Jumping a bank- hunter style

[Dakotawyatt]

[QUOTE=axl;7261688]
It was a great course and a really lovely ride, but no gallop was involved. She developed a strong canter and kept it. Jersey Boy is so rhythmic you can easily see the the 3-beat the whole time.
Although it may look like a hand gallop compared to the current hunter canter, I wouldn’t want anyone to think it really was a gallop.[/QUOTE]

While I do agree with you on a technical point, that course was more of a hand gallop the entire round than most hand gallop “tests” I’ve seen at the local level. For sure she hand galloped the last jump. I loved it because so many professionals are afraid to actually lay it down and gear up out of “slow and loping”.

[CrowneDragon]

I think when you first start schooling them, you may want a slightly more defensive position. Not leaning back, but staying closer to the saddle. As you get more experience, you can follow the motion a bit more. Those drops are really quite small and shouldn’t require too much fanfare.
Just like stepping off a curb! https://scontent-b-ord.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/1173657_10153185372410181_522334464_n.jpg

[jaysjmpr]

It is not just your position that you need to consider. Jumping up a bank think of jumping an oxer, that way his hind feet land well on the top. You hold your hip closed longer with your heel securely under you/ Jump down a bank like you were riding to a vertical, on more of a compressed step. Sit quietly and let the horse jump away from you. You may look to be straight buy he will close and open the angle while you are still in the middle. follow his head with your elbow so you have a feel on landing.

[EvieG13]

[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]

Gah that’s what I was thinking! Of course there’s been more than one course that I’ve gotten around simply based on which way the flowers were facing and how many jumps we’d gone over, so I’m not the most reliable resource. LOL

[EvieG13]

[QUOTE=RugBug;7261044]
{snip} 'Course, I didn’t trust her advice on the half coffin going downhill and ended up on the ground, but oh well…:)[/QUOTE]

LOL you should have seen my hunter trying his first coffin jump. He would step of banks like nothing (including casually walking one foot first off almost 3’—
nothing like a Pay Attention Stupid Human moment). At first it was stare, stare, spook and whirl wash, rinse, repeat. Then he decided the coffin was meant to be a VERY wide jump. From a halt. Thank goodness he was athletic and I had ahold of his mane!

[HunterBranded]

[QUOTE=EventerAJ;7259113]
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.[/QUOTE]

I agree, don’t lean way back, but don’t close the hip angle too much. My first Derby, I had a rather spectacular fall off the table top because I made the mistake of assuming the horse would jump it in the ring, just like at home. Nope!! And I have that mishap on video. Probably would not have happened if my shoulders were over my hips and I gave the horse some rein!

[reay6790]

I try to remember to hold my shoulder when I drop down a bank. You shouldn’t be leaning back, but you also shouldn’t be jumping ahead. I started practicing them by jumping jumps going on a decline where I had to keep my shoulder farther back than I would a normal jump…same thing applies to banks.

[drmgncolor]

[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? [/QUOTE]

OP, clearly the very best way to ride a bank is The Man From Snowy River style.

If you have both hands on the reins, you aren’t doing it correctly.