Lightbulb moment :)

I have been working with my summer instructor lately.. She has taught me so much and I am so glade to have her help me out. :) I rode Zucchini yesterday.. haven't ridden him in a lesson in forever, usually just show him with some other girls. He was a saint, as always. I was waay to much on his kneck, "smooshing him down" at first. So Megen (my instructor) had me jump no reins until I stopped doing that. Once we got to 2'6 no reins, we were perfect. She was so happy with me, which is awsome because she doesn't give me compliments often had a great time did a little course with him of course he was perfecto!

hehe grat job!! I remember when I had my light blub moment when I finally got it that I need to fold not stand in my stirrups LMAO I still revert back to standing and not folding when I see a long or short spot >.< gah!! old habits >.<

Great job, you must be proud of yourself! Keep up the great work! Good on your coach for working through that with you!

So, you were laying on his neck over the fence? That's what I am assuming you are meaning.

If that's the case, then you have to ask yourself why you were relying on your horses neck to give you that base of support over the fence. My guess is that you weren't relying on your lower leg and heels.

George Morris *American Guru of Equitation Over Fences* created a release that is highly over used here in North America, and he created it for one reason - to give the riders a base of support while jumping, when their lower body and core cannot give them what they need.

What bothers me, is that when I see riders who clearly have solid lower legs, and their heels are anchoring them in their tack, remaining to do the crest release - as it does GM - when they should be merging to the Automatic Release.

So good on your coach for forcing you to turn to your lower extremities to support you over the fence, instead of relying on your arms and hands. So what the exercise was meant to do, did its job - she forced you stop relying on your horses neck to support you, but rely on your lower leg and heels.

I have an issue as well - when I jump, I drop my hands onto my horses neck. My release has always been atrocious, to the point where my last Coach told me I had a "Typical Eventers Release, which is non existant". >.<

I have solid lower legs and my heels do their job and I can support my upper body with my lower body, and I definately do not need my horses neck to rely on for support - but my biggest fear is catching my horse in the mouth. So my instinct is to drop my hands so I don't hurt Nelson.

If I don't do that, I do this horrific arm action, like I am rowing a boat - I have no idea where that came from or why, but yet I do. My new coach keeps pointing out what I do, but I don't think he's figured out how to correct it as of yet, lol.

Anyways, congrats! You have to love those light bulb moments!