hands when jumping

[FreedomStar]

I have been jumping in the arena for a good deal now, and I find that since the winter, I have developed a bad habit, and that is my hands and arms when I jump. Normally I'd do a crest release, following the top of the horses neck, but now it's harder for me. I can still do them, I just have to remind myself to do a crest release. What I do now is I just leave my hands where they are maybe just a little up his neck and when the horse jumps I rise in my two position, but I don't give with my hands, and it makes my arms bend at the elbow, and looks kinda like i'm not giving the horse rein to jump. how can I correct this?

[tarkia]

Bend your elbows slightly and move your arms up the horses neck a bit. I find it hard to put your arms right up the horses neck because this just makes you go off balance so my instructor advised me to make the reins longer and let them slip through your hands as the horse jumps, I tried this and its a lot easier. I hope it works for you.

[FreedomStar]

here's a picture of me.

http://seemesmile.com/photos4/2532078a.jpg

that was at a show last winter, my arms don't give like they should. I'm trying to fix it.

[Cochise]

Oh I see, your elbows are coming back and out. Try to think of softening the elbow to follow the horses movement. Always always think of the horses mouth at the end of the reins. I always think of this when jumping. Its all very well to think crest release/automatic release, long release blah blah, but just keep thinking of the horses mouth and follow as sensitively as possible. This should help your awareness as a jumping rider and you will react a lot more easily and automatically once you tune into your horses needs

OOH just looked back at what I wrote, looks like a ramble, but I think you will get what I mean lol!! ;) :)

[Cochise]

This is me and Cheeky on landing from a 3'3" jump, a nasty upright, which he makes look so small!! He was so careful because he knocked a rail 2 jumps back from that one.
I am trying to follow his head with my hands and open my fingers to let the rein slip abit.
By the way doesnt his tail look coooool? lol!!

[Cochise]

Would help if I attached the photo!! lol

[cvb]

FreedomStar

It looks like it may be a combined thing. Because you are up out of the saddle. if you released forward with hands and arms you would probably feel insecure and out of balance. So your instinct is kicking in and keeping them close to you !

Try working on having a secure lower leg and think of keeping your backside in the saddle (so you rise less). You should be folding forward from hips rather than going forward from your knees.

It looks a little like you have thrown yourself forward over the jump (though it may be the camera angle ;) ). If you have a chance, do some gymnastic jumping over a simple grid - if you are confident enough, and have a good enough horse, you can do things like try it without reins, or without stirrups. But only if there is an instructor or someone around (for safety reasons).

You talk about 'rising' into 2 point. Is this how your instructor(s) teach you ? I bet if you look at some top show jumpers that they do not come far out of the saddle. Maybe you are overdoing the amount of movement ?

[vjwuk]

Something that always stuck in my head was when I used to take my daughter to riding lessons. She used to be in a very similar position to you when she jumped. the teacher explained to her that by holding her hands back she was not allowing the horse to see the jump or over the jump correctly and also stopping him from streching his head to allow the rest of his body to follow safely. This really stuck in her head (and mine when I started to learn to ride).

Apparently the horses line of sight is only from 90 degrees horizontal to 45 degrees from the ground (sorry not clever enough to attach a diagram) therefore if his head is held down he can't see in front of the jump. Hope this helps, sometimes being able to put ourselves in the horses shoes allows us to work as a horse rather than a human on a horse (sorry can;t think of a better way of putting it).

[FreedomStar]

thanks everyone, I see my problem now. any more advice i'd welcome!