my first course!

[ceej]

I have found all sorts of things lying around and made myself a little x-country course in my field (for M obviously, not Harry!) Its only about 2 foot as I dont have anything higher to put them on but Im actually trying to practice my post jump focus rather than height....went to the woods the other day with mental 12 year old and realised that I focus so much ont he jump i do nothing about once we have landed (hence poor horse nearly careering into the odd tree

I have a skinny, a scary filler, a spread and a normal jump for starting! Any advice about said problem?

Will do some pics later

[fimacg]

look up and think about where you are going next.

can I ask what you made the jumps from?

[fleabitten]

Yeah, i have the problem on focusing too much on the jump as well! I dont sit up quick enough after the jump as well. Its worse when im nervous about it.

Old RI did an exercise with me where i had to trot into the jump and then sit up and slow him down immediately on landing to go over trotting poles straight after the jump (as he was cantering afterwards) So i found that i didnt fold as much going over but still went with and i was focusing more on the poles and being more upright as if the jump was just a speed bump sort of thing.

I also did this exercise with Princess as she was cantering off after the jumps and i had to sit up straight away and say WHOA! But i think the poles afterwards give you a bit of a poke to make you sit up so the horse doesnt trip over himself lol!

[ceej]

Great, thanks - was defo better by end of session; thinking about next jump before i land.

Fim;
I have used fence posts, logs for wings, cut some fir tree down to put in between, one jump has milk crates for wings and the black pipes they use for water pipes as poles (but I have used green and red cow tail tape to give them stripes!) and my scary filler is a louvre door with pole on top!! It doesnt look as bad as you would imagine! will pop some pics up...

[scattymare]

No advice re jumping as I am rubbish! But have you seen those bale buddies? They turn a straw bale into a wall or filler - they are pretty good.

[ceej]

no - not seen them!

Here are some pics of my remashackle jumps! the black poles by the skinny are my homemade ones







hee hee

[fimacg]

theylook really good.

[fleabitten]

They look good! I wonder though, should you cut a bit out of the 'wings' so the log wouldnt roll off as easy if hit?

I saw an article on horse and hound about this riding school who was taking a lesson and they got them to jump oil drums on their side but not fixed to the ground (i have done this myself) and i think somebody suffered broken bones because the horse fell over it or something. will try and see if i can find it

Here it is: www.horseandhound.co.uk/news/397/307663.html

Sorry, dont mean to be the voice of doom...!

[ceej]

I should soon have some proper wings of OH makes them for me - Im not overly worried about the safety of my piddly little things though - if they worried me I dont think Id cope x-country at all! I can see why you would want to peg barrells down though. Currently the pole would fall too easily but if they had groves in them making them harder to fall the 'wing' would likely go with them which is probably worse?

[fleabitten]

hmm thats true ceej! They look good anyway, bet you cant wait to get out and have a go over them! ;D

[ceej]

already have - skinnies are HARD!!

[FirenLady]

Those jumps look really good! I used to have hours of fun when I was young building jumps for Fire out of anything I found lying round the farm. ;D I read somewhere for skinnies you can make a funnel by widening you reins slightly and squeezing with the leg. Like trying to get tooth paste out of a tube! My ri always used to shout at me for not looking looking where I wanted to go after a jump, she said it affects you weight in the saddle and movement of the horse. Dunno if that helps. Love to see some pics of you and M doing them.

[suzii]

Jumps are really cool. I never could take Sprite x country. last time he jumped it way too high and I sprained my pelvis lol I admire anyone who can have the balls to go over even tiny jumps keep posting pics

[kitcat]

Love the jumps, they look really good

[maximum]

just think though if you can jump the skinnies everything else will be easy peasy!!

Re the problem look for something in line with the middle of the jump which you can look up to - a tree a fence post a pylon etc ( not a sheep as one of my clients did and then wondered where it went lol) and DO NOT TAKE YOUR EYES OFF IT on the approach and the take off and over the actual fence! if you are jumping more than one look at the next fence as you approach the one you are jumping. not only will this keep you looking
up it will ensure your balance is turning the way you want to go and help the horse land on the correct leg.

[fimacg]

am I wierd I like jumping skinnies... LOL

but then for accuracy my instructor would make we jump a certain section of a coloured pole

[ceej]

thanks maxi - my friend did make me do that when I was jumping the x-country practice session and it did really help - particularly when I was jumping soemthing i didnt like like the ditch! Its hard though! easier whenjumping showjumps I imagine as the jumps themselves are less distracting/scary! I need to spend some time doing grid work and practising in the school I think but the mare has gone home for a while. So frustrating not to be able to follow up after the x-country day!

PS We did do the skinny after practising (albit at a stange angle!)

[racaille]

I think we might do it differently here but here's what I'd suggest: We are told not to think about jumping (which is the horse's job anyway). We are taught that we should ride away from a jump in the same way we ride towards it, ie lightly out of the saddle (thumping down on the horse's back is a NO NO), no focused on the jump but on where we are going. The jump should be an incidental on the way around, the horse's work, not ours.

If we are doing XC we adopt the 'sportif' seat - lightly out of the saddle, slightly more forward that we would be for SJ. But the principle is the same: the horse has to be put at the jump in the best way possible and then it is his job to jump, ours just to be still and follow through with our hands, while already looking towards where we are going.

Doing skinnies is great - I particularly like jumping oil barrels, not sure if P agrees but he'll do them! And wings are for wimps!!!!!

Personally, I abhor XC fixed jumps and I would rather a log fell than an inexperienced horse or rider came a cropper. But then, I am a wimp.