# Butt Out??



## Alwaysbehind (Jul 10, 2009)

I am guessing your trainer is just trying to say that your hips are too far forward in a different way. 

You need to bend your upper body at your hips, not thrust your whole body forward.


----------



## Eolith (Sep 30, 2007)

I'm not someone who does a whole bunch of jumping, but having taken some lessons in it and been told the same sort of thing, I can try to explain my take on it.

If you google search images of professional horse jumpers, you may be able to see what the idea is (provided that the image is of a jump going smoothly, not about to crash land). 

A rider in good jumping form is well out of the saddle and their back appears "flat" or level with the horse's neck and back. As a rider, when you're on the flat just trotting around the arena or whatever, you sit with your back more or less perpendicular to the horse's. Therefore, your butt is down on the horse's back. While going over a jump it is better to think of having your back become more parallel with the horse's. That involves really lifting your butt out of the saddle. It may even feel like you're arching your back a little.

Good form with parallel backs:









The opposite extreme where their backs remain perpendicular... makes it really hard for the horse:


----------



## VelvetsAB (Aug 11, 2010)

LindseyHunterx24 said:


> Okay well My trainer has been saying put your *butt out* when I go over the fences. I dont really get what she means. But I've been having trouble jumping. I ride a some what green horse named Lucy and when I jump her she sometimes likes to over jump and when we land I end up falling on her neck or landing but in a not so smooth way. What does she mean by *butt back*? and What can I do To keep from falling on her neck when we land?


_Does your trainer mean butt out or butt back? They can translate to two different things._

_Butt out--To me means having duck butt/porno butt with a really arched back._

_Butt Back--could mean that your crotch is going over top of the pommel too far and she wants you to be back in the center of the saddle._

_To keep from falling forward when you land, you need to work on riding in your jumping position when you aren't jumping. Do it at the trot, do it at the canter, even at the walk. You could also do it without stirrups. Also, when you are doing a proper crest release, you should actually be pushing into the mane....not using the neck for support but putting a bit of pressure there. If you cannot hold your balance over the fence, you should go back to more flat work and less jumping._


----------



## ErikaLynn (Aug 3, 2010)

I'm going to guess your trainer means keep your butt and hips over the middle of the saddle if you are conscientiously sticking your butt out you will stay in the middle of the saddle.

As for not falling on the horses neck, you should be pressing into the mane with your knuckles, and kind of push back when you are landing. A strong leg and having your "butt out" will help not falling on the horses neck. 

From what you are describing, you see like you might just leaning down over the jump, and not following the horses movement. 

Pictures are really helpful, try taking some pictures when you are jumping and look at your position, then you can see what your trainer sees.


----------



## Hoofprints in the Sand (Nov 23, 2008)

I have the same issues with jumping...here is one of my earlier "learning to jump" pics...does your form look anything like this? I basically would stretch my legs out and "stand up" over the pommel. 










My trainer told me the same thing, to think "stick your butt out" and it just meant to leave my knees bent, and bend at the hips, which FEELS like sticking your butt out...here is my form now (not 100% there after this pt. in the jump, but we're getting better!) 










I actually visualize sticking my butt out over the jump, and to stick my butt out, I cannot straighten my legs and stand up, so it prevents me from doing it. Maybe that's what your trainer is trying to get at?


----------



## MyBoyPuck (Mar 27, 2009)

Sometimes when people are stuck in their minds about throwing their upper body forward, the visual of sticking your butt out helps you concentrate on folding at the hips as you should be instead of throwing your upper body forward. If you have a full length mirror, assume the jumping position and try it. You'll see now change in your upper body and will see your hip angle close. It does work. Everyone learns differently, so she's probably just trying to put it to you a different way.


----------



## Five Furlongs (Feb 7, 2010)

I didn't read any of the other posts but I think I used to have the same problem as you. I was in a low level event out on the xc field. It was my horses first event and she was a little nervis. We were coming upto a little coup and she jumped it WAY too big. She isn't the best jumper and she often pops over fences. I was popped right out of my seat and landed on her neck. She was scared and didn't understand what was happening so she started jumping around to get this THING off of her lol! I came off. My first time falling off my horse (I was acctually happy about that haha). The next lesson I had at my barn we went out into the xc field. She jumped one of the jumps the SAME exact way she jumped the jump at the event and as we were going over the jump I really stuck my legs in front of me and all of my problems were solved! Lol! I think that by keeping my legs at the girth my entire position was fixed. So maybe instead of trying to stick out your butt you could try and keep your legs forward. I never felt really confident about jumping before I figured this out and it was always my weak point. I hope this helps you with your jumping! Good Luck!


----------



## Hoofprints in the Sand (Nov 23, 2008)

that's another trick I use as well! 
_Posted via Mobile Device_


----------

