Landing phase rider position examples please ?

[iknowmyvalue]

I, like most others here, aim for a neutral position. I’d tend to be more defensive when hunting/XC.

I used to have a problem with my leg coming right back, which was solved by having a lesson with an event rider who took the knee blocks entirely off the saddle so I couldn’t grip with my knees ?

 

[AandK]

I think mine is a fairly good example (maybe my right hand could be a bit more relaxed/forward?) This was back in 2017 the second to last event I did on my now retired boy! (ETA, third to last actually!!)

 

[sbloom]

I, like most others here, aim for a neutral position. I’d tend to be more defensive when hunting/XC.

I used to have a problem with my leg coming right back, which was solved by having a lesson with an event rider who took the knee blocks entirely off the saddle so I couldn’t grip with my knees ?

Interestingly a common reason for gripping with the knees is a lack of support under the thigh, shimming under the skirt where the upper thigh sits can be a better solution, the knee often needs some support under it, though big blocks in front in order to stop the leg coming forwards in "normal" riding is not the best use of them, for sure. Reducing support under the knee to stop pinching may cause tension elsewhere in the resulting compensation.

 

[j1ffy]

I’m definitely not a jumper, but here’s one of me on my old boy when he was a tad over-enthusiastic over one of his first jumps away from home.

People tell me that my lower leg doesn’t move much, but it doesn’t feel like that at the time. A little like having ‘still’ hands during rising trot, the rest of your body needs to move (various angles opening and closing) to keep the leg in the neutral position.

 

[RachelFerd]

Managed to make some photos work -

1. SJ landing phase, out of saddle, still balanced over foot, not worried if heel isn't perfectly lowest point of leg, horse can take my elbows forward if he wants



2. normal XC fence landing phase - much lower to the saddle, won't get dislodged easily on landing, horse doesnt have as much freedom through back



3. landing over a drop fence - further back again, althouh still want to be able to allow length of rein and not be leaning right back over his HQs



4. funny one - emergency landing SJ when we had a total stride disagreement. Slipped reins and immediately went into XC mode!

 

[IrishMilo]

 

[ycbm]

Ref the legs forward discussion. Piggy March (French) at Burghley today.

 

[Cob Life]

That's a tough ask. I used to have to consciously reload my jumping software between two horses I rode at alternate competitions. I'm a fan of a forward foot position jumping, especially landing, because of the stability it gives you. I am also riding EIGHT holes higher in all those photos than my dressage length, again for the stability.

EIGHT? I go up 4 and feel like my knees are by my ears

 

[ycbm]

EIGHT? I go up 4 and feel like my knees are by my ears

I have long legs to start with, and I ride dressage long and jumping short, so my jumping length is 4 inches (8 holes) higher ?

That said, I haven't jumped for 4 years and I might not be riding dressage so long now I'm older and more creaky and I'm not sure how short the jumping is going to go back to yet.

 

[Roxylola]

My leathers are half holes so it's more like 8, but there's a 17 hole difference in my flat and jump length, I do dressage long though - plenty of folk taller than me go up a hole or two from my flat length

 

[clinkerbuilt]

Just chiming back in to say I love this spectrum of examples, the really interesting discussion and I also love (and sadly recognise) the "serial shoulder slinger" tendency.