jumping ?!

[Eli_Jay]

any hints on staying with the horse? thats my main problem
any advice greatly appreciated, thanx

[kedwards]

Can you describe what sort of problems you are having? Are you jumping ahead? Being left behind? Just not feeling stable and balanced as he jumps?

[Bay Mare]

As kedwards says, we need to know more :)

To be able to jump effectively, though, you need a good grounding in FLATWORK! If you're not balanced or have a good seat on the ground then you can bet that you're not balanced when you're jumping.

My trainer always says that jumping is just dressage with a few obstacles in between :D

I don't jump an awful lot as I am more into dressage but I have done whole jump lessons when we worked on flatwork! You can get a lot out of exercises on the ground and you will be amazed how it can improve your jumping. You can even practise your jump position and getting in and out of it on the ground.

What does your instructor say? Are there any particular things that they pick up on?

[Eli_Jay]

like you, i haven't done much jumping because I prefer dressage, but I'm keen to start eventing. my horse who i do jumping on, Cheque, has a very big jump. (althought he's a dream to jump, he never rushes, refused, runs out or gets out of control). So, he's got a big jump and i find it hard to stay with him. I generally don't sit up fast enough and end up unbalanced on landing.
I've been told to put weight into my heels, which helps me keep my balance.
My problem is that all my instructors say different things! I was originally taught to put my hands right up their neck, even with small jumps, but this doesn't work because you can't collect them quickly enough.and now I've been taught to just tilt forward from the hips and only give with my hands minutely.
So i'm confused, and its reflecting in my riding
attatchment is of us jumping, as you can see i'm VERY much being left behind

[Supercali]

I was always taught to look ahead of the jump (don't look at the jump or down)

Keep your weight in your heels (don't worry if your leg is pushed forwards)

Don't fold too much or stand in the stirrups out of the seat. Just come out of the saddle a smidgen and slide your bum towards the back of the saddle look forwards and keep your back flat and don't collapse your shoulders. Give through your elbows as the horse goes over the jump. Sit up and leg on and the horse lands.

(hark on at me I think I'm an expert now! :D)

[hannah:)]

Not that I'm anything like an expert jumper, but maybe it could be an idea to go back to basics? You could try going over poles on the ground at a trot then work your way back up to jumps. I was never really taught to jump right so I get left behind and all sorts, so now I'm restarting from scratch too! :rolleyes:

OH also remember to keep looking ahead, your head is proportionally the heaviest bit of you (I seem to remember) so if you point your head down the rest follows...I remember that from gymnastics classes!

Good luck! :)

[Bay Mare]

The way that I've been taught (by an eventer amongst others) is to think about putting your weight into your heels, feet forward slightly and slide your butt towards the back of the saddle at the same time 'release' with your hands so that your hands go forward and your butt goes back. I found that thinking of 'releasing' instead of 'folding' stopped me going too far forwards (which is how I broke my ribs ... and wrecked my ankle ....). If the horse were to be taken away from you, you should still land on your feet.

One thing that really helped me was even if you use 'light seat' while you're cantering around you should go into full seat/3 point as you come up to the jump and only release when you feel the horse lift to go over the jump. And, yes, don't forget to look up and ahead as you will usually go where you're looking :D Oh, and sit up after the jump so that you can get yourself balanced for the next one :)

Lots of work over trot poles and small jumps will be helpful.

[nutkin]

Don't know if that pic is anything to go by but you look as though maybe you could do with shortening your stirrups slightly for jumping. That should help you to keep your weight in your heels.

[Eli_Jay]

thanx :D I especially like the idea of releasing and putting your bum back, rather than folding forwards, as well as keeping my weight in my heels.
I'll let you know how i go on saturday!!