3 Tips to Improve Your Jumping Form

3 Tips to Improve Your Jumping Form

As a show jumper, good form and position will go a long way towards improving your success in the rankings and help you graduate to more technical fences that have higher positions with the horse jump cups. A jump only lasts a few seconds, so you have to be spot on heading into the jump. 

Practice Without Reins

Too many jumpers depending on their reins to keep them balanced mid-jump, but this can lead to overjumping. You need to develop an independent seat where you naturally stay over the center of gravity on your horse. When your lower leg slips back during a jump, you may be throwing your upper body out over the horse during the jump and causing the imbalance. Only try this exercise with an experienced horse.

Work on Bounce Exercises

By engaging in repetitive movements of gymnastics and bounce exercises, you train both you and your horse to improve your form and style. To really be able to focus on your position, you need to keep your fences down low and place them where the jumps will be taken in quick succession. Having jumps come up quickly forces the riders to develop a soft body …

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