A q about big-jumping horses and a quick big lads update

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blood_magik

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The question first - Has anyone got any tips to help me stop sitting up too early as we're coming down off a fence?

Blue has a huge jump and spends a fair amount of time in the air, and I'm finding that I'm sitting up too early which is making landing and the get away feel slightly awkward. I have to be super quick to sit up and half halt after each fence with my other horse, which is why I think I'm struggling a little bit (previous horse was like this, too) but other than getting someone to yell at me, I'm not too sure what to do to fix it. Any ideas would be most welcome... :confused:

Apart from that, I think Blue and I are starting to really click. :)
I've had a few really good lessons recently and we're starting to jump some decent fences (for us).

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You might want to turn the sound off before watching this as I forgot to edit out the nervous cursing over the blue oxer. :eek: :o
[video=youtube;b0_P7ERNsBE]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b0_P7ERNsBE[/video]

The plan had been to attempt a newcomers next weekend but there's something going on with Blue's breathing at the moment, so that's been put on the back burner until we get him scoped.

Because he's so handsome...
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Jumping Beau has been a bit hit-and-miss recently but I think we're starting to get everything back on track. We had a few issues with one of the new show fences (he decked me a cracker, then continued to stop when I put the fence down to get him over it) so I booked in for a lesson, only for someone to accidentally turn on the spotlights and scare the you-know-what out of Beau just as I was warming up. :eek: I ended up rearranging as he just couldn't cope and our brakes went right out of the window - he's not normally bothered by anything so felt it was best to stop as he was spinning and running straight through the bridle when I asked him to move forwards.

The stopping turned out to be down to having a thin plank as the top rail of the fence. We changed it back to a pole and we haven't had any issues since. :o

He's been relatively consistent since then, bar one day where we had minor braking issues, so the plan is to jump the 1.05m next weekend and see how we get on. Then the weekend after that we have our dressage debut - there isn't an intro so we're going straight in at prelim, which could be interesting. ;)

I just want to go out and have a nice time, and stay inside the boards but my trainer has set us a goal of 65%+ which I think might just about be do-able, assuming we don't have a meltdown mid-warmup. :o
I've ordered him a super sparkly browband so we can blind the judge with our bling if we don't dazzle them with our moves (and if anyone is planning on going to BD/UA at an East coast venue three weekends from now, I apologise in advance for whatever my big drama llama is planning for the warmup :o). ;)

His latest lesson (blooper included :o):
[video=youtube;nHXoXL6Emgo]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nHXoXL6Emgo[/video]

And some recent pics:
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Thanks for reading. :)
 
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What a lovely canter and how clever Blue is with his legs for such a big horse :) really think you look good together.

Fwiw I don't think you are sitting up too early after the fence, more that you maybe need to take more weight into your heels, you could try putting your stirrups up a hole and do lots of cantering in a two point seat.
 
LJR said:
Fwiw I don't think you are sitting up too early after the fence, more that you maybe need to take more weight into your heels, you could try putting your stirrups up a hole and do lots of cantering in a two point seat.
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Agreed. If you didn't sit up then you'd risk being pitched over the shoulder!
 
Your sitting up early issue is caused by using your hands to balance on horses neck. You need to adjust your position so upper body does not go so far forward and your hands become independent. You will then be able to give with the hand following the horses movement and remain in balance through the jumping arc. First step is getting weight in to your heels.
 
Great report pics and videos. Your horses are fab and blue is v handsome. And none of the kicking flapping and arm waving that accompanies my jumping (at a signinficsntly smaller height). Very instructive for me!
 
Lovely report. So glad you're going well with Blue.
I'm very jealous of your training facilities and your trainer seems very imaginative as well.
 
Demented Elf said:
What a lovely canter and how clever Blue is with his legs for such a big horse :) really think you look good together.

Fwiw I don't think you are sitting up too early after the fence, more that you maybe need to take more weight into your heels, you could try putting your stirrups up a hole and do lots of cantering in a two point seat.
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smja said:
Agreed. If you didn't sit up then you'd risk being pitched over the shoulder!
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PaddyMonty said:
Your sitting up early issue is caused by using your hands to balance on horses neck. You need to adjust your position so upper body does not go so far forward and your hands become independent. You will then be able to give with the hand following the horses movement and remain in balance through the jumping arc. First step is getting weight in to your heels.
Click to expand...

Thank you all for the comments. I've already put my stirrups up two holes and it did seem to help with the flapping/insecure lower leg so will try popping them up again once we get the all-clear to jump again. It's caught me by surprise a little as I didn't feel like I was struggling until the fences went up and he actually started putting in an effort.

As well as that, I think I might pop a wee ribbon or plait in his mane so I have something physical to reach for with my hands. I do wonder if I'm bracing as there have been a few moments where he's nearly jumped me out of the saddle? Might pop my neckstrap back on for a while to see if that makes a difference.

He's such a gentleman and has done wonders for my confidence so I want to get things right for him.


Bernster said:
Great report pics and videos. Your horses are fab and blue is v handsome. And none of the kicking flapping and arm waving that accompanies my jumping (at a signinficsntly smaller height). Very instructive for me!
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Thanks.
Oh, there was significant flapping going on the first time the fences went up to that height and believe me, it wasn't pretty - I was mortified when I watched the videos back. :o
I can PM you the link if you want. ;)

dixie said:
Lovely report. So glad you're going well with Blue.
I'm very jealous of your training facilities and your trainer seems very imaginative as well.
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Thank you. :)
The indoor arena is fab. It's nice to have so much space - we don't have much in the way of off-road hacking and can't box up to go elsewhere until we get the new lorry so all of our fittening work is being done in either the indoor or top outdoor. Plus, it's nice being able to practice over a full course of fences.
 
Oh good, sounds like you are from the same school of thought as me - arm flapping and leg waving help the horse to get airborne ������
 
My saddler gave me a tiny leather loop that went onto the stirrup bar before the leather, I was sceptical, but it helps keep your lower leg more secure. I can try and find a picture if you like?
I think you two look great.
 
siennamiller said:
My saddler gave me a tiny leather loop that went onto the stirrup bar before the leather, I was sceptical, but it helps keep your lower leg more secure. I can try and find a picture if you like?
I think you two look great.
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I bet your saddler is Andrew Reilly!

BM both horses looking fab, you've really moved on with Blue, that oxer was humongous. Looking great.
 
Two lovely horses. Of course your instructor is in the best place to know, but in that short clip of Blue, it looked to me as if he wasn't quite strong enough to control the descent and balance it. I thought he might be better at this stage to jump fences that big from a slightly more forward canter? How old/experienced is he?
 
siennamiller said:
My saddler gave me a tiny leather loop that went onto the stirrup bar before the leather, I was sceptical, but it helps keep your lower leg more secure. I can try and find a picture if you like?
Click to expand...

A picture would be great - sounds interesting. :)

ycbm said:
Two lovely horses. Of course your instructor is in the best place to know, but in that short clip of Blue, it looked to me as if he wasn't quite strong enough to control the descent and balance it. I thought he might be better at this stage to jump fences that big from a slightly more forward canter? How old/experienced is he?
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He was competing at 1.35m on the continent with a pro rider from one of the big studs before he came to me so he's relatively experienced. I'm not - the biggest I've jumped is Newcomers so (obviously) when things don't quite go to plan, it's generally my fault.

With regards to the weakness you mentioned, he is a big boy (around the 18hh mark), and I reckon he's still got a bit of growing into himself to do. But yes, we do need to work on his strength - we were working on it until this breathing thing started - and you're right about the more forwards canter, too - I do have a bad habit of letting the power die because Blue's got such a big stride, long legs and scope to burn and I let it lull me into a false sense of security.
 
Maybe he thinks they're too small :D. I had a horse once who used to clatter anything under a metre. I had to warn the guy who bought him in case he thought he'd bought a dud!
 
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