# Jumping critique



## ErikaLynn (Aug 3, 2010)

This is me riding my first show after only riding for four months after taking a 7 year hiatus. This is the horses first show ever. 

Please feel free to critique me and the horse. All I ask is if you could give me suggestions on how to fix what's wrong. 
Thanks!


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## horseluver2435 (May 27, 2009)

I'm sure someone else will correct me, but as far as I can tell, you look pretty good! Especially since you haven't ridden in so long!  

In the first picture, [and possibly the second, I can't really tell] you're rounding your back, as if you're sort of hunched over. Does that make sense? I don't jump, so I wouldn't know from experience, but from looking at pictures on here, I think you should straighten yourself out a little. I don't know if I'm making sense right now or not, but that's what I saw.

Other than that, in the first picture your legs look nice, but the second one, they look like they slipped back slightly? Maybe it's just the angle or something, but that's what I'm seeing...unless I'm totally wrong and your legs are perfectly fine!  Someone else feel free to correct any of my critique, I'm learning.

In the first picture, what happened? The horse's jump looks quite awkward, which might have made your two-point hunched. 

I think I should stop now, I'm sort of babbling, but overall I think you and the horse look pretty swell! Just the hunching over thing. Alright, I'm done.


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## ErikaLynn (Aug 3, 2010)

horseluver2435 said:


> I'm sure someone else will correct me, but as far as I can tell, you look pretty good! Especially since you haven't ridden in so long!
> 
> In the first picture, [and possibly the second, I can't really tell] you're rounding your back, as if you're sort of hunched over. Does that make sense? I don't jump, so I wouldn't know from experience, but from looking at pictures on here, I think you should straighten yourself out a little. I don't know if I'm making sense right now or not, but that's what I saw.
> 
> ...



Thanks, I totally agree with everything you said. Im working on not being so hunched and trying to keep my legs from sliding back. The horse just stared jumping about 6 months ago, so she is still learning, that's probably why she looks so awkward in the one picture.


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## horseluver2435 (May 27, 2009)

Wow! And she was at her first show? Big congrats to her! She's a lovely horse as well- are you leasing her?


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## ErikaLynn (Aug 3, 2010)

horseluver2435 said:


> Wow! And she was at her first show? Big congrats to her! She's a lovely horse as well- are you leasing her?



Im training her (she's also training me) but she was a broodmare her whole life so she didnt really know anything. She has come a long way and im very proud of her. But she still has her "mare" moments.


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## horseluver2435 (May 27, 2009)

Again, wow. Well, she's definitely shaping up, I'd say.  Good luck with training- you've got a very nice start!


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## xoSonnyLove1234 (May 31, 2009)

hmm..i cant see the pictures.


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## ErikaLynn (Aug 3, 2010)

xoSonnyLove1234 said:


> hmm..i cant see the pictures.


Sorry, they got deleted because they were proofs. Ill post them back when i get home from work...they're on my home computer.


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## Ray MacDonald (Dec 27, 2009)

I can't see them either lol


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## ErikaLynn (Aug 3, 2010)

Here they are


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## Brighteyes (Mar 8, 2009)

Your back is hunched. You can see this very well in the second photo. Back sure to keep it nice and flat.


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## haleylvsshammy (Jun 29, 2010)

Ahh! I still can't see the pictures after you reposted them


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## ErikaLynn (Aug 3, 2010)

haleylvsshammy said:


> Ahh! I still can't see the pictures after you reposted them


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## xoSonnyLove1234 (May 31, 2009)

Okay from what i can see your back is rounded, heels need to be down a little more, leg is slipping back, and maybe a little more release. Just try to think that your in a EQ class, you want you back to be flat. I would suggest doing lower leg exercises to prevent your leg slipping back. You horse is beautiful BTW.


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## ErikaLynn (Aug 3, 2010)

xoSonnyLove1234 said:


> Okay from what i can see your back is rounded, heels need to be down a little more, leg is slipping back, and maybe a little more release. You horse is beautiful BTW.



Oh thank you, I was so nervous that day, I fell off 7 times during schooling.


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## xoSonnyLove1234 (May 31, 2009)

ErikaLynn said:


> Oh thank you, I was so nervous that day, I fell off 7 times during schooling.


7 times?! wow. Thats a lot of times to fall off in one day. Good job for you getting back on and schooling more!!


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## sarahver (Apr 9, 2010)

Well done on your achievements! Here are some things I noticed: 

You are gripping with your knee, you need to open your hip angle, release the pressure between your knees and this will help you shift your lower leg forward and keep your heels down. 

You seem to be leaning to your right (1st and 3rd pics). In order to maintain your balance and your horses balance I would like to see you perfectly centred above your horse to allow her to jump freely and without obstruction.

Your release needs some work. I can see that your reins are quite long, this is mostly due to the low head carriage of your horse. Just because the reins are long doesn't mean you will release correctly. This is somewhat more complicated and I would talk to your trainer. It seems to me that your horse is 'falling' over the jump with her nose close to the ground. This may be corrected by having more impulsion in the lead up to the jump, making her jump more actively thus allowing you to release correctly upon landing. Again, hard to tell without a video but that is my feeling!

Good luck to both of you, no more falling off!!!


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## bigzee (Jul 4, 2010)

I agree with the comments of the other posters. Pinching with your knees makes your leg insecure. Also, you need to work on your release. You look like you might be hitting the horse in the mouth in the middle of the jump. This could make her less willing over time. I think your horse is beautiful. Are you doing gridwork with her? Gymnastics will help her a lot. But great job after the long layoff. I did the same thing, and am so glad I came back to riding.


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## ErikaLynn (Aug 3, 2010)

bigzee said:


> I agree with the comments of the other posters. Pinching with your knees makes your leg insecure. Also, you need to work on your release. You look like you might be hitting the horse in the mouth in the middle of the jump. This could make her less willing over time. I think your horse is beautiful. Are you doing gridwork with her? Gymnastics will help her a lot. But great job after the long layoff. I did the same thing, and am so glad I came back to riding.


I think the problem with my release is that, if i get too forward too soon she stops right before the jump. We don't have a really good connection with each other yet, so she is in control instead of me, and I get left behind because Im trying to lean back before the jump, so i dont fall off, and I cant really feel when shes taking off. I know it takes time to build that relationship, but we're working on it.


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## kelley horsemad (Feb 7, 2010)

ErikaLynn said:


> I think the problem with my release is that, if i get too forward too soon she stops right before the jump. We don't have a really good connection with each other yet, so she is in control instead of me, and I get left behind because Im trying to lean back before the jump, so i dont fall off, and I cant really feel when shes taking off. I know it takes time to build that relationship, but we're working on it.


 

Why oh why are you showing? :?


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## ErikaLynn (Aug 3, 2010)

kelley horsemad said:


> Why oh why are you showing? :?



Mileage for the horse to get her used to other barns and different jumps...it was only a local barn's schooling show.


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## kelley horsemad (Feb 7, 2010)

You’re not giving her good experience away from home though, so what’s the point? She’s got a stop in her, you don’t have a good connection, she’s in control, and everything else you said… indicates to me that you need to fix things at home before you venture out.


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## King (Jun 25, 2010)

You look absolutely fantastic.. riding 4 months? 
Brilliant!
Mare is beautiful too!


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## ErikaLynn (Aug 3, 2010)

kelley horsemad said:


> You’re not giving her good experience away from home though, so what’s the point? She’s got a stop in her, you don’t have a good connection, she’s in control, and everything else you said… indicates to me that you need to fix things at home before you venture out.



yeah well she isnt even my horse, I'm training her to sell. Who wants to by a horse with no show experience and only jumps at home? I sure wouldn't. Plus I've only been riding her for 4 months. A connection doesnt happen overnight. BTW I asked for a critique of me and the horse not your two cents about showing.


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## kelley horsemad (Feb 7, 2010)

You fell off SEVEN times during the warm up. That speaks volumes. I realize you were looking for a critique and part of the conversation that cropped up was about the issues you’re having with her. You threw it out there. Don’t be surprised when someone comments on it. And four months with the mare? What about those of us who catch ride and have less than an hour with any given horse before we go into the ring? Four months is plenty of time to develop a connection, IME.

In saying that, the photos really aren’t horrific. You look very defensive in them, which is understandable given the issues you outlined. You do need to work on redistributing the weight through your lower leg, but I quite like your base of support in the last two photos (in the first one you’ve jumped ahead). Try and think about drawing your shoulder blades down and together to help your posture – that will come once you don’t feel like you’re hanging on for dear life. Still, you look like an athletic and capable rider – especially given that you’re only just back at it - and if you fix your issues at home, I’m sure you’ll put in some nice trips.


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## gypsygirl (Oct 15, 2009)

i have to agree with kelley horsemad. show experience doesnt really matter if things go that badly, besides to give the horse a negative experience. if you cant do it at home why would you be able to do it somewhere else ?


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## ErikaLynn (Aug 3, 2010)

gypsygirl said:


> i have to agree with kelley horsemad. show experience doesnt really matter if things go that badly, besides to give the horse a negative experience. if you cant do it at home why would you be able to do it somewhere else ?


I can do it at home. It wasnt a negative experience for the horse it was for me. I was nervous, and she took advantage of it. I appreciate the concern, but the showing thing is between, me, and my trainer (the horse's owner).


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## Ray MacDonald (Dec 27, 2009)

Maybe it wasn't a bad expirence, she could have been to excited. She also said it was in the warm up ring?


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## ErikaLynn (Aug 3, 2010)

It was in the warm up ring...it was a liver pool jump, that she has never ever jumped before...i was really nervous, and I didnt want to fall in that water. It my first show in 7 years and the horse's first show, and her first time doing any type of work away from home.

No ones perfect and everyone has an off day.


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## gypsygirl (Oct 15, 2009)

it seems like it was too much for both you and the horse and you both were overfaced.


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## sarahver (Apr 9, 2010)

Although falling off while at a show is never a good experience for anyone, how was she to know that would happen if the horse was behaving at home? Horses often behave differently at their first show, just because it wasn't the optimum experience doesn't mean she shouldn't have gone. At least you know what to work on for next time ErikaLynn (I would suggest more of a solid seat eh?!). 

Besides, my understanding was that this was a critique of the photo's provided, _not_ the rider/trainer's choice to take the horse to a show. That is a matter of personal opinion and something we can't really comment too much on without knowing the full background of the horse, rider and trainer, each to their own.


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## ErikaLynn (Aug 3, 2010)

gypsygirl said:


> it seems like it was too much for both you and the horse and you both were overfaced.


Maybe so. But this is getting off topic...if you got a critique then ok. But if you keep wanting to judge me about my choice for showing or not, you can message me.


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## Ray MacDonald (Dec 27, 2009)

I agree with sarahver


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