please give me any critique on my position or how to improve it

[OneInAMillion]

<font color="red"> Please comment on my position. I do tend to struggle to keep my legs nearer to the girth jumping my dun because he is very lazy so I spend a lot of time kicking

. Can anyone help? </font>

<font color="blue"> and i couldn't do a post without a picture of my little old 27 year old pony </font>

 

[Cliqmo]

Hi there, you look like a great little jockey! I would suggest gripping with your knees (in the top pic there seems to be a gap between your knee and the saddle) and to put a little more weight through your foot, in particular your heel, to push the foot forwards. Great going otherwise

 

[OneInAMillion]

thanks
sometomes when i jump my legs just seem to dissapear behind me!!! =D

 

[LucyLuLu]

I woulsd say great position.
If you put mre weight in ur heels.

I have also been tld to not grip with ur knees so i dnt!

 

[Cliqmo]

[ QUOTE ]
I have also been tld to not grip with ur knees so i dnt!

[/ QUOTE ]

Horses for courses

I was always taught that you should think of your legs as being a 'loop' (albeit an incomplete one!) around the horse, so you have a 'benign grip' with thighs, knees and calves at all times and can 'squeeeeeze' your horse (like it is a tube of toothpaste between your fingers) when necessary. I will stand to be corrected if this information is out of date now though

 

[connie1288]

I found the more i gripped with my knees, the more wild my lower leg!!
OP i think you position looks good, your lower leg is not wild, like mine,

and your hands look lovely and soft.

 

[Chloe_GHE]

From the top pic

Pros
. looking up and forward where you are going
. lovely soft hands with nice give to allow jump

Cons
. unstable lower leg

Things I would do to improve lower leg stability...

Trot a figure of 8, instead of sitting twice to change leg, rise twice. This highlights how in balance you are with your horse. You must make sure you are not balancing on your reins/hands when doing it.
When you have mastered that progress to trotting a 20m cicrcle riseing for 2 strides and sitting for 1. It's harder than it sounds!!

Try and do this everytime you ride do a bit in a warm up schooling or out trotting on a hack, and your balance will be hugely improved.

Try to drop the weight down into your heels, and don't grip the saddle with your knees. I think you could ride a little shorter too, which would help.

If your dun is lazy and you do really have to kick him practise getting him to react quicker to the leg. Take him in a big space and get him to canter moving on from the leg and shortening and coming back. Get him nice and responsive so that when you do put your leg on he reacts quicker this should mean you don't have to kick so much and unsettle your leg position.

Hope this helps

He looks lovely and with a few tiny changes you will look picture perfect

 

[kerilli]

you do exactly what i used to do, which is drop your hands on the neck or withers, and rotate forwards over them, which makes it impossible to keep the weight in your heels. best thing is lots of work in 2-point seat at trot and canter, using a neckstrap to help your balance to begin with, until you can stay standing in your stirrups with legs on. then when you start jumping, pushing hands forward up horse's neck towards ears (crest release) in midair, but without leaning on the neck, so your weight has to stay down in your legs. don't touch the horse's mane or neck with your hands until you are out of the habit, basically.
this really works. unfortunately it took me many many years to realise what i was doing wrong!

 

[millitiger]

for me, you look like you are over folding and going too far forward, hence your leg flying out behind you.

i wouldn't try and grip with your knees, the mechanics of your leg mean you won't be able to get your lower leg on if you do.

i would whack your stirrups up a hole or 2 and work at trotting and cantering around, keeping your weight back and over the horses withers- good to do out hacking if your horse is safe for you to work in 2 point.

as kerilli says, push the hands forwards by extending your arms which will again help to keep your weight back and by default help push that weight down your calves which will stabilise your lower leg.