# Jumping Critique!! (photo overload)



## JumperGurl (Mar 4, 2010)

Critique both rider and horse!!! I know my form isn't the best in all the photos, but I ride for effectiveness rather than for the aesthetics. 

Also, I've been working towards an auto release as many of you have suggested. Still haven't perfected it yet...but there's a couple shots were I'm getting close to it, but still need to bring my hand down lower for that straight elbow to bit line. So I'm open to advice on how to concentrate on that.

I've been practicing my auto release at home a lot!!! But until I feel comfortable all the time with it I don't want to be doing it in competition...just in case...

Well critique away!!!


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## Oxer (Jul 9, 2010)

my only qualm would be that you need to keep your leg a bit more soft. Your base of support is so strong that it looks like you tend to jam your leg out ahead of yourself in an attempt to keep it at the girth. While i can appreciate the strength necessary to do this, it isn't always the most correct place for your leg when you need the support and when you need to remain soft and supple with your body. Just IMO. 

Careful (in picture 3) that you don't do the chicken wings when you're doing a short crest release. 

Although you're an incredible rider, you don't strike me as being an equitation rider. You look to have a very strong and aggressive position... one that i think is best and most competitive for the big jumper ring.


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## JumperGurl (Mar 4, 2010)

^^^Thank you!!!

Also guys one other thing that I need is help and suggestions on how to soften my ankle and the angle that it turns out over jumps!!! So any suggestions and advice are welcome!!!

Here's some more pictures...just in case you guys need them. 

Please comment on and critique my horse too!!!


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## Allison Finch (Oct 21, 2009)

As a jumper rider and eventer, I love your lower leg. And I appreciate your seat staying back over the center of the saddle where it belongs. You have a rock solid base that will resist all but the biggest biffs. What I am NOT too fond of is the tendency of your upper body ducking and almost laying down on the horse's neck. You simply don't have to get that low to flow with the horse's movement. If your whole lower arm is in contact with the horse, over jumps this small, you are too low. Get those elbows off.


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## Hidalgo13 (Dec 24, 2010)

> If your whole lower arm is in contact with the horse, over *jumps this small*, you are too low. Get those elbows off.
> ​


And I thought some of those jumps were huge. :shock:

I have no experience so I cannot critique, but I think you look amazing and I hope I one day have the skill and courage to jump as high and as well as you.


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## Amanda B (Aug 15, 2012)

Overall I think you and your horse are fantastic! I particularly love the automatic release in the 5th picture. Not many riders are solid enough to be able to do that, in fact a lot of instructors don't even teach it. For those of you not famiiar,the crest release is supposed to be a stepping stone for those just learning to jump. Once you are comfortable and have a stable foundation you are supposed to go back to maintaining a straight line from your elbow to your hand to the horses mouth. It takes a really solid seat to be able to do it.

What I would work on doing is to develop flexibility in your knee. It is at the exact same angle in almost all of these pictures in spite of the fact that the height of the jumps varies, and the timing of the photo varies, the depth of your heel varies, the angle of your upper body varies, but your knee never changes. It appears to be locked, and that is a problem. Functionally, your knee is supposed to be a shock absorber. If it is locked in position it can't do that.

Several people have mentioned that your upper body is getting too low over the jumps. This is a direct result of your knee being locked. You don't change your knee angle, so your hip angle has to do double duty. I suggest that the next time you jump, you concentrate on sitting up and allowing your knee to absorb the horse's movement rather than your hip.

It's probably no coincidence that both your knee and hip angles are best in the last photo of the first group you posted, over the little crossrails. Probably you get nervous over the bigger verticals and oxers and the tension goes to your knees. Let that go and you'll be awesome!


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## Mckellar (Apr 18, 2012)

I would pay any amount of money for your position... Not a critique but i love seeing your pics, you get better constantly and continue progressing with your position each time you post. Your coach must love teaching you !


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## Canterklutz (Jul 20, 2012)

You have a really similar position to a good friend of mine.  If you don't mind me asking, who do you train with?


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## JumperGurl (Mar 4, 2010)

Canterklutz said:


> You have a really similar position to a good friend of mine.  If you don't mind me asking, who do you train with?


I ride with Clint Sawyer he owns High Standard Equestrians.


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## JumperGurl (Mar 4, 2010)

Allison Finch said:


> As a jumper rider and eventer, I love your lower leg. And I appreciate your seat staying back over the center of the saddle where it belongs. You have a rock solid base that will resist all but the biggest biffs. What I am NOT too fond of is the tendency of your upper body ducking and almost laying down on the horse's neck. You simply don't have to get that low to flow with the horse's movement. If your whole lower arm is in contact with the horse, over jumps this small, you are too low. Get those elbows off.


Allison Finch: So to get off of his neck I need to open my hip angle a tad, bring my seat down a little closer to the saddle, and then stay tall with my upper body and shoulders, right?? 

It's weird...I can do it over the smaller fences, but over the bigger fences he gets so round and it's like my entire upper body just collapses when he gets round like that. He's the first horse I've ever owned that jumps really round...my other horses were quite flat...and speedy little things. He's the opposite, round with a BIG but slow stride. So is it just that I still need to get used to how to support myself over the larger fences?

I practice my two-point everyday I ride and lesson, but nothing simulates his jumping style. So it doesn't seem that practicing is really helping me get off of his neck over the jumps...

Until this horse show it hasn't been a major concern of mine as I was still perfecting my base of support. I think that I've just about mastered it now. I like where my leg is at over the jumps. I don't particularly care for letting it slip back any further than right about where it is because that's what I believe to be the cause of your seat and hip to come too far forward and above the pommel. But at this horse show I noticed that in the practice ring after going through some films that he knocked quite a few rails with his front end. 

My trainer has told me that if he knocks it with his front end then it is my fault with my position over the fence. If he knocks it with a hanging leg then it is again my fault and I need to correct his balance. And that if he knocks it with his hind end then it's just a fluke and there's not much you can do about it other than doing balancing exercises to make his hind end snappier. I'm not sure if all of these are true, but I definitely agree with the first. 

Marley's a good horse and doesn't ever knock rails in the show ring, but in the warm-up he is quite the tattle-tale. Haha bless his soul. But I would just like a little more help on this...sorry it's so long...


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## Allison Finch (Oct 21, 2009)

You are right, riding a horse with a strong bascule is very tough. The one thing that your trainer says that I might want to amend, when a horse hits the rail with his hind end, it is even MORE often the riders fault. Many riders sit back too soon over the top of the jump. This will often help to "push' the haunch down. The horse will feel this and drop the hind legs. That, and a horse jumping really flat, are the two most common reasons a horse hits with their hind legs.

Relax those knees and allow the knees to flex a bit more. They also add to the "shock absorber" effect of the leg.

You are doing really well and I think you two will go far. Just keep up the good work. Too bad you're not in NC.....


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## JumperGurl (Mar 4, 2010)

Thank you.


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## MyBoyPuck (Mar 27, 2009)

Allison Finch said:


> . If your whole lower arm is in contact with the horse, over jumps this small, ...


 If those jumps are small, I am so screwed!!

OP, I'll gladly borrow you legs too!


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