Jumping Generally

[SuziSue]

I was kind of hoping that I might be able to get some advice.

I spent the majority of 2003 starting to learn to jump (I understand it takes a little while to become an accomplished jumper)but going back this year I feel I have learnt nothing!! I am still wary on my approach to the jump and can feel myself going stiff the closer we get to the jump.

I am also confused about how I can 'go with the horse' how do I know when he's ging to take off? I either end up being in front of the movement (which I understand unbalances them) or being left behind (desperately trying not the jab my poor mount in the mouth) I am becoming quite good at slipping the reins though. Can anyone give me any advice about staying calm on my approach and 'going with the horse'.

Any help will be appreciated as I have a lesson on Sunday and I am desperate to start improving.

Thanks

[gail_rose]

I used to be the same as you. In my first jumping lesson I fell off 5 times & was put off for a couple of years! We still did it in lessons but I always worried that I was going to fall off again.
I found jumping a course far less scary than just jumping down the centre line of the school as I had to concentrate on the approach to the jump then think about where the next jump was, getting the right leg etc.
Try not to concentrate on the jump itself and focus on being safely on board and cantering away on the other side and everything else will fall in naturally!
Also try not to be nervous as the horse will sense this and become confused as to what you want him to do.
Hope this helps!

Gail x

[DITZ]

Try looking away as you approach the jump. Your horse really doesnt need your eyes to look for him he will be perfectly capable of jumping it by himself . You'll find that the jump comes to you rather than you trying to work out when to fold. As the horse rises he will come to you and you will naturally fold.

Also, try a neck strap and hook a couple of fingers under that. That way even if you do get left behind you wont hurt your horses mouth (its far more difficult to slip the reins too - a bad habit to get into so early. A good get out of jail card but not an everyday occurence.)

[kedwards]

I am also confused about how I can 'go with the horse' how do I know when he's ging to take off? I either end up being in front of the movement (which I understand unbalances them) or being left behind (desperately trying not the jab my poor mount in the mouth)

At this stage of the game, the more effort you put into consciously trying to "go with the horse" the harder it will be to actually do because you'll try to anticipate the jump. Really, the horse should be the only one making a big move over the fence. My instructor used to have us ride up to the fence with our eyes closed so that we didn't anticipate the jump. You may not feel ready or willing to try that one, but another good exercise is to go over a small gymastic line (for example, cross rails set as a series of one strides or bounces). Get up into your two point before the exercise and focus on keeping your position throughout the line, keeping the weight in your heels, and just letting the horse open and close your hip angles while you just keep your balance.

[nat]

this might be hard to do often if your having lessons but a good way to practice this would be to put a pole on the ground and just canter up over it. Do this a couple of times and then practice going into jumping position over the pole. Once you are getting this just put up a really small crosspole and do exactly the same thing. you just have to remember to do exactly the same thing as you did over the pole and you'll be fine. As kedwards suggested, grid work would be exellent, especially a bounce which is hard the first time you do it but it gets easier. hope this helps good luck

[Ryoko]

looks straight ahead and not down and take up your forward seat 3 paces b4 the jump and 3 paces after. thats how i was taught. i used to hate jumping! it terrified me!! but then i got cracker who loves jumping so i just had to learn to love it didnt i once u get used to it your ok. i think your worrying about the whole thing too much. relax alot..maybe u could follow another rider over a jump?

[kfhorseygirl]

hey, yeah i sometime feel myself stiff up when i approach a jump, but most of the time its because i get excited- i love to jump!- and yeah, but when i first started to jump my trainer would lay down a pole in front of the fence to clue in with the horse when to jump, so i could concentrate on other stuff, but now i still dont always get it right, i either get left behind or get up too soon.
but yeah, you know how you said you dont know when to take off? it would help to count the horses strides/steps and kind of in your mind measure out the distance from the starting point to the jump . . . it sounds kinda confusing, so sorry, hehehe.
but i juss wanna say that a really bad thing to do is look at the jump or the ground while you go over, because you might loose everything, try looking over and past your horses ears if your just doing a single jump, but if your doing more try to look more on towards the next jump
and to help with the pulling on the mouth thing, try to grab hold of the main when you go into the jumping position . . . hope i helped, and if i didnt and just further confused you with the way i put things. . . sorry, hehe

[Evol_or_revert]

Hey, Best advice I feel I can give put in to very simple words, point the horse for the jump and look as far away in to the distances as possible and keep looking and looking and looking!!!! When the jump comes you are to busy looking in to the distance so you dont relise and find yourself following the horse instead of doing you own thing.

When I freak out over jumping I just remember that one thing the distance, Find a nice tree to stare at hehe . Dont worry about paces or the right striding or what you are doing as long as the horse is straightish and you are looking in to the distance.

Gud luck, do what ever works for you and your horse you will get there soon enough .