Hello! I have a bit of a issue.
I am a nervous adult rider. I do not jump often outside of lessons and when I do I jump much smaller and only a few. I get extremely nervous sitting and waiting and the longer I sit and wait the less likely I am to do something. I am capable of jumping much bigger at shows (relatively speaking) because I go out as early as possible, jump 3 warm up fences, then trot straight into the ring as the first person, roll around, barf a little after, then get off my horse.
I can manage jumping with an instructor because they are yelling at me the entire time :).
However, I have a lot of issues XC schooling. In the past I’ve had several horses that get herd bound and worked up sitting and waiting and waiting and have been difficult to get to leave a group. Plus in addition to waiting on every single other person in your group to take their turn you often have to wait at certain popular features for other groups. So that history combined with my own nerves that build while waiting I’ve gotten away from XC schooling at all, however I can’t really move up when I don’t school and the bigger fences are intimidating.
I went out with friends a few weeks ago and got overwhelmed with all the standing and idle chit chat and walking around and then jumping one thing at a time in a row, and waiting my turn and jumped two fences and quit. I enjoy my friends but I am sure they don’t enjoy me!
Unfortunately there aren’t a lot of chances to meet with a trainer to XC school and the groups get rather large so I’m not sure how to get any use out of going XC schooling.