How Do You Keep A Horse Under Control While Jumping?
Have you ever been jumping your horse and they take off or take large jumps? This article will teach you how to keep them under your control and makes for a cleaner jumping round! • Relax – Horses can sense if you’re scared or nervous. Take deep breaths while riding and slump a little in your seat. Sit back, feel and look calm; not stiff and nervous. Remember to make nice wide turns in hunter classes. If you look calm in a show, the judge will see that and you receive higher marks. • The Approach – When approaching a jump, keep your horse straight. Try not to let it pull to the side. If the horse starts to shy away from the jump and you can feel it, then really sit deep in your seat and use your hips to push and your legs to squeeze the horse on. When your legs squeeze the horse on, don’t use one continuous squeeze, you squeeze, then relax, squeeze, relax. • Tempo – Keep your horse in a flowing tempo that is under control. Start by counting out loud the rhythm. If trotting, then count
• Relax – Horses can sense if you’re scared or nervous. Take deep breaths while riding and slump a little in your seat. Sit back, feel and look calm; not stiff and nervous. Remember to make nice wide turns in hunter classes. If you look calm in a show, the judge will see that and you receive higher marks. • The Approach – When approaching a jump, keep your horse straight. Try not to let it pull to the side. If the horse starts to shy away from the jump and you can feel it, then really sit deep in your seat and use your hips to push and your legs to squeeze the horse on. When your legs squeeze the horse on, don’t use one continuous squeeze, you squeeze, then relax, squeeze, relax. • Tempo – Keep your horse in a flowing tempo that is under control. Start by counting out loud the rhythm. If trotting, then count 1,2,1,2 every time you stand up as you’re posting. If cantering, then count 1,2,1,2 every stride the horse takes. Do this for the whole course. If the rhythm changes, then fix it a
