Critique me and my horse jumping.

Ok guys, I have been riding for the last 2 years without any lessons(going from lessons at least 2 times per week), been training quite a few youngsters both english and western but have not been focusing on myself in a very long time. I took this video the other day and realized that my form has gotten BAD! I would love some critique of me and my horse. It's amazing how much you lose 'pretty' when you are focusing on effective. Or at least I do.. maybe it's just me.

My unprofessional opinion: It seems your stirrups are too long and thus you have a bit of chair seat. This is evident in the way your seat comes out of the saddle. I suggest getting your leg under yourself (and putting your stirrup on the ball of your foot, as currently you are in a "home" position, contributing to your chair seat), and working on your leg strength. Bareback work and stirrupless work are beneficial.

Cheers,
RSS

It looks like you have little to no release over jumps, something you should work on even though your jumps aren't very high. With what was mentioned above, riding in 2-point will help strengthen your legs as well.

I love your horse, he looks so easy going!

Agreed - I forgot to mention this, and I agree. The importance of releasing is to ensure you don't snag your horse in th mouth on accident, causing him to spook and the like.

Cheers,
RSS

No jumping critique but I wanted to say, it isn't just you. I've been riding projects, youngsters, naughty horses and the like for years. Yearly I have to find an instructor to pick on me for a bit. Of course, it doesn't help that my back and knees are bad now from the training horses -sigh-

IMO your general hand position looks awkward, like you're riding with your hands right in your lap and not giving an inch as a release over jumps.

A single lesson with a good instructor would get you on the right track. You're already doing one of the best exercises out there to improve your jumping position, just not applying it to it's best extent. I just rode this same exercise last week at my quarterly lesson as I like to call it. She had me tuned up in no time.

As for your release, use a neck strap or something about 1/3 of the way up your horse's neck. Keep your hands there along side your horse's neck being careful to keep following your horse's head. When you get to the fence, the simple act of folding at your hips to go over the fence will provide the adequate release over these small fences. As the fences get bigger, so does the fold at the hips, so the release is proportionate.

Thanks for all the tips guys. I look at this video compared to videos and pictures taken when I was taking twice weekly lessons and I cringe. I agree with what all of you guys say. Unfortunately I am finishing up my last semester of college and my student loans ran out months ago so until I am done there will be no lessons for me! Any more tips would be appreciated! Thanks.