Jumping Position

LadyRascasse

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I have been criticized for the position i get into when i jump, my RI has told me to not jump in the classic way as with green horses you can easierly unbalance them, so she has told me to stand up out of the saddle and lean slightly forward. Like this

http://www.lrg-photography.co.uk/events/wsrc/Thorney%20Jumping%2015th%20November/2'/DSC_0451.html

and this is my sort of classic jumping position earlier in the year
IMG_0282.jpg


another view of the same jump

http://www.lrg-photography.co.uk/events/wsrc/Team%20Jumping/Novice/DSC_0041.html

so who is correct? i feel a bit like a numpty but what my RI says has worked.
 
I think your classic style looks loads better....the standing up I just dont get it
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please explain again why your RI is asking you to do this?? surely you are more in danger of coming down heavily on your horses back in this position if something went wrong...

ETA What do you mean when you say it has worked??In what way??
 
I had a long discussion on another forum re jumping position and wrote out quite a long reply. In essence there is no such thing as a jumping position. It should be a fluid movement to remain in balance and not restrict the horse. The movement of the rider is purely to absorb the acceleration of the horse as it jumps. Small jump = little acceleration so no great movement required. To use the full blown on the neck type of fold over a small jump could easily put you to forward on the horse and out of sync with the horses jump as much less time for the movement. This I think is why your RI is advising you to change your style.
However, I would still want to see a softer contact over the fence as there is a danger with the new approach that you could use the reins for balance.
 
what my RI said was at this height and whilst she is still green if i go into classic position as such there is a danger of over balencing her and making i harder for her as all you weight is there neck. where as just standing up my weight is more central and she can sort herself out so to speak. i agree the classic position looks better.

JunoXV that makes total sense, the reason there is that much contact on the reins is i have tried givng less contact and she just falls over it, we are working on her being softer in all her work so hopefully this will follow into the jumping
 
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the reason there is that much contact on the reins is i have tried givng less contact and she just falls over it, we are working on her being softer in all her work so hopefully this will follow into the jumping

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I'm guessing the jump was approached in trot from the way her legs are. This is why she falls over it. If jumping a green horse from trot it is essential to place a pole before the fence to get the legs organised from diagonal pairs to together.
The idea being the pole acts on the last stride making it a very tiny jump which gets all the legs in the correct place for the actual jump. Asking a green horse to orgainise its legs at takeoff is too much.
If you use the pole you will find you can approach with a soft contact, release over the pole and let the horse do its job.
If you have a plank that would be even better than a pole.
 
we only trotted over these rounds as she has a habit of refusing and running out at competitions we wanted a safe round which we got. at home we canter and she falls over it as she isn't entirely balanced yet. we are working on it i have regular lessons and she is school by a professional regularly as well.

At home we vary they jumping sessions using canter poles, trotting poles v poles etc, what ever my instructor thinks she needs. she has a habit of rushing jumps so i can't let he got i have to keep contact to keep a steady pace into the fence if i give even one stride before she flattens and usually ends up knocking it down.
 
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