One question that I get asked a lot is ‘How do I build my confidence?’
‘How do I increase my confidence?’ is a little bit like asking; ‘How do I back that youngster?’ as there isn’t one approach that will suit all.
There are so many factors that contribute to building confidence, such as the right horse, a good support team, the correct environment, your own mental state, the right coach… the list goes on!
But I do believe, that providing all of the other ducks are in line, the answer is no secret – in fact it’s very simple.
It’s about positive repetition.
This applies to anything you’re not confident about, whether it is cantering, poles on the floor, hacking, or jumping.
Let’s use jumping as an example as this is something that I think many people have to work really hard to maintain – even the professionals.
If you have a great jumping session but then leave it another six months before you leave the floor again, then you’ll feel exactly the same as you did before your great session. The thought of jumping becomes a big deal again and halts your progression – and more importantly, your enjoyment.
The truth is - you have to consistently work at it.
There are lots of simple jumping exercises in
My recommendation is to go over some poles on the floor and a couple of small cross poles every time you’re in the arena. Not lots of times, just a couple of times each way and then continue your schooling session, as normal.
In addition, make a commitment to yourself to jump at least once a week – even if it’s a 15-20 minute fun session with a friend, or in a lesson with your coach. The key to this is making yourself accountable.
I hear many occasions when people go to the yard, set up a couple of jumps and then spend the session schooling around them. Having someone with you is important – not just from a safety perspective, but also from an encouraging perspective.
Consolidating
Keep the jumps within your comfort zone and focus on the important bits – the bits in-between, such as balance, straightness, rhythm, riding your corners correctly and your breathing. Repeat on a weekly or bi-weekly basis until those jumps start to feel small.
This is the consolidation part of building confidence, which is vital. Coaching sessions are great for pushing you out of your comfort zone – but you need to consolidate in between times to create an all-important base line for any setbacks.
Over the course of just a couple of weeks to a month this approach really will make a huge difference to how you are feeling about jumping. Instead of the scary thing in your head, it becomes something that you just do when you ride.
You will soon get to the point where your bi-weekly or weekly jumping sessions will be enough to keep that confidence building, and even more importantly the enjoyment will start to creep back in again!