It does get better. I'd ride the MTB around for awhile to get a feel for his (her?) balance and handling. I hate parts that are edged with 'not rock' as in 'air'... "If you're going to fall, fall toward the hill... not down the slope". eek.

Keep your speed up with dropoffs and lean your weight back a little bit. If you brake on a fast dh, use both but gently. Going off a dropoff, keep your speed up- momentum will carry you through amazing things as long as you keep your balance. Don't overthink it. Look at the path and try to figure out how you'd maneuver through/over/around things if you were a little stream.

I'm going to be taking the boss out mountain biking sometime (eeehehehehe) he's not really a mtb-er. He "Has a Schwinn with the spring-y thing in front"... this'll be too much fun.