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: With a rider who has–or maybe has been taught to have–an exaggerated release, how do you teach and have them practice ‘letting the horse jump up to you’?
Here are their answers:
“When I’m teaching a rider who has an exaggerated release over fences to maintain more connection and let the horse jump up to them, I have a few different exercises I like to use.
I will set up a series of small bounces to help them stay in the middle of their horse. Excessive movement in bounces will have a rebound effect that becomes uncomfortable, helping them learn to be quiet with their bodies. Depending on the horse they are on, I will set each bounce at 10-12 feet apart so the horse can stay slow and steady for the rider while they focus on their position. More novice riders can trot in with an 8-foot pole to take away any guesswork on the first distance if needed.
To teach the rider to keep a better connection and ultimately develop an automatic release, I like a bending line over cavaletti or small jumps, with enough of a turn that they need to be steering a little all the way through, or they will mess up the striding. This will eventually turn into the ‘clock’ exercise for my more advanced riders, which is four small jumps or cavaletti on a circle, with four to five strides in between. This type of exercise necessitates that the rider maintain some light contact in order to steer their horse effectively, and also to maintain some outside rein to prevent over-bending or over-steering. The rider will start to learn a shorter release in order to accomplish the task. Beginners can work on this over a bending line of trot poles as well to learn to steer smoothly.” -Shayne Wireman
“I don’t believe in such a thing as ‘too much release’ (not enough release is very bad for the horse). Keeping in mind that throwing the reins at the horse will compromise the balance of the rider, I would work on gymnastics with controlled distances where the rider can get familiar with the correct amount of release without jeopardizing the quality of the jump for the horse.” -JJ Lavieri
“We use a few different exercises to help riders maintain proper body position over fences. Trot bounces are especially useful for improving timing and learning how to hold the body in a way that supports the horse at the fence. Another effective exercise involves jumping with one hand in the air above your head and the other holding the reins. This technique encourages riders to engage their core for balance and stability, rather than throwing themselves forward over the jump.” –Alexandra Jadovich
“Practicing gymnastics is an excellent tool to correct this issue. It takes the decision-making out of the rider’s hands, allowing them to focus on the feel of the jump and staying in balance with the horse.
You can start with a simple grid to a trot fence, then build to a line of three or four fences, set at one or two canter strides. Have riders approach the gymnastic with a medium-length rein, elbows relaxed and slightly in front of the body. In the gymnastic, they should concentrate on holding a half-seat balanced over the lower leg, keeping the stirrup leather perpendicular to the ground as they jump. Through the exercise, maintain a short-to-medium crest release. Try putting a single braid in the mane as a reminder of where the hand should stay. I also explain that their shoulders should not come too far in front of the horse’s withers and that the proper feel over a fence is a squat, keeping the knees relaxed and ankles flexed.
Focusing on these things and trusting the horse to carry them through the exercise builds timing, feel, and confidence. After riders realize that the motion of the horse jumping closes the hip angle, it becomes easier not to push the hand out in front and throw the body forward. As the horse bascules, they know it’s time to release and let it jump up to them. Then, you can move on to an easy line and incorporate taking the reins back to a flat position in between the jumps. I always schedule a ‘gymnastics day’ for my riders every few weeks to keep them tuned up.” -Patricia Jellerson
“I use a lot of gridwork to allow the riders to ‘back down’ their aids while learning to follow and absorb the motion of the take off and landing. The grids help to keep the horses fit the right amount of strides to the next distance, so the riders can focus on their own balance and body control. Most riders who over exaggerate the landing are also leaning on their hands too much.” –Amy Mulhern-Sierant
“I have a couple of exercises I use to help riders control their bodies in the air:
1) Over a simple gymnastic or series of bounces, ride with the reins bridged in one hand while holding the other arm out in front of you with fingertips pointing through your horse’s ears, trying to keep your arm parallel to the ground as your horse jumps up underneath you. Alternatively, ride these gymnastics with no hands (on a solid, reliable horse) with both arms pointing out in front of you or out to the side like wings.
2) Work on holding your body by finding a focal point as your horse is about to leave the ground. One way to do this is have your trainer stand at the end of the ring and hold up different numbers of fingers for you to call out as you leave the ground, in the air, and as you land; alternatively, have your trainer point which direction you will turn after the jump as you leave the ground and use an opening rein to start your turn in the air. Both will help you focus on keeping your gaze level, which in turn will help your body stay quiet.” -Joanna Garbarino Novakovic
“When addressing an over-release, I start by helping the rider understand that it often comes from a lack of balance or confidence. On the flat, I focus on developing an independent hand and a stronger base of support through exercises such as riding with a neck strap or without stirrups to reinforce stability. I find that most over-releases originate from instability or weakness, which can then lead to confidence issues.
Over fences, I’ll use a visual aid, such as a braid or hair scrunchie in the horse’s mane, to give the rider a clear reference point for an appropriate release. I also incorporate exercises like jumping a small grid with one hand behind the back, which helps the rider stay balanced through the leg and core, instead of relying on their hands for support. Additionally, I encourage riders to think about lifting their collarbones. This improves posture and centers their balance, naturally helping to a more correct release.
Ultimately, these exercises help the rider understand the concept of allowing the horse to jump up to them, rather than the rider jumping ahead to the horse.” –Kellie Monahan Riordan
“My favorite exercise is jumping with one hand holding both reins and the other arm held forward, palm facing towards the horse’s ears. I do this exercise through small gymnastics. The rider is supposed to keep the arm stable and not look like an elephant waving their trunk, the arm softly pushing forward over each part of the gymnastics.
This exercise teaches new muscle memory and helps engage their core muscles to support landing instead of falling onto their hands and using the horse’s neck to balance. It also creates rider confidence.” -Michelle Zimmer
“Generally, it’s hard to exaggerate the release for the average rider if they have learned correct position, body control and independent body parts. First, the rider must be able to canter in a correct half seat. As they canter around the ring, have them practice softly letting their hands move forward and rest on the crest in a place designated by a braid or perhaps a stirrup leather around the neck. The motion should be done by letting the upper arm follow from a relaxed shoulder and the elbow opening slightly. The rider’s body should not move. The same exercise can be done over poles and then a controlled exercise like a small grid. Trot a poll, one stride to a vertical and the rider holds the release position from pole until a stride after landing over the vertical. Again, meet the pole in the half seat and release without moving the body. The grid can be adjusted with more jumps as the rider improves.
I often set a grid of a vertical to 3 oxers that we did regularly when I was riding with Ronnie Mutch. Distances vary depending on the horse. Generally for horses, 18’ from crossrail to the first jump and 21’ to each of the next jumps. A rider who struggles with position and upper body control often throws their body forward to stay with the horse and uses a very exaggerated release by doing so. The very act of throwing their body forward causes the rider to be off balance and get thrown back by the motion of the horse as he leaves the ground. It is important to learn to land with the weight in the riders heels and the hand never leaving the release position in the grid until the horse has cantered at least a stride past the final jump.” -Robin Greenwood
“I would say that most often riders with exaggerated releases are weak in their base and rely on the horse’s neck for balance. A great exercise to practice is the automatic release. The automatic release will aid in a secure position and balance where the rider maintains a straight line from their elbow to the horse’s mouth without using the neck as a crutch. A training tool I also like to use with riders is light-weight jockey stirrups. These help strengthen your base while riding, by anchoring your lower leg and creating consistent stability.” – Quinn Partridge
“When I have a student with an exaggerated release I like to have them practice “staying still” over a single fence, if you stretch tall and let the horse come up to you your body will naturally have enough release. Once this is accomplished I like to move to a bounce exercise so the rider can really feel the balance of stretching tall and letting the horse come up to you. if you throw your body forward you will be ahead of the motion making it much more difficult for the horse to get through the line.” – Kerri Healy
“To help riders feel the movement of the horses head and neck and develop a more independent following hand and arm, we do a lot of gymnastics, bounces and canter pole work using a driving rein (where the rein comes to the hand between the thumb and index finger) while touching the horses neck and focusing on feeling the movement of the horse reaching with his neck. We also do a lot of balance and position exercises warming up to help the rider find their balance over their feet and start to separate their arm from their body.
Exercises such as moving from 2 point to posting while keeping the hand in the neck and focusing on moving the elbows when posting and keeping the hand pushed forward, purposefully moving the arm forward and back alternating arms but without giving the shoulder or holding the reins in the outside hand and turning and switching the reins while changing direction while walk, trot and cantering.” – Amy Nichols
“The very first step is a conversation about why we maintain a feel of the horse’s mouth. What are the ramifications of dumping the reins, and why do we need to help hold our horse’s hand? To keep a horse truly balanced, the connection has to remain consistent. Abandoning them in the air is not helping produce a beautiful, round jump.
I start with assessing ‘feel’ in the very first lesson. Is it natural or well-schooled? Then we work on perfecting a correct basic position. Without stability in the rider’s position, we cannot truly follow the horse’s movement of his head/neck/back and maintain a consistent feel of the mouth. My riders do a lot of 2-point for lower leg strength and stability, as well as sitting trot and canter to develop the seat, and countless hours of collection/extension, with and without stirrups.
Only after all of that is assessed and absorbed can we move on to the most important part of maintaining the ‘feel’: the landing of the jump. The rider’s stability in the landing is crucial for their ability to follow the mouth and maintain connection.
Once the base of support/position/landing position is developed, the rider can then start to have a following elbow in the landing. I love to use the exercise of adding extra strides in lines. We also utilize exercises that change the bend over the jump frequently. Both of these exercises naturally make a rider develop the ‘feel.’
To truly develop an exceptional jump, the horse must remain connected through their body in the takeoff, over the jump, and the landing.” -Jonna Murray
“An exaggerated release is a common issue caused by a lack of security in the rider’s seat. Correcting this habit requires focus on exercises to strengthen the rider’s seat and legs. A rider without a solid foundation will struggle to stay with the horse’s motion while jumping.
Working on the flat without stirrups and lunge lessons without stirrups and reins are the best ways to create and maintain a good seat. An independent seat and hands are vital. These exercises will also increase awareness of the horse’s movement, which will help eliminate the urge to over-release.” -Kathy Newman
“Tell them to keep their hands off the neck. Then it comes automatically. Simple as that. But it does take hours of practice.” –Tami Masters
“For riders who have an exaggerated release, I will make a braid in the horse’s mane. The braid serves as a point on the horse’s neck that the rider should place their hands. Then I will place one or more rails on the ground, and we will practice holding the horse’s mane at the braided area on their neck so they learn to follow the motion of the canter.
As this becomes more natural for the rider, I set a jump with a ground rail placed a stride from the jump fence. When the rider reaches the ground rail, they should hold the braided area of the mane, teaching them to support the horse with their leg while following the motion of the horse before, over, and on the landing side of the fence, creating better timing and release. Taking away any exaggerated release keeps the rider and horse balanced and safe while jumping.” -Justyne Albright
“To help fix a rider’s habit of too much release, you have to first figure out why they feel the need to do that. Are they trying to help the horse? Are they trying to stay out of the horse’s way?
Once you know the core reason why the rider is doing an exaggerated release, then you can educate them on why it’s not beneficial to the horse or themselves, and start exercises to correct it.
I like trotting and then cantering poles in the jumping position, but the whole time, having the rider breathe, calm down, and focus on their position. If that goes well, then they canter a single small vertical on a big circle, doing the same exercise of breathing up to the jump to feel calm, not ‘helping’ with their body.
Depending on the rider, you could try cantering up to jump with one hand behind the back, or putting them on a lunge line and taking the reins away completely so they can experience their body following the horse, not their hands helping the horse.” -Melissa Kalember
“I have come across riders who are doing the opposite; they give no release. To prevent either exaggerated or no release, I have them practice at a two-point with a trot and do an automatic release over fences.” -Pearl Running Deer
“Your horse can’t tell the difference between you being 1 or 10 inches out of the tack, but being one inch out of your saddle keeps you a lot safer and in a much better balance with your horse’s motion. So, over a fence, we allow the horses jump to fold our angles, and we stay close to our horse’s back in the saddle with our chest up and our hands and arms softly forward. I like to use a mantra, “Shoulders away from the neck, hands towards the neck.” –Chelsea Canedy
