Jumping position help please? :D

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I've never really had actual jumping lessons (apart from a few clinics here and there) but I always feel like I need a little help with my jumping position!
I struggle to make it feel 'natural' but I think that's because I'm so tall!
I've posted some screen shots from a video below, over each bit of the jump, and here is also a link to a video of me and Tara jumping:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=endscreen&NR=1&v=qdCYruBVpG4

Pictures:
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7-1.png


Thankyou! :D
 

Celestica

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You do the same thing as me! You curl your shoulders over when you jump which makes you look kind of hunched. You're supposed to be bending from the hips, the easiest way to do this is when going into your position stick your butt out! :D Sounds funny I know but when you stick your butt out as far as you can it flattens your shoulders and back with a slight dip where it needs to be!
 

lucyc

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Wow you're so skinny!!
To make it feel more natural try taking your stirrups away and then you can't force the position, you get up when the horse gets up. I love doing it and thinks it really helps me :)
 
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Thankyou :D
@Fueledbyaisling: Haha! Thanks I will try that, does sound kinda silly though :p I'll go round thinking 'stick your butt out!!' when I'm jumping!

@lucyc: Oh gosh not stirrupless over jumps! I think I will have to try this over much smaller jumps, haha!
 

dafthoss

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To me and I'm no expert you look like you are climbing up the neck a bit, try staying over the saddle a bit more and think about sticking your bum out rather than going forwards. If you have access to a dirty stopper or something a bit small for you it will help as you cant get in front or it will end badly.
 

ClassicG&T

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i think you leg is good, i have an obsession with lower leg positions!

Agree with the "stick you butt out", i had to learn to do this hehe. you think you look a fool but you eventually adapt :)

I have the same problem with my pony, im 5ft8 and he 13.2 with the shortest neck ever, so when im jumping i feel im going over his head! But when im jumping bigger horses i look/feel fine.


Im no jumping expert though! :p;)
 

Littlelegs

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Agree with Dafthoss. Also put your stirrups up, at least a few holes to start but preferably more.Practice on the flat, preferably in canter at getting your bum back over poles as imaginairy jumps. I'd also stick a stirrup leather on as a neckstrap, it looks as though your chasing your hands slightly with your upper body. That's preferable to having a tight grip, but if anything in a few it looks as though you are going so far the other way your losing your position to avoid touching her mouth.
Do have some sympathy on the tall front though, you look very similar to me & tall & graceful comes a lot easier than neat & compact over a fence. Think the idea of jumping a short necked pony is fab, you'll have to stick your stirrups up to avoid the poles with your feet, & if you're a bit tall you soon learn when you go flying off the front. Also, try a placing pole, in a few it looks like you get left behind at take off then launch forward to catch up. Placing pole will give you more idea when to fold. Overall though very good for someone who's never had lessons.
 
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Thanks for your advice everyone, here are some more pics of me jumping yesterday, any improvement?

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Lower leg seems to be swinging back more though which really bugs me! Gonna have to work on that! Tara's jumping technique has improved loads recently, she is jumping with so much more power, that it seems to throw me out of balance a bit! Any tips?
 
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shampain

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That's quite a jump your horse has- she's a really lovely looking mare.
As for the lower leg, when I have issues with it coming unstuck over jumps, I've been told by my instructor to brace into the calf/shin as you're coming into the jump, imagine there's a force pushing right back on it (could even get someone to push on your lower leg for you, to get a sense of the muscles you have to use), and you're just engaging the muscles in your leg and core that work to keep it steady, and still. Obviously, you don't want to over-compensate and have your leg pushing forward, it's just an isometric contraction of the muscles to hold it still. Hope that makes sense.
 

JFTDWS

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you're still ahead of the movement and climbing up her neck - though your back is less hunched. That's what's making your lower leg swing back. Have you done any stirrupless jumping as suggested before? That would make a difference. Gridwork also helps as you can't throw yourself in front of the movement in a grid without disaster ;)

Nice horse though.
 

Ranyhyn

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I was once told to imagine your butt was elasticated to the saddle, and to stick it back rather than UP. I too wouldn't be able to get away with that position as I'd end up over my horses head I'd imagine, but your mare looks super dooper!
 
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