# Jumping the crazy Arab! Who wants to tear us apart?



## MacabreMikolaj (May 9, 2009)

Ahahaha it feels good to jump the spaz again! We were taking some lessons around Christmas time but then of course, my dear beloved Zierra, pulling up wonky AGAIN. After a few months off, she still seemed to have a hitch in her hind end from time to time so got the vet out and turns out she has high functioning stringhalt in one back leg! The remedy was basically to work her fat **** and get her back in shape! So we've taken it slow and just slowly started introducing some light jumping again!

I'd love some input since I am clearly out of jumping shape as well and with the cost of my Dressage lessons, I simply can't afford jumping lessons to boot so any advice would be muchly appreciated!

We're working on a crossrail and then 2 strides to a 2'0" vertical!


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## Oxer (Jul 9, 2010)

no looking down!


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## MacabreMikolaj (May 9, 2009)

I know I'm terrible! I have to look down to check her lead because of all that mane and her ability to feel completely balanced on the incorrect llead. I need to work on that, thanks!
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## Hidalgo13 (Dec 24, 2010)

You look pretty good! Nice and balanced, controlled and enthusiastic pony... the only thing I see besides the looking down, is that you don't release enough and seem to hit your horses mouth in the landing. Lift your hands up the neck and stick your bum out a bit so your closer to the saddle in 2 point. That's all from me.  Nice work.


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## DancingArabian (Jul 15, 2011)

In approaching the first jump she's looking a little fussy and giraffey in her head and neck - I think she needs to be driven forward more so she approaches the jump with more energy.
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## MacabreMikolaj (May 9, 2009)

DancingArabian - any suggestions for keeping her from getting rushy? I tend not to push her on more because I spent the first half hour of the ride getting her to stop rushing the fence. By the end, she's gotten a lot more lazier but I'm not quite sure how to push her on without getting her excited again. 

Thanks Hidalgo I'll work on that. It makes me crunch my shoulders to so I definitely need to remind myself to reach forward more for a bigger release and more stretching from my own body!
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## Golden Horse (Feb 20, 2010)

Half halts coming into the fence, you want all that energy, but then to contain it, so you need to be pushing on but then half halt to bring her back a little.

Think of it like coiling up a spring, you are gently compressing a spring between your hands and legs, when you release the front end you are allowing all that energy to spring forward over the jump. Even if she is rushing, unless you harness and hold the energy you cant get a nice pop over.

As others have said don't look down, (my worst fault of many faults I have). Also when you are jumping think more about folding your body rather than leaning forward or two point, it stops the butt popping up into the air, most people put to much effort into very athletic poses, but actually your job over the jump is to be as little interference as you can be. Practice on the flat folding forward from your hips and looking straight forward, feels very odd when done right :rofl:


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## MacabreMikolaj (May 9, 2009)

I guess the problem is she just throws her nose straight into the air when I half halt and runs through my hand anyway. We work on them on the flat and she's fine but then the minute she sees the fence, the nose goes straight up again! We practice lots of circling in front of the fence and it feels like the only way to calm her down is to just let her get pokey! She does much better cantering into fences but I'd set it up as a trot to canter combination because we still dont get our striding all the time do I'd rather canter to a fence that's set up for her striding.
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## Oxer (Jul 9, 2010)

My trainer told me to STOP mirco-managing the changes. She literally says "HIS PROBLEM! LET HIM FIGURE IT OUT!" and we will come to the next fence with him cross-cantering all the way. He dislikes this very much and has since learned to grab his leads in the corners. It's not always pretty, and it's not always balanced, but I've stopped "worrying" about it so much... which has helped a TON with allowing him to just figure it out, and allowing me to just focus on the riding and not the darn lead he's on!


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## MacabreMikolaj (May 9, 2009)

See it's not about me micro managing so much as it is just ensuring I'm riding her correctly. She KNOWS the cue to take the correct lead, but sometimes if I don't apply it correctly, she'll get the wrong one. I don't worry about it between fences necessarily, but I don't want her to be allowed to canter into the turn on the incorrect lead. She's a very bouncy, very athletic Arab who has absolutely ZERO issues cantering around on the wrong lead. I would rather not encourage it on her. We're also a FAR cry from flying changes, so there's no just letting her figure it out, she will just happily go on the wrong lead. :lol: If she does attempt a change, she'll never switch in the back. We're very much at basics still, and a far way from actual courses even, so I'll worry about it less when we get to that point I suppose!​


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## Joe4d (Sep 1, 2011)

I think you're awesome any jump you can walk away from is a good one. I think my horses enjoy watching me fly through the air.


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## MacabreMikolaj (May 9, 2009)

Haha thanks Joe! Honestly, I don't know if this mare was born loving jumping or was just trained correctly as a youngster (or both), but she's just a pleasure to jump most of the time. She can get a little rushy, so we work hard on that, but she's just super talented and will pretty much take any jump I point her at - although, often if it's a scary one, we have about as much grace as a cat being dropped into a bathtub. :lol:


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## Golden Horse (Feb 20, 2010)

MacabreMikolaj said:


> we have about as much grace as a cat being dropped into a bathtub. :lol:


To complete the metal image I have to know if the bathtub is full or empty at the time:wink:


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## Amanda B (Aug 15, 2012)

I think you both are doing great. The minor issues you are having, like rating her speed precisely and having to look down to check your leads are not specific to jumping (they are directly related to engagement of the hindquarters  ) and as you get better in your dressage lessons, the skills you learn will be directly applicable to improving your jumping. So focus on that dressage (aka, flatwork) and let jumping be a fun way to add variety but don't sweat it.


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## MacabreMikolaj (May 9, 2009)

Thanks Amanda! All in all, Zierra is a much better jumper then I am and I'm glad she puts up with me! Jumping is very limited now as getting into shape is more important and we just like doing some gymnastics on occasion! Hopefully we can post some improved videos by next year!
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## JustDressageIt (Oct 4, 2007)

You look fairly wobbly coming up to your fences, as if you are trying to pump your upper body to get her motivated and up to speed, then you collapse with your upper body and drop her (ie stop riding) to figure it on her own a stride or two away - I think that part of that has to do with your looking down. 
Quiet with your upper body - you don't have to worry much over these small fences; let her close your hip angle. Pick a spot on the other side of the arena and don't take your eyes off of it - keep your chin up and eyes up. If you look down, especially coupled with riding ahead, that's where you're going to end up if she decides to play dirty and stop/run out. learn to feel her leads and cross canter; don't rely on looking down to figure it out.
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## Thyme (Sep 4, 2010)

I think you guys look great, I really enjoy watching you guys and I hope to be jumping my own little arabian soon!


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## ElaineLighten (Jan 1, 2012)

the main thing that stood out to me was that you were almost always looking at the floor
I'm also guilty of this (I like to check what the horse is doing haha)


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## MacabreMikolaj (May 9, 2009)

Thanks guys! I will do my best to stop looking down and just focus. I think it's a LOT more tricky trotting up to fences as well - more difficult to pick a spot! Ashley was out riding and did some cross rails and a 2'0" vertical on her and she was amazing! I'm hoping to enter a cross rail class with her in October and possibly a 2'0" hunter class. I know we have NO chance of pinning, it would just be exposure and to get her showing again!
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