Help on "waiting"

[Black_Topaz]

Hello, my name is Kya, and I am a person who jumps before her horse does.

I have fallen off SOOOOOOO many times from not waiting for a horse to jump, you would think I'd learned my lesson! I know what I am doing to make myself fall (which would be jumping up my boys neck when he has no intention of doing a five stride in a six *cringes at rememberance*). In fact I do occasionally actually wait for my horse! But other times GAH! I forget or I am thinking about strides not whether he'll actually jump it. So I guess the question is, how can I (or how have any of you knowlegable people) remember to stay back?

Thanks,

Kya

P.S You are only allowed to jump in lessons at my barn, so there's not much I can do by myself to help... or is there? I don't know

[laura jeanne]

I don't know that much about jumping but it sounds like you are standing up in your stirrups. What does your instructor say? My RI had us ride a lot in 2 point before we did any jumping (just cross rails). Try keeping your seat back over the saddle while your hands reach forward maybe- that's what I notice when I look at other people's pictures.

[Dreamchaser]

Since I am currently working with the same problem, I definately know how to fix it. So here are my few suggestions. First when approaching the jump, sing a song to yourself. A good one is "Baa Baa Black Sheep".

You don't have to practice over jumps to teach yourself to wait. You can have the same effect going over a ground poll. Take your jumping position as you go over it.

I'm not sure about you, but a lot of my problems stems from my problem of standing in my stirrups, instead of jumping it properly. With a proper position it makes it much easier to wait for the horse because instead of you doing all the work and jumping out of the saddle for the horse, you just need to "fold" as the horse jumps.

So, when practicing over a ground poll think to yourself, "crouch". Keep your bum towards the back and just.... crouch over the jump. I hope I am making myself clear!

Those three techniques are what I do to help me wait for the horse and so far I am seeing a huge improvement!

[Black_Topaz]

Wow thank you so much for your helpful and speedy replies! I am now so excited to try out all of your theories. I have never thought that I was maybe standing kind of in a two point instead of going over the jump properly, but you all might be on to something there :) Once again, thanks for your replies, and if we do jumping or poles or anything like that when I ride tomorrow, I'll rush back and tell you folks how it went :D

Ta ta for now!

Kya

[prettybluepony]

Another bit of advice. Canter round a bit, and start to count strides, 1,2,3, 1,2,3 etc., in the canter, then(have a small fence already set up, with a marker aprox. 9 or 6 strides away) turn into the jump at the marker, and carry on counting, for 9 strides you would go 123123123 & over. It's how I learnt to jump. eventuly it comes more easily, and you feel it, and go into position. Trust me, I ended up half on a horse, half on a 3 foot jump, I tried again without thinking of anything but the ground the other side of the jump, and we went perfectly. ;)

[dilaika]

I used to have the same problem...I managed to fall off the same horse three times (over about 8 months, you understand) b/c I decided to do the fence...and he didn't. Here's a couple of things to try:

-like someone else mentioned; use poles! I have the same thing at my barn; but we can do poles flat on the ground. Try cantering over them...or cantering over a single, just to help you get the idea of where he'll go

-try asking your instructer to set up a pole one stride before the jump. That gives both you and your horse a bit of a goal to help you try and see where he'll jump.

-try riding him around in a half-seat alot, make sure that you're staying far back; try to exagerate it and keep your butt over the back of the saddle, remembering that you're in a half-seat, and not a full two-point. This should help you try and get your body used to staying back (try doing this while cantering around; over poles if you can)


The idea it to try and get it to be automatic, get your body used to where your horse will take off.

Just an idea - ask your instructor too; is it you? Are you getting too ahead or is your horse chipping in? Or a combo of both? I mean, is the horse you ride (or your horse?) one of those that automatically gets his striding, or do you need to correct it? If so, and you know where he should be jumping, don't be afraid to put on a bit of leg and ask him to jump at the sweet spot.