aware of everything going on, I was not in any form of unconscious state, just in a quiet state of mind. Sherree just talked to me asking questions and getting me to imagine things (all pleasant!). The session lasted about 1 ½ hours and cost me £60.
I came away thinking, hhhmmm I don’t feel any different but hey ho.
I had a jumping lesson booked on the Wednesday with Alex McCracken, combined with trying out a new saddle. Rocky jumped OK and it wasn’t until later that day that I realised I asked to jump an upright again before finishing the lesson. Now that might not sound strange to you reading this but I had jumped this upright very nicely already and before my hypno I would never have asked to jump it again for fear of doing it wrong! Hmmm now was this just a coincidence?
Well, I then jumped again on the Saturday, at home with a friend (not jumping instructor) doing the jumps for me. Three jumps in the school set out as a little course. Rocky was in one of his very keen moods where he kicks out over the top of every jump and then bucks on landing with his tail going around like a helicopter. Very funny to watch but extremely unseating and previously to hypno would have caused me to give up, particularly as there wasn’t a jumping instructor with me. I just kept jumping him around these 3 jumps with no break and waited until he gave up being exuberant and jumped neatly. This took many rounds as Rocky is rather more used to me giving up! However, we achieved this and it wasn’t until I stopped that I realised I would never have done this before hypno! None of those thoughts of what might go wrong went through my head on the way to the jumps and the sand was deep and my pigmy goats were next to the arena head-butting each other as only goats can do – these things would normally have affected my confidence greatly.
I also took my little young mare XC on the following Monday (1 week after hypno) and I jumped lots of bigger jumps and I jumped down a step – something I would never have done before hyno, if you don’t believe me ask Kate Ludden, she was amazed. I was full of confidence and again I didn’t have any of those doubting thoughts going through my head on the way to the jumps.
I cannot thank Sherree enough. Apparently my confidence should continue to grow as I do more jumping but I know I am ‘cured’ already.
I know there are several of you out there who I have talked to in the past about trying to get some help for lack of confidence in various areas of horsemanship and I can only advise you to phone Sherree and get sorted. Please feel free to call me and discuss any of the above.
Who knows, I might even be brave enough to be on a jumping team next year!