Falling. Forward after jump?

[My_breadbagel]

Hi there! I have a question- I fall forward after jumps and I have no idea as to why. I fold with my horse, and all is okay until he pushes off with his bum to clear the jump. He’s a cob, and not a natural jumper (but he enjoys jumping which is why we do it!) so he sort of jumps in two parts if that makes sense?
anyways, when we’re mid way over the Jump I always get thrown out of my seat and end up on his neck upon landing. He puts a hell of a lot of power into his jumps. We only jump between 1-2 feet at the most, and usually straights with a pole at the bottom for depth.
he does like to go deep into a fence, but I haven’t really had this issue before! Im not getting ahead of him, or being left behind because on slow mo I’m perfectly with him on take off.
could he be over jumping or something else? He gives a jump a fair bit of clearance

 

[Red-1]

A video would help. You can upload to Youtube or similar and then do a link?

Is he still moving forwards as he lands?

If not, I would have him comfortable with appropriately spaced canter poles. Then sneak a middle one up to a very small jump. Make sure you keep the rhythm of the canter down the whole line, including the small jump. A very small jump should just feel like a large canter stride, so I would keep playing at raising different poles until he simply canters over the small jump.

 

[Flowerofthefen]

At the height you are currently jumping there is no need to fold. Make sure you ride forward into the jump and once landed ride positively away. You can do this whilst adopting a safe upright seat.

 

[My_breadbagel]

A video would help. You can upload to Youtube or similar and then do a link?

Is he still moving forwards as he lands?

If not, I would have him comfortable with appropriately spaced canter poles. Then sneak a middle one up to a very small jump. Make sure you keep the rhythm of the canter down the whole line, including the small jump. A very small jump should just feel like a large canter stride, so I would keep playing at raising different poles until he simply canters over the small jump.

I don’t feel comfortable posting a video on here, sorry! I like to keep my identity hidden ? with smaller jumps this never happens, so I might try slowly raising them!

 

[My_breadbagel]

At the height you are currently jumping there is no need to fold. Make sure you ride forward into the jump and once landed ride positively away. You can do this whilst adopting a safe upright seat.

I can promise I need to fold- I’m not mechanically folding, but moving with him naturally (or otherwise I’d be left behind)

 

[Gloi]

I also would think he is slowing down as he lands. Concentrate on riding away from the jump, maybe by placing canter poles after the jump and concentrating on maintaining rhythm over those.

 

[Red-1]

I don’t feel comfortable posting a video on here, sorry! I like to keep my identity hidden ? with smaller jumps this never happens, so I might try slowly raising them!

I understand totally.

However, rather then just raise them, I would work the canter until canter poles are easy and rhythmic, then use them to keep the canter, so it is easier to sit, as per my first post.

 

[Coblover63]

If he's a heavy cob, they can definitely jump as a cat leap. Are you approaching with enough speed. My traditional mare jumps with a much better style when she has good impulsion. At low heights, you don't need to fold. My advice would be to sit up straight and just go with the movement.

 

[TheMule]

Without a video it's very hard to give advice. I would get an instructor in to help.
It could be that you don’t have enough impulsion so the horse is landing without enough forwards, it could be your hands restricting the jump and forcing the horse off balance, it could be that you're collapsing through your core and not holding your own position strong enough

 

[My_breadbagel]

I understand totally.

However, rather then just raise them, I would work the canter until canter poles are easy and rhythmic, then use them to keep the canter, so it is easier to sit, as per my first post.

Yes, that’s what I had in mind

 

[My_breadbagel]

Without a video it's very hard to give advice. I would get an instructor in to help.
It could be that you don’t have enough impulsion so the horse is landing without enough forwards, it could be your hands restricting the jump and forcing the horse off balance, it could be that you're collapsing through your core and not holding your own position strong enough

I feel like the core is Feasible. I’ve had issues over the last year with a weak middle (something I’m working on) so that’s probably it. Looking over the videos it looks like I’m just not strong enough.

 

[My_breadbagel]

If he's a heavy cob, they can definitely jump as a cat leap. Are you approaching with enough speed. My traditional mare jumps with a much better style when she has good impulsion. At low heights, you don't need to fold. My advice would be to sit up straight and just go with the movement.

He’s extremely forward, particularly when he spots the jump, so that’s probably not the issue. Equally, he’s not a sleek sports horse- while cobs can jump well, mine doesn’t. He just enjoys it, which is why I do it.
equally, I’m not mechanically folding. I’m simply moving with him

 

[AmyMay]

A good instructor will help, obviously. But it sounds as if you’re not strong enough in your position generally. Your lower leg is possibly not stable, and lacking strength in your core. Also, if he gets in deep then a cat leap like jump will do nothing to help your overall position.

 

[little_critter]

Good point, where are your legs going?
Do they stay at the girth or are the flicking back?
If they are flicking back then working on keeping them at the girth will help prevent you falling forwards.

 

[sbloom]

Saddle is highly likely to be implicated. If your feet are ahead of you (chair seat, the usual position for jump saddles) that you end up having to climb forwards to get over them in order to fold, then you're up over the pommel and it's harder to recover. Another option is that the saddle is out of balance and too low on front, or doesn't support the front of your pelvis as it should, or that your legs are shooting backwards and it's hard for you to recover (and the saddle is a big contributor to this, especially where a ribcage shape doesn't match your legs). Some fitters are better at assessing and fitting the rider than others and most of us don't realise how much the fit for us is critical and how much it affects the horse too.

 

[View]

Oh this could have lots of reasons. First suggestions:
make sure you are looking forwards where you are going, not down at the jump itself.
Are your stirrups actually short enough?
Don't think about folding, let him come up to you.
You say he gets in deep - what happens if you have a placing pole?
What happens if you trot in and canter away?

 

[paddi22]

it could be your saddle type? it could be stirrup length? it could be your balance is just too far forward?