video from hunter show =]

Gypsy and I went to a hunter show this weekend ! She was SUPER, we got champion in our division [intermediate hunter 2'3"-2'6"] we won the undersaddle class and got a 3rd and a 1st over fences =]

We havent done much jumping in the past few months, but she did not forget how to jump ! The over fences classes were a bit hard because there wasnt any where good to warm up, so she didnt get to jump before going in.


I will try to post more video later, youtube is being slow !

Feel free to critique if you wish to =]

Lovely!

The only thing I noticed was that she swapped right before the first jump. Don't be afraid to pick your hands up just a bit, and organize just a smidge more in the corners so you aren't doing it right before a fence.

Yeah she did swap and then swap back, she was a little backed off a few strides out and I think I put a little too much leg on her. Im trying to teach her to land closer to the backside of the jump so it doesnt take as long to get organized, if that makes sense ? I think that will help with balancing. I do have a lot of trouble with my hands ! I have to think constantly about holding them up !! Thanks for the critique =]

Actually no it doesnt. By landing close to the backside of the jump, you have most likely left from a long spot which the judges don't like. You also are giving yourself more opportunity to bring a rail down, or flip your horse if the jump was big enough.

You have plenty of time to organize before the next fence when you are in your corners. Sit up in the first corner, make the adjustment you need to make and continue on. That way you don't have to hold so much in front of the jumps. Your mare doesn't need much adjusting other then maybe a small half halt in the corner to rebalance and get the lead change.

I know she doesnt need to land close to the backside, but she does need to land a bit closer at times. She tends to land really far away from the jump, which doesnt leave a lot of time for adjustments between closely placed jumps. She is getting a lot better though.

I loved that ride. I loved how forward you both were!

I'm not the greatest at critique but a few things I noticed:

I will echo what Velvets said and keep your hands a little higher to help support.

A little more steadier in the corners- the pace was fine, but you need to shift your weight on to the outside seatbone and back so that she can utilize the corner with a wee bit more impulsion and keep her shoulder from dropping in. After the diagonal and the last outside line it looked a little like your center of balance was over her forehand and she scrambled for a few steps to keep her balance. I thought you did very well over all. Pretty good ride, so I cannot pick it apart!

So in the middle of a line then?

Lines are built to include a bit of space for landing and taking off, appropriate to the height of the fence. So if you are having a problem with either getting long spots or chipping in, then you need to adjust BEFORE you go into the line. You also have to be prepared to adjust as soon as landing.

Like if you chip in to the first fence, you will need to push a bit to get the striding, or if you get get deep, you will most likely have to woah a smidge.

This is a rider problem, not a horse problem.

no I think you are misunderstanding me. When she jumps, she takes off from the right spot, but if I give her too much rein, she stretches her neck and body out and lands too far away from the jump. Line or no line it makes no difference, but if I don't fix it it will be harder to do more technical questions. It really has nothing to do with how she comes in at all, but what happens over the fence. I am working to fix it with the 2 trainers I clinic with [they both agree with me that she jumps too far out, one is a hunter/jumper trainer and one is an eventer].

thanks !
I agree, I always feel if we get the first corner right, the second one flows, but if we don't I have to work hard to get the second one. She flattened a little down the diagonal so the fifth stride was a little short. I think I was fine on leg there, but I could have supported more with my body and hand.

Here is the other o/f round we did


This one was before the other round and we placed 3rd.