Put my stirrups up - update from steeplechaser to SJ post!

[melv1lle]

Following all the helpful advice I got about my jumping position when I posted last week I applied much of it to my practice on Sunday - especially the bit about shortening my stirrups

. So just thought I would post our latest attempts from this session to show how we got on. Thanks all for your advice - although I will say that I do not seem capable of staring anywhere except straight at the jump when we are coming into it despite my best attempts

 

[kerilli]

you should be staring straight at the jump... that's how you judge your distance. who said you shouldn't? where are you trying to look? you've got him to a good spot in both those photos.
if you want a critique... (if not, please ignore!)
it's better with the shorter stirrups, but you are resting your hands on the neck, which restricts the horse (you can really see this in the second photo), and you are rotating forward over your hands. if you push your hands forward and up his neck, and try to keep your shoulders up a lot more, it will be much more secure, and will give his head and neck the freedom he needs in the air.
feel free to ignore though!

 

[jess_asterix]

You should be looking at the jump as you turn, and on your approach, but a few strides out look up

Agree with kerilli about hands though. Looks better with shorter stirrups too, more secure

 

[Weezy]

Hmmm I actually think the horse would jump like that even with a loose rein - but could be wrong!

The comments about looking at the fence was looking at the bottom of the fence and I still maintain you should be looking up OVER the fence, not at it - sure once it is of a bigger height you can look at the top pole but your canter should be such that once you have a rhythm going in and sorted (more than 3 strides out) you should not be looking at the fence but beyond it.

SC I think the stirrup length is good now but your weight is still too far forward in the first pic and you are rotating over your knee a little too much in the second. Yes, you do need to be elastic in your arm, but you do not need to chuck your hands up the horse's neck... I actually do not have a problem with where your hands are at all, but have a play to see if you give more rein if your horse will give more neck (I doubt it ATM, that is something to work on).

Saying ALL of the above, I would really like to see a pic of you actually going over the fence (horse on top of the fence if you like) as I have a feeling this split second is not telling the whole story and you may well be shifting your butt and weight over the centre of the horse correctly over the fence - but you still need to work on approach and not pre-empting the jump.

Hope you are happy with your progress as I think you should be

 

[SpottedCat]

Def looks much better. Agree with Weezy - I think ATM he is too green to stretch out over the fence and is doing that baby horse 'must check where the pole is' look!

You'll hate me for this, but do you remember when we were kids and we used to do what FLEC called 'utility jumping'? If he's honest to the fence and will always go, then I'd try some jumping without reins to work on your position. Use grids (assuming he's comfortable with 3 x poles one stride apart), keep them small, knot your reins and a couple of strides out drop them - it forces you to be in the right position - I start with arms out to the side then do something different over each fence, and you can start by just putting one arm out. If you are not in the right position you can really feel it as you don't feel balanced, and it is therefore easier to correct. however you do need an honest horse for this one!

Every time I need some jumping confidence or feel my position is a bit shoddy I do this!