Release!

I'm not a jumper but I would like to say that I think your form is not that bad. I think you are a really cute rider, you have your horses under control the entire time you are riding (In both videos). Your hands are soft but low. I think if you breathe (you look like maybe you forget to breath about 2 strides from the jump until you clear the fence). Roll your shoulders back and maybe follow some of MIeventers advice. I think you look terrific and you are really headed in the right direction. I wish I could give you advice but as I sad... Flat is my specialty, not jumping.

I know what you mean when your horse will take off if you have a loose rein. But if that is the case work a little morse on flat. I do jumping twice a week flatwork 5 days(if I get out there that much). Your horse obviously has the (major) skill to jump, now its just control. Also I think you should bring your hands back and then release. I don't like the holding the hands so high. But it is just a different way, I am not against it I just havent tried it. Also you need to RELAX! Lol Take a breath. You are doing so great! Keep up the amazing work!

He's not suppose to be a horse that works on a "loose" rein. If we're walking and on trails he's fine, but he does get pumped up and worked up so jumping with a loose rein is not advisable for me.

MIeventer :: those are older clips, I see what you're meaning. As soon as Diego is better I will take some more videos of my recent riding! Thanks for the tips!

Your hands sit quite low and tucked in - agreed with MI eventer saying that that need to come up so you can work with them more - the braid trick will definitely help and even if you try saying it aloud as you go over... something like "and reach" or "and release" just to remind you until it becomes a habit :)

I understand the release thing its just when I try to I over release and look like a fool. Maybe I should just work on an automatic release? I'm hoping Diego will be fit for riding again so I can make some new videos. Our riding has definitely changed since then. Lol!

The auto realese should not be attempted without a trainer and not until the rider has an very independent sear

I'm going to come at this from a slightly different direction.

I think your release problems come from the lack of a following hand and arm in your flat work. An earlier poster mentioned your locked elbow, another symptom of this is a little bit of pumping with the shoulders at the canter. The way you describe your horse, as unwilling to travel on loose reins, makes me think you've gotten so used to "holding" him that you've locked your elbow.

A release is a natural extension of a following contact in your flatwork. If your hand and arm doesn't follow the motion of the head and neck at the canter, you're not going to have a release. Work on unlocking your elbow and making sure your hand and arm follows at the walk. Start on loose rein and get a long swinging relaxed walk. Pay attention to the way his head and neck moves, even put a finger down on his neck to feel the motion. Gradually shorten your reins until you have a soft contact; concentrating on letting your hand and arm move back and forth following the motion of his head and neck. Pay attention to when he stops moving his neck, that's when you stopped following!

When you can carry this work over to the canter successfully, then go back to the walk and trot and practice releasing. Put a bit of ribbon in his mane half way up as a marker for where your hands should be at the top of a release. Get a good forward swinging walk, inside the following motion, reach up and press your knuckles in the neck for 1 -2 strides, then come back to your following motion. You'll feel goofy doing it, but you need to practice lots at the walk and trot to make a different habit or muscle memory. When you've mastered it at the walk and trot, practice on the flat at the canter. If you horse speeds up, just reestablish your following contact at the canter and do it again. Eventually he'll figure out to maintain a steady pace even if you've dropped the contact for a stride or two.

When you start to practice over fences, I'd strongly recommend grid work and riding into the grid on a loose rein (teaching your horse a little bit of independence at the same time), but practice leaving your knuckles pressed into his crest throughout the grid.

Excellant post Maura! You are correct, that the release must come from a soft, flexible arm - and that, I do not have. Huge crutch of mine.

My Coach will agree with you as well, I am told "If you cannot do it at a walk, you have no business doing it at the trot. If you cannot do it at the trot, you have no business doing it at the canter"

And? What's the problem? So what if you think you look like a fool - it isn't about looking pretty, it is about being fair to your horse and being functional. I over exaggerate my release so that I can drill the movement into my head so it becomes 2nd nature - do you think I care how I look? No.....just so long as I am being fair to my horse, and doing what I need to be doing.

I can also apply your advice to myself, since my release is non existant - lol.

Mmmm, yes and no Hun. The Automatic Release is the oldest release out there today. It is highly done in European Countries, because the Crest is an American Creation - aka George Morris and quite a young creation at that.

Riders of all stages of levels, use the Automatic, but they learn more solidity than we do - I believe.

George created the Crest to give Riders who cannot support their upper bodies through their lower bodies, a crutch to remain "solid" and out of their horses way while over the fence.

But the issue is, and even GM kicks himself for it periodically in his columns, is that the Crest has become a HUGE crutch in North America - where it is highly taught.

Yes, the Automatic is an advanced release - here in the you.S - meant for riders who can support their upper bodies through their lower. Strong core, strong lower leg, heels doing their job.



I like the braid in the mane idea - I might have to try that.

Hmmm yeah I didn't think of that!