Tips on jumping.

[Method_Acting]

Hello.
I've been riding for almost two years and I just can't get the hang of jumping. I know practice makes perfect blah blah....but I don't know. I'm in a group with people who've been jumping quite a while and I haven't done that much.

The landing is always awful, and the riding school horse usually ends up knocking over the poles. I know partly it's cos he's lazy, but my approach is bad too. I end up coming up to the jump from an angle.

A big part of the problem is that I've only really done jumping in trot. Small school + big horse = not much space before the jump to start cantering, plus the horse I ride is lazzyyy.

So, tips anyone?:confused:

Sarah x

[nutkin]

ask for the canter along the short side and once you get half way to where you want to turn to jump start to look for the fence. Stay in a light seat until just a few strides away and then ask the horse to jump the fence.

[Shadowlark]

The thing that helped me the most was getting put on a lunge and blind folded with a small jump on the circle. I had to learn to "feel" the jump rather then anticipate the jump. It was SCARRY at first and I got left behind - or got ahead more then I care to admit ;).. but when I got the hang of it going back to being able to see the jump coming I was a lot better balanced and more confident.

[raingodz]

It could be that you are thowing you weight forwards and unbalancing and making it difficult for the horse on take off.

I have not done that much jumping either, but my RI shouts at people for the above problem alot, and the outcome is similar to what you describe.

[Method_Acting]

thanks for the replies :)
The thing that helped me the most was getting put on a lunge and blind folded with a small jump on the circle.
:eek: that would be scaryy.

It could be that you are thowing you weight forwards and unbalancing and making it difficult for the horse on take off.
Yeah, I thought maybe I was doing this. When I just relax and pretend the jump isn't there, I seem to get a lot more unbalanced though.
When I kind of prepare and get into the jumping position It is better...but it's more the landing its really untidy.

Also the jumping we've been doing is 3 in a row, one after the other. when the horse has landed from the first jump and I'm trying to recover, there's another, and by the third I'm in a mess and getting thrown backwards and forwards:o

I want to enjoy jumping but I can't......

[kedwards]

If you are doing a series of jumps that are fairly close together, you can stay in a two-point/light seat position between them. Allow your weight to sink into your heels and just allow the horse's movements to close your angles over the jumps.

You mentioned that you are often jumping in at an angle. If you are having trouble keeping straight on your approach or landing, it can help to practice lining your sight up to a point straight after the jump. Sighting the focal point early and keeping it in sight as you ride over and away from the fence will help keep you straight.

[~*sugarlump*~]

heels down, cuddle with legs, look up, give with hands.
do you carry a whip? keep a very light seat
is your basic position correct?

[Purple Hugs]

would you be able to have private lessons in jumping ? At a time you'd have the whole menage?

That way you'd have 1 on 1 tuition and the instructor would help you over them one at a time. Maybe perfect one before moving to 3.

Just an idea.. I've never jumped so I'm reading tips with interest! ;)

[carrimclaren]

I think the best thing to do is ask them to go back to basics. Maybe work at going over trotting poles first to sort out getting your angle right and then progressing to going over cross poles and getting yourself used to smaller jumps. Maybe ask them to stop doing the gridwork (3 fences in a line) for now as i know when i first started jumping i hated gridwork and i always fell off. Just ask them to work on doing one jump and getting your horse going forward. No point in asking for the horse to jump three fences if he's not going forward enough as he will, as you've said, fall through them.

[EquestrianRider]

How high do you jump? Are you doing crossrails?

Your horse is probably just bored and being lazy with his approach and jump. Have you heard of forward impulsion? You want your horse to be moving forward with forward impulsion- the idea of this is that you don't want him rushing the jump and being too speedy, but you want him moving forward in a nice, steady rhythym, with neither too much speed or too little speed. Get your horse moving forward nicely... cluck, click your tongue, squeeze with your calves, and maintain a steady rhythym.

The most important things to remember when jumping are:


Forward impulsion
Rhythym- Count this in your head. Keep this steady rhythym and don't stray from it. It's no good if you're fluxuating between different speeds. Your horse will feel comfortable and confident (and so will you!) if you're moving at a consistent speed.
Straight Approach- Your horse is just going to be nervous if you pull him onto the line of the jump at the last second, or if you let him waver back and forth before the jump. Drive him forward with an even contact from your calf muscles. Before you turn onto the line of the jump, turn your head to look at it. Your horse can tell where you are looking and this will help him understand where you want him to go.


Try to keep these things in mind. Remember that you should never look at the jump. Look over it, at something at eye level in the distance. Focus on the object. It could be -depending on the ring that you are riding in- a tree, a window, anything. The majority of the refusals that I have had have been from my eyeing the jump... the horse can sense your uncertainty and feels nervous himself! When you do go over the jump with nice forward impulsion, etc., praise your horse!

You mentioned that the landing is bad. What makes it bad? Is there any other element besides his knocking down the jump that make it bad? He's being lazy with knocking down the jump... he's not young, is he? This is an experienced school horse, correct? If so, he's probably just being lazy as you said. Leading up to a couple strides before the jump, squeeze your calves. This is going to get him to put some effort into the jump and pick his legs up (hopefully... don't worry, you're not going to get it right away, but at least you're doing your best and asking him to put an effort into this jump). Click your tongue, encourage him. Don't nag him with the squeezing legs, though... horses get irritated easily when their rider is banging on their sides asking them to speed up. Again, if your horse has forward impulsion, he is alert, paying attention, and focused. Chances are, he's going to do his best to make the jump a good one. If he doesn't have forward impulsion- ie. he's doddling along or he's being a speedy racehorse- chances are that he's going to knock those poles down! :rolleyes: Maybe you're not giving him enough of a release? Don't be afraid to grab mane and get into two-point a couple of strides before the jump (if this is okay with your instructor... again, I don't know your background/how much experience you've had jumping, so I can't completely help you...) and give him a generous release. Remember to always praise your horse for making an effort!

Best of luck... I hope that this has helped you in some way! Tell us how everything goes. :)

[Method_Acting]

Wow thanks for the great replies:D I feel better about next friday now.
and yeah, I carry a whip.
How high do you jump? Are you doing crossrails?
They really aren't that big at all. the first jump was a crosspole, the second and third were straight. We did do trotting poles....but the horse is so lazy. He stopped trotting when he saw there was poles and went round them to avoid having to lift up his legs. I guess I need to be a bit tougher but I don't want to be mean, you know?
You mentioned that the landing is bad. What makes it bad? Is there any other element besides his knocking down the jump that make it bad? He's being lazy with knocking down the jump... he's not young, is he? This is an experienced school horse, correct?
The bad part about the landing is be, I feeling kind of unbalanced. He's definatly not young:o He is experienced, just the slow.

[EquestrianRider]

Wow thanks for the great replies:D I feel better about next friday now.
and yeah, I carry a whip.

They really aren't that big at all. the first jump was a crosspole, the second and third were straight. We did do trotting poles....but the horse is so lazy. He stopped trotting when he saw there was poles and went round them to avoid having to lift up his legs. I guess I need to be a bit tougher but I don't want to be mean, you know?

The bad part about the landing is be, I feeling kind of unbalanced. He's definatly not young:o He is experienced, just the slow.

Yeah, I know what you mean about being afraid about being mean. I guess basically you have to be firm, but very encouraging and rewarding. Eventually, though, if you are firm, he will learn to listen to you when you ask for something, so it won't take as much, and he'll respect that. These schoolmasters get bored with the old routine, and he's probably had a long life of doing this, so you can't really blame him. I bet he's a really good horse. Good luck!

[BeachRiding]

I would start with ground poles and get some private lessons...

[carrimclaren]

They really aren't that big at all. the first jump was a crosspole, the second and third were straight. We did do trotting poles....but the horse is so lazy. He stopped trotting when he saw there was poles and went round them to avoid having to lift up his legs. I guess I need to be a bit tougher but I don't want to be mean, you know?

Hi :) The trouble is that by stopping and then going round the poles he's learning that he can do what he likes and at the speed he likes which doesn't give a very good basis for when you come to jumping, as unfortunately, it sounds like you're finding out. He needs to be going into the poles/jumps with energy so that it makes it a lot easier for you :)

I'm surprised the instructor is just allowing all this to go on as she should be doing something to put it right as it sounds like it's making everything really unpleasant for you :( Is there anyway there's another horse you could try riding, one that likes jumping and poles but isn't too barmy? This would really help you as then it would be easier for you to concentrate on getting your own balance sorted without having to also get him moving as well.

[Method_Acting]

Is there anyway there's another horse you could try riding, one that likes jumping and poles but isn't too barmy?
It went much better this week.

I was on a pony:D who was more forward going, so I could work more on steering and stuff rather than keep having to push him on.
I think it helped being on something smaller, cos I'm only 5ft and 6st and the stubborn horse is 16.2.

I hope I'm on the pony again next week:D

sarah.

[Marmite]

its good that your on the more forward pony now, you learn a lot more from horses like that at first. And dont be afraid of being mean to lazy horses. Giving them a smack with your whip wont scar them mentally for the rest of their lives, it'll just wake them up to your leg siganls that they are ignoring. Lots of people will disagree, but sometimes its the only way to make lazy horses listen. Especially riding school horses who do the same thing over and over. They switch off to it all. And with you being so small and light, im surprised they put you on something so big anyways!!!!!!!!!