How do I improve my jump position?

Question

When I jump my position is good on the take off but I don't put my bum far enough back when we're level in the air, and on the way down, and the landing, my leg sometimes swings back and my heels go up, especially on the right side. Any idea while this happens? What can I do to stop it, other than constantly reminding myself when I jump. I want it to be natural, so that I do it without thinking. Also any ideas of flat work I can do to help? As much detail as possible - Thanks.

Answer 1

It sounds like you have a weak lower leg. And the only way to fix it is to make it stronger. Also im not sure the size of your horse but if they have a small barrel it will be harder to keep your leg at the girth because there is no horse.

So after many months of trying to fix this problem in me i devloped a sort of prymaid to what you should start with.

1.Start with standing in your stirrups. This may sound easy but it is quite hard. Stand straight up and push your hips slightly over the pommel. Do this until you can hold it at the walk, trot and canter for as long as you want. (when you stand in the stirrups keep your legs at the girth-in their correct place, don't hold onto the reins very tight balance off your legs not the horse)

2.Move on to standing over trot poles. This standing in the stirrups will allow you to devlop a natural balance. Also start posting with out stirrups. Post for 5 minutes until you can post as long as you want without getting tired.

3. Start doing small jumps standing and trot poles without stirrups. Once you feel secure and don't get off balance move on to jumping without stirrups.

4. Being able to do a whole 2.9 course without stirrups.

(when you jump without stirrups at first you will feel yourself landing on your horses back. -Thats ok your not going to hurt him-also your postion errors will become 10X clearer)

Running is great way to build leg strength. I run everyday plus i walk a large hill in one of the pastures with my barrels pony so we can both work on strengthing our legs.

Reminding yourself is great exept when you forget. :). Think of shoving your heel fowarrd like your trying to touch the horses nose while jumping. This will help equalize the fact that your leg goes to far back.

Try tying your stirrups to the girth. This will allow you to feel the correct place of your foot when going over the fences and let you know what you are trying to acheive. If you do this for a while your leg muscles will start to devlop in order to keep your leg their.

After all that your legs should be pretty srong. Once your legs are stronger your butt problem will start to fix its self because you are in the correct postion.

Also for your back-think about laying your arms on the horses neck and looking up ahead-keeping your chest up-trust me it works perfect.

Hope this helps :)

Also i almost forgot

Bounce grids of like four jumps allows you to focus on your postion and is a great exercises.

Set your jumps 10' apart and the jumps 2ft this will allow you to feel your problems plus practice all those above exercises.

Good luck

Answer 2

here's a good tip to stop you'er legs swinging back...get a fiver or some kind of note money, and hold it to the horse's sides with your calf. if you drop it, then you have to give it to the instructor/put it in a jar to buy your horse something nice :) honestly you;ll learn to grip quickly :P

as for the jumping position, i think you need more balance.try trotting for as long as you can whilst in the jumping position, and then cantering. this improves balance and you should be able to apply this to when you're jumping.

practice makes perfect remember! hope this helped :)

Answer 3

Hold tighter with your thighs and put the weight of your body in your heels. Keeps your heels down, but down lean too far forward

Answer 4

I do a very simlar thing but it doesn't affect  how horses jump for me and so I have never really been bothered by it.

If you want to improve it, do some jumping without stirrups on a trustworthy horse. Gridwork can really help as you are jumping out of a rhythm and have time to think about what you are doing.

Answer 5

Start by posting at a trot on the flat, without your stirrups. Build strength by practicing that, when ever you ride. While posting without stirrups, heals down--hold tight with your thigh and lower leg, not your knees. If you put weight into your ankles down, you won't use your knee. When you jump--use your stirrups, but practice a few times crouching down low as your horse makes the stretch, without your seat barely leaving the saddle -- maybe a few inches, stretching your arms out longer on the crest of the neck to give your horse plenty of bit while over the fence. This will help your legs to remain stable and help you get a different feel, a tighter feel, more together. After a few good practices, strengthening your muscles with the posting--no stirrups, then you can work on your proper form again. You should have much improvement from doing this.  To get your rhythm correct, count your strides into the fence, one, two three, up for the horse and close contact for you. Good Luck and give this a try.

Answer 6

Hi ! This sounds stupid but when I started jumping it was my cousin who taught me, because she has a livery/lesson farm. But she always gave me this song to remember...

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=mTwepb7S4P...

The chours is quite catchy so whenever I was jumping she shouted put your *** in the air or she put that bit of the song on. I had the same problem as you but I don't know how the song helped and it sounded stupid but hey, It fixed my position! =]

Answer 7

I see this a lot in the lesson kids. It all stems from a lack of leg strength. So the way to fix it is to do LOTS of work with no stirrups. Walk, trot, canter, jump - no stirrups. Once your leg is stronger, much of this will naturally resolve itself. But a good way to think of it is when you're going over the jump, you want to stick your butt out, heels down, and just "perch" there. A lot of people get too active with their upper body and it ends up throwing them and the horse off balance, which can lead to the leg swinging and all that other stuff. One more option that may help you is to tie your stirrup irons to your girth. Your leg will be held in place and it will help you get a feel for what the correct position should feel like. You may want to start by tying them loosely, then as you get used to it, tighten them up. But again, I cannot stress how much your leg strength plays a role, so the most important thing to do is work without irons as much as possible. Good luck and have fun!

Answer 8

you have to lean back then forwraad and you have to go with the rithem