Showjump Position Faults

Common Showjumping Position Faults in the Sport of Showjumping...

A few details on some very common faults with rider position and rein release while jumping.

Swinging lower leg

This usually occurs if the rider pinches or grips with the knees, if she lacks contact throughout the whole leg (for example, has no contact with the thigh), or if she rides with stirrups that are too long to provide support.

Since the lower leg is the rider's anchor, a swinging lower leg greatly decreases security and can be very dangerous if the rider is jumping complex fences at high speeds.

There are two acceptable occasions for a swinging leg. First, the Grand Prix rider may lose position because the fences are so large, and his horse's thrust and motion is very difficult to stay with. Riders of this caliber are generally able to compensate for their deviations from the classical position due to skill and experience.

Second, this is commonly seen by hunter riders, because their horses have such power jumps and great bascule that it is hard to stay with the jump.

However, In both cases you will see riders that are still able to maintain a classical position.

Toes down/Heels up:

This is usually accompanied by the swinging lower leg. In some cases it is due to the rider standing on her toe, instead of sinking her weight down her lower leg. Again, this places the rider in a very precarious position.

Lower leg shoved forward:

Pushing the lower leg slightly forward is appropriate for some fences (such as cross-country) for added security. However, it is not appropriate for riding on level ground in a manicured arena at low speeds.

Shoving the lower leg forward tends to decrease the rider's ability to stay with the motion, placing them in "the back seat" and risking that they will fall down on their horse's back while over a fence.

Jumping ahead:

This involves the rider opening the hip angle over the fence, rather than folding back, so that the majority of their body is in front of the line made by the stirrup leather.

The lower leg usually swings backward. It places the rider in a very insecure position, since the rider not only loses her base of support (her lower leg), but also is in front of the horse's centre of motion. This means that the rider will fall forward (and possibly off) if the horse for any reason slows down his motion, (stops, runs out, or stumbles).

Secondly, this throws the rider's weight over the horse's shoulders, making it very difficult for the horse to pick it up as he takes off and harder for him to get out of trouble on landing.

Riders most commonly jump ahead if they are trying to jump for their horse or if they anticipate the take-off and do not wait for the horse to close their hip and knee angles. It is also seen in the hunter arena, as some believe it makes their horse's jump look more powerful.

Getting left behind:

When the riders body is mostly behind the line made by the perpendicular stirrup leather and behind the horses motion. This results in the rider placing extra weight on the horse's back.

Although hitting the horse in the back is a huge fault in the hunter and jumper arenas, because it punishes the horse for rounding into the bascule which is essential in those disciplines, it is acceptable for eventing when riding cross-country.

This is because it places the rider in an extremely secure seat (as riders usually fall off over the shoulder of the horse, not the hindquarters), and because a great bascule is not encouraged cross-country. Instead, it is better if the horse jumps slightly flat for most fences, because they are very wide, and because a flat jump is usually a quicker jump, therefore making it easier for the rider to make the time.

This position is performed in degrees depending on the type of fence, with most fences where the rider is behind the motion but not putting his seat bones on the horse's back, and others, such as drop fences, where it is essential that the rider keep his seat completely in the saddle for security purposes. However, getting left behind sometimes occurs if the rider's upper body is too open and she is leaning back before the fence, if the horse takes off from a very long distance (jumps from too far back), or if the rider's lower leg is shoved so far forward in front of the knee that it forces the upper body back.

In all cases, the rider must slip the reins to provide the horse freedom of movement to get over the fence.

Snapping up:

When the rider throws his upper body upward, quickly opening his hip angle, on the landing side.

This risks that the rider will catch the horse in the mouth or put too much weight on his back.

It also disrupts the horse's jump.

It usually occurs when a rider has gotten into the habit of falling forward (usually because the lower leg swings back), and the rider tries to compensate by bringing the upper body back too soon before the horse has completed the jump.

Ducking:

When the rider bends her hip angles too much, and snaps her upper body over one shoulder. This makes the horse carry uneven weight on one side, which makes it more difficult for him to jump.

This occurs when the rider has too much weight in one stirrup, instead of being evenly centred.

Not Releasing :

This is a mortal sin in all riding circles, as it causes the horse to jump flat and, can make the horse detest jumping. The horse will learn to associate jumping with pain and will eventually lead to refusals, stopping and running out.

A poor release may occur for several reasons.

• First, the rider may use the reins for support over the fence because she has not developed correct balance. The rider should grab the mane and avoid hitting her horse in the mouth.
• Secondly, a rider may be left behind the motion. In this case, the rider should slip the reins.

Some riders do so when they are mounted on strong horses, and they wish to tell the horse to slow down over the fence before landing, or get in the habit of overusing their hands between fences and forget to release. In this case, the rider must make a conscious effort to remember to release the horse in the air.

It also occurs when riders plant their hands on the neck over a fence to support their upper body, but the hands are placed too far back to allow adequate rein for the horse, or if the riders keep contact during takeoff but stiffen their elbows so that they don't follow that contact forward over the fence.

Occasionally, it appears as if a rider is not releasing enough, when in fact she is slipping the reins or performing a correct automatic release.

Incorrect release:

When the rider releases by shoving her hands above the horses neck, into the air, or way down below the neck. This not only looks sloppy, but changes the riders balance over the fence.

See ... Releasing The Rein. Different releases are used depending on circumstances. But all riders should be ready to use each one as needed...

See also ... Showjump Riders Position. Giving Your Horse Room to Jump. The riders position or show jumping seat position is not meant to be held by the rider, but is rather a fluid seat that changes as your horses balance changes...