Jumping Advice Needed for 7 Year Old Child

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Deano645

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Hi

We have a cracking little 11hh FR pony for my daughter, he has a fab jump, however, sometimes he overjumps. We have had back teeth saddle checked etc and all ok, he just jumps that way - he is 16, and just keen. What happens when he jumps big is she gets throw forward on landing. We have been working on more upright jumping position for her (but she isn't pulling on his mouth) and her holding onto the strap on the front of the saddle rather then her neck strap which is helping a bit, and looking up. But she is still getting chucked forwards, I am guessing it will get to a point where it will click for her and she will manage the big jump fine - and then she will have loads of fun, but can anyone offer any advice to help her get there? I am worried she is going to injure her nose lol. She has come off him quite bit when does it, but now she is managing to stay on. TIA
 
I would do some work with the pony to try and get it a little more consistent and find out when it jumps best, some are better popping out of canter and others will jump sweetly from a steady trot, do some loose jumping or lunging and find what works best so you can transfer the same method to when the child is on board, as far as possible only jump it from it's preferred pace/ approach.

I think small children are best sitting up, as you are doing, rather than trying to get their balance in a jumping position, that will come once they are confident and secure, keep her holding on and get her looking up, if she can keep her head up her balance will improve, I get them to focus on the tops of the trees around the field, counting how many birds are there gets them more focused on the trees than the jump and having their heads up really helps them stay with the pony even if it jumps a bit bigger. The head needs to stay up all the way from the approach to the get away.
 
Thank you, we did have a big issue with her looking down but now she is much better at looking up and like you say we use things like trees and have also held up fingers and she has to tell me how many I am holding up as she jumps. Will try what you have said with looking at how he jumps at different paces etc, he is better in canter, going with the stride but then will still stick in a sneaky big one, and at trot he tends to lurch - never has a pole down tho, he is careful, I think she will have so much fun on him when she has cracked it - it just seems to be taking forever
 
we have also been using placing poles which seem to help him, but then we go to PC rallies and of course they don't sometimes use them and then he will put in a big jump.
 
How big are the jumps and does she come from trot or canter? They usually over jump to compensate for a lack of impulsion IMO.

Holding onto the front of the saddle sounds like it would be a hindrance rather than a help as I can't see how she's going to be able to get into the correct position. Why don't you try getting her to get into the jumping position a few strides away and then holding onto a piece of mane? That's the way that I was taught and it worked great.
 
SpringArising said:
How big are the jumps and does she come from trot or canter? They usually over jump to compensate for a lack of impulsion IMO.

Holding onto the front of the saddle sounds like it would be a hindrance rather than a help as I can't see how she's going to be able to get into the correct position. Why don't you try getting her to get into the jumping position a few strides away and then holding onto a piece of mane? That's the way that I was taught and it worked great.
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I agree with this advice :) you will get a smoother jump if approached in canter. I remember when my daughters were little, they just didn't have the strength in their core at that age.
 
I did be wanting to get your daughter to do tonnes of two point jump position work on the flat. No cheating, no resting hands on neck or plopping the bum in the saddle. See if she can maintain position during up and down transitions, and practice going smoothly between three point and two point. It's a balance thing, pony jumps big, she gets chucked probably back a bit, then as pony lands gravity sends her forward with just as much energy as the pony sent her back. I'd also use a neck strap that's firmly up the pony's neck, which she can grab onto (or mane!) if both hands are firmly where they should be (either side of the neck) it's unlikely you'll fall. I find disaster strikes when both hands end up on the same side as the neck, then your body just follows them both to the ground!
 
Thank you all for your advice, lots of things to try. Here is a link of her riding at pony club on Friday night, I think I may try filming her in slow motion from the side so I can really see what is going on. She is tall but not much weight to her and think it maybe a core strength thing too like you say, it seems her head and body is a bit floppy if that makes sense....

https://youtu.be/jdR_YURo7vA
 
She is allowing her head to drop forward on landing and that is taking her too far forward, pony is lovely to wait for her, get her looking up higher and keeping her shoulders back a bit there is no reason to be in a true jumping position at this age, I hope FW doesn't mind me posting this link to her daughter jumping who stays back a bit more, still not totally secure but by sitting up rather than going too far forward she remain more secure.

https://www.facebook.com/LLPRponies/videos/1851480968417441/
 
Lower leg needs to come forward, bottom towards the back of the saddle a little more, keep the chin up and the fold will happen naturally and she won't be thrown out of place so much.
Watching the video I would get the strap off the saddle, get a neck strap pretty secure up the ponies neck. Pony seems pretty honest so if she was holding that on the way in with bottom back or a piece of mane half way up the neck she should just find balance happens
 
Thank you, yes I had a conversation with her about lower leg yesterday and think I may film her from the side and then she can see, I have my suspicions re it being too far back. I thought I would work on position on the flat with her, she does have a weak core I know that. She has a neck strap on as well as the saddle - will try what you have suggested. He is a super pony, we have been so luck to find him, he really looks after her, her LR pony was a little monkey off the LR so knocked her confidence a bit. Thanks everyone, this is all so useful.
 
have you tried a game like this, just using poles around the arena, the game is to count the strides to the pole go in jumping position over the pole and then site up. she has to aim for the middle and put them on turns this can be done in canter or trot. this will help see the timing to and after the fence but also she has to look up to turn to the next pole. eventually very twisty, but the jump position has to be kept for the pole. we use to play the young ones, count down three, two, one pole sit up and turn to the next. then when this is mastered, turn them into small jumps.
 
Deano645 said:
Thank you, yes I had a conversation with her about lower leg yesterday and think I may film her from the side and then she can see, I have my suspicions re it being too far back. I thought I would work on position on the flat with her, she does have a weak core I know that. She has a neck strap on as well as the saddle - will try what you have suggested. He is a super pony, we have been so luck to find him, he really looks after her, her LR pony was a little monkey off the LR so knocked her confidence a bit. Thanks everyone, this is all so useful.
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She looks a bit worried, understandable if she is being flung about but by worrying and curling up of course you get more flung about.
Pony is a cracker, I taught for a long time and it's a real gem that stops like that and doesn't just drop the head when they feel a kiddie wobble or bog off a bit.
Definitely lots of playing over poles with that almost 2 point position, should nail her lower leg and get her feeling much stronger. I wouldn't worry about jump position as such for now. Maybe stick a long distance out with poles and encourage her to play with strides over them. I used to do them either end of the long sides and go for count the trot strides and canter strides. Can you get two more, two less etc, gets them riding really positively and gives them a feel of control which improves confidence vastly
 
Have you tried any jumping with out reins? As crazy as it sounds it allows the rider to really feel the position they need to be in and allows them to realise that they don't need to over fold themselves over smaller fences.

Also try a pole after the jump - towards the top of the school to give a marker for where she needs to be sat up again - you can move the pole closer to the landing side of the fence as she progresses.
 
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