# Millie and I jumping



## MillieSantana (Feb 17, 2013)

Hey guys, this my mare, Matilda, and I jumping about 2'6. It's an oxer with a cross rail, then a straight pole with half barrels in front of the overturned barrels I use as standards. Be as harsh as you like. I'm so proud of my baby, this was our second time jumping this jump. I bent back down after the jump because she stumbled. Thanks guys!


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## EdmontonHorseGal (Jun 2, 2013)

i would have collected her up a little more, it seems you are rushing the jump (could be why she stumbled too).


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## MillieSantana (Feb 17, 2013)

Yep, she's a rusher. I've been circling her and half halting her in the approach, and just keeping her collected, it's working pretty well, she's just gotta accept that she can't gallop over everything. Thanks so much!

Anything I should change in my form or position?


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## EdmontonHorseGal (Jun 2, 2013)

with you jumping bareback, it obviously will be different form than in a saddle, but all i see that may be fixed is you are gripping a lot with the back of your calves. i haven't jumped bareback in years, and when i did the jumps were smaller than what you are going over. others with more experience will be able to chime in better i'm sure.


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## MillieSantana (Feb 17, 2013)

It's showing up for me. I'll work on it. I'm trying to uplaod another video of me on a different mare that I excersie for her owner.


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## alexischristina (Jun 30, 2009)

Sloooow doooown. Flying at a jump is what is going to knock rails and cause accidents around corners. She took a super long spot because she didn't have a good, balanced canter on the approach. Sit up, woah a little bit and get a quieter canter step well before coming to the jump. You want impulsion more than you want speed, which will help you be able to jump effectively.


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## MillieSantana (Feb 17, 2013)

Ok, like I said, I've been working on slowing her down. Thanks guys.


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## Hidalgo13 (Dec 24, 2010)

What you can do that I saw my instructor do with another student's horse is this (he was also a rusher). You trot towards the jump but right before it, you turn her sharply and do a circle, and you keep doing circles right before the jump until she trots nicely and doesn't try to anticipate it.


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## cakemom (Jul 4, 2010)

I would suggest trot poles before your jump. Get her into her brain mode. It's what I do with our young mare and man is her form coming around.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## alexischristina (Jun 30, 2009)

I would caution you against what Hidalgo is suggesting, you may turn one bad habit into another and create a horse that runs out. Another good alternative is to trot to the fence and immediately woah afterwards, or take the jump on a circle so she has to think about where she's going afterwards, and doesn't have time to get into 'rushing' mode. Grid work can also work wonders.
Although watching your video, your canter is way too big and fast WELL before the jump, I think this is a problem that needs to be solved on the flat first. If you have a generally rushy canter, you're not going to be able to slow her down approaching a jump. I suggest working on control on the flat FIRST.


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## MillieSantana (Feb 17, 2013)

I can collect her easily on the flat, and she had a wonderful, rounded, canter, until we jump. I didn't jump today, but I'll definitely keep y'all s help in mind.


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## MillieSantana (Feb 17, 2013)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eNIazD3QDn0

I edited it so that it plays the jump again in slow motion.


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## iwishihadahorse (Jun 11, 2013)

I know it's difficult without a saddle, but try to stay in 2-point position a little longer after you take off. Other than that I'm really impressed!


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## MillieSantana (Feb 17, 2013)

Ok, I took Matilda to a cross-country course, but I only got pics of their stadium jumps. Tear me to shreds. I'm mortified by my landings and toes, any advice would be great. There are a ton, but most are frame by frame pics.

Having issues, they may come a few at a time. Or one. Thanks guys!


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## MillieSantana (Feb 17, 2013)

Oh, I just want to add that I haven't jumped since the last time I posted.


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## MillieSantana (Feb 17, 2013)

More pics!


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## MillieSantana (Feb 17, 2013)

Last ones! I may be able to get the videos up tomorrow, I'll work on it. Thanks you guys!


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## MillieSantana (Feb 17, 2013)

Ok, just wanted to add, the jumps were just randomly placed, so some have awkward angles...

Also, she didn't rush, not once. In fact, I had to push her to keep her canter, I thiink it was because there was more than one jump, so she couldn't focus on just the one for too long.

This is Turner jumping. She doesn't like jumping very much, but I wanted to build her confidence. Ignore the other kids, they came out to ride for the day.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3pBQTh1ZU68


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## MillieSantana (Feb 17, 2013)

Ok, here are the videos from the course. Ignore the white jump with poles in front of it. She went over it once, then, never again.


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## alexischristina (Jun 30, 2009)

I strongly suggest you stop jumping in a Western saddle, the shape of the saddle keeps you from being able to stay close to the tack- your upper body is way up in the air, and in a couple of pictures you look like you're inches away from gutting yourself. The stirrups do your legs no favours, letting them swing back too much. And notice how your center of gravity is pushed way back against the cantle of the saddle OR bumped way forward? It also keeps from distributing the shock of landing properly over your horses back- because it wasn't designed for jumping- and can cause problems in the long run. 

You need to bring your elbows in a little, relax through your shoulders to keep from 'hunching' and get your feet forward in the stirrup so the stirrup isn't on the arch of your foot. Hold your position sitting in the saddle, shoulders back, eyes up, until your horse jumping pushes you up and out of the tack instead of jumping ahead.


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## Allison Finch (Oct 21, 2009)

alexischristina said:


> I would caution you against what Hidalgo is suggesting, you may turn one bad habit into another and create a horse that runs out. Another good alternative is to trot to the fence and immediately woah afterwards, or take the jump on a circle so she has to think about where she's going afterwards, and doesn't have time to get into 'rushing' mode. Grid work can also work wonders.
> Although watching your video, your canter is way too big and fast WELL before the jump, I think this is a problem that needs to be solved on the flat first. If you have a generally rushy canter, you're not going to be able to slow her down approaching a jump. I suggest working on control on the flat FIRST.


I often do what Hidalgo does with rushers. They WANT that jump. It is only when they approach it nicely that they are allowed to jump as a reward. If they are dirty duckers, of course, I would know not to use this technique. Rushers are less likely to be duckers, IME.

do agree that many of this horse's vice could be fixed with flat work. As for your position, it is such a short video it is hard to judge. And, as said, bareback will not be the same problems as riding in a saddle.


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## Allison Finch (Oct 21, 2009)

After seeing the other photos/videos I will say a couple of things. 

1. Please wear a helmet. Your horse is green and so are you. A bad accident in the making.

2. You DO need to try to get an english saddle. Western saddles put you too much behind the movement and make it hard to use your leg properly. Your leg needs to stay at the girth and keep contact with the lower leg more. Very hard to do in a western saddle.

3. You are sitting back too soon over the jump. You need to stay more forward over the jump. Jumping with a western curb bit can be tough when you sit back so soon. It is very hard to avoid hitting the horse in the mouth when you do this.


You are a talented rider. I would bet that with the proper tack and a decent instructor, you could go far. I like your horse, too.

I really like this photo. It shows a nice moving horse that would probably like an english life!!


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## MillieSantana (Feb 17, 2013)

Matilda is strongly against English saddles, so that won't be happening for a while. Also, I know that it looked like it, but I wasn't going to get gutted. I know that jumping in a Western saddle is dangerous, for that very reson, but I spent a whole year working on stabilizing myself over the horn. I'm fairly confident about it.

Ok, thanks. I'll definatley work on my timing and relaxing!

Thanks so much guys! I don't plan to show her, and I don't want to be perfect, but right know I'm mortified by my position. Thanks!


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## MillieSantana (Feb 17, 2013)

Just saw the last post, thanks so much! I really like that picture too. Would you beleive my mare mare is over-weight and short? And I had been wearing a helmet, I just didn't put it back on for the last round, as well as my saddle.


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## alexischristina (Jun 30, 2009)

Out of curiosity, what is it about English saddles she doesn't like? 

I had a gelding who was terrified of English saddles, but he was 25 and had never in his life seen one until I bought him, but he got over it. Unless it's pain related (in which case she probably shouldn't be jumping) chances are she can too. I would just worry about jumping consistently in a Western saddle harming your horses back.


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## Allison Finch (Oct 21, 2009)

English saddles are more difficult to fit than most other saddles. And, if a saddle doesn't fit well, there are pressure points that make it uncomfortable. Check the fit, would be my advice here.


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## MillieSantana (Feb 17, 2013)

It seems to fit her fine, but I'll check again.

She just seems outa wack. It's also an uncomfortable fit to me, just because she is so wide, I feel like I can't grip. it also makes her neck look really long.. I'm probably just used to my thinner Santana... I'll try her again, thanks guys. Oh, do you have any ways to make temporary jumps with things around the barn?


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