Advice on overcoming fear of jumping?

[Ajierene]

@Willesdon

Try using a neck strap for a little while. It is amazing how much physiological support comes from bring able to hold a neck strap, or even just put a finger under it, when jumping. Then drop the height you go over until your confidence returns. The horse won’t mind doing lower fences and its technique remains the same at 1m as 1.25m or, indeed, 1.50. Also, as you and horse are still building a relationship, lots of polework. That will help horse stiffness too. You like the horse: you will get there. Good luck on your journey.

This is what I was thinking as well. I also had and still have some jumping confidence issues and my trainer gave me a neckstrap. It allowed me to hold and pull and otherwise freak out without holding and pulling and otherwise freaking out via the reins and causing issues. I started with lower jumps as well and moved upt and noticed as I got more comfortable, I didn’t grab the neckstrap as much and still today I have it and sometimes grab it, sometimes don’t - depends on the jump and how I am feeling. It works great to allow you to freak out but not cause issues with your horse.

Side note, I had some issues trail riding and realized I was getting nervous and grabbing the reins (stems from her issue with the Amish being evil). As soon as I realized that, I started grabbing neck strap and what do you know…if I didn’t grab the reins, she didn’t read DANGER in my body language and was more calm…then I started to become more calm…and she did as well…and last time Amish buggies were on the road, we managed to stay in a walk (tense walk but not jigging, bolting or trying RUN AWAY) while they passed.

[appendix100]

Drop the jumps to a level that doesn’t intimidate you, & slowly work up from there.

Also - what’s your rush? You say you want to get your confidence back “fast,” but that is something in my experience that comes back faster the slower you go at it. I used to be like you describe when I was younger, then rode a really bad stopper that completely blew my confidence. I was at the point where I was closing my eyes & curling up into a ball at any little spook & over poles. I am now back at 2’9", & mostly comfortable. There are still days where my heart is in my throat for some reason & we just drop the fences down again until I can relax & just ride.

[NYCspaz]

I second “Brain Training for Riders” - an excellent book!

There is also a free Masterclass mini course at the moment on building confidence: https://masterclass.noellefloyd.com/take-your-power

The first two videos are really the best and explain how the brain works and how that translates into fear of riding. I just finished the book and the Masterclass after two falls in two months and the combination of both really helped (along with lower jumps and learning to tell my trainer when we were good for the day!).

You also might need to re-asses your goals and avoid pressuring yourself to achieve them if you’re not ready. For example my goal in January was to be comfortable jumping a 1m course, and in May I changed my goal to maintaining my confidence which means jumping lower for the next few months until I get bored again. I am more afraid of losing my confidence than I am of a fall, so my priority has changed since I will only jump a few more times before we take a break for the summer so I would like them to be positive experiences. My trainer understands and if I have to be aggressive to get my horse over a .90 jump, I know it won’t improve with a 1m jump so I’ll tell my trainer that we will stop there if I feel something is off.