help with relaxing while jumping?

I recently bought a new mare. Her name is bella and she is very green. We've been jumping for a month or so now, but I can't manage to relax and I can not figure out what I can do to help her and me relax. Any advice?


-Thank you =]

Close your eyes.

Seriously. Get her in a straight line, get in your half seat before the jump, and close your eyes. It'll make you wait for the jump and you won't be anticipating it.

I know it sounds scary, but I made my friend do this who just started jumping a few months ago. (She has been riding for about 8 years, just never jumped.) She kept getting anxious about the jumps, so I made her close her eyes. It was the best jump she ever had, and now any time she gets nervous, she closes her eyes just before she gets to the jump.

If she is green, I would not be jumping her right now.

More than likely, she has no topline, not balanced, not muscled up. Has no rhythm, has no forward momentum - this, is what you should be working with her right now.

Work on lots of dressage - or - flatwork - same thing, just differnt names......doing lots of exercises to build her up, to gain the essential tools needed to jump.

Jumping is dressage, with speed bumps.

Take this time to utalize all the important parts of her body, to gain a well rounded, well balanced horse.

Take this time to bond together. To smooth out the wrinkles - before you go over fences.

Our horses reflect us - what we do in the saddle is what our horses will respond to. Take this time as well, to work on yourself and your confidence and your important part in this role of teamwork.

She is very green at jumping. But she clears jumps with no problem. She already had flat work done