Jumping is an essential component of competitive eventing. It’s also a fun way to enjoy riding and earn points toward achieving eventing accolades. However, it takes dedication and practice to develop a good jumping technique. Keeping your horse balanced and relaxed before and during a jump is key. A good technique will also help you time your approach so that you can leave your horse in the optimum position (with hind legs stretched forward) for the jump. While jumping is an individual sport, you should also make sure you are always riding with another horse-mounted rider beside you. This will make it easier for you to keep an eye on your jumping partner and offer helpful pointers if needed.If you’re new to eventing or jumping, then you may find these tips helpful in improving your technique:
Watch yourself!
The best way to learn how to jump is to watch experienced riders. When you watch another rider, you can easily see where they are balancing their horse and where their hands are positioned on the reins. This can help you develop a better understanding of how to keep your horse balanced and relaxed before and during a jump.When you’re watching other riders, try to remember the things that you see them doing that help them get their horse to jump correctly. You may even find yourself learning some helpful tips as you watch, which is a great way to make the sport of eventing more enjoyable!
Focus on your horse’s mouth
The more you understand about how your horse’s mouth works during a jump, the better equipped you will be to help him or her jump correctly. As with all horses, a successful jump is all about making sure the horse’s mouth is in the correct position. The correct position for a horse’s mouth is known as the “Cobra” position. The top of the horse’s head and the “Cobra” line should be in the same plane. This way, your horse’s head and neck are in the correct position for jumping.In general, it is better to have your horse’s head and neck too high, as this will allow you to make your horse jump higher. However, it is important not to have your horse’s head too low. This will make it difficult for your horse to stretch his legs in front of him, which is a key part of a good jump.
Keep an eye on your horse’s head
Before you even get on your horse, you should take a few minutes to look at his or her head. Make sure there are no bumps or warts on the horse’s head that could interfere with the way the horse jumps. You might even want to have a veterinarian look at the horse’s head if you’re concerned about any bumps or warts.
Use a trail riding whip
If you’re riding on trails, you may not be using a whip. However, you can still use it to help your horse jump correctly. When you’re near a jump, lightly touch your horse’s side with the whip. This will encourage your horse to lift his or her front legs higher and stretch in front of him or her. This is the same technique that jump instructors use.
Maintain consistent contact with the horse
When you’re working on improving your horse’s jumping technique, it’s important to maintain consistent contact with the horse. This can be challenging for some riders, but it’s essential if you want to help your horse improve his or her jumping technique.For example, if you’re working on a vertical jump, you should keep your hands in the same position on the horse. If your hands are too high on the horse’s neck, he or she will lower his or her head. This can make it more difficult for the horse to jump.
Conclusion
Jumping is an essential component of competitive eventing. It’s also a fun way to enjoy riding and earn points toward achieving eventing accolades. However, it takes dedication and practice to develop a good jumping technique.Keeping your horse balanced and relaxed before and during a jump is key to getting a good jump. A good technique will also help you time your approach so that you can leave your horse in the optimum position (with hind legs stretched forward) for the jump.