Not to distract the discussion but I actually have the opposite problem-sitting up too fast after the fences in SJ causing my horse’s back feet not clearing the fence sometimes. How do you actually stay with the horse longer in the air??
Think more about landing down into your lower leg, down into your heel, while keeping your weight off the horses back. Let the horse land and come back up in front as they move their back legs up to stride forward, they need to collect their balance.
Reach for the ears and grab mane at least halfway up 3 strides out and STAY THERE until 3 strides after. And reach from your hips by closing the hip angle not heaving yourself up from the irons letting your leg slide back and throwing your shoulders. Your lower body should remain as it is on the flat with just a lightening of the seat by bending forward at the waist. It’s stupid hard to do until you reprogram your muscle memory, lots of practice over low fences with a ground person making sure your lower body is strong and secure and you keep your shoulders quiet and never, ever ahead of the knee. Like I said, it’s hard but once you get the secure anchor, you won’t want to sit up so quick.
Lots of neck riders sit up too quick to avoid going off over the horses head. Others come from Western or SS and just aren’t comfortable closing the hip lightening the seat. BTDT. What helped me most was visualizing a ski racer in their tuck. It’s a similar body alignment centered over the base of support, hard to explain, look at a picture…
When I started reaching for the ears, I thought I was really stretched out there…trainer shot a video on her cell…my hands were about 3" in front of the pommel, toes down, leg back, eyes down…nice…not.
