[Jump4Joy]

At the barn where I ride, when you look at the pictures of the riders jumping, we all seem to have the same problem:

The rider's leg is swung way back behind them.They seem to be tilted forward a bit, or ahead. I'm a beginniner at jumping, so I don't know a whole lot, but I know your leg isn't supposed to be so far back when jumping. All of the riders at my barn jump in this position, but my trainer doesn't ever seem to talk about it or notice.........

I don't want to start jumping this way and then it become a habit. Is it just me? Is this a common problem or not? What is the probelm? How can you fix it?

I wish I had a picture, I'm sure it would make things much easier. Does this make sense to you?

I would still love hear from anyone who has knowledge of this. Thanks!

[CowGirlUp1833]

It sounds like they need to work on keeping thier leg on over the fence. Heels should be down and the calf gripped... (not pinching at the knee) They should also be reaching up the crest but keeping thier bums back over the back of the saddle and bending at the tip, not just falling foward onto the horse.

Hard to say without pics...but hope that helps!

[Jump4Joy]

It does help, thank you.

I know, Pics are needed to fully understand the problem. Sorry!

I have to log off because something has come up.

Keep putting in your 2 cents worth though! I could REALLY use it!

I'll be back in half and hour.

[horseychic_001]

Is this what you mean?

Yes, this is quite a common problem. Becuase your leg is so far back behind you, it is impossible to keep your balance with your horse. Should the horse stumble or run out or just stop in front of the jump, the rider will be pretty shaken! When jumping, the rider's bum should be just behind the front of the saddle (pommel), never in front, and hovering above the seat. Even if you are asking for a change of lead once you are landing, this is still an incorrect way of asking. The cue for canter should be subtle, and heel should not be the only outside aid, but instead, the entire leg should slip only slightly behind the girth.

If your leg is swinging far back, I would recommend work without stirrups plus a lot of 2-point.

It's very smart of you to realize that this is a problem, despite everybody else at your barn following the trend!

If your trainer insists that this position is correct, personally, I would leave - this could be very dangerous!

[honeydoozy]

If it's like the pic above... YIKES! It's really a painful accident waiting to happen.

It would be incredibly helpful if you (all) rode without stirrups *often*...working up to doing it over fences. Without that stirrup iron to "brace" on mid-air, you'll find a whole new, more secure, more correct way of going.

Good luck!

[Jump4Joy]

That's it! Almost just how the riders at my barn look, most of the time.
Not all are like that, mainly the ones who show!

I think My trainer knows it's wrong, but sometimes riders just won't change. I am very tall, 6 feet, so I think part of my problem might be with having my stirrups too long.

Thanks soooooooo much, you don't know how much this is helping!

[Jump4Joy]

Oh, is it just me , or does the pic horsey chic posted , the rider looks like she's gripping with her knees? I may be wrong. beginner speaking here.

With me, or others, it's more like we tilt forward, so our leg naturally swings back.

Again, my trainer is great, I have learned so much from her. I'm going to ask her in my lesson tomorrow if we can do a lot with out stirrups. If not I'll take a practice ride, and ride a whole hour without stirrups.

[royalrox]

Originally Posted by Jump4Joy

Oh, is it just me , or does the pic horsey chic posted , the rider looks like she's gripping with her knees? I may be wrong. beginner speaking here.

With me, or others, it's more like we tilt forward, so our leg naturally swings back.

Again, my trainer is great, I have learned so much from her. I'm going to ask her in my lesson tomorrow if we can do a lot with out stirrups. If not I'll take a practice ride, and ride a whole hour without stirrups.

she is and I see the difference, but either way they are both wrong, dangerous, and mean you need a stronger calf, the riders at your barn really are doing the same thing, except the girl in the pic has kept her upper body form fairly good, I would talk to your trainer about it and if he seems clueless, get a new one

[JKetsche]

Making sure you aren't pinching your knee will be step one. That solves MUCH of the problem. Exercises you can do to ensure that you don't grip with your knee include lots of two point and work without stirrups. Then you'll learn where your leg belongs and it will want to stay there. Even if you're just walking to cool down, cross your stirrups to get a feel of where your leg belongs or go up into a 2 point. Hope that helps, and good luck.

[Jump4Joy]

Thanks, royalrox but I rather not have you call my trainer, I plan to talk to her directly about this, and other trainers. No rider has ever had a bad accident because of this position, they even do well in shows. Maybe, being the beginner I am, I think the position is more extreme than it really is. I am also going to talk to a trainer that will be visiting my barn soon. He is really good. If it comes to the point where I think it's dangerous and out of control, I WILL leave. The horses are well taken care of, and if you knew this trainer , you would realize how much she cares about the safety of her riders. Maybe I've become to attached........lol.

You guys have helped me so much! I am new here and I never knew I would recieve such a welcome! Your tips are sure to help me, I want to become a good jumper and make sure the ride is confortable for both myself and the horse I ride.

THANK YOU!