Looking down

[.Natasha.]

...Hi people. What an origonal start. ^-^ Haven't posted here in a while, hope you guys haven't forgotten me! xD

Okay then, down to buisness - it's not like I'm constantly looking at the floor. I don't even look down when I jump, it's just when we're doing things like trotting poles, work around cones, things like that I feel I have to look down. I see it ahead of me, and try to keep my eyes there, I just feel... somewhat safer if I'm watching whatever is on the ground the whole time. My instructor has pointed it out alot recently and I can't work out how to keep my gaze straight without feeling too weary of what is on the ground.

Any ideas? Much appreciated.

[gidget_love]

Haha, this reminds me of my first months.
All i can suggest is what my instructor did with me, which was lead my horse over trotting poles while i was blindfolded and in twopoint, head facing up.
All I could think of going over poles was "THANK GOD I DONT HAVE A BLINDFOLD ON!"
The more you look up, the more you get used to it, so i would say to get an old reliable mount who is sure footed and not likely to trip. If you have a good look at what you are doing beforehand, you should be fine, and should remember what to expect.

[Skyhuntress]

Try thinking to yourself "where you look is where you end up" - if you're looking down, your whole balance shifts forward. It's fine to briefly glance down, but you don't want to be staring at the floor. Instead, to help yourself, find something to fixate on-a fence post, a tree, whatever, and ride towards that; over poles, over fences, whatever. You just have to train your mind that its ok not to look at things that you're going over :)

[joey_olop]

You are exactly the same as me-I constantly look down & am reading this thread with great interest as I just cant look forward :rolleyes:

When jumping I try to focus on things like a bush in the background or I get my OH to stand at the other end so I keep looking at him.

Its so difficult especially if you have always done it-hard habit to break out of :D

[Painting Horses]

*turns red* yea I have the same problem LOL, I've been working really hard to stay looking up and it's not to to bad, I always look down when I'm asking for the trot. I also look down a lot when I jump but i've gotten A LOT better :D. I hardly ever look down while I'm jumping now but I still do when I trot (that i've noticed) my boyfriend said I have eyes like the roaming nome lmao.

[vonandiz]

Try thinking to yourself "where you look is where you end up"

That is so true. I've only just started trotting over poles, first week couldn't stop looking at each pole - then joined them on the floor:eek:. This week, I kept thinking don't look, don't look and I stayed on - and it felt smooth and steady.:D

[Painting Horses]

LOL I got a tip from a not so horsey friend and it seems like a pretty good idea lol, try to maybe tape a small sign on your horses neck that says "Look up!" lol

[coss]

rather than concentrating on the things on the ground take in the scenery... thats what my RI got me doing when i went through a phase of staring down, sometimes you just have to remind yourself to look up. one of the best ways to get you to look up is to ride with too many people in the school. you have to circle and do some lateral work but there are so many horses and people about you have to be very aware of them too so you can't afford to look down.

[gl1]

Before you attempt the riding manouvour - walk the course and pick a spot above head height to focus on and look at it when you do the riding bit. You wont jump big if you look at the ground!

[emm]

How about having someone standing the other side of the poles (out the way so they don't get run over) and have them holding up fingers or another object. You need to look up so you can tell them what they are holding up.

Or an old fashioned method of balancing a glove on your hat, when you look down, the glove falls off!!

Strongly agree with above post which stated "Where you look is where you end up, and your balance is shifted when you look down". You need to reprogramme yourself, sometimes its just a habit.