When i jump my leg position slides back, help!

[samsaria]

I'm trying to correct my leg position. I'm in a habit of working my leg backwards - my instuctor calls it my "eject position", i popped right out of the saddle as a result, ouch! He says says my lower leg should be forward and i should be able to see my toes in front of my knee. Trotting, cantering is fine, but when i jump i'm prone to losing the leg position. If i'm doing consecutive jumps i am not getting myself back in position quick enough. :(

I've just discovered that really pushing my weight into my feet and trying to keep them forward has helped stop me banging my crotch occasionally off the front of the saddle :p

I really want to learn to maintain my lower leg forward, not back. But i'm struggling! The new instructor picked it up, but i've had this bad habit for ages and i'm only really getting going on high jumps, hence discovering my very nasty habit.

Any tips?

Merci! x

[ChristinaB]

If you're gripping with your knee it can cause your lower leg to slip back when you're jumping. Try to have the same contact with your lower thigh, knee and upper calf.
Also try riding without stirrups, in two point position and over low jumps. Excruciating as all hell but very effective!

[BackintheSaddle]

You might be anticipating. My leg always goes back when I come out of the saddle too early because I'm leaning forward in anticipation instead of folding properly at the hip and waiting for the horse to push me up out of the saddle. Can you have someone lunge you over low fences so you can jump with your eyes closed? This forces you to let the movement of the horse dictate your position. That's how I cured my anticipation issues, although I still do it if the fence is higher than my comfort zone (which admitedly is 2'6 - I'm a wuss!) Also, if I think about turning the soles of my feet out to the side a bit it strengthens my leg (I think this is just mental, but it helps me anyway).

[kedwards]

Working over grids (even just cavaletti grids) with bounce and on-stride distances, can be helpful for this.

Focus on keeping your weight centered over your stirrups throughout the exercise, maintaining 2-point (or a least a light seat) between the obstacles.

[Bay Mare]

I agree that gridwork is great, it can really help you to get balanced and secure.

Also it might help your position to think of it a bit differently. Instead of concentrating on your legs think about pushing your butt to the back of the saddle, I would lay bets that you're going too far forwards when you go to jump. By pushing your butt back and releasing with your hands you'll be balancing yourself better AND won't be getting your upper body too far fowards which will act like a pendulum and shoot your legs backwards. You also need to think about putting your weight more into your heels than you do on the flat.

Good luck :) If you've got any photos of yourself it will help us to tell you what you can do to make things better :)

[samsaria]

Yep, I think its correct to say that i go too far forward and hence lose my leg when jumping.

I'll definitely try scooting my butt back instead of clenching with my knees, falling too far forward and then losing my leg.

Yes I can see it clearly now!

Now just to implement :eek:

:) :)

[Bay Mare]

Do some work on the flat, going in and out of position without losing your balance. Then you can do it over trot poles and build up to the jumps. We always did 'light seat' work on the flat first when we were jumping and it was a REAL help :)

[friesiangirl]

sounds like you need to work bareback over jumps, yes, bareback. I haven't jumped in a saddle for lessons yet, i am jumping 3' bareback. Scary, yes? highly benificial? YES! my heels stay down i don't over jump, my legs position is near perfect and so it my balence. So ask your instuctor to do some smaller jumps bareback, it WILL help.

[EquestrianRider]

First make sure that you are not pinching with your knee. Pinching with your knee automatically sends the leg sliding back, so avoid this!

Secondly, it sounds like you just need to build up some leg muscle. Do lots of two-point on the flat, as well as no-stirrups work and standing in the stirrups (don't be afraid to grab a martingale strap or mane). With lots of work at this, you'll be building up your leg muscles quickly.

Also, it's just a matter of getting used to this. Keep focusing on pushing your leg forward. It will feel strange at first, but eventually you'll leg will stay glued in that position, so to speak!

Best of luck!

[casey]

When I was little, I was told to point your heel towards the fence. Which is a fantastically defensive position to be in. I used to have to think about it. Obviously over the years, it is natural to ride this way on the approach to fences.

The key is not to brace against the horse. Only to put your lower leg in the position should you have a stop.:)

[ConfettiPony]

I don't normally have a problem with this, except on a particularly pony I ride. He's built incredibly downhill. When he jumps he somehow just -flings- you forward (and your legs back)...

When I'm riding him I really concentrate on staying back in the saddle (although that is a problem I normally have, so I dont know if you have to concentrate on that one :p). I really concentrate on keeping my heels down as far as I can get them with my legs pushed what almost feels too far forward. Then (literally) chant in my head "heels down, heels down, heels down, etc" until I'm over the jump. Seems to work. I used to think that my legs would be way too far forward, but I asked my instrutructor and she said they were looking like they were in the perfect spot. ::shrugs::

[NuttyMare]

I have exactly the same problem. This thread has helped me alot also :D