Ok so I know they are crappy pics of me jumping but it was the best I could get ... My trainer always says I have to move my butt back towards the cantle of the saddle (end of the saddle) and I am just wondering what you guys have to say!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/46262182 @ N0 ... http://www.flickr.com/photos/46262182 @ N0 ... http://www.flickr.com/photos/46262182 @ N0 ... http://www.flickr.com/photos/46262182 @ N0 ... Please not rude or harsh comments ...
Thanks!
Pretty much everything Fennec Fox said - TU from me.
However, it could have been a little more constructively put ...
pets question and answers,www.5d2d.com 1. Your heels are consistantly lifting and your toes are pointing down and therefore your stirrups slide in too far as a result.
2. You are throwing yourself too far forward over the jump and therefore weighting the forehand of the horse and making it harder for him to be clean over a fence. You will also be more likely to fall off forward over his head if he decides to stop suddenly, or if he pecks (stumbles) on landing. So sit back down into the saddle a little more.
3. In each photo you are throwing your reins away and dropping the contact to your horses mouth. This would enable your horse to run out last minute more easily. Keeping a nice contact gives the horse confidence, makes them less likely to second guess what you want and gives you greater opportunity to react/feel if they are thinking about running out.
If you look at photos of experienced riders their reins should be in a nice straight line from their hands to the horses mouth at all times, even while jumping a fence.
pets question and answers,www.5d2d.com It is called having an "elastic feel" on the reins and is one of the hardest thing for learners to master (can take years). Because you need to have a contact (like slightly stretching a piece of of elastic), yet with softness and no pulling.
However, I would rather see you have too little contact in the early stages, then jerking the horses mouth. Throwing the reins away too much is the normal progression in learning to jump - A steady/elastic contact comes with time and practice.
4. Your lower leg is a little unsteady and slides back as you take off. Working on your heel position will help this. A secure steady lower leg helps keep you in the saddle when things go awry.
Please note that these things are all a completely normal part and progession in someone ridng career. Nothing unusual about any of those photos. Everyone who has ever ridden a horse has had these things said to them. So don't be disheartened.
Your pony looks like a lovely fellow and you make a nice pair!
pets question and answers,www.5d2d.com Good luck with your riding.
Also while I did agree with fennec - I did not think you had a problem with hunching your shoulders (it was just pic number 1 where that was the case, and only slightly).
And remember without asking for advice/help or criticism you wont ever know what you are doing wrong and you won't improve, so be glad you asked.
I think it looks good but then i have never jumped before never got to i had to get rid of my horses before i could cause i had to move but any way pretty horse. try watching the saddle club it about horses in some of the tv shows they are jumping on their horses so you can see how they jump.
You hunch your back, you ride up on your toes, you totally let go of the horse's face overtop of the fence, you get too far up out of the saddle, you come back too early after the fence, you look down at the jump, and your leg slides back too far.
I think you're getting ahead of the horse, so you're way over his neck, then sitting back too soon and pulling on the reins, plus your toes are turned out. When you get ahead of the horse your feet go too far back.
You should try to get the stirrup more the on the ball of your foot (right behind your toes). This will help you get your heels down which is your shock absorber and will also help improve your lower leg support.
your leaning too far forward with your butt haha put your butt back and ARCH YOUR BACK! it will help your position a lot
Yup gotta agree with Fennec.
pets question and answers,www.5d2d.com
Do you normally ride western?
Your release is great! You are giving your paint freedom in the air, which she/he really appreciates. But, you could keep a little more contact approaching the jump, then release as you jump.
You are definitely not laying on your horse's neck! Great job! Straighten out your back a hair more, especially if you're a hunter. Think about engaging your core muscles to lift your chest instead of trying to arch your back.
