Jumping

[Misty_017]

Any tips on jumping any1? fell off 2wice in 1 hr jumping over doubles :( got back on tho and kept trying until i got it right :p . Any tips greatfully apriciated. Thnx :)

[No_Angel]

A good one is sit up after a jump- I was shouted at a number of times at a pony club rally because I wasn't sitting up quick enough.

Another- let the horse sort himself out over the fence.

And another- give him plently of rein to stretch over then femce

Hope this helps
Tasha

[can't_decide]

aah no worries, i had a shetlandx welsh a on loan once and literally fell off 5 times a week :o because he knew every trick in the book . . . it's that kind of thing that makes you better so well done for continueing to try :D as for tips, don't know the type of horse you're riding so . . . don't chuck the reins at them before they take off, don't take off before they do, don't abondon your lower leg and above all look up and keep smiling :D

[Cheeky]

Heya

The best thing that I have eva been taught about jumping is one simple thing: learn jumping singles with no hands. Once u master this, u master your seat in EVERYTHING (dressage, jumping, hacking out, hacking at shows, Xcounty ... trust me)

That is the best advice ... jst tie a lose knot in ** reins, aim the horse over the jump (maybe hav two jumps ...in a line), about a stride over the jump let go and balance baby! Yeah, u may fall or slip, but thats coz ** finding ** TRU seat ... hav a go n tell us what happened :)

[Bay Mare]

Grid work! Helps with your balance, folding and sitting up, rhythm and just about everything :) It's also good for the horse!

It may also be helpful to put the height down a bit until you get used to sitting up and refolding.

[Colorado Sunset]

Remember you can always hold onto the mane as you go over, this will stop you pulling on the reins and allow you to find your own balance

Jo

[Eli_Jay]

I like cheeky's idea... however my instructor wants to take that line of thinking a step further and lunge me over grids with no stirrups and no hands *meep!* Cheque has a massive jump and i don't like my chances of staying on - but thats what helmets and jumping vests are for! lol

[nirikina]

Grid work, and jumping with no reins and/or no stirrups. First off set up a grid of 3 tiny bounce jumps against the fence on a long side of the arena. Tie a knot in your reins so when you drop them on your horses neck they are reachable but still let him stretch his neck. Approach the jumps and drop the reins about a stride before takeoff, then just look straight ahead and let his movement move you. You don't have to stand in your stirrups, just let your upper body fold, but keep looking up and ahead. You don't need to sit up between each jump. Variations on this are holding your hands out to the side like an aeroplane, putting your hands on your head, or at the apex of each jump when you fold reach down and clap your hands under your horses neck. You've got to be quick for this one! Don't forget to sit up and take back the reins after the grid.

[Eli_Jay]

i think you'd have to be wary about doing it with no hands/stirrups if you have a horse who is likely to act up/fizz up over jumps... however, if you have a good jumper its a great idea :) i'm also having trouble with jumpign and i'm going to try some of these techniques on saturday

[NoviceNic]

I have been jumping with no reins. Scary thought but I knew Captain would do it. I was that excited I got told off for jumping 2 jumps with no reins. :( The instructor only asked me to jump 1. :p

[Illusions]

A good one is sit up after a jump- I was shouted at a number of times at a pony club rally because I wasn't sitting up quick enough.

Another- let the horse sort himself out over the fence.

And another- give him plently of rein to stretch over then femce

Hope this helps
Tasha

When should you sit up?
Is it straight away or not?

[Misty_017]

cheers everyone i'll have to try them :D

[Cheeky]

Eli Jay - yeah it is sooo fun aye? And our instructor (when I had lessons) made us jump with out stirrups or reins too ... freaky eh!? And then, one spontanious day, she made us jump with no reins and no saddle!! I tell you, never EVER land on ** withers ... my male friend found that one out the hard way lol ...

Another tip over the doubles (I prefer stair cases lol) is streeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeetch ... Really lean forward over the jump, but maintain your balance and return to the seat before landing ... enjoy :)

p.s. stair cases with no hands are MUCH easier to ride than with reins lol :) So are tripple jumps :P And canterin :P

[Eli_Jay]

i believe if your having trouble keeping with your horse over a fence or falling off, its best to forget about 'good' positioning for the time being and just relax. I've been jumping with my gelding alot lately and simply relaxing over fences has given us a great foundation, and now i am once again focusing on position etc. If i start to have trouble i start low again and just 'relax'! it works wonders, try it.

[FreedomStar]

There are several things that take part in a good jump. First of all, remember RIBS:

Rhythm- You've got to have a steady, even rhythm. If the horses stride is getting long, and then short, and then long, and then short, without a rhythm or steady beat, you've already lost it.
Impulsion- A good amount of impulsion is a must. Without any power to get over the jump, there will be no getting over the jump.
Balance- Make sure the horse is balanced and not falling forward or behind your leg. And make sure you are balanced too. Eyes up, heels down, hands together, chin up. And don't look down.
Straightness- :D This one should be self explanatory. A straight line into the jump will help in keeping a good rhythm, lots of impulsion, and keep you and your horse balanced.

If you'd like I can give you the '5 steps of jumping' lecture. (approach, takeoff, suspension, landing, getaway)

[kianjoseph]

If you jump with no reins, what do you do if horse tries to run out at last minute, or how do you steer straight after - how does horse know which direction to take after jump? I thought you were supposed to stand up in stirrups, how do you do that with no stirrups?

[Shizzity]

I know this might not seem important, but it ill help you so much. You have to believe you are going to stay on...even visualize yourself jumping and being balanced. Once you think you will stay on, you will. I mean, its not 100%, but it honestly helps.

kianjoseph- you jump the jump once with reins so the horse knows its job. Then you tie your reins in a knot, and only drop them acouple strides before the jump. Also, to learn how to jump w/o stirrups, you need to practice two point on the flat without stirrups. You need to use you thighs to hold you...its pretty darn hard.

[Eli_Jay]

I thought you were supposed to stand up in stirrups, how do you do that with no stirrups?
You do not 'stand in the stirrups' as such. You sort of fold from the hips up to follow the horses movement during takeoff and suspension. Smaller jumps require you to simply lean forwards from the chin and move your hands forwards slightly. there are many people who... I call it 'over jump' and shove their hands right up the horses neck and stand in their stirrups over a small jump, where only letting the hands follow and keeping the central position the same is required.

[horsemad]

When should you sit up?
Is it straight away or not?

It is a bit of cheek me giving advice on jumping, since all I ever do is occasionally trot over a teeny crosspole and even at that my jumping position is rubbish! But what I will say is that sitting up TOO SOON can also cause problems - I think I tend to do this, which means I get bumped out of the saddle because the horse's bum is still in the air. Make sure the horse is well over the jump before you sit up.