Scroll down for the beginner lesson. This is just jumper blather.
Did I tell you I got my first horse when I was 14 or so? My liver chestnut witch, Royal Gamble. Three quarter TB, one quarter who knows. Tried to kick my dad's head off, coming in from the field. Endearing trait. Related to ManO'War, like half the TB's on the planet. Got her as a green broke three year old, waited until she was four to jump her. Yeah, riding master, that was me. (not..) I taught her to buck by rubbing her neck when she was shaking her head playfully, and learned one day why that was such a bad idea. No, she didn't throw me, but wow, she did get serious about it.
I was still a non-practitioner of two-point, boarding & teaching & riding other peoples horses at a dressage/jumper barn, with a German Not-So-Masterful. I'd already ridden hundreds of times, over fences, badly. Like the above picture, taken in 1966,when I was 11 or so. Hey, I won ribbons at this show!! I still have them, they were my first ribbons, ever. Keepers.
I sucked. My mare pointed this out to me, early on. She gave me the same fall Christopher Reeve suffered, only at slow-motion speed. Sliding down a horse's neck as the horse stops before a jump, is just about the most undignified position on this earth.
The most dangerous, if you are galloping, which I wasn't, thank those lucky stars. I was jumping ahead. Or, really, jumping the horse's head. That's the worst form fault out there, and the hardest to remove. It's part of the defensive fetal/monkey position we tend to assume. And how we are started. And what we watch others do, successfully, as in not dying. Horses are so good to us.
Brief Tangent
Some horses never "want" to jump. Some horses look for things to jump. Some don't care either way. Some get jumped to death.
I was going to post other pictures of HeadJumping I've found, but realized the story is told best in my own pictures, anyway. It's easy to ride from the ground. Way harder once you're up there.
Even in this picture, I'm dangerous. It "looks" okay, until you realize that all my weight is now on the horse's neck, not in my heels, which have drifted way back. My lower leg isn't anchored. If the horse had ever stopped, which bless him, he never did, I would have been hurt. Maybe badly. So many riders end up in this ignominious position. It all starts with an non-anchored lower leg.
I'm riding about two or even three holes too long. My leg angle is too open, and my worst habit, lying on the neck, or ducking, is horrifical.
1984 or so, GoLightly & Peter schooling me.
That's why this picture ended up in the family album. I wasn't very happy with it. I'm still lying on his neck, and wtf with my gorilla arms? Stupid crest release, GoLightly is thinking to himself, why not keep a little contact on my mouth? GoLightly is just leaving the ground in this shot, and I'm happy that I finally have the ball of my foot in the stirrup. I'm happy that my butt isn't ahead of the pommel, a HORRible habit. I just wish I wasn't ducking. At least, I am not jumping ahead as badly. I don't get quite the same strong impression of droppage if GoLightly was to stop, which he never did either. I'd ridden many stoppers by then, and I knew how to stay on for those, but it wasn't pretty. My first horse did teach me that:) You have to wait for them to leave the ground. It takes timing and feel and a supple upper body, ready to allow closure of the hip angle by the thrust of the horse's jump, ONLY when you're airborne.
If I'd waited longer with my upper body, I'd be further away from his neck,
My stirrup isn't quite perpendicular, but way better than the previous pics. So that's good:) But I'm ducking. Oh, well. My leg is tighter, and more anchored. No stirrups on a big smart horse will do that.
Things improved as GoLightly continued schooling me.
to be continued..
Beginner Time!
I am going to shamelessly plug my brilliant commenters, for CutNJumps' warm-up exercises, when you first clamber on your beast. I added some two-point, of course, but I am sadistical. It's crucial to let any tension out of your system, before you start. Loosen up, relax, and smile for a sec. I'm waiting on permission from CCC for something else...
Here they are. They are exactly what I'd ask my students to do, after mounting. It only takes a few minutes, and it's good to let your horse just walk around & relax for a minute, anyway. This assumes, of course, that your horse doesn't mind you moving around a bit up there. These exercises are Not recommended for hot/fresh/green horses:)
CNJ said
"Lots of large circles at the walk on a loose rein and no stirrups. Deep steady relaxed breathing on my part. No squinting allowed either, just relax everything and let it fall into place.
My arms straight out to the side, hands at shoulder height. Then I twist to one side, one hand over the poll, one over the butt. Hold it for a few strides, then twist around to the other side.
Keeping my chin up & my own jaw relaxed is tough to remember.
Then my hands go straight up as I stretch them to the skies. First one arm, then the other, then both. Holding each for a few strides.
Sitting properly makes my right 'problem' shoulder come back where it belongs, instead of slunching over to hide my chest. It keeps me from twisting when I post, and dropping my shoulder when asking for a canter depart.
Then I work on my legs. Toes pointing down, then up, in, then out. Knees up and forward (think close together over the pommel) then legs long and down. Then I bring my heels back and up towards my butt, then back down and long.
It only takes a few minutes but helps me deepen my seat, lengthen and stretch my legs and regain proper upper body posture.
Once I am done with me, then I find my stirrups, gather my reins and begin working on 'stretchy' exercises for my horse."
Then, if you were in a lesson with me, I'd have gotten some more ups and downs out of your legs. I'd let you take your stirrups for a few minutes, and you'd show me some two-point, without any falling back into the tack or hanging on the mouth. Then I'd take your stirrups away again, and ask for a titch more two-point. It's very tough on your leg muscles.
Quit whining:)
To be continued, the rumbling from my reader for a new post was reaching a quiet mew.
32 comments:
Yeah, I learned the hard way not to jump ahead. Rode a horse that jumped with his head straight up in the air. How I didn't break my nose, I'll never know.
Thanks for the warm up tips. As my horse is hot/young/green, is it possible to do them on the ground, instead?
Joanna, check out the previous exercises that I pictured. Try to get as fit and as supple as possible on the ground. It helps, a LOT.
Any sort of supple-ing, stretching, calming exercises, like yoga & dance stretches, will definitely help.
Depends on the horse, of course, but you can do some of these exercises while standing with a hottie, as long as someone is hanging on to him for you..
Better to do them when he's as quiet as possible of course. But it's good for desensitizing him, too.
You're a farrier, right? You have strength, just work on supple and calm.
I'll await further answers from my reader or two.
But I will say that with my greenie TB, Tad Plaid, I did a lot of odd things on him, (like the exercises CNJ described) just so he'd learn to react only to what was an aid, not a weird Mommy warm-up. Just takes some extra time. With greenies, time is always moving slowly.
Tad ended up as an awesome schoolie, and he started out pretty hot.
GL, I know exactly squat about jumping. But what I love about you and this blog is pretty universal . You are teaching safe balanced riding and are not afraid to show yourself in a less than brilliant light . Rather than critiquing a stranger you put your own stuff out there for us all to learn from. Bravo!!
I love virtual lessons. It is the only time I get to fly.
GL-
It's easy to ride from the ground. Way harder once you're up there.
Standing O from here! Boy do you have that one right. I can see it but not always feel it or necessarily do it.
I just asked JR last night on the way home "How much do I really have to work on fixing before we start going over jumps again?" Meaning= I know the horse needs more muscling and work, I'm talking about me. My riding, my position, my errors...
Enough to keep us busy for a while longer if I'm only in the saddle a few nights a week at best. Damn!
GL- thanks for the additions, I will be doing those too. Nothing like a bit of work for me to help shed a few unwanted pounds.
Joanna- as GL said, do what you feel comfortable with on the horse. My red mare came with bridle issues. While not exactly hot, any rein contact was met with a head nearly placed in your lap, a hollow back and a definate increase in speed. Lots of slow and softening work- at a walk. Drop me an email and I will gladly elaborate for you.
Oh I rode a hose that taught me the same dang lesson!!! If you jumped ahead he'd slam on the brakes and throw his head down... YEEKS
Oh, I'm still pretty flexible, its the unfit part. Between remodeling my mother's house, a camping trip, work, kids wanting to go to the beach, and struggling to get Sean to keep his shoes on, my riding this summer has been minimum at best. Now that the kids are back in school and mom's house is just about done, I should be able to get on again.
Cnj- Sean may be hot, but part of him is horribly lazy. He was a morning glory at the track, and he still is. I can get a nice ride out of him in the morning, but he's a pig in the afternoon. I don't have a ring at the moment, so I work in the field. We'll be going past the barn and he'll cock an ear towards it. Next thing I know we're going mach 10 sideways. Reprimanding gets me a huge buck. At 17 hands, it's a long way down. So lateral work, schmateral work, I'm just trying to go forward!
Dang GL, after reading more of your blog I really wish I lived near you in Canada and you gave lessons on occasion. Your theories and methods are what I've always been taught. I'm on my own at the moment, but I just don't trust myself not to screw up Sean. He's that green.
Okay, what if your horse doesn't care about the movements; I can flop all over him, he's very good about understanding flopping Mom vs cue.
However, unless he's already worked and tired, if you drop your reins and aren't directing him, he wanders... anywhere but the rail. Do I let him wander any and everywhere for this? He may go and try to eat grass from under the arena fence/stop scratch his face etc... When warming him up to try and avoid work he'll set against my inside leg and try and drift in if I let him... to the jumps, where he'll stop.
I'm slightly worried if I let him wander aimlessly where he wants while I stretch and flop it might makes this worse... then again maybe better. I'll try it either way but your thoughts are appreciated.
*when I first started riding him I was told the needing constant direction was 'an arab thing'... though I think it was more of a 'how he was trained' thing. I admit he only needs subtle direction but if left to his own devices he's a bit er... of a trouble maker is all
Oh and I don't jump... though my instructor says I have the leg to.
I wish some of the little girls at my barn who DO jump had an instructor who made sure they had that before jumping.
I'm sick of seeing the 'superman' over fences... :(
Awesome fact: Until the age of 14 (possibly 15) it doesn't matter what your jumping position is, and you can jump ANYTHING!!!!
I so miss that.
GL you're Sally Swift's Canadian cousin. You're Centered Riding Goes North On Holiday. You're the Klondike. . .
Nevermind. You get the idea.
Amarillo dragged me over fences. Look-there's a jump! Like a kid at the Magic Kingdom. Look-there's Dumbo!
Bonnie drags me away from fences. Look-there's a bloodthirsty panther!
Royal falls over them. Oh, there was something in between me and that patch of grass. . . of course, he's four months old. But still, makes you wonder.
unionsquarestables bloggin the bloggy blogspot <--caffeinated
USS, you are even funnier when you're caffeinated:)
I am now officially de-caffeinated.
Chocolate does NOT count;)
Good question, AB. Could your hubby lead ya around?
Or would Gator consider that an insult? Would he eat him?
Gator is an independent entity!
Troublemaker, not!
As he and you get softer and more together, he might learn to carry on more on his own.
It can be fun to just drop the reins, and see what happens, but yeah, careful with that idea;)
I keep forgetting that there aren't nearly enough GoLightly's out there.
14th
yeah, I know, pathetic.
(knocks head, which doubles for wood)
GL - He's not bad... just mischeivious. He wouldn't care I was flopping but he'd go about his own agenda is all. Not too bad if no one else is in the ring. I'll make sure the jumps are put up first too so obstacles aren't an issue.
I have to say though, it's something he could use work on anyways. You know, not always having to be pointed exactly where to go. He ABSOLUTELY knows he should be on the rail. On the trail, he goes where I LOOK. He's 15. Shown for 10+ of those years . He knows his job. He's smart and likes to try stuff. Not dangerous stuff just ... hmmm... what would keep me from working hard? Then he gets into the rhythm and we're fine. Maybe if I'm not MAKING him and encourage lightly and expect him to behave he'll just do it. He's funny like that.
Oh, and hubby doesn't really come out to the barn much. He likes Gator, they sort of made friends when he came out when he was hurt (peppermints and carrots will do that) BUT he just doesn't often feel like coming out.
YaGottaLoveCOTH
Huh. If your right handed you tend to be stronger on the right? I'm butt backwards. Stronger on the left. Stiff right shoulder and right paddle handed.
Oh, sorry, joanna. I posted mainly for the way cool links also posted in that thread.
Found Goes/Stink's descriptions kinda hard to read.
I liked the video on tail braiding, for example.
Everybody (accent on the body) is different:)
Horses, too.
I practiced ambidexterity a lot, growing up. Repetitive motions that were equal on both sides.
Odd kid, I was;)
Just postin' to say... I under estimate my horse. Yeah he tried to find some grass, inspected a jump or two but mostly ambled around while I did the exercises. Man he rides off your seat, I had my arms straight out to the sides and would turn one way, then the other... he'd go which ever direction I'd turn. Definitely helped me relax. Him too.
Thanks. :)
Hi!!!! Love the post.
Been crazy busy, but it's all good. Have an old student back...we had a parting of the ways when one Pony Club instructor was letting her jump before really learning to ride the canter, (I quit instructing PC after that deal)...so, we're working on that canter and amazing things are happening!
AB- I keep the reins in whichever hand is forward. Also use my legs and keep my horse walking in large circles. If needed, have someone put a lungeline on your horse. Then you can work at the trot too as needed.
I am right handed for the most part and ambidextrious at some things.
What I find though is going to the right I tend to use the left side of my body a little more, also a bit more strongly- compensating for it being weaker. I have noticed students have done the same too as have other people I see riding.
"he'd go which ever direction I'd turn."
(cough, cough, not surprised,cough,cough.)
Horses will do that. Clever things, 'specially,of course, gator.
Heza smart arab!
And he loves ya, of course.
You groom him 'til he's transparent..
Egggzelllent, AB.
I'd say, honestly, CNJ, it could/would be better off the longe, IF you trust your horse/yourself enough.
Just cause going straight is kinda hard too:)
If you only ride circles...
I haz critical battery.
GACKKKK.
I rarely have anyone around to lunge AND he was really pretty good compared to what I was expecting. I think once it's more routine he'll be just fine. He stopped at a stray clump of grass growing in the arena and a jump was really all. A squeeze and he moved out.
I wasn't SURPRISED he turned where I turned I guess... honestly for circles I pretty much just look where we're going and he takes care of it. He is smart.
I'm weaker on my left side. I drop more weight into my right stirrup if I let myself - which with my super wide Ayrab causes saddle slippage. Used to be MAJOR issue at the canter. I've been getting better though. Miles and wet saddle pads helping us both with such things.
Check it out
Good grief !
They do look cute but what the hell?
I wants the poocamel...or the buffadog...the comments are fun too!!!!
I want the buffapoo! That's hilarious! The dogs do look pretty happy... never knew there were competitions for that sort of thing. Ha ha ha.:)
PandaDog is my choice:)
GL- I do all of my excercises loose, we work our way around the arena, mostly working on circles until I get myself in order.
When I am having a day that I feel my riding is *undesireable* or just not happening, I slow down, go back to my excercises and then try it all again. If it still isn't happening for me, then I find a place to quit.
The next ride may be on the lunge line, if I still just can't seem to manage. Two days or rides in a row, that aren't benifiting the horses- I stick to ground work for a day or two. No reason to ruin the horses, if I can't seem to get things with myself right.
AB- the horse turning or going where you aim yourself for is another display of the horse being an extension of ourselves. When riding, a slight shift of your weight or a small tug of the rein using your little finger can make a large difference in the way a horse moves. It either brings them more into balance or could put them off balance trying to support you.
The dogs is cute! Who would have thought of going that route?
CnJ - Absolutely. I think of learning to ride as learning to ask subtly for movements/manuevers and then most importantly, staying out of his way so he can perform them. I think my boy knows I'm trying else he wouldn't be so kind.
I do wish I had someone would could pop us on a lunge. I would be more comfy doing no stirrup work which is always good.
sorry guys, that came out way more sarcastic than I expected..
the darn computer was pressuring me!
Kudos,kiddos!
Wishing I was there..
sighhhhhh.
"the horse turning or going where you aim yourself for is another display of the horse being an extension of ourselves. When riding, a slight shift of your weight or a small tug of the rein using your little finger can make a large difference in the way a horse moves. It either brings them more into balance or could put them off balance trying to support you."
Yeah, what you said:)
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