Dropping the horse at a jump

Dannii5691

Dannii5691

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Nov 16, 2009
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Wasnt to sure where to put this as ita a training of the rider issue.

We have a couple of jumping comps coming up kind of imminently. Sunday and Tuesday!

I have an awful habit of dropping womble at the jump, im still inexperienced at seeing a stride and if I get it wrong I dont want to yank him in the gob. I kind of throw my reins up near his ears which isnt helpful. Any tricks to help with this? We did some canter poles today (he was happily cantering on the spot wanting to go so is very keen and enjoying cantering and jumping)
And a little jump. I dropped him and he hit the back poles.
 
I haven't jumped for years so may not be the best for advice, but I'll give it anyway.

Think about sitting up & keeping your hands up with a bend in your elbows so you've got an elastic contact. I'm guessing you aren't jumping huge fences so as long as you present him in a nice bouncy canter & sit still then he should be capable of sorting out his own striding so *all* you've got to do is think of sitting up until he takes off & then letting him take you forward as much as he needs to. Let him guide you, not the other way. I was taught, far more years ago than I intend to admit here, that you prepare the horse in advance & then leave the last three strides in his hands.
 
Were jumping about 55. Hoping to get round a 55cm class on tues anyway

do I go into a jumping position or just tilt forwards
 
Depends how much effort he's putting into them, but at that height you may not have time to get in & out of a true jumping position.
 
This is the problem you see. He does pop over them but even when he throws himself at them quite enthusiastically hes not really getting that much air time

I know I should get some lessons though realistically money is TIGHT atm and I need some advice before we go on sunday! !
 
Maybe try riding with your reins bridged? My instructor used to do this with the kids who used to go into full on jumping position over poles on the ground. Not sure why it worked but it usually did.
 
"Collecting up" on the approach so the energy is "bounce" rather than speed and then keeping your legs on for his confidence should help... That's always my fail safe! If you drop reins and legs off then suddenly your saying your not sure - I always give reins but never take leg off
 
Hate to be boring and suggest the usual but have you tried jumping with a neckstrap? If you are worried about catching him in the mouth then slipping your index fingers under a neckstrap in the final strides will ensure your hands don't pull backwards even if he does do a big jump. I don't get on with neckstraps as such but if I am anticipating a big jump I grab a handful of mane as the horse takes off, it has the same effect.

Technically you don't need to go into a full jumping position for 2ft jumps. Just inclining your body forwards a little bit and giving with your hands should be enough. Over-folding over small jumps is a common mistake, it won't do the horse any harm but it often comes with the lower leg swinging back and this makes your position a lot less balanced and secure. It can also cause you to "collapse" onto the horse's neck on landing, which is not great if the horse stumbles a bit or you need to turn quickly etc.

If you are brave enough to try gridwork or bounces this is a great way of making you sit up a bit more because you don't actually have TIME to over-fold. Or if gridwork doesn't appeal you could work on some 1-stride doubles instead, it works pretty much the same way. If you watch a showjumper jumping a 1-stride double, often you see that they remain fairly upright over the first jump (unless it's a spread) and only really fold properly over the second.
 
When I jump I do not try and see a stride or alter Ben in anyway. I get a nice forward canter and then sit up and back. I count the strides to the fence because this helps me predict when we are going to take off and keeps me breathing. As I line Ben up for the jump I make sure that he is straight and then I pick an object in the distance which is high up and I focus my eyes on it (normally the top of a tree). I keep my leg on and do not take my eyes off the object I am looking at - I don't look at the jump at all. Ben then does the job of jumping. If I look at the jump, Ben tends to knock it and loses his canter stride. I only fold forward as he takes off. My instructor tells me that my job is creating impulsion and making sure the line to the jump is straight - it is Bens job to jump it.
 
Thanks guys. Some good tips there I will try tonight as our last attempt before Sunday. Assuming we get the morning off to go ;)

Ale I will try bridging, never thought of that. Joosie he does wear a breastplate, I just never think to use it for that. We usually grab mane though. I do end up to far forward and collapsing on his neck. Usually though he stops dead and throws his head up to put me back in the saddle and carrys on :rolleyes:

Mp I will try and focus on something in the distance. I have an awful habit of looking down in general. Wether its jumping of general schooling
 
The thing that has improved all my riding over the last few months is looking up and not down. It makes a huge difference in the way that Ben goes. If I look where I want to go and focus all my energy on getting there, he goes really well. If I look down, it normally all goes wrong!
 
Im normally looking at his head. Is he round, wheres he looking, whats he doing, am I on the right diaganol, is he on the right leg etc etc etc. Any excuse not to be looking where im going tbh :rolleyes:
 
Dannii5691 said:
Im normally looking at his head. Is he round, wheres he looking, whats he doing, am I on the right diaganol, is he on the right leg etc etc etc. Any excuse not to be looking where im going tbh :rolleyes:
Click to expand...

LOL - one thing my RI is constantly trying to drum into me is to look for the next fence! As I'm jumping one I should be looking for the next. After a jump Raf is allowed ONE stride to sort himself out and then must be ready for the next fence, which means I have to concentrate on getting him there. It's hard but I keep trying.

On our one and only (so far) outing to a show we knocked the last fence down because I stopped riding - I suppose I had nothing else to look for after the fence so just relaxed. Apparently it's a common mistake.
 
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