BSJA riding - bit speedy?

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MagicMelon

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My horse is quite compact so I find he hasn't got the longest stride. He's 16hh but feels like a pony to ride. So I do have to get spot on at BSJA - I screwed up yesterday in a double by getting too deep to the first part so he does 2 strides! But he can so its not a huge issue. He's very quick with his front end so snaps up pretty quick no matter how deep I get him.

We did our 4th Foxhunter yesterday and I did feel like I was riding very forward, possibly too much so. But I feel like I need to to ensure he makes the distances and he does seem to jump better this way - he doesn't get so deep and really stretches over the spreads. He generally is very clean no matter what speed I come in, as long as he's balanced. But I watch everybody else and they set up and seem to go so slow! My question is, does it matter how forward you ride a SJ course as long as the horse is happy, confident and jumping well and you stay in a consistent rythm the whole way round?
 
I'm like you- I prob tend to ride more forward than most people but it works for my horses.
I hate the stifling short canter some middle-end pros jump out of, if you wacth upper end sj you'll see they keep it much more forward and flowing
 
Remember, if/when you jump at the highest level you will need to be covering the ground at 400mpm....which is actually pretty damned quick ! Even at Foxhunter you will be needing to do 350mpm. I personally think too many people try to go too slow.....hence why you see so many Brits getting the odd time fault at the highest levels
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If your horse doesn't have a naturally log stride you need to make up the distance somehwere...and I'd rather see a horse going a bit quicker and jumping happily than see one struggling to make distances
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Absolutely right. I'm still surprised by how often some of our top riders have time faults. Disregard those incurred in the 1st class of a major show, as they have just gone in for a school round and exercise, BUT it happens too often for comfort in the important classes, including Nations Cups and Team Championships. While a time fault is less expensive than a fence down or a refusal, it's surely better to regularly go fractionally faster. A consistent rhythm is the best thing to achieve.
 
Ok, so its fine then! I don't plan to go above Fox to be honest so not worried about 400mpm speed. We must be quick because we've been the fastest 4 faulter twice already :P

I just worry spectators are thinking "why the hell is she going that fast"!
 
im not the same level as your at, however i find my mare goes better faster - maybe its because she is a pony and just wants to bomb around everywhere - it looks awful but we go clear, now ive schooled her better and have a more balanced canter etc and i can't remember the last time i went clear!!

What works for you might not work for others and vice versa, no 2 horses are the same.
 
I think most people jump too slow. When I watch a 'proper' class I cringe at how slow I really ride. My horse always jumps better in a JO, and I think it is because I am more forward.

I was watching the YR trials at Wales and West and nearly everybody was getting time faults as they were too slow.
 
Magic_Mincepie I saw your 1.10 round and jump off yesterday! I love your horse he is so cool can't believe you managed to get 2 strides in that double both times and still not have a pole down, he's so careful
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. What placings did you get in the end? Your a bit crazy jumping foxhunter, 1.05 bsja is scary enough for me haha!

And yeah I am the one with the chunky monkey black horsey with white face and legs! He was awesome yesterday so chuffed with him! I'll need to try some newcomers soon, bit scared though, we're newly out of BN and at this rate we'll be out of disco soon as well aarrggh
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I never saw your foxhunter but in the 1.10 it didn't look to me that you were going too fast.
 
Yeah, I know we screwed up the double TWICE!! Although, we actually got it spot on in the 1.20 thankfully! He is a clever little dude, we just have to work a bit harder to make distances as he's quite short coupled. We got 3rd in the 1.10m and just clipped a pole at the second (simplest!) fence to come back with 4 faults in the 1.20, but there were only 4 clears in the end out of I think 16 so was pretty pleased
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I know Im a bit crazy doing Foxhunter - it was only my fourth one yesterday so still rather scary! It's annoying being out of class, Im only £85 'til being out of Fox and Ive only just started it!

I watched you in the jump off of the 1.05 - you did well didn't you? Weren't you highly placed? He's so noticeable due to his cuteness! Yeah, do a NC!! Watching him yesterday, he'll find it no problem. Do you know when the next BSJA is? I have no idea!
 
Well done that's so good, I wanted to stay and watch the fox but my dad wanted to go home
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Pleased with my ponio did two lovely double clears, won the disco and was third in the 1.05 (annoyingly they only gave out 1st and 2nd prize money though.) That's the first time he's ever done two DCs BSJA, he always has 4 faults in the 2nd class! I was riding my friends horse in the BN as well so Keats must have known and decided to try extra hard!
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Will probs start doing NCs at the start of next year, he doesnt even need to try at 1.05 so he should manage no probs, I'll just need to hang on a bit
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He's probs got the jump for foxhunter, you would never guess just looking at him standing around, he just looks like a rc type, bought him to do like 90cm max, but he has turned out a bit better than that!
 
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