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Post by horseguy on Jul 10, 2016 15:28:24 GMT
The approach is the most important part of jumping. There are three parts to a jump, the approach, the jump and the landing. The rider commands the horse in the approach and the landing, an the horse is in charge of the jump. Jumping horses is team work. Gordon Wright, teacher of George Morris, Hall of Fame rider and Ft. Riley instructor, said that the difference between a beginning rider jumping and a more advanced rider jumping is in when they leave the saddle in the approach. A less advanced rider gets up in their jumping position earlier, maybe a stride or more before the jump. An advanced rider doesn't actually get up into a jumping position as much as they separate from the saddle as the horse drops his butt in the takeoff. It is a mutual separation with the horse dropping downward and the rider moving upward at the same time. This separation is supposed to be smooth and completely undramatic, and it happens correctly as the horse begins his jump by cocking his hocks, or if in an extended run, as he plants the pushing off foot. We see today a lot of riders making a "to do" about getting into their jumping position. They seem to be leaping or lunging forward and up out of the saddle regardless if it is a stride before the jump or in the takeoff. These dramatic separations from the saddle cause all kinds of problems. The sudden weight shift of the rider can disrupt the horse's timing and balance in the takeoff. The abrupt motion of the rider can become a mental distraction for the horse. These sudden in-artful moves into a jumping position can cause odd body positions like a hollow back in the rider, tight knees and other disturbances in an otherwise soft quiet body position in a jump. I am an advocate of long cross country riding, as you find in fox hunting, because the rider cannot physically keep up bad habits like these sudden moves into a jumping position hour after hour. Fatigue demands more efficient, less energy taxing rider movements over time. If you get in a good chase with good committed hounds, you can run a fox for over an hour sometimes. There are usually breaks in such a chase, as the hounds might momentarily be tricked by the fox and lose the scent, but a good pack will re-find the scent line quickly and you are off again. This kind of long and demanding riding makes a rider more efficient and less abrupt in things like moving into their jumping position.  |
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Post by horseguy on Jul 12, 2016 12:28:18 GMT
This principle of setting up a horse for a jump applies to so many things we do with horses. Horses left to themselves will graze and do very little. What we can offer them is something they would not normally do, like jump, and I would say more horses enjoy jumping than those that don't. Until we understand how a horse experiences a task, a job, a game, anything we introduce them to that they might eventually enjoy, we cannot develop the give and take of the setting up as we find in the approach to a jump. We must be able to feel how the horse is experiencing it, and the better we accomplish the setting up, the more open the horse will be to trying it and ultimately enjoying it.
Years ago when I had my "polo horse factory" I bought lots of prospects. There was a great deal of sorting out with these horses to find out if they liked or disliked the process of the game. The first test is to introduce the mallet swinging around their head. A few never would get used to this. Those that did were introduced to the ball. I found that a beach ball the size of a soccer ball was the best first ball to use. It didn't make a lot of noise when hit and it moved slowly, plus it did not hurt if the horse accidently kicked it. About one out of ten horses will follow the ball when it is hit the first time IF they are brought to the ball in a way that they might enjoy. These ball followers typically make good polo horses.
We hit the ball and the horse follows it. We bring a horse into a jump with steady rhythm, straightness, with impulsion and in a relaxed manner and they jump. It is reminiscent of Ray Hunt saying, it's the thing before the thing that matters.
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Post by jimmy on Jul 16, 2016 18:50:39 GMT
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Post by jimmy on Jul 20, 2016 19:10:24 GMT
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Post by horseguy on Jul 20, 2016 20:41:29 GMT
My good computer that allows me to watch videos is in the shop getting a new mother board. I have not seen either of the above posted videos yet. Hopefully tomorrow.
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Post by horseguy on Jul 24, 2016 15:17:01 GMT
That's why I love Thoroughbreds. Very nice. When I competed about 80% of the time it was on a mare. I always felt mares were more "into it" as this one looks to be. It's not easy but if you try several times you can freeze the frame when the horse plants her hind feet for the takeoff. Wonderful squaring up out of extension. Talented horse. Steady rider. Like the open shouldered light seat jumping position for this circumstance. |
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Post by jimmy on Jul 25, 2016 4:24:57 GMT
Katy ended up third by one tenth of a point, in the training 3 day at Rebecca Farms, out of a very large field. Finished on her dressage score. Double clear all the way around. This mare is about six or seven,I think. Difficult too at times. This is her fourth event. Promising for this young mare. Videos to come, I hope. Here is a stadium round. Not the best video. www.facebook.com/kgroesbeck/videos/10207959151150621/ |
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Post by horseguy on Jul 25, 2016 12:46:08 GMT
Nice round, very steady, no drama. I have never understood why people don't like mares. You get a nice one like this and they give you everything they have. The only thing I can offer is my experience with pure TBs is they break down. They are often too inbred. If they have foreign blood, even Canadian, they see to be more sturdy. The ones back here in the east have way too much Native Dancer in them, which is a weak line in terms of durability. I found the best thing to keep them going is to keep them very fit, lots of hill work, up, down, and side hill trotting.
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Post by jimmy on Jul 25, 2016 13:26:03 GMT
This is the same mare in the grid work video. I agree about mares, and TBs that break down easily. This mare came off the track with a bowed tendon. She had basically recovered, but got turned out for two years or more. In fact, it was only just and experiment when Katy was visiting her mom that she she popped her over a couple of jumps. She was fresh and wild, but was like a duck in water. So one thing led to another. A little over a year and a half later, there she is. The old bow never caused her trouble,yet, but she is a tender footed thing, so it took a while to get her shod right. She does get lots of hill work and endurance work. Katy uses a good vet, and a body worker, chiropracter, dental. These horses take a team. The hardest part I think is for her to get a good dressage score out of an excitable fit horse. She wears her tenseness on her skin, so to say. I think there is a video of her dressage test. Knowing the mare, it is remarkable she keeps her in the arena sometimes. www.facebook.com/kgroesbeck/videos/10207944681788896/ |
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Post by horseguy on Jul 25, 2016 15:23:04 GMT
I like that dressage test. Those leggy TBs can be difficult to put up a good score but she has that mare looking good. I thought the trot-halt was particularly good because with a horse like that it can be tricky. I have said this before, it all comes down to the judge. Many today are just prejudice against TBs. They are so used to watching Warmbloods or WB crosses that very good TB movement is lost on them.
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Post by jimmy on Jul 25, 2016 17:20:33 GMT
My step-uncle, Bud Kitts, loved the TB. He said they took a lot of tact and lightness. Unlike the German Warmbloods that allow you to pound on them sometimes.
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Post by horseguy on Jul 25, 2016 20:03:16 GMT
Thoroughbreds were not always so fragile. I can remember some in the 60's that were still in the old style like the Man of War horses and Seabiscuit was his grandson.
 Seabiscuit |
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Post by jimmy on Jul 25, 2016 23:14:46 GMT
Great photo. I notice a simple snaffle, no cavesson, tongue tie, forks or anything else on his head.
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Post by horseguy on Jul 30, 2016 19:21:14 GMT
I hope you don't mind me posting this video Jimmy, but it is meaningful in a very basic way. Approach to a jump This video is Jimmy's daughter on her TB.
One of the most simple, and I'd say profound, sayings in riding is, "Let the horse move you". In the two approaches in the video the horse is moving the rider in the optimal way. I like how the rider almost gets rocked back behind true vertical by the horse's motion, but the rider is centered enough to make vertical the end of the rocking motion caused by the horse moving her upper body. Because the range of upper body movement is so centered and relaxed, she is able to allow the horse to move her up into the jumping position, as opposed to the rider initiating the change of position. It is effortless in the sense that the horse is determining the timing and change from the deep seat to the light seat jumping position. There is no ahead or behind, no rushing. It all happens together. Nice.
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Post by jimmy on Jul 30, 2016 21:34:52 GMT
Sure. Especially since it's flattering of her! LOL
But I don't see the link, so I don't which video this is.
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