ow many times have we all heard when we are riding….
"head up, heels down, elbows bent, shoulders back, smile, we are having fun, aren’t we? And RELAX!” But when it comes down to it, the reality of how relaxed we are really DOES affect our horse.
Horses normally end up being an image of our riding style (groan!!). Ok I know there are horses out there, the wonderful schoolmaster, who just about anyone can get on and ride beautifully but in all reality they are a VERY rare breed and normally expensive too. So we have to make a commitment to our horse and ourselves to make sure WE, THE RIDER, are at our very best and relaxed so we can help our equine companions to have a good day too!
When jumping, you have to make sure both you and your horse are relaxed and working together as a team. If we are stiff and rigid in our backs, guess what? Yes, our horses will most likely become stiff and hollow in their back. I cannot put enough emphasis on the basic softness and suppleness before you begin to jump, transitions, bending, flexion.
Our jumping position is a major contributor to how the horse moves over a fence. For example if you are left behind in the take off and, or sit back too quickly on the landing the horse will probably end up knocking the fence down with a hind foot or feet because he was unable to lift up and over.
If your horse is tense over fences it is defiantly not a pleasant feeling and can be very nerve racking! Try going back to the basics, and through a process of elimination exploring the possible cause of his discomfort, for example are you moving too quickly for the horse’s jump training?, does your saddle pinch him anywhere?, are you relaxed approaching the fence? And so on. Once you have been able to pin point the source of discomfort (and it may be that you have to start slow with him over fences if he has been over-faced before) you can begin to help him enjoy his work.
However on the other hand there are horses who enjoy jumping so much that they feel that they should “ take over” before a fence. This can cause some tension for the rider depending on how confident they are in their jump training. And when the horse feels that tension he then asks the question “Is there something going on that I should be aware of? “ and goes into the natural state of fight or flight. If this is something you can relate to then think about using your bounce and combination fences as a tool to slow him down. Having jumps set up so you can ride figure of eights around them also is a wonderful exercise and its good for practicing your leads too!
So remember as in any relationship teamwork and communication is the key, and a many hugs and special treats go a long way!
Happy Jumping!