Pictures Avoiding the pony club kick

DabDab

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Tbh, after reading this thread I'm also tempted to strap my legs still 😂. I have insanely wobbly legs - I'm ok for jumping because the wobble only really shows in trot, but when doing flatwork it does sometimes look like I'm giving a leg aid every stride. I'm not, because I'm not making contact, and ironically my legs are only actually still when I am giving a leg aid.
 

Bernster

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Tbh, after reading this thread I'm also tempted to strap my legs still 😂. I have insanely wobbly legs - I'm ok for jumping because the wobble only really shows in trot, but when doing flatwork it does sometimes look like I'm giving a leg aid every stride. I'm not, because I'm not making contact, and ironically my legs are only actually still when I am giving a leg aid.

Mine are better for flatwork but still waggly. Worse when I’m tense or trying too hard with an aid. Looks like I’m kicking every stride but actually I’m not making contact with his sides. Better when I relax and can drop my weight down. Been watching vids of my past sj attempts 🙈
 

Chippers1

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I find having someone to video so so helpful, I watch the videos all the time 1. To see how far we've come and how much we've improved and 2. To improve more! I need more flatwork videos but they are so useful for pulling apart how you ride without having an instructor there.

I also watch the videos to remind myself that I can jump that 80cm course ;-)
 

Bernster

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I’ve bought some! I’m useless at any form of DIY. I shall report back on whether they help or whether I just spend the whole time with my feet flailing outside the stirrups.

Gonna do some of the pole work practice and canter pole up to teeny cross pole this weekend 😀. Feeling inspired!
 
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JFTDWS

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I kinda want the straps too - I have the opposite problem in that my lower leg shoots forward on landing momentarily. It's ungainly.
 

Carrottom

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Ride a very keen tb, takes away any wanting to kick. :)
I had an instructor who said to "press" the horse off the ground, the imagery made sense to my brain. Get the right canter, approach the fence straight, wait until the horse gets to the fence and press him off the ground.
 

Mule

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One thing I find hard is to judge if I have the right canter when jumping. I tend to come in underpowered.
A good tip I was given is that if I have to think whether I have enough impulsion, then I probably don't. I wonder if feeling that you don't have enough impulsion is part of it? Visualising a refusal can definitely lead to pony club kicking.
 

Bernster

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Yes mule I do think that’s part of it (and some nerves). What I’m not sure of is whether the canter is ok and I’m not good at feeling that, or if I’m right and it’s underpowered (in which case I still need a better way of reacting than the big kick).

Anyway I’m pleased to report some early success!! NOT A SINGLE PONY CLUB KICK 😁 Early days but if I can keep it up hopefully it’ll start to be muscle memory. What worked was - 2/3 canter poles to a raised pole (helped the canter rhythm), looking up and away from the jump, come in in a light seat/2 point, thinking about weight in the balls of my feet to get the heels down and soles pointing toward the fence, and squeeze not kick. Amazing

I was surprised that the squeeze thing worked as well as it did (thanks!) but if I ever felt like kicking I focussed on squeezing and it felt like a much more secure approach to the fence. V chuffed. We went off for a lovely hack in the sun afterwards too.
 

Mule

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Yes mule I do think that’s part of it (and some nerves). What I’m not sure of is whether the canter is ok and I’m not good at feeling that, or if I’m right and it’s underpowered (in which case I still need a better way of reacting than the big kick).

Anyway I’m pleased to report some early success!! NOT A SINGLE PONY CLUB KICK 😁 Early days but if I can keep it up hopefully it’ll start to be muscle memory. What worked was - 2/3 canter poles to a raised pole (helped the canter rhythm), looking up and away from the jump, come in in a light seat/2 point, thinking about weight in the balls of my feet to get the heels down and soles pointing toward the fence, and squeeze not kick. Amazing

I was surprised that the squeeze thing worked as well as it did (thanks!) but if I ever felt like kicking I focussed on squeezing and it felt like a much more secure approach to the fence. V chuffed. We went off for a lovely hack in the sun afterwards too.
Well done 😀
 
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