What goes through your mind...?

...when you're jumping? Specifically on the approach.

I realized today that it helps if I repeat a litany of everything I need to remember. "Sit lightly, leg on, balance, shoulders back, strong core, don't get tense, 1, 2, 3, jump, strong core, relax arms, land in feet (not on butt), look at next fence" Then depending on if I'm doing a related distance or not there's a little more at the end there, depending on how I need to ride the line.

And I always should count my last 3-5 strides on the approach out loud, makes getting forward to the base so much easier. So what do you guys do to keep track of all the little adjustments you need to make?

I used to say, heels down, leg on, shoulders back, release instead of 4,3,2,1. Apparently it helped me fix most of those things since they were not mentioned at me last lesson. Of course, now other things are wrong, so now I approach saying, sit tall, hug (with legs), follow (with arms), follow (arms again), release, land (in heels). It seems to work very well for me running down all the flaws on approach. Glad to hear others say other things beside counting too!

I think "leg, leg, leg..." to remind me to keep my lower leg on, or, "hands, hands, hands..." to remind me to keep my hands low and steady, or, "look up, look up, look up..." to remind me to keep my focus past rather than on the jump, or, "seat, seat, seat..." to remind me to keep a deep seat and ride my horse in to the jump.

My problem is trying to think of all the things I needs to do at the same time!Hmm, maybe I need to start thinking "legs, hands, seat, look up".

I used to think (and depending on how intimidating the jump is, I still think) "holy crap, what if this goes wrong?!"
Haha
But now, I think "theres the jump, there's where I want to go. Easy. 1,2,1,2,1,2 ok good I'm over it. Where's the next one?" basically.

Yesterday while approaching an oxer in a warmup ring, for some reason all I was thinking was "wow that looks big". Turns out they had never lowered it after the 2'6" class! I was warming up for 2'. Guess my instincts are at least good.

"don't yank on her mouth. It never ends well"

Haha

I'm feeling... listening. Do we have a cadence and power coming to the fence? Support him with your hands, open your chest, where we going next.... leg leg leg... And counting strides. Generally "where's the dog/cat" also comes into play. We have a tendency to run small animals/objects over.

I think too much. My brain goes a million miles a minute, constantly running and running - to the point where I am interfearing and micromanaging. My Coach is telling me to stop thinking, and start feeling, just let it happen.

You really don't want to know what goes through my head when I am approaching a fence........lol. Yesterday in my lesson, while doing a 2'11" -3'3" course, I am already thinking about my next fence while I am approaching the current one.

Impulsion, legs on, don't sit down too soon, release, I need more power. Deciding to slow down on approach to the first fence on a jump combo to obtain the next striding, or to drive forward. Rollbacks - sit deep, outside aids, look to my next fence.

On the right canter lead, I need to put more weight on my left seat bone, bring my left leg back, open up my inside rein to land on the correct canter lead to the right. Whether I need to sit and drive, whether I can stay in a 3 point and stay quiet.

It gets too much.

I mostly think about keeping my leg on. My trainer always says to make the last three strides up to a jump an inch bigger. Haha sometimes on xc gypsy makes them about a foot bigger.

Wow, somebody got over her brain fart about jumping above 2'6"!!!! Way to go girl!