Jump preparation

[Anne]

Heather .... Having regained my confidence at last, along with my new loan horse I've decided to start jump lessons again. I school my horse on my own during the week, and have been using trotting poles, first in rising trot and now in "floating" trot, which is how I learned to jump initially.

My horse is very forward-going and trots over the poles beautifully, but I find that if I trot her over in RT she is very bouncy, whereas in floating trot, my balance is much better and we are much more in tune, and she doesn't hollow, obviously

Anyway, I noticed one of the other riders in my yard giving me very disapproving looks last week, and although one of the senior grooms said how light she looked as we went over, and I should think about starting to jump her as she loves this discipline, I couldn't help wondering if I perhaps should not have been "floating" over, as well as on approach to the poles?

I know the difference between this light seat and the "fold", and have always cantered in the light seat, rather than sitting to canter,on a hack, but have I become confused somewhere along the line, and I shouldn't actually be using the floating trot to prepare for jumps?

I'm starting lessons again this Friday, but the tutors at this yard are strictly BHS, and have in the past found BHS methods a little inflexible compared to yours, which I have to say, work for me, so I would appreciate your comments on above .... I'm going to the yard tomorrow to school my mare, and would like some advice if you can post before then?

Many thanks

Anne

 

[Heather]

By 'floating trot' I presume you mean standing in your stirrups and folding forward, so that your seat is hovering above the saddle?

The reason that you find her bouncy as she goes over the poles is that she is performing a step not unlike passage, which has a lot of upward lift to it. If you and she find it confortable at this point, what the Hell? If you are regaining your confidence and it helps, it is certainly not going to do your horse any harm- far better that your seat is light than thumping down and heavy.

I can't understand this rigid, po-faced attitude to be found in so many yards. There is no written 11th Commandment that 'thou shalt not hover in trot when negotiating trotting poles on your horse' that I know of!

Start to jump small fences when you feel confident and ready. Don't let others push you into it until you feel ready. By all means let a competent and confident friend or an instructor that you trust, pop her over a couple of small fences first, particularly if you haven't seen her jump, as this will give you a guide to how she jumps, if for instance she jumps quite big, at least you will know what you have to cope with before attempting it yourself.

And don't forget, listen to your horse. If she is happier with you doing your floating trot, bum out of the saddle, then do it, and ignore the reproving glances. They would be the first to criticise too if you attempted to jump her before you felt ready, and ended up making a hash of it. All in good time!


Heather

 

[Anne]

Hello Heather ....

Thanks so much for your quick reply and advice ... I feel better already and will let you know how I get on ....

Anne