Sit up - what a difference!!

Cheeky

Cheeky

.Love me, love my horse.
Apr 13, 2005
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Down Under ... Australia
Ok, for those who have lessons, you may get a naggin 'sit up' from your instructor just before you go over the jumps. Hmm, well my sister used to think 'hahaha what ever mate, that will never work. I have a horse that runs out from under me, dodges jumps and refuses them too! Like that will ever work.'

Anyways, we went to riding on Saturday (we mostly do what ever we want, and occasionally we have a lesson), and that day we had a lesson. Grr I like to jump and do what ever, but they do work! Anyways, we did the "open door" and small 10m circles . . yadda yadda get the head down, flexion junk. Then *finally* we went onto jumping. Now, my sisters horse, as noted, has had her bubble of confidence bursted, so it takes quite a bit of encouragement to get her over the jumps. Anyways, off I went first, over the first jump, over the second - then the barrels - woah scarry stuff!! (obviously cheek hadent done these in a while and took a little encouragement to get over them . . now he's ok :) ). Anyways, sister goes over them - except for the barrels. Refused every time, would just run out or stop to sniff.

Anyways, she and K (the lady who lets us ride n gives lessons) worked and worked with this mare, yet she still refused. So she came back at a canter (needed a good impulsion for these barrels) but then the mare stopped, and K yelled out "SIT UP!" as my sis had started to lean forwards, then almost like magic, as soon as she sat up- pop, right over the jumps. Honestly, I had never seen anything like it!

Lol nothing as interesting, but I thought it was amazin. As soon as my sis sat back into the saddle - the mare lept over the jump like nothing was wrong! so, to all those who cant get their horses over, sit up :D

Lol - just so you know, I am not easly impressed :p Well I kinda am, but with riding it takes somethin remarkable to get me to go 'wow'. I was applauding and yelling 'woot woot' to my sis :) The mare even insisted on jumping the higher jump afterwards :) She did refuse quite a bit afterwards, but wow - lol.
 
ooo David H - please explain, I've just started jumping, and would love to know - I have two different jumping instructors, 1 tells me to sit up coming in, and one to lean forward????
 
To understand why the rider should sit up until the horse actually takes off you need to look at what the horse does just before jumping.
In order to jump the horse requires additional power from its engine (quarters) to provide the forward and upward movement. To gain this additional power the horse brings the hind legs further under the body to give a greater push.
But, the horse has to stay in balance. If the rider leans forward the balance point of the combination would shift forward. To prevent itself being tipped on its nose the horse has to shift some of its weight back to counter balance the riders action. hence the back legs can not be brought forward as the horse needs to in order to create the additional power.
In addition, the horse needs as little weight as possible on the front legs as these have to be lifted over the fence. The last thing it needs is the rider putting more of their weight on these legs at this critical time.
The net result of the rider leaning forward is the horse is physically unable to jump so has to either, run out, stop or put in the short extra stride to re-balance.
This is also the reason it is impossible to get a horse in a true outline if the rider is tilting forward....horse has to compensate and trail hind legs further back.
The practice of teaching jumping by having the rider lean forward on approach is to prevent the rider getting left behind over the jump and supporting themselves on the reins and hence the horses mouth. Given the size of the fence involved it doesn't generally cause the horse much problem. However, it does require the rider to be re-trained once they want to move on to higher fences. This can be very difficult as un-learning something is much harder than learning it in the first place.
 
Makes perfect sense when you explain it like that - I think i'll stick with my usual instructor who teaches this way. your reasoning also eplains why I jump much bigger with her than the other instructor.

Thanks David.
 
Heya

Heya David,

Yah I know why you need to sit up - as does my sister, I think it was just breaking her habbit :p

Wow - your expliaination is great!!! :):p:D Might note that one away to tell sister to 'refresh' her memory :p :p Also makes perfect sense, as said :p

It just looked so - spectacualr :p
 
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