How do you keep your balance on landing after big fences?

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HammieHamlet

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I wondered if anyone could provide some tips or exercises to improve balance when landing after a fence?

The horse I am jumping has a really powerful pop in him, and i'm ok jumping 1.10m etc, but yesterday my trainer put the fences up to 1.50m and honestly felt like I was going to be launched into space...it was a long way down on the other side.

Does anyone have tips for keeping position good upon landing specifically for the higher jumps?

Thanks :)
 
It's a big leap from 1.10m to 1.50m (no pun intended !) and especially over an oxer of that size. Build up slowly until you get a feel for the jump and the other thing i would say is make sure you are good at absorbing the jump in your hips / core. You want to minimise your upper body movement as much as possible and make sure your lower leg is secure. When it comes (and it will) it's the most amazing feeling ever.

All that said though, there are always going to be horses that you feel comfortable jumping big fences on and others that you don't. Trike always lands very steep...and is not a comfortable ride even over 1.30m fences...Bo on the other hand used to feel better the bigger they went :)

Was this on Kiri ?
 
^^^^^ as above really but i'd also make sure you are looking up all the time and not down this will throw your balance forward if you are staring at the fence.
 
Bring your body upright but make sure you don't sit down on their back harshly as not only will the hollow but the ping you up the bum and fly you back out the saddle!
 
Rambo said:
It's a big leap from 1.10m to 1.50m (no pun intended !) and especially over an oxer of that size. Build up slowly until you get a feel for the jump and the other thing i would say is make sure you are good at absorbing the jump in your hips / core. You want to minimise your upper body movement as much as possible and make sure your lower leg is secure. When it comes (and it will) it's the most amazing feeling ever.

All that said though, there are always going to be horses that you feel comfortable jumping big fences on and others that you don't. Trike always lands very steep...and is not a comfortable ride even over 1.30m fences...Bo on the other hand used to feel better the bigger they went :)

Was this on Kiri ?
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No it's not on Kiri... bless her :) It's on the horse I train on in Russia - he is an ex-Derby horse, so has one hell of a pop in him - he's such a good teacher as he'll stop if you get it wrong, but if you're right then he listens and will jump the moon!

We're jumping courses of various sizes, but mainly averaging 1.20m with a few 'joker' fences added in for good measure, like the one yesterday which was 1.50m! My problem is that even though I'm not falling off!!, I'm not getting myself back in the saddle in time to ride correctly to the next fence, as I'm basically getting catapulted out the saddle too much... it's not disastrous, but certainly room for improvement. His back end is very powerful, so over oxers in particular, it does make it more difficult.

Next time he is taking my stirrups away to try and help - but could also do with some other exercises....
 
measles said:
Ditto all that Rambo said. Our mare always over jumps and was making too much distance on related distances and combinations. He has found that bringing his upper body upright a little earlier on landing had helped to contain the jump.
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this is just it though, in that I'm going too far forward with my body, and then getting back too late... Will try to keep more upright!
 
I don't jump as big as 1.50, but when they went big (by my standards) -

A hole shorter stirrups.
Really working on my core strength so that I didn't 'collapse' on landing (cross trainer sessions worked for me)
Making sure the canter impulsion matched the size of the jumps so that they still 'flowed'.

If your jumping at that level, it's probably just what you already know though.
 
was going to say you are probably to far forward in your upper body and then saw your second post. If you look at the photo of Michael Whitaker on this link you can see how quickly he has already returned to an upright position in time to absorb the landing. If your body is tipped forward you will be thrown on to the neck on landing.

http://www.horseandhound.co.uk/gall...aker/Michael+Whitaker+and+Cover+Girl.jpg.html

also be very aware of your lower leg it should always pretty much be pointing downwards, make sure you have weight in your heels and feet to ensure your leg doesn't move back which again will throw your body forward. some movement is allowed (again just look at the MW pic!) but you have to make sure it isn't throwing off your balance elsewhere!
 
HammieHamlet said:
this is just it though, in that I'm going too far forward with my body, and then getting back too late... Will try to keep more upright!
Click to expand...

Perhaps some gridwork would help over smaller fences so that you can work on eliminating some of the movement of your upper body? I also find that canter work in a forward seat helps riders with core stability and the degree if fold in the upper body can be practised for feel and to re-eduate muscles.

Sounds like some horse you are riding though!
 
If you can I would suggest doing some flatwork and poss some small jumps and grid work (if your brave enough cos his jump sounds amazing!) without stirrups. I have always found that has been a really good way to develop my core muscles and improve my balance over fences. Lunge lessons are also brilliant for improving balance and you core stability even though they ususally kill you by the end!!
 
My coach has me going through gymnastics lines without stirrups. Usually an inviting cross rail, trot in to a bounce or two to a two stride to one then a large ramped oxer. I'll go through a few times with no stirrups at a lower height then gradually he'll put the back rail up and up. Once it's of significant height and my mare is really jumping round and big he'll let me pick up my stirrups. It feels so much easier and the lower leg stays in place.

My mare has a tendency to pull me down on the landing so to compensate I sink every ounce of body weight into my heels and keep my head up looking to my next fence (I try to anyway!)With the heels way down you are forced to hover your core weight over the middle of the saddle seat and it makes you soften your hips which absorbs the impact of landing.
 
Santa_Claus said:
was going to say you are probably to far forward in your upper body and then saw your second post. If you look at the photo of Michael Whitaker on this link you can see how quickly he has already returned to an upright position in time to absorb the landing. If your body is tipped forward you will be thrown on to the neck on landing.

http://www.horseandhound.co.uk/gall...aker/Michael+Whitaker+and+Cover+Girl.jpg.html

also be very aware of your lower leg it should always pretty much be pointing downwards, make sure you have weight in your heels and feet to ensure your leg doesn't move back which again will throw your body forward. some movement is allowed (again just look at the MW pic!) but you have to make sure it isn't throwing off your balance elsewhere!
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I certainly do need to look more like MW :) However, I always get surprised when I see JW jump as his legs almost seem to be parallel to the horses back?!
 
Baileyhoss said:
I don't jump as big as 1.50, but when they went big (by my standards) -

Making sure the canter impulsion matched the size of the jumps so that they still 'flowed'.
Click to expand...


up until now, most of the work done has been on the canter, so that the approach is spot on, and the canter is correct and powerful... so we've cracked that part of it - it's now the landing that needs improving so that the canter can come back immediately for the next fence
 
measles said:
Perhaps some gridwork would help over smaller fences so that you can work on eliminating some of the movement of your upper body? I also find that canter work in a forward seat helps riders with core stability and the degree if fold in the upper body can be practised for feel and to re-eduate muscles.

Sounds like some horse you are riding though!
Click to expand...

he is an amazing horse... i'm so lucky to be riding him. He was a speed derby winner in Holland, and now owned by some rich russian lady who barely ever rides him - he's teaching me so much! He's not the kind of horse to do the job for you - he makes me work hard :)
 
jamber said:
If you can I would suggest doing some flatwork and poss some small jumps and grid work (if your brave enough cos his jump sounds amazing!) without stirrups. I have always found that has been a really good way to develop my core muscles and improve my balance over fences. Lunge lessons are also brilliant for improving balance and you core stability even though they ususally kill you by the end!!
Click to expand...

we're going to try the 'without stirrups' thing next time, hopefully not over anything too big though! I do also have a flatwork lesson each week without stirrups, so hopefully that is helping as well...

also try to do core stability stuff in the gym, but probably need to go a little bit more often ;)
 
Mbronze said:
)

Do you really need to jump that high? Yikes!!
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My trainer is probably a little bit crazy, and I just tend to do what I'm told, but do enjoy the challenge! :) he's told me that in the summer we're going to put a van in the arena and jump it.... i hope to god that he's joking!! (don't worry, I wouldn't do what I'm told in that instance...)
 
Ella Bella said:
My coach has me going through gymnastics lines without stirrups. Usually an inviting cross rail, trot in to a bounce or two to a two stride to one then a large ramped oxer. I'll go through a few times with no stirrups at a lower height then gradually he'll put the back rail up and up. Once it's of significant height and my mare is really jumping round and big he'll let me pick up my stirrups. It feels so much easier and the lower leg stays in place.

My mare has a tendency to pull me down on the landing so to compensate I sink every ounce of body weight into my heels and keep my head up looking to my next fence (I try to anyway!)With the heels way down you are forced to hover your core weight over the middle of the saddle seat and it makes you soften your hips which absorbs the impact of landing.
Click to expand...

thanks - that sounds really useful, and probably nicer to do it (without stirrups) as part of a grid...
 
It's way easier to work on position through grids. The striding is set so you dont have to think about distances or "jumping for the horse" you can just sit up there and work on staying out of the way :)
 
I used to train with Lars Sederholm who was a famous trainer both SJ and eventing back in the day. He had a big thing about "opening the angle" at the highest point of the jumping effort. Basically, however far forward you throw your upper body as the horse rises, and if it's a big fence you will need to get well forward, at the top point you MUST start to bring your body back to upright again in order to stay in balance, otherwise you will land sprawled on the neck ;) He used to (and Yogi did) lunge us all for hours and hours over mid-size fence with very short stirrups and no reins - great for balance!!
 
Tabledancer, i also had some training with Lars at Waterstock way back and still remember him talking about 'opening the angle' and is something i always think about over bigger fences. I think of it has on take off the horses shoulders come up to you as you go into the forward position and then from the highest point you bring your body back as the horse goes back to the ground. i do feel that for this smaller riders (which includes me and OP!) are slightly disadvantaged as it is harder to open the angle on a steep decent without slipping your reins when you have shorter rather than longer arms! Not that I am saying it can't be done though and I do realise that being small/lightweight can have advantages too.
 
I think alot of the problems riders experience is when we get "busy" and subconsciously jump for the horse. My coach is a stickler for staying *quiet* in the tack and allowing the front end to come up to you rather than pitching forward. The really great riders are the ones that appear to hardly move even in the GP ring. Ian Millar (sorry, Im Canadian,lol) is one to watch, he is so light and quiet he barely changes a thing in the air.
 
Astonishing as it may seem ,I have jumped some fairly serious sj fences in the past. It is about flexability and staying within the point of ballance get out of that and you are a dead weight to your horse. On landing ,a lot depends on the length of back of your horse. Short back , great, long back will flip you into oblivion if you arent carefull.Once you get plus 1.2 the feeling of lift at a jump puts things in perspective. Its hard to explain but anyone can jump 1.8 on the right horse. the feeling is unbelevable .
 
Thats interesting, I cant say Ive noticed long backed horses feeling any different. My current showjumper is quite long backed but it has never presented a problem when we jump size, even if I am slightly behind the motion. If anything shorter backed confo lends to a rounder jump which can *pop* you out of the tack. The longer backed ones have a tendency to flatten out. If you get left behind on any horse you'll get pitched,lol. I find it has more to do with power, bascule and scope amd that comes in all sizes and shapes.
 
Ella Bella said:
Thats interesting, I cant say Ive noticed long backed horses feeling any different. My current showjumper is quite long backed but it has never presented a problem when we jump size, even if I am slightly behind the motion. If anything shorter backed confo lends to a rounder jump which can *pop* you out of the tack. The longer backed ones have a tendency to flatten out. If you get left behind on any horse you'll get pitched,lol. I find it has more to do with power, bascule and scope amd that comes in all sizes and shapes.
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I so wish you had met my sad lancelot , you are clearly ahead of the game to me . I understand what you are saying ,yet I wish younhad met him. He would have shown you "bascule" and shoved it up.....................................
 
thanks for all the tips - I think in general I probably get a bit too 'busy' going over the fence, and tip myself far too far forward, therefore not getting back in time.

I will think about 'opening up the angle' and even try to film the next jumping session so that i can see what it is i'm doing wrong.

As i said before though, It doesnt seem a problem at the lower heights, but not the jump is a different feeling altogether so I need to sort it out :)
 
I used to ride a horse that kicked back over every fence, it made me have to alter the way I go over a fence as it felt like her was lauching me!

Anyway, i rode much shorter in the stirrups - this gets you out of the saddle (stops my horse hitting me!) and then learning to sit up a bit more over the fence, it feels like you are not bending at all but if you video you'd see it doesn't look like it.

Also, looking ahead at the next fence really works as you can learn to prepare on landing for the next fence, and this just helps with keeping it all together.

Good luck - wish I was brave enough to jump 1m50 again!
 
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