Right now, me and fly are in one of those spectacular low patches that get us all down sometime. I've just registered us BSJA, as we've been winning at 3' unaffiliated classes and he has more than enough scope to go on.
The only problem is, It's been months and months since we jumped a double clear at a show.It's my problem more than his, I started being terrified of jumping spreads after doing my first couple of affiliated courses where they started getting bigger and wider. As soon as we approached one I just froze up and stopped riding, getting more and more annoyed with myself all the time. This made him as nervous as I was, and it all spiralled downhill from there, we'd get to a competition and refuse at the first spread we came to. Sometimes we'd have a better day and get over the first few, but once they went up in the jump off it'd be back to the same story. Occasionally we have good days, a few weeks back I thought we had it sorted, we went round a 3' course clear, but refused at the last (upright) because the ground was bad and he slipped, but next show we went to we got eliminated again. Right now I'm doing everything I can to fix this, and working as hard as I can at home to get us back to where we were, but it's just so frustrating sometimes to see people jumping spreads at shows, and getting totally left behind with awful technique, but knowing that they can do it, and yet somehow, even though I'm almost certain that I'm a better rider than they are, I still can't make myself do it.
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By spreads do you mean square oxers? My daughter had her only severe crash at a big yellow oxer years ago at Commonwealth Park in Va. She became very fearful for a time and went over in the hunter ring for a few shows. She wanted to qualify for M&S finals that year in jumpers so .... we set up courses of small oxers at home. I painted everything the brightest yellow I could and shoved everything from those twirly foil windmills that kids get at the store to bukets and blankets and whatnots under all those oxers. I would do all the 'anticipation' exercises with her until she was comfortable to go up in height. Do you ever have someone to spot you? Have them stand parallel to the jump at least 20 feet off to the side. As you get a straight approach, let your eyes fall on them, keep your horse straight on but watch that person (people work better than objects because they can do odd things to keep your attention.) Just follow, follow and follow more and more with your horse over those oxers until you don't anticipate the jump and can practically do it blindfolded (I do not endorse doing this). Then move up the height as a ascending oxer, then back up to a square and slowly that shoudl help your confidence. You once had that confidence and isn't gone, it's just lost in the mire for a bit. You can find it again! Much luck and safe rides!
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