A couple of questions- advice needed please!

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rockashangkid

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Recently I have been feeling very down about my riding: I know I'm never going to be the best rider in the world but I have made a decision to improve my riding as much as I can now that I have a school available regularly.
I have a a couple of questions about how I can do this, so any advice would be helpful to me.:)

1. How can I get my pony working properly on the bit?
I have changed his bit from a dutch gag into an eggbutt snaffle- he hasn't been as strong lately because he's had a lot more turnout, and I am aiming to compete in my second dressage competition at the end of this month!
I rode him today in the snaffle and he felt as though he was very reluctant to drop into a contact, and I found that I was beginning to saw at his mouth, which I hate doing. How can I get him working properly from behind into the contact?

2. My jumping position is awful- what should I think about to get it right?
I seem to just stand up in my stirrups and I am worried that I will pull on my pony's mouth. I also think that it is my position that is making him unbalanced after the jump.

Thankyou for reading, if you got this far, and if you do have any advice, it is very much appreciated!:)
 
I do have an instructor, but I can't have lessons very often, so I posted on here to see if anybody else had a different take on things, that I could work on myself between lessons. Thankyou anyway though!:)
 
For jumping, try working on your balance generally - lots of working in jumping position on the flat (including transitions and steering), double rises in working trot, riding with one hand out or up, work with no stirrups, etc.

I'd also see if you can get a few lessons where you work over low jumps with no reins and/or stirrups, and some lunge lessons as well.
 
I used to find that my o;ld pon would cheat, he would drop his head, but not be working from behind. I used to concentrate on getting the engine going, then circles at each letter, geting hi moresupple and listening.
I loved doing gymnastic jumping and used to use grids then drop the reins a few strides out.
It won't hurt to work on your core fitness, as I find this really helps with stability in the saddle
 
Spirals. Work your way in from a twenty metre circle, but don't go really small - stop reducing the circle whilst your horse is still balanced. Then move back out to the twenty metres. Do this in walk, then in trot. The pace wk have to be held together otherwise your horse won't be able to flex into the decreasing size/shape.

Lots of transitions. Not rushing madly from one to the other, but in a controlled way. Depending on your horse, carry a schooling whip, so if he's not straight off the leg you can give a small tap with the whip just behind your leg.

Use poles on the ground. In a row and at the 'corners' of circles.

Half halts. Get him listening and bringing his back end more under him.

Obviously the above are to be balanced with what you can do (not having seen you and horse) :D. There's a good book, which is laid out to make it readable when you're riding. It's called something like 101 Dressage Moves. I'll check when I get home :D
 
Totally agree with Mrs Mozart I do all of the things she has suggested in my schooling sessions with my boy and in the 3 weeks I have had him I think there has been a big improvement (I'll let you know what my instructor thinks after my lesson today!).

The other thing that might be worth doing is get a friend to sit with you when you ride telling you to different things, bit like a reader for your dressage test. I found I was getting so fixated on the outline thing that I ended up sawing, looking down whereas with someone shouting instructions I am much more natural as I am concentrating on what they are asking instead.

Good luck
 
Thanks everybody, some interesting things have been suggested here and I will certainly try them out:)
I rode him again yesterday and he seemed to have settled into the bit well, he was definitely dropping more easily!
 
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