# Judge the Rider, Judge the Horse!! Videos! Jumping!



## xJumperx (Feb 19, 2012)

Here's one more video 





 
Ignore my high-pitch-praise at the end - It was his first course ever, and he did awesome, so I was estatic ^.^


----------



## sarahkgamble (Nov 7, 2011)

There are more people out there who will be able to critique you much better than me, since I'm learning jumping with my horse as well. I was actually hoping to learn something from your thread! Haha.

Our horses look like their both around the same level jumping-wise. It looks to me that he is very eager and has potential and you're a wonderful rider. 

By the way, I love where you're riding! I wish my barn's set up was more like that and we had hills to work on. Haha.


----------



## xJumperx (Feb 19, 2012)

Thank You ^.^ That means a lot to me!! The showing videos are from the barn I used to take lessons at, the last video is just at my home  It was nice at the old lesson barn - arena when you need it, and rolling field in the back when you don't  The problem was they had some crappy trainers... 

That's actually the flatest/largest spot at my house. It's all just slow, rolling hills (that's KY for ya) but it's straight there, so I jump ) 

Thank you for the compliments ^.^ I'm hoping to get vid of me jumping higher at some point. We were getting Cowboy used to 2', but he got his shoes pulled recently, so no jumping for tenderfoot for a little bit :/ He has a hard time finding a distance, and relies on me telling him. Any ideas on that?


----------



## sarahkgamble (Nov 7, 2011)

xJumperx said:


> Thank You ^.^ That means a lot to me!! The showing videos are from the barn I used to take lessons at, the last video is just at my home  It was nice at the old lesson barn - arena when you need it, and rolling field in the back when you don't  The problem was they had some crappy trainers...
> 
> That's actually the flatest/largest spot at my house. It's all just slow, rolling hills (that's KY for ya) but it's straight there, so I jump )
> 
> Thank you for the compliments ^.^ I'm hoping to get vid of me jumping higher at some point. We were getting Cowboy used to 2', but he got his shoes pulled recently, so no jumping for tenderfoot for a little bit :/ He has a hard time finding a distance, and relies on me telling him. Any ideas on that?


I live in SC, it's super flat everywhere, unfortunately since I don't live in the upstate.

I don't have a lot of experience under my belt with jumping. I started before my trainer moved, was doing good, and then she moved and I switched to a barn who doesn't have many jumpers (that's where I am now). I love it out there, but it's tough when I mostly have to teach myself everything. So, my horse and I are learning together, luckily he's a patient boy. I'm just getting him comfortable over jumps right now and he's pretty good with distance so far. Wish I could be of more help!


----------



## RoosHuman (Dec 27, 2011)

What an awesome 4 year old!


----------



## MeLikesUke (Apr 9, 2012)

Overall, everything looks very good! You both seem happy and I love that he doesn't rush to the jumps. I would work on getting him to be a little more active in his gaits, not faster, but more active. That will help him pick up his feet more at the trot and keep him from wanting to break at the canter. You two are really good and relaxed together, though, and I think you'll progress very well!


----------



## crimsonsky (Feb 18, 2011)

no expert here - but i would work on getting him to use his back more and taking more contact. it looks like there is basically no contact at all between your hands/upper body and his mouth which means there is no cycling of his energy from behind - through - repeat. otherwise i think you two make a lovely pair and the cadence was good. he has a bit of a head bob going on that i'm not sure what to think of. :/


----------



## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)

crimsonsky said:


> no expert here - but i would work on getting him to use his back more and taking more contact. it looks like there is basically no contact at all between your hands/upper body and his mouth which means there is no cycling of his energy from behind - through - repeat. otherwise i think you two make a lovely pair and the cadence was good. *he has a bit of a head bob going on that i'm not sure what to think of. :/*





I saw this, too. When you circled him he did a bit of head bobbing.

I think he needs a bit more energy, and you need to make sure that your hands are not too uneven. At times, your inside hand was much farther back and lower than your outside and looked like you had some lean going on in your upper body. 

All and all, looked about right for a 4 year old . I love the relaxed way that you sit him, very nicely balanced and simpathetic to his back.


----------



## ElaineLighten (Jan 1, 2012)

I do think you look very good, there's a couple of things I could think of for you to work on:
1. I think you need to keep a better contact with cowboy in the reins. Do you normally ride western? Depending on the horse (some have lighter or softer contacts) it should feel like you have a bag of shopping in each hand. When he's cantering, move your hands with his head movements to maintain that contact, then give a release over the fences. It might help to stop him wiggling between the fences. 
2. Maybe start working up to cantering your courses, that way you can work out strides, and I don't know about you, but I find it far more comfortable to jump fences at the canter!

Hope this helped


----------



## pepperduck (Feb 14, 2008)

Since most has already been covered I wanted to just add to not worry about his knees too much. Its a low height, hes not going to have beautiful form over it where he tucks his knees and looks picture perfect. Once the height goes up and he has to put more effort over the fence the knees will start to look better and from there you can decide if he needs work on it.


----------



## xJumperx (Feb 19, 2012)

crimsonsky said:


> he has a bit of a head bob going on that i'm not sure what to think of. :/


You would be correct, he does have a bob. There is a gravel driveway on the way to the show pen. Even after picking his feet beforehand, when we picked his feet after the class we noticed he had a large sharp bit of gravel in his frog. It was pobably hurting :'( 

No, I never ride Cowboy western. Honestly, I'm just a bit afraid of making him hard in his mouth. At the canter we have been working on collecting him and making him use himself. Do you all mean that I should have a tighter contact with his mouth? That's what we've been woking, if this isn't the case, please specify 

As you can tell from the home-video, I do like to canter the courses ^.^ One of the big reasons I trotted was because Cowboy was already tired - It was his first show, last classes of a big day, and it was hot. He had worked really hard, and in warm-up I could tell it would be hard on him to push through the whole 2 courses at a canter. When we build his stamina a little more, we will grab a hold of cantering everything 

Thank you all for the lovely coments on Cowboy  Yes, he is likely the most docile 4 yr old I have riden  OTTB 4 yrs, at least 

About him rushing the jumps - he is starting to try it. We will jump, stop, and back. Not for punishment, just so he anticipates it, and won't charge. So that keeps that habit at bay. We don't do that every jump, just if he gets fast, and I'll still throw one in ever so often.

And lastly, I do have a tendancy to lean forward x.x Any excersises to help this?
Keep the comments coming! Thank you all!


----------



## xJumperx (Feb 19, 2012)

Here's a picture from jumping the 14.1 hh Diamond today  This is over a 2' vert.


----------



## xJumperx (Feb 19, 2012)

So let me get everything straight -

I need to -

Get more contact w/ Cowboy
Make him use himself more
Try cantering courses.

Yay! Any comments on my jumping position? Here's another video -

Diamond Jumping - YouTube


----------



## horsemadgirl (Aug 23, 2011)

You bounce quite a bit in you canter, but apart from that its looking GREAT! gorgeous horse btw


----------



## xJumperx (Feb 19, 2012)

Thank You!! I am learning Cowboy's high-withered bounce he puts me in - I'm used to smooth-as-silk, no-withered Diamond, so yes, I do need to work on it. Thank you on Cowboy's behalf for his wonderful compliment ^.^


----------



## Amberish2002 (May 26, 2012)

*Hi!*

Please get his left front checked by a vet. He's head bobbing at the walk and when going in a straight line, Not just on a circle as pointed out by previous responders. Seems like a nice guy who wants to please you good luck!


----------



## LynnF (Jun 1, 2011)

To add on to what others have said, I would like to see you coming into the lines straighter and keeping him straight between jumps. This will come with practice and work on balance. Work on keeping your hands even and using your reins more effectively, shortening up your reins a bit may help with this. Getting more active and engaged movement will come from lots and lots of practice. Work on using your seat and leg to drive him forward and get him working from his hind end. 
Overall you guys seem like a great team!


----------



## Amberish2002 (May 26, 2012)

*Jumping position*

You asked for comment on jumping position: Btw, didn't see your comment on his soundness before I posted before... Glad u got it figured out. 
From the still picture, Your upper body looks good, leg slipping back a bit. Definitely some time in sitting trot and without stirrups would help build your base. And maybe a hair shorter stirrup? Don't want you to be uncomfortable, but you want to be secure. An additional suggestion... Maybe some full seat breeches.. They'll give you some added grip without having to grip harder, and would help with bounce, sliding too. ( btw, good to see a young rider bringing along a young horse so well... Doesn't happen often these days! )


----------



## KelliB (May 7, 2012)

To me (completely unexperienced in jumping but concidering trying it out) it just doesnt look smooth. But you're obviously working on it. I definitely am glad you posted so I can also read the critique and have some future tips. Gorgeous horse btw. I'm sure you'll end up doing very well. How long have you been riding if you don't mind me asking? And how long have you been jumping?


----------



## MudPaint (Aug 14, 2010)

I agree with earlier posts that you need to get him more active, he does look better at the home video, but even then his canter kinda seems ho-hum. 

If you were my student, I'd have you opening up your upper body a bit more. This way you can start pushing his butt under him and really rounding him. It also allows him to get in front of your leg so he's going forward to the fence (it'll help get distances and start rounding over fences). You need to raise your hands off his withers. This way you can actively help left his front end, and capture that forward movement and curtail it to your needs. You can still do this with a soft contact by creating an elastic bend in your elbow. 

I think you and your horse are at a good place for his age... what I mentioned is a direction you should start moving as his training is really going to start in earnest.


----------

