Horse jumping is a very challenging equestrian sport that involves a high level of concentration and focus on technique as well as mental strength. To jump well at a competitive level, you need to know your horse inside out. There are many different aspects to horse jumping, and if you want to compete at a high level, you need to be able to do them all. It’s important to know what mistakes to avoid when jumping so you can avoid getting frustrated and losing confidence in your horse or yourself as a rider. If you’re just getting into jumping or need to brush up on your skills, here are some common mistakes to watch out for when jumping from the ground or over fences.
Not warming up properly before jumping.
If you want to jump well, you need to warm up your horse before jumping. The warm up will help make your horse more comfortable and reduce its stress which will make it more responsive in the jumping arena. If you jump straight from grooming your horse or tacking up, it’s very unlikely that your horse will be able to jump as well as it could because it won’t be in its normal state of balance.If you’re jumping from the ground, you should warm up your horse by walking it up and down the course. If you’re jumping over fences, you can warm up your horse by cantering it over some low jumps and then jumping small cross bars, like 20-30cm wide ones. This will prepare your horse’s muscles for the stress of jumping off the ground or fences.
Not being prepared for the jump.
It’s important to be well-prepared for the jump. This means that your horse shouldn’t be scared of the jump, that it knows its job and that you’re both ready for the jump.You should also be well rested because you’ll be concentrating a lot when jumping. Jumping is physically demanding and you should be well rested to perform at your best. You should also have a good understanding of the course you’re jumping. If you don’t, you’ll be more stressed out and it will be harder for you and your horse to perform at your best.
Jumping without a run-up.
Many horse people jump without a run-up, but it’s important to understand why you would do that. If you jump with a run-up, you can help encourage your horse to jump higher by using your voice and your body movements. When you’re jumping without a run-up, you can’t use your voice to encourage your horse to jump higher. That’s why it’s important to understand why you would jump without a run-up.If you’re jumping from the ground, you can jump without a run-up because you can encourage your horse with your body moves. If you’re jumping over a fence, you can’t use your voice, so you need to jump without a run-up.
Forgetting to check for any faults before jumping.
This is a very common mistake. You’ll be concentrating so much on jumping that it’s easy to forget to check for any faults. If you don’t check for any faults, you might decide to jump again when you should have stopped. This isn’t a great idea, especially when you’re jumping at a competitive level. If you don’t check for any faults, you might end up making a bigger mistake due to your lack of concentration.
Jumping without a whip and spurs.
This is another mistake that happens a lot. You need to use a whip and spurs in horse jumping. You should use the whip to encourage your horse to jump higher, and you should use the spurs to help keep your horse in the correct position. If you don’t use a whip and spurs, it’s unlikely that your horse will jump as high as it could. Some horse people don’t use a whip and spurs because they say that it’s cruel. However, it’s important to know that spurs and whips are meant to help your horse, not hurt it. They’re not meant to cause pain, but to help your horse perform at its best.
Using the wrong aids.
If you’re jumping from the ground, you should use the right aids to encourage your horse to jump higher. For example, if you want your horse to go left, you should use the right leg. If you want your horse to go forwards, you should use the left leg. If you’re jumping over fences, you should use the right leg to encourage your horse to jump to the left.
Allowing your horse to jump without knowing what they’re doing.
It’s important that your horse knows what it’s doing when jumping. If your horse has a poor understanding of what it’s doing, it could end up injuring itself or its rider. If your horse doesn’t know what it’s doing, it could make it harder for you to get good jumps. If you want your horse to jump well, you should always try to communicate with your horse. If your horse isn’t jumping well, you should try to discuss with your instructor or trainer what you can do to improve your horse’s technique.
Conclusion
Jumping is a challenging equestrian sport that involves a high level of concentration and focus on technique as well as mental strength. If you want to compete at a high level, you need to know your horse inside out. There are many different aspects to horse jumping, and if you want to compete at a high level, you need to be able to do them all. It’s important to know what mistakes to avoid when jumping so you can avoid getting frustrated and losing confidence in your horse or yourself as a rider.