Is there an improvement in my jumping position?

Question

I've been working on my position doing flatwork for a month, and my leg feels much more secure, so I wondering if you could see a difference?

This is the video from last month (where I'm over folding and kinda chucking myself into a jumping position:)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P2An09B1aB8

(me jumping him starts at around 1 minute though if you want to jump ahead sorry!)

And this is from yesterday:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9U4wQ7xgCUE

I know i've still got a lot of work to do, but I felt much more comfortable jumping him yesterday (over the first few jumps I know my hands are "stuck" btw), but my leg position felt secure which seemed to make my upper body slightly better (I think anyway which is why I'm asking for opinions lol).

Please don't comment anything about releasing more, I'm having enough trouble sitting up more over the fences rather than throwing my hands forward and over balancing myself at the moment aswell, but does my leg position look more secure?

Answer 1

Your legs are great, they held their position nicely. So don't change your leg position at all, its great!! Very firm, not swinging around alot (like mine does sometimes :P) So that's very good. Your legs are very secure, so great job on that.

Yea, your upper body needs a bit more work. In some of the clips, your upper body was great, but in a majority you'd hunch your shoulders a bit. I know, its difficult to get rid of this habit, I have it too : / So just be aware of that, but you are getting there!!

Great job though!! Your horse is gorgeous, he has a really nice jump. He looks like a bit of a handful, but he's still great. Awesome riding :]

Answer 2

You do not have enough of a release with your hands. You need to free up his head. This may be the result of his bolting and fast pace. Rather then have a death grip, you need to do hundreds of practice halts on the flat, on the approach to the fence, ect. Ideally, he should not increase in speed until you put your leg on. (I can ride around with my reins dropped)

You are a pretty rider, but hunching over kills the look. Pull your shoulders back (it took me forever to learn- but it's doable!) You will get knocked right out of the ribbons in any equitation class. Another thing that would finish your look is to canter in a half seat. You seem to dig in a bit when you canter. Simply raise two inches up out of the saddle when you canter, and then sit when you turn to approach the fence. This will make you look softer, not to mention be much easier on his back in the long run.

Answer 3

Your lower leg is definitely more stable in the second video. As you say, there is still quite a bit of work left to do, but as a whole in the second video, you are more consistent and stable. Like you said, you need to work on your upper body a bit- you tend to round your back over a fence and sit down a little early in the saddle. If you aren't doing this already, I would try the "three up, two down" exercise. It's easy to do, but will help you with keeping your butt out of the saddle a bit longer over the fence and will also help to stabilize your lower leg more. All it is, is a variation of the posting trot. You stay up in 2 point for 3 steps (1 1/2 complete strides) and sit for two steps (one complete trot stride). It helped me tremendously when I was eventing. It will really help you get your leg underneath your body. Keep up the good work.

Answer 4

i dont get why u let him run like that...and i know u dont really want him to cus ur walking up to the jump but then u like let him run...thats dangerous...why dont u just keep an even pace the whole time and not gun him the last couple strides

=)

Answer 5

you look alot better but keep your back straight and land in you 2 point.

Answer 6

its better in your leg. though now your heel isnt down all the time.

try lengthening your stirrup one hole and try that. you might feel that it is better or easier to put your weight in your heels.

you back is reallyyyyy hunched, almost like you are trying to curl up into a ball. while you are going over the fence. really try to think about sticking your shoulders up toward the sky and that will flatten out your back.

Answer 7

After watching your jumping clip you should really roll your shoulders back and hold your horse back between jumps. If it helps count 1 2 3 JUMP. If you do 2 jumps at the same time make sure that you have the correct measurements for your horse to get over them correctly. But GREAT JOB! You look great!

Answer 8

in your first video i saw that you needed some work. i think you need to keep your heels down more. your secnd video looks way better. you need to rember to keep your weight off his neck when your goin over the jump. your two-point looks a bit better but you shouldnt do it too early. rember...you should do it right when the horses two front legs are in the air. yes i think your leg looks a bit stronger. and i noticed that your leg doesn't move around as much

good luck riding in the future!

Answer 9

Its a little hard for me to see your hands in the video, partially because I am not wearing my glasses but I do notice one thing you do on a lot of your jumps is kind of hunching your back up. You do it about 65% of your jumps and I have seen you look relaxed in some but you continue to do that in both of the videos.  I saw a few more with better form in the second video and you looked more relaxed and comfortable as well but I did notice the curling up of your back still.  Usually I see the opposite curl, where its more of an inverterd curl (cat vs. cow). But your really rolling your shoulders up a bit.

Answer 10

In all honesty.  I prefer seeing a young rider set their hands, like you've done, and not interfere with the horse. Then to  see them jerk and pull when their seat isn't secure, the automatic release will come in time.

there is some nice improvement in the two vid clips.  Keep working the flat with cavalletti's  up to 18 inches.   They will help you learn to balance as he jogs and bounces over them.

Maintain your 2 point until he has taken 2 full strides after the jump.  better to be up longer then needed then down on his back to soon and when your not balanced yet.

You might want to practice at the canter, going from 2 point to a deep canter seat and back again.  You dont want alfie to associate you going to 2 point with rushing to jump.

Keep up the great work

Answer 11

You do look much more secure, I'mw ith the first poster here, I'm without my glasses,s o I was squinting at it. xD only things, is that I think you need to release longer and not hunch over so much when jumping, remember ot keep your heelsdowa lso.

Answer 12

Your lower leg looks a lot better and you seem more stable. The only negative thing that I see is that you hands no longer move when you jump. They are staying in one spot. This may not be a problem over small jumps, but once you get to  larger obstacles, Alfie will need to be able to stretch more. If your hands don't move or flow with him, it will limit his movement. Just moving your hands up his neck a little when you jump will work well.