xcountry - checking vs steadying advice please!

4whitesocks

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We're heading off to our first Hunter Trials on Monday - going to enter in the novice (which is about 90cm) and then pick my course - probably do some of the pre-novice course (70) dependinding how scarey the fences are....there's no point in me taking him in the pre-novice as it will be no work for him but the Novice will be a tad scarey for a nervous nellie like myself...

schooling today I found we were getting right in under the fences which makes for a rather unsettling cat jump up and over (to be honest however we meet a fence he'll clear it as long as I'm convinced) but YO/INstructor reckons it's because having introduced more brakes (three-ring) I'm taking too much of a hold coming into a fence & almost trying to ride like I'm show-jumping. I tried the last 3 or 4 with just leg-on and enough of a steady to get my bum back in the saddle which did make for a much more fluid up-and-over but was wondering if anyone had any tips for steadying that don't rely on the reins....should I try getting back into the saddle earlier than say, 5 or 6 strides out....or should I just relax & let him on as long as we have a good rhythm going?

Opinions welcome!
 

young_eventer

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Jumping is all about a good rhythm, it sounds like you almost panic a bit when you are unable to see a stride and therefore fiddle and mess and the horse gets in deep. Try and sit back into the saddle futher away from the fence say like 8 strides away from the fence. When you are cantering out of the saddle the and come to a fence out of the saddle the horse has there eye in and will have locked on to a stride, if you sit 3 or 4 strides away from the fence you change the horses canter and therefore mess up the stride, so sit sooner and collect sooner also and when you get the speed you want SOFT hands and leg on and if it rushes half halt and then soft hads as if it say wow but carry your self.

hope this help you.
 

kirstyfk

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Personally I don't like the bit your using. I have used it in the past and had the same results going into fences. I feel you should think about changing it and see if the problem still happens.
 

poggio

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I usually get my bum down about 5 strides before a fence - still in a fairly light-seat, it doesn't mean you have to sit deep and drive - That in itself should steady the horse without you having to take a pull.

Practice cantering around your arena in a strong, forward rythym (not meaning fast!) and bringing your weight back down the longside without taking a pull and getting him to steady using your position. He needs to learn to listen to that as an aid to woah and focus on the fence and what you're telling him to do.
Thats the feel you need in front of a fence, and that way you don't have to 'look' for a stride, it should just come from the good rhythm that you have in your canter.
 

vickers22

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I always have to sit 5-6 strides before the fence to steady zak up otherwise we would literally just gallop over it!If you let your knees out slightly you find it pushes you back a tad in the saddle and your horse should slow-it works for my boy. Good luck!!
 

kayleigh_and_rocky

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I had the same results with that bit. From what i read, are you looking at the jump to try and see your stride? If you are, i would say (after learning my lesson the hard way yesterday) just sit up in your saddle, keep the rhythm steady and forward, and find a point in the horizon ( a tree or a jump or something) and look at it, and dont look down at the jump because that moves your weight forward onto the horses forehand resulting in chipping in a stride or un nerving the horse.
xxx
 

4whitesocks

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Thanks folks - introduced the bit due to lack of brakes and TBH I'm happy enough with it - today I sat in with a light seat & focussed on the canter rythym - it worked pretty well except for a few speed wobbles from him at the first few as I think he was waiting for me to take a hold...when I didn't he was a little unsure but after he figured out I was just going to let him at them he was fine - our last 3 were fab if I do say so myself - instructor was bemoaning the lack of a camera as she said I would have been really chuffed...
Flatwork tomorrow then roll on Monday!!!
 
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