Dropping a horse at a fence

R

Ranyhyn

Well-Known Member
Joined
21 November 2008
Messages
21,273
Location
Funny farm
Visit site
Someone mentioned in this pic I am "dropping" Ed. What exactly is dropping and how can I stop myself doing it?

Thanks!!
edjump2.jpg
 
i think its usually the contact they mean when 'dropping at a fence' - i.e.throwing the reins at them. not entirely sure thats what you doing in pic though, but i may be way off the mark as mainly dressage - am sure someone will come along soon with a more sensible answer than mine!! lol.
 
I have always known "dropping " at fences to be where someone literally stops riding forward and "drops" the horse before the fence, loosing all contact and forward impulsion from the riders leg, leaving the horse to jump off its own devices if that makes sence?

The only thing I could say from your picci is that you could sit up a bit more on your approach to the fence to hold the horse together a bit more
smile.gif
 
The impression I get from the picture is that you have gone forward too early,this tends to mean that you loose the use of your leg.In addition your seat is not driving the horse forward.I cant see what your hands are doing as the picture is a bit dark. The general impression is that the horse(nice) is taking you to the jump rather than you riding him to it. Your job is to ride him all the way to the point of take off,then its his job to jump,you seem to be letting him take over too early.Hard to tell from one picture.
 
you have committed before the horse! your shoulders are in front of him! if he stops you will jump it alone! keep the ear shoulder elbow hip heel line til take off he will shorten and put you into jump position. keep the leg on, maintain a rhythm. see your stride and ride towards it! keep the rein and leg contact .
 
[ QUOTE ]
aha i stand corrected!!!! this is why i stick to flatwork!
told you someone more senisble would come along!!! lol

[/ QUOTE ]Not so much corrected as expanded on,Ofcourseyoucan has explained it well.
 
Thanks guys! Its probably a lot to do with the fact he DOES do all the work and I am very lucky in the fact that he is an endlessly honest horse and has never refused a fence or touched a pole!
 
well, i don't think you're dropping him, because you have retained a nice contact on his mouth, and your legs are on. you haven't chucked the reins at him and flapped (which is what 'dropping' can look like), and on a horse that has never refused or touched a pole (wow, can i clone him please) i can understand why you're being rather trusting with your upper body...
looks alright to me, although i agree that if he was a dirty stopper you might be jumping the fence on your own!

btw, all the talk at the recent Eventing Forum on Safety was about letting the horse Own the Fence, and if i understood the message correctly this includes letting him take the initiative a little by riding him forward to the fence and letting him think and judge it, not dominating him all the way to the take-off point... because this way, he's used to thinking and reacting, not just being obedient and being told.
 
Yo me, your position is good really.
I train with someone who advocates remaining in a nice light, forward seat all through the approach, jump and landing- keeping your centre of balance nicely central.
Much better that than being back behind the movement then chucking your upper body forward over the fence
 
Thanks guys, I have never had jumping lessons, something for me to work on - the main focus up until now has been that I don't interfere with him too much, because at this point in time - he knows much more than i do!
grin.gif


Kerilli you are welcome to clone him, but please be aware that yesterday i witnessed him canter at the perimetre fence, pop that...when i ran to get him from the next field he buck farted cantered downhill and jumped the 5 bar into the bottom field and then over the perimetre fence onto the gallop track...

crazy.gif
a drawback to an animal who enjoys jumping!
frown.gif
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top