show jumping - poll. What is your way?

[Peanot]

OK. I have been watching quite a bit of showjumping recently, both amateur and progressive and I have worked out there are 3 categories. Which one do you fall into?
This is a bit of fun too before anyone takes a fence, (pun intended)

 

[Rambo]

Well, i aim for the third option, and get it most of the time (i think)....but occasionally it reverts to the first option when the rhythm won't come

 

[Zebedee]

Depends what I'm riding, & what style suits the horse. Cob needs sending forward all the way, big youngster jumps out of a rhythm but needs rebalancing from time to time. Ancient TB mare always needed holding until 2 or 3 strides out.

 

[Hattikins]

well with Fiddler its the second option!! he's a little boggy irish 15hher with stocky legs that go like pistons!! He'll jump comfortably round Discovery J/O height out of a forward rhythm but start messing around with him and he gets annoyed and gets very stuffy

Hattie is normally the 3rd option she stays in a rhythm 97% of the time and you can hold her or push her up to a fence or just wait - she's not fussed. Then on landing you just have to sit up gather her up and on you go to the next fence

 

[ElleJS]

Forward energetic canter in a rhythm, my mare is a TB and doesn't have the warmblood canter and power to go any steadier at 1m25! At least we win the jump offs!

 

[RachelB]

I can't see a stride to save my life! I just ride, I think I subconsciously see the stride into the fence, but have been taught to sit still and let the fence come to me so I don't fiddle with the horse, just let it get on with it. Then again I don't really "do" SJing and my horse is a star, total schoolmaster. So I put other, but would go for the middle one if I wasn't such a beginner at SJing.

 

[samp]

I said option 2, that is providing my horse is going forward. When she is now going forward you just have to keep your legs on and not fiddle as she will sort herself out. If she is backing off then it probably doesn't look as good and involves some serious pony club kicking. My old horse was hold til 4 - 3 strides out

 

[BBs]

Up until 18 months ago i was def the first option. Now im more on the 3rd version, occasionally reverting back to old habits.

Def helps having a big striding warmblood who likes to take the fences on.

 

[Safina]

Other: Rider who attempts to get nice forward going canter with a steady rhythm but ends up hanging on for dear life as horse bunny-hops towards fence at acute sideways angle.

 

[dixie]

I try to go for option 2 but I 'm afraid I tend to mix it up a bit with indecision and panicking !!

 

[Law]

Option 3. All I get in SJ lessons is "Rhythm, Rhythm, Rhythm! Followed by 'keep the canter, keep the canter'

 

[Super_Kat]

I working towards the 3rd option but at the moment when schooling at home he's fine until he's lined up then he takes a hold and runs into the jump andwhen we compete he takes a hold all the way round

so I just ticked other

 

[ecrozier]

Totally depends which horse I am riding! On my boy you have to hold hold hold, then 3 strides out push push push, and then as soon as you are away from the fence CHECK HARD! Otherwise he does the whole course at 300 mph! But if you don't push hard the 3 strides into a fence he stops! Sadly this seems to be the only way to ride him at the moment- even my instructor agrees.
However OH's mare who I am just starting to compete, is the opposite, you have to maintain a steady rythmical canter all the way round - if you push her too hard she rushes, if you check too hard she throws her head up and panics!! Good job they are totally opposites in size and shape, as wouldn't want to get confused on methods whilst riding!

 

[sweetleaf]

Depends. My horse is pretty much point-and-shoot. On most days I let her get on with it and just steer.

But get her on a day where she thinks she's a pony club pony, then it's a case of desperately trying to get her to listen before the fence and then kick on to get over.

 

[dieseldog]

I ticked other. I sit there, steer and count the jumps

Dolly might be smart, but she aint that smart. She does wait for me on the corners to tell her where to go though

 

[MagicMelon]

I said the 2nd option as my horse prefers to jump on a forward stride! Obviously not galloping at it but he's only a small horse so finds spreads and striding quite a stretch if he's gathered up too much. Whereas my other horse does need to be brought right back or he gets flat and crappy!

I think it all depends on the horse!

 

[helenandshadow]

With Shadow it's between the second and third option. She jumps best out of a forward rhythm and I don't try and force a stride, if I get a good canter she tends to sort herself out. I do try and steady her between fences though to keep her listening and stop her getting unbalanced and on the forehand.