How DO you make sure you don't jump ahead?

I've been thinking, that I really don't know how to wait for the horse, do you wait until the horse has it's front legs off of the ground before going into two point? Right before it takes off? And how do you exactly 'let the horse come up to you'? Do you go into a certain angle of 2 point? I always think back to when I was jumpign and if the horse did stop, I would deffinately be over it's neck, over the jump and on the ground. Again.

This is probably basic training, but I have never learned.

Edit: Argh, this should have wen't into 'jumping'. But I'm at school in a rush.

You want to wait until you FEEL the horse start to leave the ground. Then you get into two-point. NOT laying on the neck, just close your hip angle slightly, keep your shoulders tall. (the kind of two point you would use if you were doing a two point on the flat)When your horse jumps up to you, he/she will close your hip angle a little more (if it is a big enough jump) and give you a nice two-point for your jump. You do NOT want to jump down to your horse. That is when you end up on the ground. I hope this helps! Good luck!

Someone gave me a great visual once. She said, "when you go over the jump, if you're horse stopped instead of jumping, would you still have jumped anyway?" It's very easy to just assume the position when you reach a fence because you expect and anticipate the jump. In the whole grand scheme of things, your relative position in the air should not change as the horse jumps. You stay at the same 30 degree angle. The horse comes up to meet you as he jumps each fence. To stay at the same angle with your upper body, you close your hips as much as is necessary to keep your upper body the same. Gymnastic grids are a great way to get a feel for "relative position". If you do a ground pole > cross rail > vertical so each obstacle is a little bigger and stay in your half seat throughout the grid, you'll see how you close your hip angle a little > a little more > still a little more to keep your upper body constant. Does that make any sense?

do gymnastics w/o reins - and as you get better, add in a blindfold. you'll learn to feel your horse amazingly that way! (course it needs to be on a steady trustworthy horse that's good in gymnastics!!)

Lunge Line Work with no Reins.

You first have to learn how to feel your horse under you. Your horses every move, you must teach yourself to gain a natural abillity to feel.

Then you have to learn how to control your horse through your seat and legs. Where your upper body should be.

Then start to incorporate that over trot poles and cavaletti's. Then graudaully increase over time.

You have to learn to feel your horse, so that you know how to allow your horse to move you out of your tack.

AND - STOP FOCUSING ON THE FENCE. Stop over thinking it. It is NEVER about the fence - it is ALWAYS about your horses rhtyhm and body movement.

I would work on two point at a walk trot and canter to streghten those inner theighs...

Me personally I'm always in a half seat for Eq and a driving seat for Hunters and Jumpers...

Idk scratch that its hard to explain.

I would work at a two point at a walk trot canter and over poles and X's.
With time and practice you and your horse will start to click and you will just know.

I agree with MIEventer; stop thinking so much about the fence, this is causing you to jump for your horse which is why your ahead.

Pick an object over the jump and focus on that, let your horse do the jumping.