More weight in stirrups when jumping?

_Rach_

_Rach_

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Morning, Its a bit cold.

Just after a couple of tips.

When I jump Twizzy we dont always get the best jump,for example if the fence is going to get her, she will jump in a little bit quick and I struggle to give with my hands quite as much as I should.
example VVVV
AreaEventing045.jpg


I went to VV to have a jump round last night Twizzy was fab but I did to be honest I felt a little rusty. Caroline said I need to put more weight into my stirrups so I can give with my hands a little bit more so we dont get too much of a funny jump. So any tips to get myself a bit futher up and giving with my hands over a spooky fence?

I can do it when I know she will jump the fences like this picture VVV

PonyCLubchamps053.jpg


Any help would be fab :D Thanks
 
hi there

I think you need to be quicker and more flexible at the hip, so that when she does a quick jump you are ready to get forward. I have always been taught that its really important to give with the reins no matter what you are doing on top, so if I am taken by surprise, I tend to throw my reins at them, then try to gather them quickly on landing! I also ride really short and have quite flexible ankles, so push alot of my weight down in the stirrup,
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I find if my stirrups are too long, I end up pointing my toe downwards so become unbalanced.

I can only suggest lots of grids, and lots of cantering and practicing going in and out of the jumping position which will help with pushing weight down into the stirrups.

I also think that once you start competing and jumping regularly again, it will all come back! no one is perfect when they haven't done it for a while. :)
 
My instructor has been on at me to get more weight in my stirrups too!

I think your stirrups could go up a couple of holes, then you need to get your knee away from the saddle, I think in the photos you are a bit on your knee. Think about turning your knees out frog style, it feels awful but doesn't look as bad as it feels! When you aren't taking any weight on your knee your weight will go down into your heel.
 
i would stick your stirrups up 2 holes and do lots and lots of work with your bum out of the saddle- I do it a lot out hacking.

I have been told for jumping to feel like 80% of the weight goes down your calves and only 20% stays on your bum/inner thighs.
 
millitiger said:
i would stick your stirrups up 2 holes and do lots and lots of work with your bum out of the saddle- I do it a lot out hacking.
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I do this too - only about once or twice a week, but it helps to strengthen my legs and therefore keeps my weight in my stirrups even when they are longer. it does kill though!
 
i agree with above - stirrups up and do lots of work in your jumping / 3 point seat, working on not relying on your hand for balance.

do it out hacking, on roads, hills, popping over stuff ( i know its winter and ground is hard so withing reason)

eventually you will find your natural balance and will be able to work more of folding from the hip without worrying that you will collapse due to no weight in the heel. its basically training your body to be in that position!
 
A common yet almost universaly overlooked problem is the stirrup bar position . The stirrup is basicly a pendulum from the stirrup bar. Your ability to get forward from a deep seat driving the horse into the jump to a ballanced forward position is greatly affected by the distance the stirrup bar is from the seat bones.If the saddle is too large or tipping backward it will cause problems.It is an individual thing and depends on height ,weight distribution ,foot size etc. These modern narrow stirrup leathers effectively move the pivot point of the stirrup leather forward as well.
 
I did a Lucinda Green clinic - she was really into the rider being in balance, no matter whst the horses did and had lots of jumping with 'slipped' reins, so pretty much, on the buckle. Really showed the riders with quick, flexible responses.

REALLY improved lots of riders on the sessions position and confidence over a fence.
 
To me, on those pictures you look a little tight in the knee, almost like you are gripping them into the knee rolls. I have this problem as I b*uggered my ankles in a skiing accident, hence I tend to try take the weight and absorb the movement through my knees rather than take the pressure through my ankles. To help this I do alot of grid work, so I can concentrate on my position. I think about channelling my weight down my little toe into my irons, this automatically brings your knee away from the saddle (think bow legged!). I find that once my knees are looser i'm softer in my hands as I am balanced over my feet, rather than pivoting at the knee. Hope that vaguely makes sense!!!!!!!
 
Katt said:
My instructor has been on at me to get more weight in my stirrups too!

I think your stirrups could go up a couple of holes, then you need to get your knee away from the saddle, I think in the photos you are a bit on your knee. Think about turning your knees out frog style, it feels awful but doesn't look as bad as it feels! When you aren't taking any weight on your knee your weight will go down into your heel.
Click to expand...

Do you mean like this?
scan0002-1.jpg


I think your stirrups need to go up a few holes which will let you get your bum further out of the saddle and let you give more with your hands :) I think the rest will follow from there!
 
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Fatty is amazing at taking a flyer. It's how he likes to jump, I don't tend to get left behind so much now but if I do I have learnt to slip my reins and shove my hands forward with "impressive ability and reaction rate" (quote from Paul Tapner :D ) At first you feel like you have dropped them but if you can get a picture of it then actually it just allows them to sort themselves out. :)
 
stirrups up, loosen the knee off the saddle and practise rising in walk, thn move onto trot and instead of 'up down up down' try 'up up down up up down' then ' up up down down up up down down ' etc, great to re learn your balance and keep the weight down the leg
 
And it's not necessary - or desirable - to have the knee off/thigh rolled back in order to stop gripping with it. Even in a "balanced seat" (vs the "grip seat") the whole leg is softly on the horse, with most of the weight distributed between the calf and the stirrup, not with the upper part of the leg actually off the saddle. It's more about how the grip is distributed and how the muscles are being used.
 
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