Please help me!

[jajasponyice]

Jumped today and got a video taken. I was shocked to see how bad I was! I have a lesson once a week and yes, I have improved but there are obviously some things wrong.

Can someone please help me with

Hands
Legs/feet
Anything else wrong


I would reallt appreciate it. I know that my jacket kind of stops you from seeing my back properley.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gOvh7ALOK-E

[tina1958]

I think you did very well . It looks like you where having trouble keeping the pony going which would explain why your legs are flapping about abit. Your position over the jump is not bad either. I would suggest the pony needs some more flat work lessons to improve his impulsion then you will be able to concentrate more on your position.:)

[xloopylozzax]

i dont jump so cant really help but your stirrups look a little bit long.
and the pony looks on the forehand and generally stale- do you do a lot of jumping or do you do flat work and hacking and stuff?

its probs the pony but it takes you a lot of effort (or looks to) to get moving forward with you flapping your legs try doing normal schooling and make your movements as small as possible, imagine your a dressage rider and people lookign cant see what you are telling your horse (use weight and seat bones etc) carry a stick to back up your legs so you dont have to kick quite as much

erm and practise your balance in a few of the jumps you look to be thrown forwards or backwards and jab the pony in the mouth a little bit. do 2-point just in w/t/c on the flat then try between jumps, and work with no stirrups.

you two look pretty good though, and have a good partnership :D
(i envy you because i dont have acess to a school, lessons, or jumps!)

[jajasponyice]

thanks for the help. :)
I jump about once a week but it's only just began to get light enough to start hacking out again.
My pony used to be in the riding school on the yard but got kicked out because he was too spooky. he either goes really fast or really slow. I've had him for a while and I think that I've just got used to kicking every stride. And yes, no. 2 was really bad!

[wildponies]

I think the main thing is that you're over riding the jumps. You're throwing yourself at him in an effort to get him moving forward.

The best thing to do in such a situation is to sit still, sit up and if he doesn't respond to your legs a tap with the whip will remind him to pick up his pace.

You are throwing your weight forward quite a bit which could actually be hindering him and putting him onto his forehand more.

You need to keep your hands still too, and if you can try and put more weight into your heels as this should improve your seat.

Sit up & don't over-ride the fence, hands still, carry a whip if you need to and push your weight into your heels. :)

You have a nice position over the fences, nice and secure! :)

[LindaAd]

No, not terrible at all - your pony looks nice and calm, and you're going with him and not getting left behind (except a little on the second jump) and not jabbing him in the mouth.

You do seem to be kicking every stride, but you stop just before the jump, which is why he hesitates and then jumps, so you get a bit unbalanced. And you're doing the thing that I always get told off for: not moving your hands forward to give him more rein over the jumps.

I think you just need to concentrate on getting him going forward, so you can keep your lower legs still and then you'll be stronger in the saddle, and maybe just kick as you come up to the jump.

It's always a great shock to see yourself in a video, but you do learn an awful lot from it. I wish I could video all my lessons.

[kaytenherponies]

I would agree with all that has been said. I dont actually think you are that bad but ponio is doing you no favours. He makes you work hard eh? Dont take that the wrong way though he has a nice little pop. :)

I would agree with wild ponies, get him moving off your leg, back up with a stick if needed. Do a couple of circles and get him moving forward before you come in to the jump.

My only other constructive critasism would be to get you lower leg underneath you a bit more and drop your heels, which is hard to do when you are kick - kicking all the time.

Other than that you both make quite a nice picture! :)

[pureXchance]

your not bad! i would agree with what the others are saying though, the pony is quite slow and your having to work hard. my fav pony up the yard is slow as well so i used to always be flapping and stuff which made my position terrible, a hundred times worse than yours trust me. try just cantering in your jumping postion around the arena concentrating on keeping your heels down. If your pony is slow give him a small smak with your crop, not to hard or it will hurt. these will improve your legs and balance. to get your pony faster over jumps try doing a chase me charli with some friends as it will make it more fun for your pony and they tend to speed up a bit if their jumping the same jump over and over agian, (no need to put the jump up though, keep it at the same hight.) then next time you jump your pony will remember he went fast last time and wil hopefully stay at the same speed giving you a chance to focus on you.

dont worry if it dosnt seem to work at first. it took me ages on billy. good luck!!!

[jajasponyice]

Thanks for all your replies :)
It's a holiday tomorrow so I'll see if my mum will take another video of me to see if I've got any better :p

[ginger nut]

I think you both show alot of potential. I do think you would benefit by putting more weight onto your heels and maybe when using alot of leg try not to bring leg back to far as you will lose the positivity. So easy to say very hard in practice. More flatwork may help? :)

[FloraMyLife_]

I Think You Did Pretty Well..
Apart From As Most People are saying you were having trouble keeping your pony going!
I Somtimes ride a slow horse named JayJay and I tend to carry a whip with me so i can concantrate more on my position not ceeping him going!
Hope I Have Helped!
:rolleyes:

[abichan]

I don't think the problem is caused by the pony's motion. I actually think it might be your saddle which is throwing you off. You don't seem to be sitting comfortably. It seems you also sit back on the cantle of the saddle each time you land. You're pretty long legged on a lil pony so it seems you're trying to overcompensate for this. Is this your usual saddle or does it belong to someone else? :confused: The stirrups aren't really adjusted for your leg length either. Your leg is swinging because you're gripping with your knees. Your hands are also moving around a bit as well since you are absorbing the motion with your thighs and knees instead of the lowerback and hips. You do a really good job releasing and not hindering with her mouth. Try some bareback and stirrupless work if you can. I too know the pain of riding in a too small saddle on a lil pony.:o

[scattynuttymare]

That wasn't bad at all!

Ponies that aren't particularly forward going always tend to make you look like you are flapping - but its just your effort to get them moving! I'd some flatwork and get him a little more forward off of my leg, and perhaps a little balanced as it does look like he is running on the forhand a little at times.

I'm not sure if it is just my eyes but to me the saddle looks too far forward, as though its slipped up his neck a little and if this is the case this will not help your position or the way he goes...but like I said it could my eyes playing tricks!

Perhaps carrying a whip would help (I couldn't see one) so you don't have to nag quite as much. Sometimes just having it there makes all difference!

Don't be too hard on yourself! They are only minor points that need working on nothing major. Give yourself a pat, its not easy riding little ponies with long legs especially when they are lazy!

[jajasponyice]

the saddle came with the pony, it was fitted to him
but it (at least the knee rolls) are too small for me
and I'm hopefully selling him soon as I've really grown out of him so there's not much point getting a new saddle
And thanks for the advice.
Alough I've started this new thing :rolleyes:
Every time I get the wrong stride to the jump I do this (my arm :o )
And excuse my bad position. I had a really sore back but my friend made me jump (and I wanted to :) )