Hunter jumper help?

Question

Hey there, so I'm having some problems with my position for my h/j. I've been riding for 9 years, I have all the basics down and such, but i am a smaller rider, my arms aren't terribly long, so I have a tendancy to keep my arms out straight when I canter or trot. My trainer wants me to have the 'classic' look with a straight line from bit to elbow, and have my elbow bent from there, I'm having an extermely hard time getting this to happen, any tips? Honestly, I try to keep it, but I ride a horse that is a pain to ride, and i always end up losing my arm position, any tips to keep it?

Answer 1

It depends on why you have your hands like that:

If you do it b/c your horse likes to have his head down, he has a long neck, and/or your reins aren't very long:

Keep your reins short so that you have control/feel of the bit, and if your horse likes his head to be low to the ground, then pull upwards so that it pulls his head up, and if he thinks you are trying to get him to slow down, then give him a squeeze/kick so that he knows that you're not lookin for that.

If your horse does keep his neck up but you just have a habit of having your arms like that:

I doubt you'd have long reins if your arms are stuck straight out like that, so you'd probably be having reins that are too short, so loosen them up a bit where it is still a straight line from the bit to the elbow, but you still have good control.

If you like you have your arms like that:

I personally hate it, because when your arms are forward then it makes your body lean forward, then you feel like you have no balance, so just think about the bad things about keeping your arms straight.

Basically, the main thing is to keep your reins short (not too much), and you have two options when you have short reins:

1.) Having your arms straight out like sticks, meaning that your reins are too short or you are letting your horse hold his head down

2.) Having your arms correctly placed, where your elbow is at your sides

When you say your horse is a pain to ride, how so? It may be your horse that is causing you to have your arms straight out like that, but theres always a way to get around it.

Answer 2

...Smaller horse?! IDK, good luck.

Answer 3

if you have your horse on the bit and in a frame it will allow you to keep your arms slightly more straight :)

Answer 4

Hold your arms to your side and think that your holding something there with them