Jump position - hands

[little_critter]

My jumping is pretty rusty. Recently I’ve been horse shopping and have noticed my old habit of not pushing my hands forward enough over jumps.
I don’t believe I’m socking the horse in the gob, but I’m not giving the neck the freedom I should do.
Any pointers or mental images I can use to get those hands properly forwards? (I will of course also be having lessons)

Rubbish photo but here’s one from a few years ago to demonstrate my issue

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[little_critter]

anyone?

 

[Auslander]

I don't think you need to worry unduly - your reins are pretty long, so you aren't catching your horse in the mouth. To improve the overall picture, you'd shorten the reins a bit, and be softer in the elbow, so the horse takes your hands forward as he/she stretches his neck over the fence. Soft elbows are the key!

 

[be positive]

I would put the stirrups up at least one hole so you find it easier to fold rather than stand in them, this should mean you remain closer to the horse which in turn should allow you to open the elbows and for the hand to follow, a few lessons will really help you gain confidence if you are rusty your confidence will probably be a little lower than it will be once you are doing more.

 

[JFTDWS]

Your reins are long - really long - so I don't think you need to worry about restricting the neck. I jump my ponies with long reins in a similar fashion - it works for them. I tend to ride shorter on my mare partly because it gets a bit exciting otherwise, and partly because I often ride with a pair of ludicrously short reins which don't really go long! Provided if / when you shorten your reins you give more, it's fine (although for general improvements of position, obviously BP's post is useful!)

 

[SpringArising]

I think if you stabilise your lower leg you'll find your upper body improves without you having to do much.

Your leg needs to be on the girth, but some horses do make that more difficult (I find round horses more difficult to jump than their sportier counterparts! Think it's because they're often not built to jump and so they really lift their shoulder excessively to get themselves over).

It looks like you lift your hands over the fence rather than think about pushing them towards the horse's bit. Do you jump bigger fences/ride any other horses? It's hard to get a feel of a proper fold when there's nothing to really fold for IMO.

 

[little_critter]

No - my limit on her was about 80cm. I'm hopefully very close to getting another horse so pray I will get practicing and jump a bit bigger.

 

[huskydamage]

Don't know the answer but following as I do the same thing!

 

[Reacher]

I would put the stirrups up at least one hole so you find it easier to fold rather than stand in them, this should mean you remain closer to the horse which in turn should allow you to open the elbows and for the hand to follow, a few lessons will really help you gain confidence if you are rusty your confidence will probably be a little lower than it will be once you are doing more.

My current instructor made me put stirrups 5 holes up from old jumping length to help cure same issue!
(Coloured poles is the before photo. PS I realise my position still has room for improvement BTW!)