xc schooling today - comments?

Looks like you both had fun :)

You look committed to the jumps, focused and looking up and ahead well. Horse looks a nice sort if a bit 'dangly'. It's actually difficult over such little jumps to keep them 'together' as he looks like he is just stepping over them and not really putting in much effort. I would probably be tempted to hoik my stirrups up another hole or two, but then I do like to ride short :)

All in all looks a very successful day out; I am quite jealous as I haven't been xc in ages!
 
Well I'm no expert, but if it were me I'd be thinking the hands look a little fixed and I'd probably want to put my stirrups up a couple of holes, you look pretty secure though.

Nice horse too. :)
 
little jumps??? I'll have you know they were gigantic!! :):)

My hands are like that because I am holding on to the martingale. Any suggestions how I can get out of that habit?
 
horsegirl said:
little jumps??? I'll have you know they were gigantic!! :):)

My hands are like that because I am holding on to the martingale. Any suggestions how I can get out of that habit?
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Gridwork is the best thing for 'letting go' with the hands. I was guessing by the bitting that he/she can be quite strong which does make it more difficult. Other exercise is to put up a little jump in the school and continue jumping it on a circle, once the horse realises that it is circle-jump-circle etc it makes it easier for the rider to be able to give more with the hands. Best done in an enclosed area ;) Not ideal, but you can grab a handful of mane 1/2 way up the neck instead of the martingale and begin to train your muscles/arms to release over jumps.

When xc at that level it is better to have a really bouncy canter as you would in the school; it is when they open up a bit that they will dangle or jump flat.

Just being picky though, you look like a good partnership :)
 
As she was going last (out of three) I had no brakes at all as she just wanted to get to the other horses. On the plus side she jumped things she would normally have stopped at (tyres and barrels) to get back to them.
 
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