First jump!

[stormchaser]

Just a tinzy-weeny hop over a caveletti . :)

I'm going to ramble a bit, and ask for your advice in the last couple of paragraphs, so bear with me. ;)

It was just me in the arena, and I hadn't been riding enough for a month to make my season ticket worthwhile, so RI decided to make this session an indroduction to jumping (:eek: ) since jumping lessons cost a bit more. She just laid out poles in the middle of the arena and said, "Just canter up to the center of the pole and jump!" I know some peeps turn this into a big scary thing in their heads, but I thought "it's just a tiny little hop a few inches high", and Chiz knew what to do.

Had a couple of runouts and refusals as false starts, as if Chiz wanted to tell me, "Come one are you nuts? You only rode me for less than a year!"

So we gave it a hop. The landing went all wrong. My stirrups flew up, lost them, and I bounced on the saddle hard but I have managed to stay on. :p It didn't feel like a 'little hop'! Later she taught me the hand gallop which we would use (and save my bottom and his back lol). And according to RI we did it nicely.

Now I can barely walk! Owwww!

Ok, questions:

My legs are everywhere! Do I alter my position when take-off, going over, and landing?

Hands... I'm afraid to bump him in the bit, but at the same time afraid of a runout. What to do?

[Purple Hugs]

no tips from me.. as never jumped...

But CONGRATULATIONS!! :D

sounds like a great first jumping lesson! ;)

I've practiced jumping position and they made me shorten my stirrups by a couple of holes - and boy I remember the aching legs!! :p

Well done! :cool:

[Just.Jump]

Your legs should be steady- the point to to not have them move very much at all. Think of it this way- good support stays rock solid undernieth of the load.

As for the bumping- I have the same hate for catching the horses mouth. The goal is to have such synchronisation with the horses that you guide with contact until the horse tucks their back legs benieth them, and the you give them plenty of release rein and take it up at/after landing.

During the beginning it is very important to keep a really firm leg (to help prevent stops and dodges) and a firm guiding rein pressure. Normally I love very loose reins, but last summer I had a jumping coach come in a few times and she taught a small group of us to jump on horses who had never done it before, so pretty much the same situation as yours.. but more jumps, and faster/higher =P God, I can't WAIT to get back to it!

[Jimjam]

When I started riding again a few weeks back I tried some fillers on my horse.He refused and I fell off :o but then one of our friends at the stables came and taught me what to do.As my horse is anglo arab and she has an arab she just told me to lean way back to begin with JUST in case(as the breed is unpredictable:eek: ) and as we got closer to jumping I went into the "jumping" position.So,what I suggest is that ask your RI to count your strides as you go for the jump and everything should come naturally :D Just ask your RI after the jump how you did and if you need to improve anything.

JJ x

[kedwards]

My legs are everywhere! Do I alter my position when take-off, going over, and landing?

Your lower legs should stay exactly the same throughout, as should the angle of your upper body for this sort of exercise. What will change, is the angles in your knees and hips, as your bum moves toward the back of the saddle over the jump.

Hands... I'm afraid to bump him in the bit, but at the same time afraid of a runout. What to do?

For now, move your hands forward and keep them there, even if you have to grab mane to do so. To minimize the chances of runout, keep your leg on and keep your eyes on a focal point that is a straight shot away from the jump. Think "straight and forward."

[FreedomStar]

Congratulations on your first jump!! Mine was nowhere near that organized. My usual instructor was out of town so I had a lesson with the manager. Everyone else in that lesson knew how to jump, so when I said that I didn't know how, her answer was to 'point and go, you'll be fine' :D Hehe, I had so much fun that day.

Now, you mentioned losing your stirrups. That means that your leg slipped back, which means that your leg was too far back to begin with when you were approaching the jump, which means you now know what you need to work on :) If your legs are all over the place, it also means that you might be gripping with your knees. If someone were to slide a hand between your knee and saddle, the hand should slide right past your knee and not be able to slide past your calf. You dont' want to be squeezing your calf, but you want steady legs. Also, make sure you're sitting back, with your shoulders back and your legs on the vertical (or in alignment). If your upperbody is too far forward your legs will definitely slip back to accomodate for the change in position.

[stormchaser]

Sat down and read the jumping chapter in my horsey books last night and...

Jumped again today!

Seemed a lot better, maybe I'm gaining confidence and couldn't wait to jump (okay, okay, hop!).

My legs seem better if I sink my weight down to my heels and I made a conscious to keep my hands forward when going over. RI said we did beautifully, although we weren't that great at the warm-up canter (and everything else... lol). :p

Also...
Is it correct for my body to be nearly parallel to the horse's back when going over? Thx.

(OH is starting to get worried. :p)

[Just.Jump]

Is it correct for my body to be nearly parallel to the horse's back when going over? Thx.

No, not at that height. It sounds like you are folding way too far forward- over little jumps like these, that is setting you up to be tossed over the horses shoulder or land on its neck. At little height (unders 2' or even 2'6", depending on how big the horse is), you really only need to balance yourself, release with the hands, and get your weight into the stirrups instead of the back- your bum really shouldn't even be very far off the saddle just yet.

[stormchaser]

Thanks, now I know. :) Just read it in the horsey book, but looked as if it wasn't going to work out over a little hop.

Anyone got a pic of a good example of a small jump position?