Jumping Question - Position

[SouthWestWhippet]

Quick question... having a debate with someone.

I've been taught that a 'classically correct' (ie. BHS) jumping position means that the shoulders should not sit over the knee - if you drew a line to the ground from the shoulder it should pass through the knee, not be in front of it.

My old instructor was forever shouting 'tummy forward, shoulders back' at me as I approached a fence and my stage 3 instructor said the same thing.

This other person is saying that it is fine to have the shoulders over the knee with the back quite flat in order to get a 'release' on the horse's mouth over the fence without straightening the arms.

I''m sure this isn't correct? (I'm talking fences under 1m here, I know the rule book kinda goes out the window when you are doing puissance classes at HOYs LOL)

 

[jumpthemoon]

Not sure about whther it's 'correct' or not but I would rather see someone with their shoulders too far forward than someone socking the horse in the mouth over the fence - are you sure that's not what the other person meant?

 

[xnaughtybutnicex]

I think your shoulders would probably be over your knees but your tummy shouldn't be forward. When in jumping position your weight should be centre or slightly back, otherwise your more likely to fall off. Going too far forward will cause a problem whereas putting your weight a little too far back probably wouldn't. As long as you're not pulling in the mouth.

 

[SouthWestWhippet]

[ QUOTE ]
I think your shoulders would probably be over your knees but your tummy shouldn't be forward. [/quote

I think my insturtor shouted this at me cos I am terrible for collapsing through my stomach and gripping with my knee over a fence. Well I used to be anyway until I fell over the head of several dirty stoppers and learnt to sit up

I'm going to have to have a think about this one though

 

[xnaughtybutnicex]

You should just practice over a couple of small jumps pushing your body back but holding your stomach in and hands forward ect. and just see how you feel most balanced and secure and that's how your jumping position should be.

 

[Silverspring]

[ QUOTE ]
My old instructor was forever shouting 'tummy forward, shoulders back' at me as I approached a fence and my stage 3 instructor said the same thing.



[/ QUOTE ]

I was always taught to sit back on the approach to a fence and only change position on the end of the last stride

Anyway, I think when jumping under 1m you shouldn't be flattening along the horses neck (which I assume the person you were talking to was meaning?) that's only really necessary when the horse is jumping to it's greatest extent and the curvature of the horse back as it arches over the jump is really quite extreme. If you sat with your shoulders up over a grade A fence you probably would survive the landing

Heehee just for fun

http://www.grossepointehuntclub.com/Photos/History/manunknown.jpg

 

[loopylucifer]

when teaching i always say push your hips bk over the saddle and flattern through ur bk and release the hands forwards. but its all relative to the size of fence you are jumping. at the end of the dayyou dont get points for style injumping if you dont interfer with horse, the horse is happy and you scure in your potion it really doesn't matter!!