Automatic release vs Crest release

[cswoodlandfairy]

So as I understand it there are two main releases when going over fences: Automatic Release and the Crest Release.

In learning how to do both, I would love to learn more about the what, when and why to use these releases. I am a Jumper who dabbles in the hunter ring at times and cross country. Looking at random pictures I see more of a crest release in the hunter ring both I notice both in the jumper ring.

Is there a specific time or type of jumping that requires one or the other, or is it all down to preference!

TIA!

[GoneAway]

The more hardcore show hunter riders with more recent experience than I may comment saying otherwise, but to me, it’s about what makes the horse go best. Personally, once my foundation and base of support developed and I was properly educated, I found the following hand (“automatic relase”) to be much more useful and fluid than the crest relase. Before I stopped showing, I was riding hunters with a following hand and placing perfectly well at some big shows, because the horses moved and jumped well (because I wasn’t getting in their way).

I do not believe it’s about what’s fasionable in the hunter ring vs. what’s fashionable in the jumper ring at all. I think it’s just about good riding. You should do what you’re most comfortable with. As people say, a good crest release is better than a poorly-executed auto release. I will always prefer jumping out of hand over the crest release, but it’s not a “all or nothing” scenario. Both have their uses.

[alternate_universe]

I grew up in Pony Club and I’ve spend the last couple years with a very good pro and have always been taught that a PROPER crest release is acceptable, but a auto release is ideal if you can do it properly. Not all fences are perfect, so an auto release is not always easy.

A proper crest release does not involve:

1. your chest laid out on the horse’s neck
2. chicken wings
3. you hands back at your belly button
4. your crotch in front of the pommel

Yes, I do agree that the crest release seems to be “stylish” in hunters, but unfortunately you also see a lot of ugly crest releases.

I think an proper auto release on a hunter looks classy as all heck.

[osgoka01]

Automatic release is recognized when you see a straight line from the horses mouth, through the riders hand to their elbow. It allows a soft contact to the bit without “dropping” the horse or “throwing away” the reins. You will see it in good jumper & equitation rounds, but rarely in the hunter ring right now.

The crest release is great for new jumping riders as you can press down into the crest of the neck while your base of support (legs, seat, general balance) are improving with time in the saddle. It is very common in the hunters & equitation rings right now, but doesn’t imo give the same feel in the air or upon landing as you have created a loop in the reins. I actually learned to push my knuckles into either side of the crest, which I still do today.

[HunterJumper_3]

As a traditional hunter rider, I’ve always used the crest release! However, a proper automatic release should not dock points in the hunter/EQ rings! Crest release offers more security; as your hands rest on the neck, as opposed to being held in the air. Also, hands on the neck is like when you learned to jump, holding a bit of mane for balance! In the hunter or equitation divisions, crest release is more common than automatic, but in jumpers, it matters less - both are as frequently seen as the other.

[Lady_Eboshi]

Gawds forfend someone actually gets “docked” nowadays for doing what has always been the PROPER, ADVANCED release that was once expected of everyone past the “intermediate” stage. As in, “out of Children’s Hunters.”

BTW, if you want to practice getting the feel of it, try jumping a fence on a bending line, opening your rein on the side you’re bending toward. It’s easier to get the feel of it one rein at a time–and also to test your security!

Bottom line: Without an exemplary lower leg, an automatic release is impossible.

And without a secure lower leg, you shouldn’t be jumping anything much more than 2’6" until you’ve GOT one. Time in the saddle gets it done!

[ideayoda]

Ideally the rider attempts to learn and sustain automatic release because it allows for the utmost bascule of the horse and the most balanced rider (demands learning proper leg position). CR ends up with the horse and rider having two slightly different bascules. GM started it to process more riders more quickly, and has lived to ask what happened to AR?..yet he started it. Seems such a short amount of time ago, a generation. And it has affected jump riders coming through the hunter ranks.

[RugBug]

[QUOTE=ideayoda;7175239]
GM started it to process more riders more quickly, and has lived to ask what happened to AR?..yet he started it. [/QUOTE]

Actually, GM didn’t start it…he just gave it a name and maybe popularized it.

[GoneAway]

[QUOTE=HunterJumper<3;7174994]
As a traditional hunter rider, I’ve always used the crest release! However, a proper automatic release should not dock points in the hunter/EQ rings! Crest release offers more security; as your hands rest on the neck, as opposed to being held in the air. Also, hands on the neck is like when you learned to jump, holding a bit of mane for balance![/QUOTE]
Which is why some people have issue with folks relying on the crest release, HunterJumper<3. It was intended as a stepping stone/learning tool, where riders learned to jump over small obstacles, using the crest release, while they also worked on their strengthening their legs, back and core, as well as their balance and timing. Once they were strong enough and had a better feel of the horse’s jump, they would graduate to learning to use the automatic release instead, and develop independent hands. The crest release got popular, and enabled people to move up the heights faster than perhaps they should. Having seen a lot of the jumping ahead/hunter lean/laying on the neck myself (I did it too until a trainer straightened me out years ago), it relates to the overuse and dependence on the crest release, instead of developing/using a strong core and base of support.

The idea behind the following hand is that the rider is in proper balance and doesn’t need to rely on the horse’s neck for security. Again, having said that, good riders use both the crest and auto depending on the situation.

[doublesstable]

The only time I can use an auto release is if my leg is solid and under me. I do have a tenancy to ride off my knees a bit… which takes my calf off the horse so only crest release works for me at that time. I started wondering why I do this - there are times I want to ride soft in the leg, horse doesn’t need the leg at that moment, horses can get forward or irritated if you are on their sides too much and riding a hunter the goal is to have a soft, happy, relaxed horse. I also used to ride a lot of very hot horses that lower leg was not much of an option. So crest release was ingrained.

I agree the auto release give me the feeling on landing of more control (maybe because there is a constant soft feel of the horses mouth throughout the jump and landing) vs with a crest release there is often a bit of slack that takes place.

In the Hunters I have been taught to allow them to canter off softly and finish their jump vs jumpers where the turn or next jump is a few strides away. Maybe another reason for the crest release.

Years ago at a pretty large schooling show with some pretty good eq riders I did auto releases in a eq class on purpose and won the class. I think most judges would reward a rider using this release. BUT, then I must have the horse more in a frame with the tighter leg which means more weight on the rein vs when I ride Hunters then I would have a softer rein, lighter leg and a crest release.

Maybe it’s wrong but works for me.

I think if I rode jumpers I would use the auto more for the control after the fence and would want to keep the horse really engaged in the hind end(jumping bigger jumps faster) so I could use more rein and leg and use the auto.

[alterhorse]

I’d like to change the name the name of the crest release to something that better describes it’s purpose like the “safety release”.

Safer for providing a hunter horse with a uniform jumping experience by lessing the variable of the riders hands doing anything distracting.

Safer for providing a student rider with more stability while they are learning.

Safer to use while showing hunters, because everyone else is using it also, and the judges are rewarding it’s use.

Effective use of the automatic release is one sign of a balanced and capable rider. I would think the goal of all riders should be to strive to master the automatic release, weather they will use it in the show ring or not. It is a part of the jumping training scale. IMHO.

[ReeseTheBeast]

[QUOTE=Lady Eboshi;7175234]
Gawds forfend someone actually gets “docked” nowadays for doing what has always been the PROPER, ADVANCED release that was once expected of everyone past the “intermediate” stage. As in, “out of Children’s Hunters.”

BTW, if you want to practice getting the feel of it, try jumping a fence on a bending line, opening your rein on the side you’re bending toward. It’s easier to get the feel of it one rein at a time–and also to test your security!

Bottom line: Without an exemplary lower leg, an automatic release is impossible.

And without a secure lower leg, you shouldn’t be jumping anything much more than 2’6" until you’ve GOT one. Time in the saddle gets it done![/QUOTE]

[QUOTE=GoneAway;7175275]Which is why some people have issue with folks relying on the crest release, HunterJumper<3. It was intended as a stepping stone/learning tool, where riders learned to jump over small obstacles, using the crest release, while they also worked on their strengthening their legs, back and core, as well as their balance and timing. Once they were strong enough and had a better feel of the horse’s jump, they would graduate to learning to use the automatic release instead, and develop independent hands. The crest release got popular, and enabled people to move up the heights faster than perhaps they should. Having seen a lot of the jumping ahead/hunter lean/laying on the neck myself (I did it too until a trainer straightened me out years ago), it relates to the overuse and dependence on the crest release, instead of developing/using a strong core and base of support.

The idea behind the following hand is that the rider is in proper balance and doesn’t need to rely on the horse’s neck for security. Again, having said that, good riders use both the crest and auto depending on the situation.[/QUOTE]

(bolding mine)

AGREED!!! And amen.

[jlphilli]

@alternate_universe;7174895

A proper crest release does not involve:

1. your chest laid out on the horse’s neck
2. chicken wings
3. you hands back at your belly button
4. your crotch in front of the pommel

Yes, I do agree that the crest release seems to be “stylish” in hunters, but unfortunately you also see a lot of ugly crest releases.

^THIS. I swear if I see one more chicken wings - not letting go of horses mouth improper crest release I will go berserk! (the kind that try to make it look “stylish” but have no idea what they are doing so they end up pulling on the horses mouth over the jump just to make it “look” a certain way). #endrant

[Coreene]

“Traditional” and “Crest Release” never, ever belong in the same sentence.

[GoneAway]

[QUOTE=Coreene;7176059]
“Traditional” and “Crest Release” never, ever belong in the same sentence.[/QUOTE]
I don’t think that “traditional” can be applied to show hunters either, but that’s probably an entirely different discussion (which has probably already taken place 3,458 times).

[findeight]

IMO one of the big issues on COTH in general is pictures and videos of bad releases because NOBODY thinks they are not advanced enough for the auto release and too many are hung up on that straight line from elbow to bit. Must have seen half a dozen just recently, straight line from elbow to bit ripping their face off with slipping leg, crotch ahead of pommel and leading shoulder. But that straight line is there:rolleyes:.

I so much prefer “following hand” to “automatic release” because with soft and flexible arm from shoulder thru elbow to hand following the horse with soft contact. The straight line is only a result of a strong base, proper use of hip angle and good, strong position on the horse to, over and away from the fence. The straight line is NOT something to aim for in and of itself.

Have to blame trainers too for not teaching the PROPER crest release, or proper basics in general, or the concept of a rider having a tool box of proper releases each used instinctively based on what is needed for that horse at that moment. No right, no wrong blanketing every jump, just what is needed that’s within the honest capability of the rider.

That’s something that seems to be escaping too many riders who just emulate what they see or read, be it perching on the neck with puppy dog hands or creating a straight line at the expense of the horse. They miss the point.

That point is what’s best for that horse and the rider realizing their limitations, something that seems to be harder then ever for both riders and trainer/instructors these days-to the detriment of the horse.

Don’t think anybody ever “taught” me the following hand, it just happened as I got stronger and rode more fences, it grew out of that PROPER crest release putting my hands in the right place (2" BELOW the crest) and a strong enough base to not need the neck support.

[fordtraktor]

Actually, there are three. The short release. Which is what most people should learn how to do that do not need the support of the crest release but are not independent enough for a full auto release. It is so much more useful because you can keep contact with the mouth and actually do something on landing.

[McGurk]

Actually there are three releases - the elementary release requires that you put your hands forward, put a loop in the reins and grab mane three strides ahead of the fence.

In the original Gordon Wright/Vladimir Littauer system of forward riding (that was GM’s background) the crest release was an intermediate release, and the auto release/following hand was the advanced.

There were also shades and degrees - riders just beginning to ride on contact to the base used a short crest release, 1/3 of the way up the neck, knuckles dug in and a little loop in the rein. (Timid riders could catch a little mane while crest releasing if necessary) More experienced riders used a longer crest release, taking a little support from the neck but maintaining contact.

There’s a transition between crest release and automatic or following where the rider still takes some support from the neck but moves the hand and arm down, closer to the straight line, and eventually maintains a soft contact in the air.

What I particularly dislike is the mannered or faux crest release, where the rider’s hands are above the neck, or hovering above the mane. If the rider can support themselves in the air with using the neck, they should use the more advanced release - the exaggerated broken line with hands floating is an example of form without function.

Good riders use all three releases as circumstances dictate, there is no one “right” one. I have seen an Olympian schooling a spooky greenie use an elementary release and grab a big ol’ hunk of mane - it was what the circumstances required!

And I agree with previous posters - the best release is the one you can execute correctly.

[doublesstable]

[QUOTE=fordtraktor;7176165]
Actually, there are three. The short release. Which is what most people should learn how to do that do not need the support of the crest release but are not independent enough for a full auto release. It is so much more useful because you can keep contact with the mouth and actually do something on landing.[/QUOTE]

I agree with this post but think there is an in between too.

And say riders that don’t do a “full” auto release will do what looks like a crest release but just because the hands are closer to the crest, they are still following the horses mouth and not leaning on the crest.

I think that is also why there is so much discussion about this topic.

I too keep my hands near the crest but am not actually using it as support almost like I am doing an auto but not exaggerating it by dropping my hands at the sides of the neck.

[RugBug]

[QUOTE=McGurk;7176184]
Actually there are three releases - the elementary release requires that you put your hands forward, put a loop in the reins and grab mane three strides ahead of the fence.

In the original Gordon Wright/Vladimir Littauer system of forward riding (that was GM’s background) the crest release was an intermediate release, and the auto release/following hand was the advanced.

There were also shades and degrees - riders just beginning to ride on contact to the base used a short crest release, 1/3 of the way up the neck, knuckles dug in and a little loop in the rein. (Timid riders could catch a little mane while crest releasing if necessary) More experienced riders used a longer crest release, taking a little support from the neck but maintaining contact.

There’s a transition between crest release and automatic or following where the rider still takes some support from the neck but moves the hand and arm down, closer to the straight line, and eventually maintains a soft contact in the air.

What I particularly dislike is the mannered or faux crest release, where the rider’s hands are above the neck, or hovering above the mane. If the rider can support themselves in the air with using the neck, they should use the more advanced release - the exaggerated broken line with hands floating is an example of form without function.

Good riders use all three releases as circumstances dictate, there is no one “right” one. I have seen an Olympian schooling a spooky greenie use an elementary release and grab a big ol’ hunk of mane - it was what the circumstances required!

And I agree with previous posters - the best release is the one you can execute correctly.[/QUOTE]

Yes to this…although I think you have the short and long crest releases backwards. Long is hand forward, loop in the rein. Short is hands not so forward and little to no loop.