Answer

By Your Horse

Confidence expert Liz Morrison advises…
It’s distressing when someone can’t do something they used to enjoy. I think her belief system has become blocked and that the nerves most of us have when jumping are in control. The blockage may not even have been caused by a riding accident – it could have come from any area of your friend’s life.
One of my clients had terrible competition nerves, but these stemmed from when he was teased at school. When he was competing at a higher level, he realised he was opening himself up to ridicule again. However, once he’d identified the root cause, he overcame his confidence issues.
I suggest your friend seeks professional help. Hypnotherapy and NLP may help clear her mental block and get her jumping again.

Confidence expert Jo Cooper advises…
Your friend’s loss of confidence may have been triggered by an accident she saw or from a years-old jumping problem that’s returned. I use Thought Field Therapy (TFT), which involves tapping sequences on energy points, as a way of alleviating stress.

Aromatherapist Dena Schwartz adds…
Oils and plant essences may help ease the memory of past trauma – rose is ideal. Ylang ylang may also help her confidence improve by giving her a boost. Suggest she uses these essences a few days before a jumping session and that she places a few drops on a tissue in her pocket. It may be worth starting with pole work again and building up gradually.