[Equus.]

Would love something constructive critisim/critique on my jumping position and my pony over jumps. We are both new to jumping (hence why i am jumping in my dressage saddle - I have to get my showjumping saddle fitted - i have always done dressage).









& jumping at home over a small jump



he looked like this in july 2009 when i bought him so jumping this height for us both is a huge acheivement



any help with my position and training i could do with my horse would be great to aid our jumping thankyou

[Poppy n Rio]

Well done first for turning a 'joe average' into a good looking man!!! then for jumping with a dressage saddle, not impossible but not particularly pleasurable. You look a little like your stood in your stirrups in the final one, but again the saddle wont help that or what it appears to be making you do. The third one is probs your best shot, the horse looks like hes in the process of learning too but thats just time and experience, a little gymnastic work will do wonders. Good luck and I have to say I am impressed with your ability to spot a nice looking horse under the hairy horse you bought..

[2hot4u]

you lower leg slips back quite abit over jumps. I would work on keeping your leg at the girth! very good job with him btw!

[Ittakes2totango]

Can't really comment. But wow I never would have guessed that that was the same horse. Congrats on such a great achievement.

[pippy]

I think you would be best to wait for a crit until you are in a better saddle.... so hard to jump in one, but I'd like to congratulate you on your success! He looks great!

[KayCee_Lady]

I'm going to echo everyone else here... congrats, he looks amazing.

As for your critique...

Dressage saddles really aren't ideal for jumping. I compete in an all pupose for eventing... sits deep enough for dressage, but keeps my leg stable enough for jumping.

I'm suspecting your saddle is greatly affecting you jumping style... your really jumping ahead, pinching with your knee and lost your lower leg all together. Often when the stirrup length is too long, riders compensate by throwing thier upper body forward. It makes sense in your heads... we're off the horses back and encouraging the horse over the fence. However, it puts you in severe danger of being dropped off over the horse's head if he should decided to stop. Jumping ahead can also cause your horse to hit rails as all your weight is on the hrses neck as he's taking off... rather than staying with his center of gravity.

I would suggest a saddle change and gymnastic work. Once your allowing the horses motion to close your hip over the fence, you'll find that you can push for better spots and the jumps will come to you rather than you leaning towards them. The whole course will flow nicer.

Your upper body is decent... it will become steller once it's not doing all the work. Your eyes are up, and you're giving a good low release. Just watch your hands... in the last pic your whip hand is floating above the horse, defeating the purpose. If you tipped backwards, you would catch him in the mouth.

I'd def work on gymnastics, riding without stirrups and changing the saddle. I'm not sure how your rounds are, but from the pics it looks like your greeny is in the stage where he's jumping too close to the fence. If you push him out and ask for a more open stride, you should start getting better distances.

Good Luck... hope this helped. =)

[K Riding Girl]

get out of the dressage saddle and then we can critique :P

[Mayelix]

Not so good at critiquing horses just yet, but I can critique your position.

You look like you are pinching at your knees... and your leg is slipping back over the jumps. Try to grip with your lower leg, and make sure to push your heels down - they are slipping up over some jumps. You look like you are sort of standing up in your stirrups in some photos - instead you want to be bending at the hip... staying over the seat of the saddle rather than getting on top of the pommel. Also make sure to keep your shoulders back - it's hard to tell but they look like they might be getting rounded in a few photos.

Hope this helps

And just wanted to add - your horse looks great! What an improvement - good for you

[xlilxonex]

I will wait till you get your jumping saddle fitted..... Dressage saddles seem awfully hard to jump in, or so i've heard haha.

But congrats though =)