Learn How to Stop Leaning at the Jumps

I’m a hunter rider currently schooling up to 3′. I have a bad habit of leaning at the jump and therefore getting the long distance. My poor horse has to launch himself from a mile away. I get behind the motion and unintentionally punish him by either catching him in the mouth or sides. I really need to stop doing this but I can’t seem to break the habit.  In my mind I know I need to stay back longer but I instinctively lean forward too early. Are there some techniques or exercises you can recommend to help me break this habit? Maybe a visualization to help me better understand the timing of when my body should start to tip forward. Thank you! (My horse thanks you too!)

The first thing to consider is how the rider’s position affects the horse’s jump and where you should be at the five phases of the jump: approach, takeoff, flight, landing, and departure.

The rider should not lean forward at the jump, but rather allow the horse to jump up to the rider. You should approach the jump in a half-seat position with your body inclined forward and your seat out of the saddle. That position should be maintained until a few strides before take off, where you should sink into the saddle (light seat) without leaning back or opening your hip angle. At the takeoff, your horse needs you to sit still and allow him to transfer weight to the hind legs so he can push off from behind. If you lean back on the approach then throw yourself forward at takeoff, you are making it impossible for your horse to do a good job. In fact, it only makes him jump from momentum (off the front end) instead of impulsion (off the hind end).

In flight, landing and departure, the rider stays in a half-seat.

To get a good feel for this and to teach your horse to jump correctly, I recommend a lot of trot jumps. Trotting teaches a horse and rider to jump from technique. The last few strides the position is the same; light seat. Allow your horse to shift his weight backward and push from behind. This enables the rider and horse to find shorter distances to the jump and allows a stronger, more correct effort.

Whether you are reporting or cantering jumps, ride forward through the turns, wait the last few strides in light seat, hip angle closed but shoulders up. Allow your horse to find his balance and stay supportive with your aids.

For more information, I had highly recommend watching Bernie Traurig’s video about the four seats on Equestriancoach.com!

Click on the links below for blog topics on similar issues:

The Following Arm: Old Fashioned or a Lost Art? by Bernie Traurig

Troubleshooting: The Automatic Release and Seeing Distances by Linda Allen