Belated jumping report with vids- cc please :)

DaisyDoll

DaisyDoll

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As I haven't been able to ride for the past 2 months I thought I would have a look through old videos. Came across this from the last time I rode my pony; Kingsbarn EC clear rounds/ unaff show on a wednesday night.

Good god it was freezing!! Guess it was the first day of the big freeze, ice was sighted in the puddles and my teeth were chattering. Courses were nice with fillers and up to height IMO. Warmed up well and calmly and then went in for the first round, 75cm. Jumped clear if a little quickly, didn't touch anything all way round.

The course went up and I did have a bit of an OMG! moment, having not jumped away from home in a long time and forgetting how much more imposing a jump looks with real fillers and more than a single pole. However as soon as we were in felt fine and clear again.

Ended up 3rd in the 75cm and 2nd in the 85cm, totally forgot about jump off bit and concentrated on jumping slowly and calmly, with varying degrees of success!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lNwA8xR5NLg <<video of both rounds.

Now, I need your help! I didn't realise until now how awful my hands were; D is very strong and on the forehand and tends to fire at jumps. I was trying to keep the canter bouncy but my hands were out of control and I was yanking the poor pony in the mouth. Any tips on how to keep the canter lighter and more bouncy overall? School exercises would be most appreciated :D

Also I have gotten into a strange habit of squeezing on take off, even if we have a perfect shot. It is as though I feel the need to "lift off" in a sense and I am sure this isn't helping with keeping steady and slow.

New years resolutions are to get some lessons on the flat and over jumps, try gridwork and get my legs and hands under control

Thanks for reading, homemade coffee cake if you got this far!
 
I think you are beating yourself up... the first round looked lovely to me, there was a good rhythm to your canter and your pony looked balanced and happy. She seemed to get a bit buzzier in the second class, or that may have been the video. I was expecting you to be yanking her head off and for her to be running away from your hands, esepecially after the jump (when you said you put your leg on) but it was a nice round to watch. Although she looked quite forward going, there was control. I have been taught to put my leg on at the moment of take-off and I don't think you exaggerated this by kicking her.

I was taught an exercise that was good and you could try, which helped keep the horse straight, enagaged the hocks and got them listening: start in walk, on the inside track (to allow space for the exercise) work on a twenty metre circle on the right rein, instead of a circle turn it into a square, working on keeping really straight (you could always use poles on the ground to make sure you are dead straight). At each corner of your square ask for left bend and do one five metre circle left, asking for exaggerated inside bend, but without letting her quarters swing out (that's cheating!). Then coming back to your square maintain the straightness. Once you have mastered it in walk, then do it in trot, and on the other rein.

You will find this very small circle on the opposite rein to which you were working will initally take her by surprise, but with showjumping it is vital that your horse is listening, so will make sure that she is waiting for you to give her the next instruction, not anticipating and thinking ahead of you. It will also help her to engage her back end which will ultimately help improve your canter (although you didn't have a bad canter before).

You can ask for the inside bend by "playing" with your little finger on the inside rein, even raising your hand slightly, and when she gives you the bend you can give with the rein. Make sure your outside leg is behind the girth on this small circle to keep her quarters from disengaging. It will be new and different, but do not keep on the small circle if you don't get it right first time, continue with getting straight and try again in the next corner.

I don't know whether this is understandable, but it is something a bit different that you could have a go at. Good luck!
 
Thanks for that, I have been working on getting her hocks underneath and lighter infront by doing walk canter walk transitions on a 20m circle which does help but I think that smaller circles will encourage this more- look forwards to trying your exercise :)
 
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What a fab pony - didnt touch a pole no matter what stride!

When I read your post and then watched the video it wasnt as bad as I thought it was gonna be! But i thought the 2nd vid was much better.
Firstly there was such a huge difference on recovery when you didnt immediately grab hold of him and haul him with the bit def something to work on to land and ride forward and use your seat to control the pace rather than the reins think half halt weight down.

The other thing I noticed is that you use your outside rein to pull him round a corner rather than using your inside leg and aids to push him into the corner, something to practise would be spiralling in and out of circles in canter to teach yourself to push him to the outside rather than pull, this will help set up and give you a better choice of strides and better balance when the jumps get bigger.
 
I think it looked good however personally I wouldn't wear so many layers in the ring. sounds silly but you have no freedom to move so I would wrap up warm in the collecting ring, then take them off for the jumping.

Also between fences on corners, get out of the saddle and do some rising canter, by sitting all the time you are driving the pony forwards so making her strong. you only need to sit when you are setting up before a fence.
trying rising canter rather than totally staying out of the saddle as this can make you lean forward a bit and then push the pony onto their forehand.

hope that helps. :)
 
Farma said:
What a fab pony - didnt touch a pole no matter what stride!

When I read your post and then watched the video it wasnt as bad as I thought it was gonna be! But i thought the 2nd vid was much better.
Firstly there was such a huge difference on recovery when you didnt immediately grab hold of him and haul him with the bit def something to work on to land and ride forward and use your seat to control the pace rather than the reins think half halt weight down.

The other thing I noticed is that you use your outside rein to pull him round a corner rather than using your inside leg and aids to push him into the corner, something to practise would be spiralling in and out of circles in canter to teach yourself to push him to the outside rather than pull, this will help set up and give you a better choice of strides and better balance when the jumps get bigger.
Click to expand...

Thank you, she is pretty special if only to me. I see what you mean, I think I have gotten into the habit of using hand before seat. Slowing down with seat only will defs be something to practice!

ArcticFox said:
I think it looked good however personally I wouldn't wear so many layers in the ring. sounds silly but you have no freedom to move so I would wrap up warm in the collecting ring, then take them off for the jumping.

Also between fences on corners, get out of the saddle and do some rising canter, by sitting all the time you are driving the pony forwards so making her strong. you only need to sit when you are setting up before a fence.
trying rising canter rather than totally staying out of the saddle as this can make you lean forward a bit and then push the pony onto their forehand.

hope that helps. :)
Click to expand...

Haha well it was very cold! Don't think it could have beared (sp?)taking of my nice snuggly jacket! Yes I see what you mean I am driving too much with the seat, will try sitting lighter amd see what happens :)
 
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