So, I always tend to get popped out of the tack over oxers. If we were just doing the hunters I wouldn’t be quite as concerned about this, but me and my horse are doing both the hunters and the jumpers, and obviously in the jumpers an oxer could be the in to a tricky in-and-out, and I don’t have time to be regaining myself when I’m supposed to be jumping another fence in one stride. I was wondering if anybody had any exercises or tips to help with keeping your leg tight so you don’t get knocked out of the tack? They don’t even have to be riding related, just something I can do in the gym to strengthen my lower leg. Thanks all!!
How big are you jumping? How long have you been jumping? Riding?
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Your fitness and core strength is absolutely something to consider. General strength training a couple times a week may go along way outside of the tack. It helps me tremendously. Your saddle fit is also something to look at. I have a barn mate who tried riding in some other saddles and suddenly she was popped out of the tack less. She still occasionally is though because her core is particularly weak.
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No stirrupwork over low grids. Exercises on the lunge with no irons AND no hands progressing to down a small grid, might need to borrow a school horse but it’s amazing how quiet most horses get when we leave them ALONE. Also try closing your eyes a stride out when jumping. If you haven’t changed any thing like the saddle? It’s you and weak core muscles.
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Everything everyone else said, and also consider that your stirrups might be a hole too long.
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What everyone else said. Plus, think about whether you are dropping back in the saddle too quickly when you’re still in the air–especially if you only have this problem over wider jumps. Could be that you’re hitting your horse in the back and he’s bouncing you out of the tack.
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Get thee to the gym. Core work. Squats. Deadlifts. Spin bike (I have a Peloton and it’s probably the best thing to ever happen to my riding).
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All I can say is that you need to focus on CORE strength, not leg strength.
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I can sympathize. I’m working out with a trainer at the gym to work on core strength and will be starting pilates soon.
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3’- I’ve been riding for about seven years, and for the most part I’ve been jumping for the same time. This past year has been my first year on a horse (I did the ponies before) and I have only been schooling 3’ for like 4-5 months
Make sure your release is solid and stay over until after the jump is complete. Also, make sure your eyes are looking forward past the jump.
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Can you elaborate more on this? I’m trying to dial in my position more, as I understand my horse really really dislikes when I’m loose in the slightest, and responds by scooting on the backside.
I’m trying to improve!
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The type and power of the horse makes a huge difference to being able to stick into the tack. If you have been riding horses with a “flat” jump, often WANTED in the lower hunter divisions and equitation/medal divisions and for green and/or young riders (to get them into the shows and competing ASAP), and are now riding a horse who uses his back better, has more “scope” and more “arc” to his jump, all of a sudden, he will jump you out of the tack if you are not a truly secure rider. You need to step up your strength and fitness, which is both core and seat and leg strength, IMO.
Obviously, work in the gym will always be helpful, but the classic fix is riding without stirrups. First on your flat work, and then over jumps. Cautiously at first of course LOL. Also, find a saddle that puts you close to the horse’s side, without a lot of “padding” and “blocks”, because these things always put you further from the horse’s side, and thus less secure (exactly the opposite of what such saddles claim in their marketing). Pull the inside of your knee OFF the horse’s side, and use your entire leg instead, toes turned out a bit. Having your knee pushed into knee blocks in an effort to “hang on” only provides a fulcrum for your body to rotate and your lower leg to swing. Don’t do this, it will make you an insecure rider with a weak seat and leg. The most secure saddle you can ride in is a racetrack exercise saddle, because of how close it puts you to the horse’s sides. Believe me, it is extremely necessary to be secure in the tack with what goes on riding a racehorse, and no “demands of style” and “marketing” takes place in this environment… only what “works”. This isn’t just my opinion, it is a law of physics, forces applied on levers. Extra padding on saddles acts as the lever, the force of the jump is increased the further away you are from the horse’s sides. Use as little thickness of saddle pad under your saddle too, for the same reason. Stay close to your horse.
I was lucky, I had a horse who taught me EARLY in life how to remain secure in the tack. Because the power of his jump made it a necessity for me to learn. Horses will teach you this better than a coach ever will. Now, in my old age, when I ride a hunter who does not jump like this, has a hunter type of jump, it is ridiculously simple. But once you’ve got it, it never leaves you. And I’ve still got it.
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@equinekacy , are you literally coming out of the saddle, or are you just getting popped a little loose? Are you disconnecting from the tack? I ask because it makes a little bit of a difference and helps to pinpoint where the issue actually is. I experienced the full gamut on my mare, from getting jarred a little to being in a different level of the atmosphere, and my survival strategies differed depending on the extent of the out of saddle experience.
Either way, I think it helps to think to press the neck to the ground - often I see people getting popped loose because they throw their upper body trying to keep up with a hard jump and because they lack core strength, they also snap back too quickly. Keeping that hip angle closed and thinking to push your knuckles into the neck a bit can help. Lots of core work will ultimately be the most helpful (pilates, yoga, etc.).
You could also try shortening your stirrups a hole and see if that helps. And grabbing mane.
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Thank you! I’ve having the same problem as OP, but on a very… Overenthusiastic jumper. He’s a wonderful sort, and has carried my sorry butt right down the line when I’m still sorting myself out after getting popped loose, and he’s carried me over things I honestly wouldn’t blame him for stopping at because I quit riding. I know mentally he’s popped some seriously skilled professionals loose, but I definitely want to give him the caliber of ride he tries his hardest to give me.
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Oh wow supershorty, that must have been quite the jump! Great photo but what happened after !?! :winkgrin:
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Punched myself in the face on landing hard enough to break my hand and chip my jaw, but otherwise, nothing out of sorts. Went to the next jump. Finished the course. My mare was always kind enough to go straight on landing if I was off in the rafters somewhere so it usually wasn’t all that exciting.
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I just watched a video of myself and no, I’m not literally coming out of the saddle - but I am getting popped loose enough to hit my horse in the back upon landing.
I’ve heard people say what you just said- to “press” or “press the neck into the ground”, and I’ve never quite understood. Am I supposed to just move my hands up the neck a bit in a classic release. Or am I supposed to literally press down and put my weight on my horse’s neck? Won’t that be more than a little offsetting to him?
I’ve been working a lot on core recently and I plan to continue- thank you so much for the help!!💓
Since you just moved from ponies to a horse this may be relevant. I had a wide bodied horse who regularly jumped through my legs. He was wide enough to be at the point where my body lost the strength to hold on to the horse with my leg. I found a saddle with long billets and just losing the thickness of the girth under my leg was enough for me to be able to hold on with my leg.
Do check your stirrup length and try a shorter hole. We tend to want to have more leg on the horse (longer stirrup) when we have issues and often a shorter length can be helpful.
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Do a crest release and think to push your knuckles into the neck - not putting your weight behind it, but you should be able to feel the neck with your knuckles. And continue to feel it until the horse has landed. It’s a little easier to get the feel for it if you grab some mane; it’ll keep your hands there anyway.
As your core gets stronger, you’ll be able to keep the hip angle closed without needing the reminder of your hands feeling the crest of the neck (you’ll be able to go through a gymnastic with your hands on your hips, for example, and stay with your horse fine).
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