Large Bascule and Kick

[bornfreenowexpensive]

[QUOTE=phoenixrises;8292449]
can I ask what specifically? My leg, my butt??[/QUOTE]

Looks too small for you. I can tell in the picture that your stirrup length is perhaps a tad too long (not bad though), but where your knee is hitting and where your center of balance is over the saddle give me the impression that the balance point isn’t correct. It just doesn’t look like enough room.

Look at the difference in this photo of me. This is a custom saddle…but it is big enough for my leg…so I can stay in the center. To me, in your saddle…I suspect you are fighting its balance to stay with your mare.

[Outyougo]

Another vote for different saddle one with a much more forward cut flap. this horse may well be worth getting a semi custom saddle

[Scratch_N_Dent]

A few thoughts. Agree that saddle looks way to small. Do you have other photos as the angle may be making it looker smaller than it is. You really need to find the balance point on these guys and I have a hard time believing that saddle will let you do that.

In addition, you really need to be loose enough for your knee and hip angle to collapse under you as the horse thrusts up; any stiffness and you will get tossed.

Agree that waiting a bit longer in your jumping position should get you through the kick.

If the horse is stalling in front of the jumps then things get really exaggerated so be sure she is jumping out of stride. Good luck.

[phoenixrises]

be kind but other pics of me in saddle

#1 me ahead as we gallop away from that fence

#2 also me jumping ahead. . … (I truly do not have the jumping ahead issue on other horses!! Actually I used to be really bad about it but after tons of work got myself over it, but is seems to have reared it’s ugly head.)

And just to show that I do indeed have some balance us in dressage

[BBowen]

I have a mare with a killer bascule with a kick behind (love her tail flip). As a result, I leave the bigger jumps to our trainer. Her mother, who I competed in lower level eventing, was the same way. Not easy to stay with.

I agree with others that your saddle looks a little small. Just sitting in it may feel and look correct; however, it can make a difference and actually “push” you loose. When I was saddle shopping, every saddle at the tack shops put me in a 16.5 and technically, it did fit me. I decided to look/sit in saddle when I was a Rolex so I could see them all. My top pick at the time was Amerigo. I was fortunate to have Peter Menet, the saddle designer, fit me. I sat in the 16.5 and he agreed that it “fit”, but when jumping, I would not be happy with it. He put me in a 17. It all had to do with where the beginning of the cantle met the upper part of my leg. Because it met too high on my leg, it would push me out of the saddle when jumping. So, got back home and tried both 16.5 and 17 - he was absolutely correct. Didn’t mean to make this an essay, but for me and a big jumping mare, it made a difference in my ability to stay with her.

All the other suggestions about position and release are good recommendations. It is all a learning process. Love your horse, BTW.

[fooler]

I love my old Passier all-purpose (tendency toward jumping) custom made for me many decades ago. Has a 17" seat with extra flaps so there is a place for my knees when the stirrups are shortened.
Plus the cut-back is great for the average high withered TB.
You need a saddle with enough flap for you to jack up your stirrups while maintaining a sound galloping/jumping position.

Another thing that helped me was to make certain the knees are soft/flexed to allow weight to drop to the feet/heels that are soft/flexed and “dragging the ground”. Then flexible hips are over the feet/heels.
That helped me to stay centered and balanced and most importantly physically quiet. That calmed my horse so she didn’t feel the need to rocket over fences.

[phoenixrises]

I just wanted to update that today we had a breakthrough! Honestly not sure what did it. We’ve been working hard core on the quality of our canter. Had a fantastic dressage lesson where or instructor said we were almost ready for first level. Today I set up am easy hunter type course with a roll back, 2’6" to 2’9" and two related distances and we rocked it. Even when our distance want perfect I stayed with her. We have a jumper show Saturday and I really hope we can transfer what we’ve been working on.

[BBowen]

Sound great. Good luck at the jumper show and have fun!!!