I had a jumping lesson with Mike last week and just wanted to report and really enjoyed it! Also wanted to share my issues in case it helps anyone else with same problems.
I'd never really heard of him but he was doing a clinic at local RS so I hacked Charlie up. He really liked her and kept saying what a lovely mare she was which was brill. He whacked the jumps up to about 1.05 for the uprights so he must have thought we were ok! He said I rode her nicely and saw a good stride, esp since I only get to ride one a week so I was so chuffed!
Main issues were:
- Don't let her drift one way or the other on landing - I must ride straight as I was missing some of my turns because of this
- Practice landing on the right leg as this will help in comps
- Sit up AFTER the fence, esp between related distances/doubles as I tend to stay in jumping position all the way through: he had built them really short so we had to check in the middle and I couldn't do it cos I was leaning forward!
- Try to be more positive if I see a long stride, and push for it 2/3 strides away instead of just on the last one.
- He says at the odd fence I don't give enough with my hands and this makes her hollow and maybe drop a back leg on the fence. I've never noticed this before so will def be watching out for it now.
- Plan the line I'll be riding when walking the course and STICK TO IT! I did a lot of corner cutitng which was getting me too close to next fence. He stood in my way so I'd ride the proper line and I nearly ran him over a couple of times!
Another good tip he gave was to practice lots of shortening and lengthening of trot and canter whrn warming up as this will help when asking for it round the course.
Only one down point really - was researching him today and found out he got a competing ban years ago for putting spiky plastic carpet grippers under horses fetlock boots to make it scared to hit a fence
I'd never really heard of him but he was doing a clinic at local RS so I hacked Charlie up. He really liked her and kept saying what a lovely mare she was which was brill. He whacked the jumps up to about 1.05 for the uprights so he must have thought we were ok! He said I rode her nicely and saw a good stride, esp since I only get to ride one a week so I was so chuffed!
Main issues were:
- Don't let her drift one way or the other on landing - I must ride straight as I was missing some of my turns because of this
- Practice landing on the right leg as this will help in comps
- Sit up AFTER the fence, esp between related distances/doubles as I tend to stay in jumping position all the way through: he had built them really short so we had to check in the middle and I couldn't do it cos I was leaning forward!
- Try to be more positive if I see a long stride, and push for it 2/3 strides away instead of just on the last one.
- He says at the odd fence I don't give enough with my hands and this makes her hollow and maybe drop a back leg on the fence. I've never noticed this before so will def be watching out for it now.
- Plan the line I'll be riding when walking the course and STICK TO IT! I did a lot of corner cutitng which was getting me too close to next fence. He stood in my way so I'd ride the proper line and I nearly ran him over a couple of times!
Another good tip he gave was to practice lots of shortening and lengthening of trot and canter whrn warming up as this will help when asking for it round the course.
Only one down point really - was researching him today and found out he got a competing ban years ago for putting spiky plastic carpet grippers under horses fetlock boots to make it scared to hit a fence