# Show jumping practise 2 (from jumping today)



## alexischristina (Jun 30, 2009)

I don't think your horse needs to be going any faster than he was throughout a lot of the video, the mishaps with distances didn't come from him not having enough 'power' but more from the way you tipped your body. If you jump for him he's going to squeeze in an extra stride and do a bit of a 'park and pop' over the jump, because you're in his way. If I were you I'd go back to smaller jumps and work on NOT jumping ahead and NOT getting left behind, you need a more consistent position before you raise the jumps.

Is that your coach yelling at you in the background?

**Additionally I think you would benefit from bringing your leg BACK a bit, keeping your leg at the girth is one thing, but you're sitting in a 'chair' seat with your legs out ahead of you. Keeping your leg at the girth does not mean breaking how cohesive your position is.


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## Oxer (Jul 9, 2010)

albeit i am not a trainer... but if you were my student....
I'd have you cantering over one single cross rail. back and forth. figure eight pattern over and over and over that little cross rail until your distances, position, and release were on point *every single time*. I think if you could see your distances better, you would feel more confident on your approach. your horse is a saint.


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## LostDragonflyWings (Feb 1, 2012)

I watched both this video and a little of the video from your other thread.

I honestly think you need to lower the fences and go back to focusing on your position/seat and strenght in your legs. You kept getting left behind, you fell forward a few times, and you are not giving a release (which I know you said you were working on). The horse is a great packer for putting up with all of that and keeping going. You kind of looked a little all over the place and not secure in the saddle though.

Go back to your flat work and work on keeping your hands low and quiet. Work in the 2-point position at the walk, trot, and canter (you can even practice your release doing this). Work on trotting poles and canter poles.

Once you are able to hold yourself better in the saddle, go back to jumping... but small crossrails, not verticles. Practice on staying up out of the saddle and giving a release. Once you accomplish small crossrails, raise them and see how you do.

I am assuming that is your trainer directing you in the video? I am not sure what exactly you were working on during that ride, but was a little surprised she said "perfect" over the x-rail combination, when you got left behind over both of them.

If you video yourself when your trainer is not there as well, instead of jumping fence after fence after fence, go over 1-3 of them (while having it video taped), stop, go watch the videos, point out what you need to work on, and try the fences again... then repeat. While taking videos, going home, uploading them to the computer, and watching them IS very helpful, it is ALSO helpful to stop and look at the videos while you are still in the ring. If you do that, then you can point out "oh, I didn't give a release over any of those fences.... let me go try it again right now and focus on that"... then go do it, watch the new video and see if you tackled the issue properly.

You just need to relax (especially your arms!) and remember to focus. Use a mental checklist when approaching, going over, and after the fence.


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## OliviaMyee (Jul 31, 2012)

Thank you all for your critique  I do practise smaller jumps my self (when i have the time and choice) and that is not my trainer that is Slips owner as i lease Slip, i want to just practise smaller jumps for now. Hopefully i will be allowed to jump the hight i am comfortable and not tense going over by Slips owner i think i will as she put the jumps down for me in the video. When i am tense i can be all over the jumps and i do forgot courses very easily. So when i ride by my self i ride over one small jump over and over again like one of you suggested. Last time i rode with a friend we went over the same 3-4 jumps and they were nearly all cross rails and very small, most of the time i didn't feel i was getting left behind as much and i was much less scared. I will keep practising over smaller jumps and keep you updated, hopefully i will gain my confidence back over the small jumps and be much less tense to start releasing, but my biggest concern is being left behind it's a horrible feeling. I will do trot pole work in the arena but i don't know what a true half seat looks like and in riding lessons i have hardly done much work on a half seat either but of you tell me what it looks like and what to do i will practise it in canter and over trot poles ect  thanks so much i listened to what you people said on my other post and doing what you said it really helped because i was thinking about it.


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## cakemom (Jul 4, 2010)

Sorry, if you were mine you'd be jumping 18in x jumps and doing tons of trot and 2 point work. You aren't ready to jump until your body has the strength and memory.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## mudpie (Jul 15, 2011)

You really need to work on your two point. You need to be up out of his way. Get up off his back and out of his way, and stay in two point, then don't move. Let him close your angles, and then get right back up. None of this sitting down between each jump nonsense. Stay UP all through your course. Yeah, it gets painful, but it's what you've gotta do.  

Also you need to release. You have no release at all. I talked to my trainer about releases yesterday, and she explained it to me this way: "When you feel your horse rock back to take off, push your hands forward and slide them up his neck. After he lands, wait until his back feet are on the ground, and then return your hands back."

You're also fiddling with your hands the entire time, tugging this way and that on his mouth. You need to be keeping a consistent contact; it's just obnoxious, otherwise. You can easily create an unhappy, unresponsive horse by messing with your hands too much. Lower your hands and keep them still. Ride and steer from your seat, not your hands.

And WOW, his, er, owner, is quite vocal, isn't she? That would make me extremely nervous. She's not giving you a lot of great instruction; try riding with your trainer more.

Also, don't jump every day. You should jump a MAXIMUM of twice a week. It appears to me like both you and the horse are tired. He's picking up the wrong leads, and is just lacking in energy. He's such a sweet saint, and a total trooper. You should be doing flatwork for most of the week. If you don't ride every day, then balance his workouts to be mainly flatwork. If you ride once a week, don't jump during that ride.


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## OliviaMyee (Jul 31, 2012)

*did a group lesson 2 day*

I rode today on a very small pony in a group lesson, we did very small jumps 35 cm and i didn't get left behind or have any troubles i also did releases ! My instructor said how far i have come from last time at the riding school and Im happy to know when Im jumping small and Im confidant i can jump the right way ... I will only do small jumps for now and practise releasing for Slip like i did for the little pony, i think that allot of the issues come from confidence and i don't want to loose any more confidence jumping to high ! I am glad to notice the hight that i am comfortable at i haven't lost my ability to release and i didn't get left behind once ! It is hard because when i ask for the jumps smaller Slips owner thinks Im to scared but most importantly i just want to get used to the larger jumps slowly and do it right i hate being left behind !
When i have a lesson with Slip at the agistment i will practise going over smaller jumps.


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## EvilHorseOfDoom (Jun 17, 2012)

Sounds like Slips' owner makes you tense by putting pressure on you. I know I ride terribly when people (who aren't good instructors) are watching and analysing me - I'll even forget my trot diagonals or take up the wrong canter lead, which I never do by myself, and my riding (and therefore the horse) just becomes all tense and ugly.

Are you able to ride Slips without the owner watching you? Or is it a condition of your lease?
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## OliviaMyee (Jul 31, 2012)

Some times i ride by myself. with an adult watching. Or with some friends but mostly 3 times a week it is with slips owner unless, i am having a lesson on Slip at the agistment. I have also booked in some private riding lessons at a horse riding school, but i will keep on having lessons on Slip with the local riding instructor i just have to find a suitable time and a routine of riding Slip with my local instructor because i have only done 1 lesson with Slip.


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## mudpie (Jul 15, 2011)

She's rather frightening, isn't she?!


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## OliviaMyee (Jul 31, 2012)

Ive gotten used to her, but i have hearing problems in the arena so thats why she's screaming sorry if i didn't tell you that


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## my2geldings (Feb 18, 2008)

LostDragonflyWings said:


> I watched both this video and a little of the video from your other thread.
> 
> I honestly think you need to lower the fences and go back to focusing on your position/seat and strenght in your legs. You kept getting left behind, you fell forward a few times, and you are not giving a release (which I know you said you were working on). The horse is a great packer for putting up with all of that and keeping going. You kind of looked a little all over the place and not secure in the saddle though.
> 
> ...


I agree with 110% with this post. I really think you need to focus on basic ground work and ground poles and perhaps small xrails before doing anything else, let alone canter fences. Your horse is an absolutely saint for not refusing the fences you were jumping in the video. 

Do you have a trainer that you work with?


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## equinesalways (Jan 5, 2010)

If you don't want to be left behind, just grab mane. Horsey will appreciate it too. Definitely work on 2 point in trot and canter and over poles.


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## MyBoyPuck (Mar 27, 2009)

I found a little trick to teaching your body to stay in two point a tad longer while still keeping the fences tiny. Jump really low oxers. The spread will demand you stay off your horse's back longer, but you haven't sacrificed much in the way of safely or wear on the horse's legs since they are still low. A agree with grabbing mane too. Until your muscle memory is automatic, it's a big help.


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