Thank you - I ALWAYS get that backward.
This is a lot of great info!! Thanks everyone!
I have to say for the majority of my riding career I have been doing the crest release, but recently my trainer has me working on my core and upper body and doing an automatic release.
I have to say that I actually prefer it to the crest release, but that may be that for the Jumper ring I feel like I am ready for that roll back or quick move where in the hunter ring its not as important.
The other nuisance I notice is that I am great with my auto release at 3’6+ but forget the 2’ jumps. Not sure why, but it seems like an impossibility with me.
The “grab-mane” release, long crest release, short crest release, and automatic release are all “tools” and all have a purpose.
The releases should be taught in the progression that I stated above. By the time a rider is of intermediate jumping level they should be taught at least the first 3 releases, their purposes, and in what situations each should be used. An advanced rider should be able to use all 4 releases for different purposes and in different situations (yes, even “grab mane”! :lol:).
I always thought of the different releases as being similar to the different seats (full seat, half seat, two-point/galloping, and driving seat). You should be able adjust your seat or release given the jumping element, terrain, horse’s behavior (or misbehavior ;)), etc.
I think the reason you struggle with the auto release over 2’ is that the horse is making much of a jumping effort, therefore not much of balancing gesture with the head and neck.
For me, for an auto release to work well, I have to feel the horse in the bridle in a live, active contact and feel them pull my hand and arm forward as they extend the head and neck. Just doesn’t happen the same way over a little fence.
I always think long rein = long release, short rein = short release, but it’s actually short distance for the arm to travel = short release, long distance for arm to travel = long release.
[QUOTE=cswoodlandfairy;7174819]
Is there a specific time or type of jumping that requires one or the other, or is it all down to preference![/QUOTE]
To address function rather than form.
The crest release functions well when you expect the horse to continue at the same pace, rhythm and direction after the jump as before.
With the crest release it is very difficut to tell the horse (in the air) “we need to land turning sharply right”, “we need to REALLY shorten the stride on the FIRST landing stride”, or even “stay right- don’t drift left on landing”
But the following hand (I HATE the term “automatic release” because there is NOTHING automatic about it) allows you to give a rein aid (whether it is an opening rein, a direct rein, an indirect rein, …) while you are still in the air.
In hunters (except maybe in a handy hunter class) you don’t need todo a lot of those things, because you are SUPPOSED to " continue at the same pace, rhythm and direction". So a crest release works well.
But in jumpers, especially as the courses become more difficult, there is a lot of advantage in being able to start your turn, etc. while you are still in the air.
“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.”
There are too many ‘TRAINERS’ who are unable to use a soft following hand and/or have never been taught to use one. Sad.
[QUOTE=doublesstable;7176192]
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.[/QUOTE]
I do the same thing! So it looks like a crest release from the side, but not from the front. But I have recently been reeducating myself to bring my hands lower and somewhat closer. It’s getting there. My trainer tells me “too much drama” when I put my hands forward in my old style, so I have really been cognizant of it.
So I think most everything has been addressed although the OP mentioned something about XC as well and I did want to say that there is no way in hell I would do a full automatic release on XC simply because of what can happen to you mid jump that isn’t so much an issue on an arena with jumps that fall down. This includes a horse getting stuck on a fence, losing footing during takeoff or landing, or any of the million other things that can suddenly jar you out of position. So I ride with an opening rein and a soft handed release that resembles a following crest release when I’m riding XC (so that my first instinct is to grab mane or knuckles to neck if one of those million things happens). Of course stadium I ride with auto releases.
But I will note when starting my new mare jumping I started her with a crest release as well so that I wouldn’t accidentally catch her in the mouth on those inevitably jerky first few jumps.
[QUOTE=Janet;7176549]
To address function rather than form.
The crest release functions well when you expect the horse to continue at the same pace, rhythm and direction after the jump as before.
With the crest release it is very difficut to tell the horse (in the air) “we need to land turning sharply right”, “we need to REALLY shorten the stride on the FIRST landing stride”, or even “stay right- don’t drift left on landing”
But the following hand (I HATE the term “automatic release” because there is NOTHING automatic about it) allows you to give a rein aid (whether it is an opening rein, a direct rein, an indirect rein, …) while you are still in the air.
In hunters (except maybe in a handy hunter class) you don’t need todo a lot of those things, because you are SUPPOSED to " continue at the same pace, rhythm and direction". So a crest release works well.
But in jumpers, especially as the courses become more difficult, there is a lot of advantage in being able to start your turn, etc. while you are still in the air.[/QUOTE]
THIS, 100%, and I’d like to address a related component of this–LOOKING. We were taught that as you are in the air over one fence, your EYES already need to be on the next one–including the turn you’re about to start in the air with that beautiful following hand! 
I am constantly telling riders to LOOK for their line today as their eyes drift all over the field, and they have NO CLUE what I’m really talking about until I explain it in depth.
Your horse follows your body which follows your head which follows your eyes.
So whether you’re grabbing mane or have that perfect line, LOOK!!! 
[QUOTE=Lady Eboshi;7178552]
THIS, 100%, and I’d like to address a related component of this–LOOKING. We were taught that as you are in the air over one fence, your EYES already need to be on the next one–including the turn you’re about to start in the air with that beautiful following hand! I am constantly telling riders to LOOK for their line today as their eyes drift all over the field, and they have NO CLUE what I’m really talking about until I explain it in depth.
Your horse follows your body which follows your head which follows your eyes.
So whether you’re grabbing mane or have that perfect line, LOOK!!! :D[/QUOTE]
I agree
[QUOTE=ideayoda;7175239]
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.[/QUOTE]
I’m sure George has lived to regret several things he started. This from one who learned AR as THE way. Scares the life outta me when I see the lower level event riders using CR, on CC. :eek:
If you watch upper lwevel event riders they use a combination of releases. I cannot imagine seeing anythihng else but a release jumping “out of hand” with banks and changes in terrain. Hunters were supposed to mimic field hunters. Level ground makes the crest release easy… and the jumps do not look like anything found in a hunt field. When I was a kid doing the ponies, the courses were a lot of fun. We jumped natural type jumps, jumped out of the ring, back in the ring etc… but the release was appropriate for the fence. My trainer put jumping out of hand as a goal for us so we could do the more difficult jumps on course.
Just my 2 cents
