not looking up please help!

[booboo]

When im jumping i always look down, i do this so i know when to fold so i dont get left behind?i can i stop myself doing this but still know when to fold? if i look up i tend to get left behind or fold too early?please help!

[Merlinz gal]

try looking to the side of the jump (put side poles up though) this will help you feel for the takeoff.

i used to look up but with practise it will sort itself out :D

[booboo]

ok thanks :) il try that in my lesson on sat!

[kelsey27]

maybe you could sya put up a fence then every stride before it put a pole so you go over a pole and say one, then another and say two then another and say three then four then you no to jump, this is good to help you learn your striding as well and you no when to take off. Then take a pole away each time and you will count the strides in and will b looking up. i saw this on one of tim stockdales videos that was for slowing down a horse but it would help you with striding as well. hope this helps :D xxxx

[mazda]

Try focusing on something infront of you like a letter or a fence or something. Also I'm not too sure if this is a good idea but if you get lunged over some jumps on a steady pony try shutting your eyes and just concentrating on the rythem of the horse and prehaps get the person lunging you to shout out when to fold ect.

[booboo]

ok thanks i wil try that pole thing . i think i will also ask my instuctor if i can have a lugne lesson and do what you mazda!thanks for the advice!

[kedwards]

i can i stop myself doing this but still know when to fold?

Absolutely! In fact, when you stop trying to anticipate the fold and begin to just go with the horse, you'll probably find that your timing will improve and you'll be able to stay with him much better.

If you need to prove it to yourself, try closing your eyes 2 strides before the jump and keeping them closed until you are over (you can do this on the longe, over a gymnastic line, or even over a plain single if you have a very steady horse).

In general, whenever you approach a fence, it helps to keep your eyes on a focal point straight ahead of the jump. Plan the focal point well before riding the fence or line (you can also use this focal point to ensure that you are turning on a straight line to the jump).

[eventerbabe]

my instructor always used to tell us "where you look is where you go" and if you look down, odds on you may end up taking a tumble. on approach to the fence fix your eyes on a point up ahead (a tree, horsebox or building) and keep looking at it. you shouldn't need to look down to know when to fold. that is down to rhythem and feeling when the horse takes off. might be worth booking a course of jumping lessons to help.

[cvb]

When im jumping i always look down, i do this so i know when to fold so i dont get left behind?i can i stop myself doing this but still know when to fold? if i look up i tend to get left behind or fold too early?please help!

so you know when to fold from looking by..... ?! and what are you looking at ?

There is a delay between you seeing something, and you being able to react to it - this is your reaction time and it can be a matter of seconds. So folding by seeing is probably not the most effective way to do it.

Its better to develop a "feel" and also to let the horse's jump move you - i.e. you are simply reacting directly to the movement of the horse. It is a "reflexive" action - the type that doesn't go via your brain ;) (and hence is much faster - LOL)

To do this you need to be relaxed and "with" the horse. if you tense up and over analyse you won't be as tuned in to the horse's movement. I think we also tend to "over-teach" jumping position. The fold only needs to be quite slight over small fences. The "release" (of the reins) is probably more important (IMHO) but I can think of very few situations where I have seen it taught, heard it discussed etc...

Bear in mind that by the time the horse is close to the jump, their view of the jump is limited. So they are jumping "blind" to a degree.

So basically - yes if you don't look down, you will still "know" when to fold. (How many top level Sjers do you see looking down ?)

And how to stop yourself ? One thing that I find helps is to pick something new to focus on - ahead of you and beyond the jump. So e.g. a fence post or landmark. If I am riding a course I will be looking for my next jump...

[drookitsheep]

I had a jumping lesson on Monday and was getting yelled at for exactly the same thing! I seem to have the confidence not to have to look at the fence when it's smaller, but I'm still working on getting the confidence not to try and look for a stride when the fences go up!

My advice would be to start with a small cross pole, with a placing pole one stride away coming in trot. Keep the jump small, focus on something straight ahead in the distance and just have the confidence to keep staring at it! Then I'd move on to having 2 placing poles (stride between each) before the jump and coming in canter - then your last 2 strides are taken care of by the poles and you can focus on keeping looking up going with the flow. Keep the jumps small till you get the hang of it. I'm hoping that if I keep doing that, I'll get used to how it should feel, and will be more confident doing that when there are no poles there to help and I can just trust that I've come in a good rhythm/straight and Murphy will pick his feet up at the right time for me!

[notpoodle]

at my yard they always tell people to focus on an extremely ugly building far away that can be seen from the arena. also helps to have a friend standing on the other side yelling 'look at me look at me!' (my old instructor did that with me ....), sounds stupid, but i found it helps (in my case, it was more to get me not to jump with my eyes closed, ahem)

julia
x

[eventerbabe]

I had a jumping lesson on Monday and was getting yelled at for exactly the same thing! I seem to have the confidence not to have to look at the fence when it's smaller, but I'm still working on getting the confidence not to try and look for a stride when the fences go up!

i find it easier NOT to look at the fences when they are higher, then i don't know exactly how big i'm jumping and it helps stop me panicing!!!!

[Eli_Jay]

I don't think you need to look at the fence to be able to 'stay with the horse' you get an idea of where the fence is by seeing the wings - i recomend if doing a course, focus on the next jump (or in the direction of the next jump if its out of sight) and feel the horses movement. If doing a grid or a single jump, look staight ahead.
One great way to not be left behind is to, when they take off, grab a hunk of mane halfway up the neck, this helps you balance and stay with the horse, and if for some reason if you do get left behind you balance on the mane and not on the reins/mouth.

[WandowenRedFx]

This sounds stupid, a girl at my pony club has the same problem, and this works!
Ask some one to wave their arms and legs around as you jump, you will be aware that you have to look up, and also your eyes will be attracted to the movement!

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