Dressage rider dabbling in h/j

[Lunabear1988]

I’m a Dressage rider taking some jumping lessons. I just want to be versatile and competent for cross training. Plus, as I’m horse shopping, I’m trying a lot of horses in jumping saddles. I own a jumping saddle lol but let’s just say, a Dressage saddle feels more like home these days! But I also think doing two point is beneficial for all riders.

I’m wondering what we’re some very basic skills I should look at accomplishing during my exploration? I can’t take steady h/j lessons forever. I’ve taken a few in past years, not totally a newbie but still very much a novice. I’ve taken a month of h/j lessons and so far we’ve worked on position, poles, cavaletti, small cross rails and verticals. Just now introducing counting/seeing strides which was a big thing I wanted to be able to do. What else to focus on to be semi competent at the lowest levels? I want to keep jumps below 2’6" lol. I know there is so much to work on and perfect. My instructor is fantastic, I just love having goals and a plan!

I’m probably going to take another solid month or two of these lessons. If I end up finding a horse, I’ll have to dial it back (still taking Dressage lessons) but will still take occasional jumping lessons.

[GoodTimes]

Having a stable leg that stays under you is the foundation for jumping, then you can just naturally let the upper body fold ever so slightly so that the horse comes up to you over the fence. Watch some of the Big Eq, the riders are so quiet and barely change position over the fences.

If you have a horse that you can ride on your own right now there are different things that you can practice outside of a lesson.
Lots of two point and half seat. At the trot try things like sit for two, up one. Or up for two, sit for one. This helps develop a solid leg and an independent seat.

Pole work is good as well. Set up 3-4 trot poles and practice holding your jumping position as you trot through them. Try not to drop back into the saddle or fall forward onto the neck. Taking a small piece of mane can help you balance.
Practice counting strides as you go around the ring.
Set a single pole, then graduate to a three or four stride line, then a course of poles.

If you’ve been a dressage rider for awhile than you already have an advantage over many beginner h/j riders. You know what a quality canter is. It’s always easier to find the jumps when the horse is forward, in front of the leg, and adjustable. And with a good canter, the horse will have an easier time making a bad spot look better.

[wanderinglemon]

Just wanted to throw in: if you have a chance to do a hunter pace or foxhunt, do it!

It is seriously so much fun, and getting out of the ring/hacking is one of my favorite methods of cross-training

[Lunabear1988]

Thanks! I am hoping to get some video to see how I’m progressing. The instructor was a little apprehensive about me being a Dressage rider at first-she said she thinks it’s hard for Amateurs to truly do both. And she’s had a hard time getting Dressage riders out of wanting to drive with their seat/sit heavy. She said she was pleasantly surprised that isn’t really a problem for me. She is overall fairly happy with my leg. We always are working on a deeper heel, but I have physical issues that limit it. But it’s fairly stable. I have to fight not wanting to be a little in a chair seat-i think unfortunately it’s partly the saddle. But two point always helps!

I haven’t felt like I needed to grab mane much, except when we get a long spot. I actually had the instructor drop the jump down a bit so I could work on seeing the strides, so that long spots aren’t a habit!

I’ll work on the other stuff too. Biggest thing is practice and time.

[Lunabear1988]

Some things in needing to work on is keeping my shoulders back (something about a jumping saddle makes me think caved in shoulders) and getting my leads after a jump. Super embarrassing!! It’s like my mind cuts out after I make it over a jump…

The instructor actually told me to make sure that I hold my standards as a dressage rider on the flat as well. Because I knew she was apprehensive about me being a dressage rider I was being very conservative (not insisting horse was in front of the leg, bending around my inside leg and what not.)

[wanderinglemon]

@Lunabear1988

The instructor was a little apprehensive about me being a Dressage rider at first-she said she thinks it’s hard for Amateurs to truly do both.

That’s a weird thing for an instructor to say, seeing as how there’s an entire equestrian sport dedicated to dressage AND jumping…plenty of amateurs in the eventing world.

[GoodTimes]

I had an old instructor who used to start every jumping lesson with having us quietly trot into a x-rail, canter away, and halt before we got to the rail. Didn’t have to worry about finding a distance, didn’t have to worry about a lead change after.
Super simple, but it allows you to get yourself sorted out and you can figure out what your weakness is that day. Was your horse too quiet? Were they in front of the leg? Pulling after? Were they straight? Were you straight? Did you throw your upper body? Etc. Now you have the opportunity to address all of these things before cantering in or starting a course.
This is how I start my warm up at a show as well.

[Lunabear1988]

Well she’s definitely not an Eventer! Otherwise I really like her, I feel I’m improving and having a blast! But people do have their biases I guess

[Lunabear1988]

Honestly I feel so rusty until we start going over poles/jumps. I’m thinking part of it is it takes me a bit for my leg to stretch down at that length of stirrup.

I think it’s just so much different things for me to think about right now that my brain’s a little slow about it!

[Faye]

I love this! I have a mental meltdown when immediately after flat warm up, we have to jump 6 jumps!

[NancyM]

I think the main difference (other than the seat) is that you do need to share responsibility for getting the job done with the horse… both need to be engaged with the job at hand to get it done correctly. Each has their part of the job to do, and each needs to do their part of the job. This, to me, is different from dressage, where the rider directs everything, and the horse obeys. With jump training, the horse has more input into the job, and the rider has to learn to listen to the horse more, because the horse’s input can be very valuable. Dressage riders tend to want to be “in control”, and have difficulty turning over some of that control to the horse, and work together as more equal partners. JMHO

“Good on ya” for branching out! A good base in dressage will help you find success in h/j. But it is different.

[Lunabear1988]

@NancyM I totally agree! That’s one of the reasons I branched out. Actually 5 years ago I took up a part time working student position with an Eventer for that same reason. Sometimes I take Dressage too seriously, do thought it would be fun and beneficial to do some jumping. The Eventer actually was pretty into dressage so I gravitated towards her dressage lessons in the end lol. I’ve also struggled with being taught every step. I feel like I’ve been missing parts when taught.

This instructor is happy to answer all my questions. Although I’ve learned that I will not get exact detailed type instruction, I’m wanting something that just doesn’t really happen. But time and a good school horse are helping!

I actually tended to leave my horse alone too much. My instructor had to tell me to raise my standards a bit and use a bit of “dressage” if needed. Would I let a Dressage horse go counter bent? Or against my inside leg, motorcycling around the turn? Nope! And neither should I in a jumping lesson. One lesson she actually had me drop my stirrups in sitting trot, get my horse hot off my leg, do turn on the forehand, leg yields, walk to canter transitions. Then we were ready for some jumping! But still, it’s much less involved than Dressage once you get to the jumping!

[Lunabear1988]

To be clear, I’m craving being told exactly what to do for every step (like a Dressage rider ha ha) but I think so much is just feel and timing that you have to learn. I’m told I’m doing fine, I think I want to overanalyze!

[Faye]

I honestly think you are ahead of many in the game. Jump course is just dressage with obstacles in between!

[TheDBYC]

@wanderinglemon

That’s a weird thing for an instructor to say, seeing as how there’s an entire equestrian sport dedicated to dressage AND jumping…plenty of amateurs in the eventing world.

I was going to say the same! Set aside pure show hunter style riding, which is different (and tbh, for which I personally have some criticisms of for that reason). Jumping is, as I heard a well-known GP rider say to a student “Just dressage with stuff in your way.” I took my daughter to watch Peter Wylde’s masterclass at Rudledge a few years ago. Everything he said about riding to, from, and between jumps I have heard in a dressage lesson. All of it. From how to achieve a balanced turn to maintaining even rhythm & impulsion in the gaits.

[GoodTimes]

One of the best clinics that I’ve ever audited was Ingrid Klimke’s Masterclass. She was picky about the basics, and used such simple exercises to achieve results. A lot of cavalletti work.
I went with a group of ladies from my hometown. There was me, who shows primarily in the A/O hunters, and has a baby hunter. My mom who didn’t start riding until she was an adult, she doesn’t jump any higher than 2’6". Two eventers, and a dressage rider. Every single one of us took something away from that clinic. Primarily how good flatwork makes the fences easier to find, and creates a better jump. And how helpful cavalletti and pole work can be.