I was told getting into a deeper seat before the jump is wrong. I ride jumpers, so hearing this comment was a little weird. Opinions?
Depends…
Yea, I tend to ride in a slightly deeper seat right before the jump. Not a full seat, but a deeper seat
Most things are not flat out right or wrong with horses so you really can’t make blanket statements that something is always correct.
For example, if you are coming to the base with good pace to a simple vertical, you might want to stay light in the seat. But if it’s a big scary fence and horse is starting to suck back and look hard? You darn well better sit deep and keep leg on and shoulder back or he’ll stop or lose impulsion for a wonky jump, either way you are coming off.
Hunters, you need to at least make it look like you stay in a light seat so they look easy. So there, yeah, you don’t want to look like you have to sit deep…but sometimes you have to to get over.
I like to sink into my crotch at the base of the fence. Keeps my horse balanced and from rushing. And it keeps me from wanting to lean forward and jump ahead. I have ridden horses that prefer a light seat at all times. As for a true deep seat (as in behind the motion on your buttocks, not your crotch/seat bones)…that should be reserved for emergencies, stoppers, or a spooky jump.
who ever told you that should pass such information onto the German show jumping team. Maybe then they will win some medals. :rolleyes: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zUSZTfslRcM
[QUOTE=purplnurpl;7645132]
who ever told you that should pass such information onto the German show jumping team. Maybe then they will win some medals. :rolleyes: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zUSZTfslRcM[/QUOTE]
:yes::lol::lol::lol::winkgrin:
I believe it was Steinkraus who wrote that one’s eye for a distance is in the seat of the pants. 
If approaching at working canter I generally prefer three-point position before a fence. At gallop I’ll be in half seat.
I’ve heard “If you sit deep you’ll see deep, and forward seat for the forward distance” from someone. Now obviously this isn’t a 100% hard and fast rule, but I have seen it in action and definitely felt it myself. If a person is struggling with their distance in a particular way (as opposed to getting random distances, from a whole host of other reasons) it can be helpful to change the seat they approach the fence in.
The idea behind a forward seat is it gives you more options (you can sit deep if you need to settles for the quiet one) and you can go forward if you need to lengthen. In either event you won’t have to adapt your upper body radically at the last minute.
Now if you are Ludger Beerbaum, you could adapt your upper body at the last minute if you were upside down hanging off a bucking bronc. Anyone who feels comfortable to comparing themselves to that level of talent, please feel free to step in and opine freely. But the forward seat isn’t wrong or right per se, it’s just another tool in the toolbox and you are definitely doing you or any of your mounts no favor if you can’t ride in all seats (I freely admit to being this person). And if you are a person who finds themselves flinging up around the ears in the last minute if you find yourself behind the motion because you were on the vertical and you had to whoa some more to make room (cough cough ivestarredinthatmovie cough cough) you might want to remind yourself that being able to ride in any seat on the way to a jump is a sign of a good horseman. Great horseman adapt their seat to their horse’s needs and the situation at hand, not the other way around.
And on that note, now that a blooded hotter horse is more the norm in the big GPs, it’s not unusual to see even the (gasp) Germans employing a forward seat. Because great riders do that sort of thing.
Deep seat (full seat) =/= behind the motion. If you are behind the motion, that is another issue. In the jumpers, where the course often asks you for more collection than say in the hunter ring, a deeper seat can be very useful at times. For a horse without a big natural motor, a deeper seat can keep the hind end impulsion going, and sitting down will allow you to support your horse more in tight turns.
I think it depends on what the person meant by sit deep and why. You should sink down (into your heels) a few strides out generally (unless riding to a spooky jump and you need your deep driving seat). I have a hard time seeing distances if I ride in too forward of a seat, so stay in a low light seat before the jump. I also go to a full seat on tight turns like a rollback or if I need to slow down on a line. Are you having trouble seeing distances, or jumping ahead? if so, these would be reasons why your coach might tell you to sit deeper.
My first instinct is to say that sinking closer to the saddle, especially in jumpers is not unusual and often useful. It helps set you up for a turn after the jump or might keep you closer to the tack if you think a horse is hesitant.
Without knowing exactly what you are doing, it’s hard to say. If you are “sitting” rather than sinking, maybe you are causing the horse to get hollow in front of the fence. A quick shift in position could cause a very broke horse to change stride, thus destroy a distance.
Whatever works is what happens.
[QUOTE=woodhillsmanhattan;7645103]
I like to sink into my crotch at the base of the fence. Keeps my horse balanced and from rushing. And it keeps me from wanting to lean forward and jump ahead. I have ridden horses that prefer a light seat at all times. As for a true deep seat (as in behind the motion on your buttocks, not your crotch/seat bones)…that should be reserved for emergencies, stoppers, or a spooky jump.[/QUOTE]
This for my mare. She doesn’t have a lot of thrust off the ground at the heights I jump. 3’3 and under. 3’6 and up, which we have only tried a couple death defying times… gulp, it improves greatly.
But I also need a slightly more closed seat, not so much ‘sitting’. This really helps me stay with her motion and encourage her to stay off the forehand and round. I keep my reins pretty short though. I have found that really helps me with not sitting too much.
Mind you, I should add. I am riding a friends back cracking eventer while she takes some time to have her baby. Great for me! But with him I have to stay in a two point, otherwise, he is very jarring.
Found this video. Some nice moments of the German “deep” seat. https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=1441900869405372
As an aside, I have to say, I hate these people. :mad: I mean, she rides far too well. :lol: Hard to guess her age, but she could be 19. :eek:And her “deep” seat is deep and soft and connected and just thorough repugnant.
My trainer is a sitter type trainer. He just tells me to “stay the same” all the way to the jump. If you are switching back and forth, it is distracting…unless your sitting canter is distracting in which case I would opt for slowly returning lightly to my sitting position a ways before the jump. Sitting is difficult but rewarding.
Ugh I’m really fighting this… I’m in a rut and can’t seem to adjust my seat at all. I’m sitting into a strong, driving seat (for emergencies/runouts) at every fence! This is causing her to hollow through her back and raise her head. We are getting some really brutal jumps, especially since she is the type of mare to take the bit and run a bit at the fence, which I am making worse. 
What can I do to stop myself? My coach had me work on sinking heels as far as they would go, crotch more towards the pommel, sitting UP and jumping with one hand on my hip. He said it’s just repetition to break the habit. He also said my saddle isn’t helping my position either.
Is there anything else I can do?
There is no seat where being behind the motion is wanted! Even in a deeper seat you want to keep your Upper body at least at the vertical.
Even in dressage, this throwing your Upper body behind and squish your horse for medium trot is wrong.
The deeper seat in front of the fences is coming from the classical dressage back ground. You want to balance your horse through your Upper body, keep it engaged in the hind and be able to adjust to the up coming situation.
In the video you saw a top class rider riding a strong horse. Through the dressage work at home and his deeper sitting during the course he is able to do simple adjustments by changing Little things in the seat and so can do what is needed with out getting in a fight about who is the boss with his horse.
If you or anyone is interested in this concept i would say read the priciples of riding
http://www.fnverlag.de/shop/product_info.php/info/p66_Book-1--The-Principles-of-Riding.html
And the books of Michel robert
You also have to keep an eye on the horse and its training when you see or use a deeper seat.
