# Jumping Critique



## MyBoyPuck (Mar 27, 2009)

You won't have any trouble making the transition to eventing. That second pic is near perfect.


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## LoveTheSaddlebreds (Jul 9, 2009)

I would suggest that you work towards obtaining an automatic release versus a crest release. The only thing I saw was that in the first picture the horse is jumping really hollow and unable to use her neck as much. If you utilized an automatic release, you could maintain short contact and control, while also allowing her freedom in her neck.

You'll also want to put more weight in your heels and work on bringing your legs under you more. The more you ride XC, the more of a 'defensive' your seat will become. Your horses might be brave to the jumps, but that's not always the case!


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## freia (Nov 3, 2011)

That second picture is a beautifully solid, stable position for the cross-country. Do you see how centered you are? If your horse stumbles, you're going to stick in that saddle and not fly over his head. In that picture, if you were to drop the reins and put your arms out to the side like wings, you'r position wouldn't budge - you don't need that crest release. Go automatic.

In the 3rd pic, and even more so in the last picture, your position is much more forward. You're not centered enough to do a good automatic release. If your horse stumbles on the cross-country when you're in that position, you're likely to fly over his head.

#2 is beautiful.


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## Corporal (Jul 29, 2010)

Agreed about the second picture. People have gone around and around about form while jumping. People have complained that George Morris created a fad around the "crest release" and that it has ruined the form of many a H/J rider since then.
My suggestion is from listening to many interviews of top H/J riders discuss how they became so good. One excellent suggestion was to throw your heart over the fence, so to speak and trust your horse, therefore don't micromanage the reins. One Intl rider was coached to close her eyes when schooling over the obstacle to learn the feel. *No matter how good we are at following, the only good contact OVER the obstacle is to have your contact with the bit completely independent of the rest of your body. * You feel the horse going up, your body counterbalances forward, then backward as the horse is landing. We often force the positions and jump before the horse does.
Many horses are purchased that already jump well, and then the riders point to the jumps, finish the course, and get a ribbon, and don't know how to work out, thus they hit a plateau.
I suggest a LOT of riding and schooling without stirrups. It really takes a lot of muscle to jump well. Crunches and running will strengthen your legs. Warming up in 2 point every time will help with cross country.
Do you warm up touching the poll, the tail, reaching for your toes, and then across and then laying back? ...walk, trot and canter? My HS instructor had us do this every lesson and we posted without stirrups 3x on each rein. THEN we had a lesson. I believe that these will strengthen your core and enable you to really follow going over the jump.

The last photo ("Tyde") shows me that your mare needs schooling over verticals. She is rushing them and jumping flat, hence the hanging legs on the jump at the standards and the solid obstacle. Any horse this size should be able to jump a 3' vertical from a standstill, and certainly from a walk and trot. I would lunge her over jumps for awhile and let her find her feet. You can still school her over poles and jump a course this way so that YOU are riding to the jumps. Too much jumping wears their front legs out, anyway.
After she looks comfortable lunging over jumps, start riding by approaching jumps at a walk and let her find a sweet spot. Start with walking a 2' vertical. Don't be concerned if she simply steps over it because THAT shows sense and that she'll take care of you. I'll bet that she will pop over the 2' and surprise you!
Your horses are beautifully turned out and so are you. Good luck! =D


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## happybunny070 (Feb 2, 2014)

As a classical Getman dressage rider, who has specifications in equine anatomy and color genetics- working with any horse you need to teach them to move correctly over the back and develop a proper top line. They need to learn to bend correctly and listen to the riders aids in an effective way. Their should be no forcing behind the vertical. The horse should come into the bridle with back to front action. If he is forced behind the vertical the horses neck will eventually break on the L3 (lumbar 3) this will also happen if he is ridden behind the vertical. If he is ridden hollow you eventually the horse will show signs of a hunters/ jumpers bump- this is where the sacrum separates from the spine and it is painful to the horse. A horse should have an uphill based neck- coming up from the wither. Their should be no dip in the neck, and no upside down banana neck. It can take up to two years to teach a horse these principals and develop pepper muscling and fitness for such an athletically demanding sport on the horse. If you bomb the dressage test than you will not even place in an event. By looking at the pictures you gave us- I can tell that your horse is showing some signs of i proper muscle use and is not athletically ready for such. He will eventually break down. If you want to start the proper training process, start by lunging the horse with an equipment that puts the horses head in the correct position. This will start the process of learning how to move over the back. This again will take time. Ask the horse to stretch as well. The equipment you choose to use should allow the horse to search down and forward, as well as freely move its head. I use a type of draw rein that does this. You need a properly muscled horse, who knows how to move himself correctly. Not just good form and riding from you. If you don't know dressage- I would recommend finding a europian certified dressage trainor- because classical dressage will teach the horse the correct way and modern dressage is not correct. Have fun! Work hard! Riding horses is not a pleasure sport, you have to work hard and things take time.


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