tips for jumping position/heels down

sophie33

sophie33

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Aug 8, 2004
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In a couple of weeks I have my next PRT exams. I'm taking 5 and 6 but don't expect to pass 6 this time. However, I'll be disappointed if I fail 5. Last time I took 4 and 5 - passed 4 and only failed 5 because I didn't keep my heels down enough (I don't mean they had to be a long way down, sometimes mine were higher than my toes, I think consistently horizontal would have done!) and in particular because I didn't keep them down in jumping position and my jumping position was generally pants (we don't have to jump - just go over trotting poles in jumping position). So I've been practising since, and think that I keep my heels down okay in general, especially cos I've shortened my stirrups a hole to make it easier. However, I am still not very good at jumping position. I find it really difficult to keep my lower leg in the right place and to be able to keep my lower leg in contact with the horses side. It is made more difficult because the horse I'm riding is ridden in a dressage saddle - but it is the only one he has and he is an angel of a horse so I don't want to swap him!
Sorry for the book - but does anyone have any tips - I've still got 2 more lessons to practise them in!
 
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It's not really fair to expect you to ride well in a forward position in a dressage saddle.
 
At the riding school where I used to go, we were told at the beginning of every lesson 'stand up in your stirrups to strengthen the lower leg', and then we did a lot of walking and trotting ... It really did help with strength and balance, and it made working in jumping position much easier.

Wally's right about the saddle of course, but I don't suppose there's much you can do about that, is there.

What's PRT, by the way?
 
Thanks LindaAd, I'll ask to try that next lesson. And Wally, thanks you've triggered a brainwave! For PRT 6 you have to ride two horses, so I will be briefly swapping onto another horse in a GP saddle, I could ask to do some more forward seat then, hopefully proving it was the saddle's fault not mine! :biggrin:
LindaAd - Progressive Riding Tests. Basically it is BHS stage 1 broken into 6 bite size chunks so you can do it as part of your riding lessons. Being a bit sad, I like being tested and measuring my progress (or lack of it...)
 
sophie33 said:
Thanks LindaAd, I'll ask to try that next lesson. And Wally, thanks you've triggered a brainwave! For PRT 6 you have to ride two horses, so I will be briefly swapping onto another horse in a GP saddle, I could ask to do some more forward seat then, hopefully proving it was the saddle's fault not mine! :biggrin:
LindaAd - Progressive Riding Tests. Basically it is BHS stage 1 broken into 6 bite size chunks so you can do it as part of your riding lessons. Being a bit sad, I like being tested and measuring my progress (or lack of it...)
Click to expand...

Thanks for the explanation Sophie. As someone who did a whole series of piano exams as an adult, I quite understand the importance of benchmarks. I don't think it's sad at all :smile:

Good luck with this one!
 
I passed! As expected 5 but not 6 but I'm pretty chuffed with that! And everyone else passed too. Some good advice from examiner (my favourite was - you need to have time enjoying riding, take a riding holiday - I agree now I just need to find the £!) And about my forward seat she said - it was a miracle you managed to do in that saddle - well done :cloud9: thanks for the tips folks!
 
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