# jumping tell me the truth



## begin of a dream (Nov 29, 2007)

This is a partly gaited horse that i have been riding. No one else really does anything with him cause hes a pretty tough ride until you take him over fences. He loves to jump. But how do i look? i'm not planning on showing this horse, he's not reall show type though he can jump the moon i swear. i hav posted pics before of me and this horse. And i want him to be able to give his all in life, what are your suggestions? i don't own him. but im the only one who rides him really. and how am i looking? i just recently got really interested in jumping and taught myself. :?:


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## Harlee rides horses (Jan 13, 2008)

Can't tell I'm under you.


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## begin of a dream (Nov 29, 2007)

HaHa good point....


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## Harlee rides horses (Jan 13, 2008)

But from what I see you look good.


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## begin of a dream (Nov 29, 2007)

thanks here are some others.

















i dont like the second one as much cause i fell back.....and my toes are pointing out to much in the first one :?


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## appylover31803 (Sep 18, 2007)

In the first picture, your leg slipped back. and it looks like your are leaning on his neck with your forearms.

The second picture is hard to tell but your toes are pointed out, and i believe you are leaning on him with your forearms.

In the third picture, you have to come out of the saddle more. again you are leaning on him with your forearms. Your leg looks like it slipped back a bit and your heel isn't down.


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## FGRanch (Feb 9, 2008)

It looks like so much fun! I would love to try jumping!


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## brittx6x6 (Mar 4, 2007)

First Picture:
Its hard to tell from the angle but you are pinching with your knee and it looks like you are holding on with your whole arm...I can't tell a whole lot but it looks like you need to get more out of the saddle too...

Second Picture(front view):
All you need to do is pull your toes in (its hard to break this habbit, I do it too!!!!)

Third Picture(Side view):
Put your weight in your heels, and that will push your body out of the saddle. You also need to bring your leg foward just a little(right behind the girth) and thats about it!!

Overall you having impressive form for teaching yourself!!! Congrats hope to see more pictures soon!!


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## xoLivxo (Dec 27, 2007)

ive posted on your topics before and im going to say the same thing...get a trainer, your whole postion needs help. i think youll be very happy with the results if you look into one!


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## Merryl PH (Feb 10, 2008)

Wow......From what i can see you have a fairly strong lower leg which id hard to get. I would have to say that i agree with you, you did get a little bit left behind in 1 of the pics (Think its the 1st).
I totally disagree with "xoLivxo" I would not recomend getting a trainer unless you don't feel confident and comfortable, This is coming from a qualified EFA Instructor also i would sat to pull your toes in as this is a prob that i find with a lot of my students


Hope this helped a little But I would agree with MOST of the other comments


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## quixotesoxs (Jan 19, 2008)

idk this is a touchy subject and please remember i'm not trying to be rude or make anybody mad, just giving my opinion and ou can disagree if you want  but i have been riding all my life and train and give lessons in all events pretty much. but it never hurts to take a lesson or two every once in a while, i'm not ashamed to say that i do! there are little things that are easy to miss but hinder your performance, but a trainer can catch those. You have some position flaws, overall your riding is good, but your relying on your horses neck to much and need to correct you leg position. And if you don't think you want a trainer, thats great. but just my opinion. I love your horse though. he is very thrusty and hes a cutie! and your position is nice for teaching yourself, just a few habits that need fixed have crept in  Good luck!


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## pepperduck (Feb 14, 2008)

I would also really recommend getting a trainer. It's great that you hav the confidence to do all this, and your horse looks like fun to jump, but in order to really be a succesful rider and to get over the jumps in a safe way, you need a trainer. 

In the first picture it's obvious that you are pinching with your knee and you heel and lower leg has swung back. It doesnt' seem like you have very much muscle in your lower leg and I would really recommend just taking the stirrups off your saddle and building that muscle. 

In the second picture, you need to bring yoru shoulders back, and again stop the pinching with your knee.

In the third picture, I think you are pushing youself and the horse too far. Your position doesn't seem that secure to be jumping that height. Your foot is way too far into the stirrups, and you need to keep your heels down. 

Like I have said, it's great that you are confident to be doing all this, but you should really step back and get yourself a trainer. If you plan on showing with this horse, you are not going to place well if you don't work on your form. I'm not trying to be rude, just explaining. Everyone needs lessons, there isn't one person out there who would not benefit from a couple lessons.


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## regardinghorses (Oct 26, 2007)

Your position is looking much better than the first round of pictures. It looks like you've taken some of the suggestions to heart and have been putting in some work!

Like many of the other posters have said, you still need to work on anchoring your leg. It's better than it was, but still has a ways to go. Your leg is your base of support and it is essential that it is solid for your safety and your horse's comfort. 

Your foot is a little too far into the stirrup, which is preventing you from putting your heels down far enough to anchor your leg. Your pinky toe should be against the outside of the stirrup and with the bar across the ball of your foot. Like you said, bring those toes in. 

You need to ride in lots of lots of two-point at all gaits to strengthen that leg position. Do not lean or put any weight on your hands on his neck. These are two issues in your jumping form that two point will help. And when I say lots of two-point, I mean get in it and stay in it for 10-15 minutes at a time. It will be hard at first, but if you can learn to balance and use your legs to support you, you will be a million times stronger in the air. Anchor that leg right behind the girth and keep it there!


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## ox-tuff_rider-xo (May 21, 2007)

If you have any pictures of you riding on the flat I would love to see them because I am not sure if your stirrups are too short and some other reasons that might make it easier for me to critique you.
Nice horse man can it jump!


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## Delregans Way (Sep 11, 2007)

> Wow......From what i can see you have a fairly strong lower leg which id hard to get. I would have to say that i agree with you, you did get a little bit left behind in 1 of the pics (Think its the 1st).
> I totally disagree with "xoLivxo" I would not recomend getting a trainer unless you don't feel confident and comfortable, This is coming from a qualified EFA Instructor also i would sat to pull your toes in as this is a prob that i find with a lot of my students
> 
> 
> Hope this helped a little But I would agree with MOST of the other comments


Excuse me... if you were a EFA instructor...wouldnt you be encouraging a trainer?? how does that work?

To the rider... i would reckonmend to establish a stronger lower leg, and this will help to not grip on with ur knees, and this will allow you to be able to get off the horses back, to flow with your horses movement over the jump... :wink: Goodluck


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## regardinghorses (Oct 26, 2007)

I'm with Delregans Way. It's always a good idea to ride with a trainer, no matter how long you've been riding or how good you are. We can all always get better and learn from other people. We can't always tell what we're doing right or wrong from the horse's back. We need someone knowledgeable on the ground who can see what's going and making suggestions.


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## begin of a dream (Nov 29, 2007)

i agree totally.... i;m going to start working with a trainer soon to try and strengthen my legs and posistion, I'll be staring that closer to spring because in the next upcoming weeks I have hunter equitation and flat class shows. Nothing fancy just local open shows but thats all i'v ever done. I don't plan on showing this horse, hes a little much but he loves to jump. I'm going to use him as an endurance horse. He can do much more than jump!


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## regardinghorses (Oct 26, 2007)

That's great! I wish I was in a spot to get in with a trainer. Alas, not in the budget right now. Work hard, learn lots, and have fun. Good luck in your shows!


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## groovy gurl (Feb 21, 2008)

ok here goes. if you taught yourself to jump you shouldn't be. you cans eriously hurt your horse or you bombing around fences like that. get a coach!!!!! :? 

as for your position... toes in, you are completly throwing yourself on your horses neck, sit back and let your horse jump up to you. because you are so ahead i can't critic anything else becasue everything is in the wrong place..

I'm trying to sound mean but what i am getting from you is that your horse sucks at flatwork or is to hard so you tossed him over some fences then thought he was good at it and made them hoigher and higher... STOP jumping is very serious and you have to do it right!


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## Delregans Way (Sep 11, 2007)

> ok here goes. if you taught yourself to jump you shouldn't be. you cans eriously hurt your horse or you bombing around fences like that. get a coach!!!!!
> 
> as for your position... toes in, you are completly throwing yourself on your horses neck, sit back and let your horse jump up to you. because you are so ahead i can't critic anything else becasue everything is in the wrong place..
> 
> I'm trying to sound mean but what i am getting from you is that your horse sucks at flatwork or is to hard so you tossed him over some fences then thought he was good at it and made them hoigher and higher... STOP jumping is very serious and you have to do it right!


Oi, atleast she is giving it ago! I think this girl has enough common sense not to push the horse too far. I personaly think she has a wonderful natural position. Yes she isnt perfect, but who is..?? :roll:


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## Bugabo (Oct 2, 2007)

It looks to me that in the first picture your leg has slipped back a bit. And in the last one too. In the last pic try putting the stirrup on the bulb of your foot and your heels down. Also try to lengthen your stirrups a hole or 2. And it you got out of the saddle a little it would help. Think of pushing yourself back over the jumps. Other wise your horse tucks nicely for being gaited, they most of the time have an off set tuck.


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