I’m predicting having to jump down a bank for the first time in a national derby. So question… Do you pull and eventer and lean back or go forward with it? Just how do you ride it? I’m sure my trainer will tell me, but I’d like to go into our first bank practice session looking like I almost know what I’m doing for a change.
For safety’s sake I would lean back and slip the reins, a la eventer style. I don’t think I’d want to lean forward going down a bank, and I don’t think that would help your horse’s style. They really shouldn’t jump off the bank, they should drop off of it like a big step down.
I don’t think most shows would include jumping down a bank in a national derby - perhaps an international one, but all of the handy rounds I’ve seen in the smaller one have been quite tame.
But if you do end up doing it, I wouldn’t lean back if it’s only a little bank. Here’s a video of Jennifer Alfano winning the derby at WEF the year they included the bank. As you can see, she goes into a small, controlled 2-point without leaning up her horse’s neck to jump down. IMO a full lean/rein slip a la Rolex would be a bit much for a 2’ step down.
[QUOTE=iEquitate;7258843]
I don’t think most shows would include jumping down a bank in a national derby - perhaps an international one, but all of the handy rounds I’ve seen in the smaller one have been quite tame.
But if you do end up doing it, I wouldn’t lean back if it’s only a little bank. Here’s a video of Jennifer Alfano winning the derby at WEF the year they included the bank. As you can see, she goes into a small, controlled 2-point without leaning up her horse’s neck to jump down. IMO a full lean/rein slip a la Rolex would be a bit much for a 2’ step down.[/QUOTE]
Yeah see that’s what I thought, but visualizing it is weird. There is a tiny bank I know I have to ride up, but I can’t remember if it’s a jump down or ride down.
This helps me with banks:
Think of landing on YOUR feet as if you were jumping down a people sized bank. Don’t lean wy back.
If you lean way back the cantle of your saddle will “spank” you on landing and pitch you up your horse’s neck.
For the record, even if you are “eventering” you shouldn’t be pulling down a bank.
But that’s neither here nor there.
As said, the size bank you are looking at her is itsy bitsy in the grand scheme of jumping banks. Just stay in the middle of your horse, keep your weight in your stirrups, and let him step down off of it.
I would also strongly recommend finding somewhere to practice a bank before hand unless your horse has jumped one before. Even though a hunter bank is tiny, I don’t think it is really fair to expect a horse to jump one for the first time in the show ring. It is a different sort of question and while some of them have no problem with it, others get quite confused by it at first.
If it is both of your first time going down a bank I would ride more defensively than the video, keep your shoulders back and keep your leg on (but we still aren’t talking UL cross country here, just balanced). Don’t stare down at the ground at the foot of the bank.
[QUOTE=weixiao;7258870]
For the record, even if you are “eventering” you shouldn’t be pulling down a bank.
But that’s neither here nor there.
As said, the size bank you are looking at her is itsy bitsy in the grand scheme of jumping banks. Just stay in the middle of your horse, keep your weight in your stirrups, and let him step down off of it.
I would also strongly recommend finding somewhere to practice a bank before hand unless your horse has jumped one before. Even though a hunter bank is tiny, I don’t think it is really fair to expect a horse to jump one for the first time in the show ring. It is a different sort of question and while some of them have no problem with it, others get quite confused by it at first.
If it is both of your first time going down a bank I would ride more defensively than the video, keep your shoulders back and keep your leg on (but we still aren’t talking UL cross country here, just balanced). Don’t stare down at the ground at the foot of the bank.[/QUOTE]
Yeah we have a pretty good bank in our GP field, I just haven’t had a chance to practice it. I’d rather not go in blind though. He’s trotted up and down it but never cantered the bigger ones. I think it’s only like 2’ at the show though.
[QUOTE=iEquitate;7258843]
I don’t think most shows would include jumping down a bank in a national derby - perhaps an international one, but all of the handy rounds I’ve seen in the smaller one have been quite tame.
But if you do end up doing it, I wouldn’t lean back if it’s only a little bank. Here’s a video of Jennifer Alfano winning the derby at WEF the year they included the bank. As you can see, she goes into a small, controlled 2-point without leaning up her horse’s neck to jump down. IMO a full lean/rein slip a la Rolex would be a bit much for a 2’ step down.[/QUOTE]
THANK YOU for that video! That was so awesome! I’ve never seen that round before. First of all, GREAT derby course! And secondly, I loved her nice forward hand gallop the entire time. Fabulous!
Don’t go eventer style. Just ride to the base (err, edge), keep a feel on the reins and keep your body tall as some horses will pause at the top. A nice short crest release will be fine - resist the urge to snap back quickly on the landing as you will catch your horse in the mouth. Most down banks I’ve jumped in any derby (hunter or jumper) are not big enough to warrant anything close to rein slippage.
[QUOTE=Dakotawyatt;7259047]
THANK YOU for that video! That was so awesome! I’ve never seen that round before. First of all, GREAT derby course! And secondly, I loved her nice forward hand gallop the entire time. Fabulous![/QUOTE]
I don’t show or even ride now, but I would need a freaking map and GPS to find my way around that course!
[QUOTE=hunterrider23;7258829]
I’m predicting having to jump down a bank for the first time in a national derby. So question… Do you pull and eventer and lean back or go forward with it? Just how do you ride it? I’m sure my trainer will tell me, but I’d like to go into our first bank practice session looking like I almost know what I’m doing for a change.[/QUOTE]
Eventers do not lean back (not those that know what they are doing). You let the horse jump down out from under you (slipping the reins as they take them–which off a small bank likely will not be much)…leaning back actually interfers. It is a subtle difference but in effect…it has a huge difference. Basically, you do not make a move, but let the HORSE move out from under you. In a small bank, it will not cause your position on take off to change really. You want to land in the top of your leg…the same as you would coming landing off a jump of similar size.
When I’ve helped my hunter friends learn how to jump down a bank…only correction I’ve typically told them is think about putting their foot a LITTLE more forward. You don’t want your lower leg slipping back as that will unbalance you and make it hard to land over your leg. Most seem to loose their lower leg as they were not as used to riding over terrain. You do not want your leg WAY forward–especially off a tiny bank…but it will feel more foward than many are used too. Larger banks are no difference when you land than coming off a larger jump. When you are jumping 4+ regular jumps ( and drops will get much larger than that quickly in eventing) you also think to put your foot slightly forward. It is no different. It is just the landing side of a jump…
If you see lower level eventers leaning back at baby levels, they’re being a little over dramatic. Speaking as a formerly over-dramatic-eventer whose current trainer has beaten the habit out of me. :lol: Sit up, hold your balance including holding some angle in your hip and slip the reins a bit if required (sometimes not required over a simple drop.
You can see the hip angle here right before we actually start dropping - you’ll unfold as the horse drops away from you and you slip the reins.
http://sphotos-a.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/1044458_10151462108111205_1282159512_n.jpg
[QUOTE=Windsor1;7259073]
I don’t show or even ride now, but I would need a freaking map and GPS to find my way around that course![/QUOTE]
I am glad I am not the only one who thought that as I watched the video.
Here’s a picture off a training level bank (green horse and the jump a few strides after the drop). Note…I’m not leaning back…
Keep your contact soft as you approach the bank. If the horse wants to lower his head to look, let him-- if you tense your arms and have a rigid feel, horses often launch out and away. A soft feel allows the horse to look, judge the size of the drop, and step down quietly. This is where slipping your reins helps-- in an attempt to keep their body tall, many riders hold back on the reins; opening your fingers allows the reins to slide an inch or two, maintaining soft contact.
Jen Alfano’s horse was clearly confident in going down a bank, and she produced a smooth ride with her hip angle closed. However, it doesn’t always work that way…if the horse thinks about taking a second look, a closed hip angle–shoulders over knees–will likely get you a stop (I think that happened to Scott Stewart that year). Keep your shoulders over your hips, not braced behind, just sit tall, and let the horse step down away from you. Keep your eyes up, don’t look down, and leg on.
I have a book by the German National Federation called “Advanced Techniques of Riding” and it recommends getting as low as possible in the saddle in your normal riding position for riding drops. Shoulders and arms should be soft so the reins can slip but you’ll have practice picking the slipped reins back quickly.
This technique requires a very strong seat.
I can’t see Ibex’s pictures, but I agree with that description. On a small bank, you won’t really need to lean back like Rolex, nor do eventers do that on small banks. You just sit still and let the horse drop away from you. I still wouldn’t really lean forward in the normal “hunter” style release.
A down bank is like the last half of jumping a regular fence. The reason it looks like UL eventers are staying way back is because the descent is longer. It’s like once you pass over the center of a fence midair you start returning to the saddle and then resume your flat riding position up on landing. Well, in a large down bank you are in that ‘returning to the saddle by not quite because you haven’t landed yet’ phase for a bit longer.
And remember too that the UL eventers are riding in a much more defensive seat to start for safety reasons…
If you look at Andrew Nicholson’s photo dropping into the water at Rolex this year, he’s still not leaning back - he’s just sitting up straight and the horse is dropping away from him.
http://www.horsejunkiesunited.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/524820_566649040035390_1925062296_n1.jpg
EventionTV and Dom & Jimmie Schramm have a lovely little video on starting drops & banks. It won’t be the eq lesson you’re after, but it’s a great primer on introducing horses to the question.
