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LovePandaPony 10-18-2011 07:33 PM

Equitation help?
In my jumping lessons, my trainer has been trying to explain to me the way a horse jumps. Lift up, then over. She says that when you get into two point, you let the horse lift up to you, and you have to bring your hands forward and your hips back, to keep the gravity centered.

When I jump, I get way to far forward, and I cannot bring my hips back fast enough, if at all! It's getting frustrated, because I hear how she's telling me to do it, but I can't get it down! My body just doesn't have the muscle memory, and no matter how hard I try, I stay far up and cannot shift backwards.

Does anyone have any ways to help?

ErikaLynn 10-19-2011 11:18 AM

You need to be practicing 2-point on the flat to build up those leg muscles.

LovePandaPony 10-19-2011 11:45 PM

It's not my legs that's the problem, it's my hips and lower body going OVER the jump itself, not my 2-point on flat

ErikaLynn 10-20-2011 10:26 AM

You need to build up your muscles on the flat. Strong leg muscles on the flat = strong leg muscles over the jumps. If your legs stay at the girth while jumping then you will be able to stay over the saddle through out the whole jump and not get too far forward. Yo shouldn't have to think, in the air, "bring my hips back" the horse should just naturally move your body. All you really need to do is get in 2-point and stay out of the horses way.

Having weak leg muscles and having to rely on your upper body to balance is going to make you topple forward.

I'm sorry if this is not what you are asking. If you had a video that would be really helpful. But from what you are describing this is what seems to be happening.

MIEventer 10-20-2011 12:52 PM

I agree with Erika - as my Coach says, if you have a strong lower body, you can ride anything.

Imagine your body as the folds in the center of an accordian. When you close the accordian, what happens to those folds? They close. When you open the accordian, so do the folds.

Imagine your hips, your knees and ankles as those folds in an accordian. Your horse closes those folds. So when your horse comes up to you, you close. When your horse goes down and away from you, you open. Think of it as sinking into your tack.

But, you cannot accomplish this, if your lower leg isn't solidified at the girth. (Heels absorbing bodies weight, ankles soft and flexible, knee's opened, proper placement of foot in iron, proper toe angle allowing proper calf placement on horses side)


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