How to ride down a drop...

[Ahrena]

Okay. So I have a ode tomorrow and just walked the course, and am fretting madly because I'm meeting my nemesis.

It has not 1 but literally about 5 drops, 1 comes up to my hip (I'm 5 foot 8 with long legs) AND not 1 but 2 waters, both with a fair drop.

I'm not very good at drops lol. I don't feel very stable, and last time I jumped a decent drop into water I fell off.

So I need some advice on how to ride it because I'm crapping it.

Here's the best photo of me riding a drop

Now this was a couple of months ago when i'd only had the horse 2 weeks, since then we've done a couple of odes, done well and gone clear xc with no trouble whatsoever. They had drops but fairly small and I felt okay going down them.

Since that picture I've shortened my stirrups and made a slightly more conscience descison not to stick my lower leg forward going down the drop.

I sooooo don't want to fall off, has anyone got any advice? My horse is bold xc, never stops though he did get a bit of a scare when I came off and we only managed to jump a teeny drop into the water after and this is the first time since that we're facing a drop into water.

The BIG drop is like...I jump up a step, take a couple of strides then jump down at a right angle. It must be at least a 3 foot drop. The drop into water isn't as big but as is what I fell off at, it scares me!

Please help lol

 

[jaspejoo]

When i ride a drop, i ride the whole approach in prep for the drop....don't let your horse go too fast into it as this makes it worse....do into it in a steady SJ canter and keep your shoulders back in prep, then don't fold, just allow the horses downward motion to let you move back slightly, but not so you are laid flat, but just so you are going with the motion....maybe have a google of some better riders doing them... if you've ever been to something like burghley and you see them going down the drop in the leaf pit, they go nice and steady then end up quite far back....you'll only fall if you get ahead and forward. hope this helps

 

[Mince Pie]

I can't actually see much wrong with that pic.
http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?imgu...ndsp=18&ved=1t:429,r:15,s:17&biw=1366&bih=667

Also taken from an article from Toddy:

Jumping Drop Fences by Mark Todd
Drop fences are frequently encountered whether you are on a fast hack, out hunting or competing on a cross country course. For novice eventers, they can be a little scary.
While no two fences are exactly the same, there are some basic guidelines that you can follow.
When jumping a drop fence, your pace will depend to some extent on the height of the drop, on whether the landing slopes away from you or rises up to meet you, and on whether it is off a downhill approach or on a level approach. Basically though, it is not a good idea to jump drop fences too fast. Steady the horse a little in front of the fence and make sure he is off his forehand, then keep coming forward in a steady rhythm.
If you go too fast over a drop fence you pitch more weight on to the horse’s forehand and he is more likely to knuckle on landing or lose his balance. Coming in a little on the deep side of the take-off point helps the horse to see where he is going to land, and he is less likely to take fright and leave a leg behind as he takes off.
Never jump a drop fence at an angle. If a horse does by chance leave one front leg behind it can have the effect of spinning you sideways, giving you little hope of staying on board. If you take the fence straight, the horse will not twist so badly, and you might be able to stay together.
You will need to know how to slip your reins when you jump a drop fence. As your upper body comes back to prepare for the landing, you need to open your fingers slightly and allow the reins to slip through. It is a good idea to practice this, so that when you land, even though your reins are long, you can still maintain enough steering and control to ride away from the fence or to jump the next fence, if it follows quickly. Although you may not need to slip your reins over every drop fence, if you never learn to slip them you will be caught out over big drop fences, where you are likely to be pulled right out of the saddle and over your horse’s neck as he stretches his head forward and down to prepare for landing.

 

[juliap]

I got lots of really helpful advice when I asked a similar question here...

http://www.horseandhound.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=376246

 

[ajn1610]

You look fine in that photo to me too but TBH if you are that worried about them and they are your bogey fences I'd go HC and miss them out. Presumably there is more than one class, ask if you can do other classes fences if they look better to you. A competition isn't really the place to be confronting yourself with something you aren't happy about. If you are not sure coming into a fence you are likely to cause yourself problems and make the drops an issue for the horse too. Some one on here introduced me to the great phrase "what's in the brain goes down the rein" which I think is absolutely true. Just my opinion fwiw (not much by the way ;-) so feel free to ignore me lol!) but I'd give them a miss till you've had a chance to school over them in a lesson or what ever and feel happy about them. Good Luck either way.

 

[lynds81]

Don't look down! I would come back to trot quite a way in advance and then ride strongly, but make sure you look up, don't look down over the drop as this will cause you to tip fowards. My first thought on seeing the photo was shorten your stirrups and you've already done that! Just remember to slip your reins, look up, and don't panic - once you have done one the others won't seem so bad!! Good luck.

 

[OneInAMillion]

If you don't want to canter into it come into it in a forward sitting trot

 

[Ahrena]

Thanks everyone, will bear the advice in mind and hope for the best lol!

I don't feel it's bad enough to go hc or withdraw as he's an experienced schoolmaster so just need to confront my own fears really, I'll report back how it goes

 

[marinaim]

When I was in Ireland, home of proper cross country, they taught to go slower into a drop, there is no need for speed, especially if part of a set. Then , you always stay at a 90* angle to the ground - so always upright. No leaning back, no leaning forward. Don't move. Feet go forward though, if needed for security. And lastly, let the reins go looser. It's easy to pick them up afterwards, but pulling a horse is so easy down a drop. And no looking down! GOOD LUCK!

 

[skewby]

You look fine in that photo to me too but TBH if you are that worried about them and they are your bogey fences I'd go HC and miss them out. Presumably there is more than one class, ask if you can do other classes fences if they look better to you. A competition isn't really the place to be confronting yourself with something you aren't happy about.

I disagree! I use comps to get me over fears, I'll go for it if there's a ribbon in it, I won't if I have a choice. You'll be fine it's your bugbear but this course will do you a lot of good in putting it to bed. I'm no expert but the way I ride drops is, make sure ned's seen it, sit up kick on slip reins. Good luck tomorrow let us know how you get on! xxx

 

[skewby]

Don't look down!

Actually this is all you need! Look up, where you want to go and ride forward. Bet you feel astonished at how little they feel

 

[star]

there's not that much wrong with your pic - better your legs to go forward than come back. all i'd say is you need to slip your reins a bit more as you're hanging onto his gob for dear life and if it wasn't for the flash i think his mouth would be wide open. if you catch them in the mouth every time they jump down a drop they wont want to keep doing it for very long. would always advise coming back to trot for a step down to start with as the slower you're going the more likely they are to just pop down and not launch off. dont look down, look up, keep your leg on, come at it in a nice straight line nice and steady and it will be fine! think positive.

 

[Ahrena]

Thanks for all the advice!

We managed our best dressage yet, 33.6 but as the lowest was 32.8 and I was equal 3rd I couldn't complain, a mad clear sj, thenCLEAR xc! The drops went fine, i didn't even feel unbalanced going down them.

I ended up 3rd (was equal points as 2nd but s further from optimum time xc as we went a bit fast but ah, he was such a star!), still can"t believe I found such a superstar for loan

 

[marinaim]

oooh! Well done!!!