Welcome to Trainer Tuesday! Each week we ask trainers a question and gather their answers for you. These trainers have a range of experience, backgrounds, and focus points of their programs, so the answers have as much variation as you would expect and also probably much more similarity.
This week’s question posed is: What’s one thing you would tell a rider to think about or practice if they struggle to release enough over fences?
Here are their answers:
“The two cardinal sins of riding a jumping horse are hitting them in the mouth and hitting them in the back. A horse uses their head and neck as a balancing mechanism when galloping and jumping, so any interference from the rider while the horse is leaving the ground, in the air, or landing diminishes their confidence in their freedom and can cause a horse to jump inverted or even to start stopping at jumps.
For a rider that doesn’t release enough, I teach them to grab the horse’s mane with both hands (that way one hand can be used to steer if need be) from a few strides away from the obstacle and continue to hold it for a few strides on the landing side. You could even start with a pole or cavelletti before building up to a jump.
By doing this for a few weeks, being repetitive but never drilling, the rider gets in the habit of the correct feel of following the horse in the air. Once achieving that, they can move on to more advanced releases, depending on their base and experience level.
For more advanced riders, just explain to them to keep their hands down on the landing stride to allow the horse to finish behind.”-Julie Winkel
Read more from Julie and listen to her on the Plaidcast here.
“For a rider struggling with their release over fences, I find that the root of the problem is usually a lack of centered balance over the saddle. When we throw our shoulder up the neck or fall back early on the backside of the fence, we are really just overcomplicating and doing too much. Release follows the motion. When I explain the correction to my students like this, it really helps them: imagine when you release, that you’re using your hands on the crest to push your hips back. The release doesn’t put me forward, the release pushes me closer to my horse.”-Ariel Univer
Read more from Ariel here.
“If a rider struggles to release enough over fences, I’d encourage them to focus on practicing a long crest release and suggest that they grab a fistful of the horse’s mane to help with their balance at first. This allows the rider to exaggerate their arm extension, ensuring that the horse has maximum freedom to stretch its neck and use its body effectively.
Once they feel more secure in their position and comfortable with the motion, they can gradually transition to a medium or short crest release. I would recommend incorporating daily practice of the two-point position, paying attention to their leg alignment to ensure it provides proper support and balance. A rider with a weak leg will have an unstable base of support, so maintaining correct leg position with weight securely down in the heels, is essential. A helpful checkpoint is the alignment of the stirrup leather—it should be vertical, with heels pressed firmly downward.
I also have riders place one hand behind their back at a time while working over small jumps. This exercise helps build the riders strength and balance, and develop a more independent seat and hand. As their seat becomes steadier, you’ll notice improvements in stability over fences and their ability to release properly.”-Alexandra Arute-Kacheris
Read more Trainer Tuesday responses from Alexandra here.
“When a rider has trouble either holding their release or lengthening their release, I’ll have them practice reaching further than they usually do while riding at the two-point on the flat. I’ll have them stay in two-point and slide their hands up the neck, hold, and then slide them back to the starting point. Simultaneously making sure that as they reach forward, their lower leg does not slide back.
I’ve also put an old stirrup leather around the horse’s neck and had them hold on to it. A small gymnastic is good to jump over to practice the repetitive motions. I’ll tell them to hold on to the strap for all the jumps, and make sure they don’t let go until the back legs of the horse have landed.
I also may do some exercises to make sure the riders base and legs are secure. Riders with loose legs tend not to be able to have a solid release.”-Jennifer Pigue
Read more Trainer Tuesday responses from Jennifer here.
“Oftentimes, riders that aren’t releasing enough are relying on their hands and the horse’s mouth for balance in the air. In order to feel comfortable breaking that habit, riders need to feel secure in their base of support. I would start with some no stirrup work and/or lessons on the lunge line without reins. Moving from there, I would introduce some simple grid work with no reins.”-Geoff Case
Read more from Geoff and listen to him on the Plaidcast here.
Balance and the rider’s release are related. I teach progressive releases by starting with a crest release. The rider’s heels and upper body balance must be stabilized in the two-point, then over caveletti, then the X, vertical, vertical to vertical in-and-out, and then the oxer…all in both directions.
The goal for novice riders is the crest release, while intermediate riders should be using a medium and short crest release, and finally, advanced riders use short release to automatic releases otherwise known as jumping out of hand. It is all related to the rider’s balance.
Rider balance is the focus, no matter if you’re galloping or walking.
Exercise: four jumps, no stride, to a two-stride to a one-stride over low fences on the rail with guide rails makes jumping, first with one hand, then no hands, a great exercise to increase rider balance.
Students can also try lunge line lessons on the flat with no hands, a basic in my teaching of riding.”-Diane Carney
Read more from Diane here.
