Pics of recent show - what's wrong with my jumping?

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mystiandsunny

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I'm really losing my confidence lately because I keep coming off. Not usually over jumps, but if she stops at a new jump/runs out at something scary. It's only with my stirrups shorter for jumping, so wondering if there's anything obvious to see...

Pics from last weekend's jumping (v small fences as getting less confident by the day!).

Go to: http://www.equestrianphotographic.com/ then 'cullinghood 22nd March' in the 2ft second page top line (4 photos) then in the 2ft3 6th page 3rd line down - the three to the right and the left hand one on the 4th line.

I fell due to a spook before the last fence in the 2ft then in the 2ft3 I was just wanting to stay on all the way round so reins all over the place!! Was trying to ride properly in the 2ft though! Someone's horse fell on them between the two classes as well and we all had to retreat while a helicopter came so that didn't help either!!!
 
Are you on the little coloured horse? I think your problem looking at the 2'3 is that you are not weighted down in your legs and thus you have no anchor. If you look at your legs they are really insecure and you have no weight in your heel.

The 15yo I teach has exactly this problem and falls off all the time if something goes wrong.

What you need is lunging lessons - first of all work with out stirrups and reins to get a better seat and to get your legs hanging in the right place. You want them to be just slightly behind the girth think about all the straight lines elbow - hands - reins and shoulder, hip - ankle. Once you are walking a trotting happily without stirrups and staying balanced take your stirrups back on the lunge and work on standing up in your stirrups with all the weight in your ankles. Make sure you can stand up without resting on the horses neck. This takes practise but it will improve all the issues you are having.

http://www.badminton-horse.co.uk/history/photos/2008_photos/sunday.aspx
See how Harry Meade has the weight in his ankles?
 
Think I've found the correct pics!

On the plus side, you sit up nice and straight and you appear to be looking where you are going and not looking down.
The main thing I would say you have to work on is getting more weight into your heels so that you have stability in your lower leg so it doesn't swing back.

If your lower leg is stable, you will be much more secure in the saddle and shouldn't fall off as much
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Have you tried jumping grids? If your pony jumps down them nicely you can concentrate soley on your position and things should improve.
 
[ QUOTE ]
Are you on the little coloured horse? I think your problem looking at the 2'3 is that you are not weighted down in your legs and thus you have no anchor. If you look at your legs they are really insecure and you have no weight in your heel.

The 15yo I teach has exactly this problem and falls off all the time if something goes wrong.

What you need is lunging lessons - first of all work with out stirrups and reins to get a better seat and to get your legs hanging in the right place. You want them to be just slightly behind the girth think about all the straight lines elbow - hands - reins and shoulder, hip - ankle. Once you are walking a trotting happily without stirrups and staying balanced take your stirrups back on the lunge and work on standing up in your stirrups with all the weight in your ankles. Make sure you can stand up without resting on the horses neck. This takes practise but it will improve all the issues you are having.

http://www.badminton-horse.co.uk/history/photos/2008_photos/sunday.aspx
See how Harry Meade has the weight in his ankles?

[/ QUOTE ]

Advice still helpful but I got page no. wrong on 2ft3 - p6, on little bay pony with white star.
 
Stirrups look to long as your toes are down and there is no bend in the knee. The above will help with your balance and lower leg!
 
Hiya Bronya

I was in same classes as you on the daft bay cobby 14.2, I think we even spoke by side of ring. Nothing wrong with your riding, would take your stirrups up a hole or two but main problem seems to be that pony isnt so sure on her feet. If i remember rightly you came off in warm up ring, when she simply just stumbled.

I do wonder if you would be better off with something a bit bigger? My own opinion from seeing you was that you are ready to move up to something bigger and you are quite tall and a nice upright rider, pony seems to have no neck and hence when it stumbled or put in a stop/spook you had nowhere else to go but on the floor.

Nothing wrong with your riding! I thought you rode really positively and pony was not the easiest ride either!!

Dont give up!!!

laugh.gif
 
possibly agree with ''winkfeidwintershere'' in that maybe you need something bigger. and since you are a little bit too big for the pony, there isnt ''enough infront of you'' so when he/she stumbles, you just fall.

and also i agree that maybe put some more weight into your heel?? should help:) xx
 
have to agree you could do with a bigger mount, I'm sure your pony is perfectly capable of carrying your weight but for jumping being on something too small puts you all in the wrong place and as people have said leaves you with nowhere else to go really but the floor!
 
Thanks all, and winkfieldwintershere I remember you - yes pony did stumble in the warm-up. I do have a bigger horse, but she's not ready to go out SJ just yet, hopefully soon
smile.gif
. I ride the little one because she doesn't otherwise have a rider, and she does love to jump so much. Free schooling she'll jump 1.20 with ease, and I keep feeling that if I could just get her out and going consistently it would be easier to find a little rider for her. At the moment she just seems to much for a little person. I would hand her over like a shot, if I could just find someone! Her main job is to be a companion for my horse, so she can't move yards, but I'd charge nothing and pay all entry fees and lessons. Finding someone willing to put up with her seems impossible though!
 
I know the predicament, its tricky when they are keen to find a diddy person capable! I dont think you look "big" on her, I just think it is harder for the rider when there is not as much horse in front!! (Hence i have the chunky cobby one so that when he stops - which can happen - I have lots of neck to fall on rather than the floor!!).
 
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