Crack Back?

[Bumpkin]

“Most of the top medal horses are a little higher in the front end which sets your hands and upper body up really nice but makes them just a bit high in the knee. They jump a little flat which makes them easy to sit on as opposed to a “crack back” round jumper scoring a 90 in the hunters but throwing you out of the saddle over every jump. The Eq. horse’s job is to make the rider look good and that is the bottom line.”…

I copied the above from another thread, thank you to Find Eight.

My question is what exactly is a “Crack Back”?
I have heard it referred to my horse Elliot, and I assume it is a compliment, but I obviously don’t have a real grasp on it’s meaning to Hunters.

I know, , that it throws one out of the saddle, but why is that desirable?

Doesn’t jumping really round and “cracking the back” make it harder to have a smoother, hunter type of ride?

[This message was edited by Bumpkin on Jun. 23, 2001 at 01:24 AM.]

[Bumpkin]

Here is a photo of the real “Bumpkin” or Pantomime, (show name), going 3’9" in 2nd Year Green, circa 1970’s

Bumpkin aka Pantomime

[Bumpkin]

Lower at my age may be the way I have to go, with the way Elliot jumps!!!
Bumpkin had a gorgeous style, and really tucked, but she never threw me like Elliot does.
His advantage is he is slow and calm Westfalen, she was a hot little TB.

[Bumpkin]

Lots of hours without stirrups for me.
Our stable had a Dressage side and a Hunter/Jumper side, and our trainer preferred we take one Dressage lesson a week.
Klaus Albin and Pat Salt would work us quite hard on no stirrups with the arms out trotting over trotting poles.
I guess I should do that now, but I am soooo olde, hahaha

[Bumpkin]

My trainer does have me do the getting up in the stirrups and grabbing mane and relaxing the leg around the horse!!
Not always an easy thing, as dear Elliot, is low in the front and I have to keep him balanced…think teetertotter
This is good advice to hear, as you are correct, it has helped a lot. I promise I will start doing it more when I ride on my own.
My wonderful trainer has also had me take my right foot out of the stirrup and post as I use that side way too much. My theory on that is that I find myself sitting even more to the right when I am driving, and wonder if driving an automatic throws me more that way everyday? I mean, think about it next time you drive to work, you almost never use the left leg or side, unless you are driving a stick shift.
I wonder if people from England ride more to the left? haha

I unfortunately don’t have the unlimited time I use to have to ride forever, or even every day.
But plugging along and attempting to ride well is such fun in my olde age!!!

[GirlNextDoor]

when you are riding an eq horse you want a flatter jump (not so much bascule) so you can work on your form…cracking the back basically means having a large bascule. This is why hunters are not shown in eq that much and why eq horses aren’t shown in hutners that much.

[FatLilPony]

OMG bumpkin. That is an awesome pic awww!

“They love me, they love me, they really really love ME!”
-Me ( I wuv you too!)

[dublin]

Pantomime was certainly a great little jumper. Of course, being by Pan Man and also related to the amazing Man Alive, it isn’t surprising!! (I’m glad to finally have jumping pictures of you to put in my online album.)

My 15.3 OTTTB Peace Flag could crack her back pretty good as well. Here we are in 1967, in my pre-Dehner boot days!!

“Of course, that’s just my opinion. I could be wrong.” - Dennis Miller

[findeight]

Just means the horse jumps so big and round he folds in half over the top of the jump, you’ve seen the pictures with their knees hitting their nose. Very desirable in the modern open hunter classes at 4’ but hard to stay on for the less then outstanding rider. Also not particularly desirable in the lower level classes for not so outstanding riders for the same reason. If you were actually going to ride with a hunt you probably wouldn’t one quite so stylish either. Fabulous to watch though.

[Bumpkin]

I just came from my nephew who put these on the computer for me.
Here is another one if you don’t mind…Bumpkin 2

[Bumpkin]

Here is her full brother Man A’Live ridden by Joan Kerron

Man A’Live Clearing 7’

[just_me]

Bumpkin, I loved your pictures of you and your horse in the 70s. You looked so '70s. Flat bridle, boots not quite as tall as now, automatic release, your jacket. I learned to ride in the 70s, and was not taught a crest release. It was automatic from the get go (though I wasn’t always successful )

One of these days i’ll post some '70s pictures of my bascule-jumping Pooka horse.

[findeight]

We are talking about really big fences set at really forward distances in the open hunters where you would want a horse that could jump like this. Over this size course, say 4’3" with distances based at 13-14ft. that huge round jump smooths out.Most of the riders at this level are pros and former medal finals winners who do not get jumped loose. Down with the rest of us jumping 3 ft with 11-12ft strides down the lines it is hard to get a smooth round, especially with the average amateur rider. Some of the jumper folks feel a horse with this kind of action wastes too much time in the air. It’s hard to generalize though, hopes this answers your question

[Natalie]

Your horse is awesome, Bumpkin! He looks beautiful…and you look great too! (that automatic release looks SOOOO much better than the crest release that EVERYONE uses today! )

“Throw your heart over the fence and your horse will follow.”

[dublin]

Man Alive was truly something else!! I remember Joan winning the Puissance on him at the Oregon State Fair at 6’9"…even the cowboys were watching and cheering them on. Just awesome!

[dublin]

lots of riding without stirrups, jumping gymnastics with our arms out to the sides, some bareback jumping… and pretty much everyone was taught an automatic release back then.

“Of course, that’s just my opinion. I could be wrong.” - Dennis Miller

[K_BHunter]

Basically as my mom said just a sec ago because i didn’t know how to explain it…we have this pony who looks like he is " Cracking" his back every time he jumps because his knees come to his ears…its an amazing thing to watch but not sooo cool to feel. For me a “Crack Back” horse is easier for me to ride as opposed to a hard flat EQ horse…anyway just thought i would give you a kids point of view instead of and adult/ Probably more educated person.

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