# When to teach a new rider to jump



## cootuk (23 September 2016)

I'm about up to my 30th lesson, can trot over poles, rise to light seat, and am getting canter sorted out.
On the last hack out I popped a small jump over a foot high fence and came back with a massive grin.
(it wasn't planned, it just sort of happened   )
Confidence wise I'm pretty happy with where I am, but thinking now could be the time to start on crossrails.
I was thinking of asking the instructor if we could have a small jump in the lessons as well as trotting poles.

Is this the right sort of progression, or should I learn something else first?


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## Cortez (23 September 2016)

Yes, you should wait until you are absolutely secure in your seat and in control of yourself and the horse at canter. Without seeing you ride no one has any idea if you are ready yet, but you are likely to cause all sorts of uncomfortableness to the horse if you start jumping to soon.


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## Exploding Chestnuts (23 September 2016)

If I were you I would ask for a [40 minute] private lesson, well an hour of your instructors time, but there should be 20 mins of chat while horse stands still and you both have  wee rest.
Often THE most difficult thing the rider can do is to follow instructions!
At this stage of the game you probably need to sit up and look "cool", you will need lots of riding to develops hands independent of seat, ie not hanging on to the reins, you should endeavor to ALWAYS be in balance, no matter what, whether at the walk or the canter, or the pop over the jump. In fact the horse does the jumping, all you do is present him at the fence, so you need not worry about jumping, you need to concentrate on your rhythm, your rhythm and that of the horse should be together at all times, a good rider is a neat, quiet rider, they make it look easier than it is.


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## PrancingPoniesxx (23 September 2016)

I thought the same when I learned to ride but since there was so many people it took me ages to get the confidence mainly because I didn't get much attention. I've now moved to prepared and it's much better because we work on one specific thing per lesson and it really helps. If I were you I would focus on getting that canter perfect because I learnt to jump having an atrocious canter and it didn't help me one bit. I think if you have a good canter jumping will be ALOT easier. I would also consoder a private as one of your first jumping lessons as you get a lot more time devoted to you.


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## SpringArising (23 September 2016)

I would go over canter poles first and learn how to see a stride, how to be secure in half-seat etc. before trying jumps. 

Your 30th lesson is nothing! You've got ages to jump and it will be much more beneficial if you have a bit of an idea of what you're doing first, thanks to practice over poles, rather than being flung over something a few times!


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## cootuk (9 December 2016)

To follow this up - we're doing lots of work without stirrups, without reins, a bit of lunging, and various exercises to get my core strength up. Apparently I'm quite lopsided which I need to work on correcting, and my left side doesn't twist as much as my right. Too much variety to even think about jumping.
I think I've come over the "will the beginner keep coming" stage, and got to the point where my faults can be picked up on and I have to work harder in the lesson.


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## [59668] (9 December 2016)

I'm going to go against the grain here, but I had my first ever jump in my 4th lesson.  It was a tiny cross, and only in trot, with a lead rein, but I held onto the neck strap and everything was great!

It was back in the 90s, I was about 10, when health and safety was less, but I thought it was excellent!


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## Tnavas (20 December 2016)

I ran a riding school for many years. We were really strict as to when riders were allowed to leave the ground. 

Canter, doesn't need to be established, rather that the rider is not going to be traumatised should the horse canter away after the jump.

Your first task it to learn your basic jumping position. Shorten your stirrups a couple of holes, this puts your thigh ahead of you providing a strong position. Fold forward from your hips, keeping your back straight until your shoulders are over your knees. Your hands are placed either side of the horses neck, in front of the whithers, a neck strap is good to have. Your seat is not lifted off the saddle, your upper body position takes the weight off the horses back.

Now you learn to maintain that position over trot poles and then over a small cross pole at the end of the trotting poles. You set the horse up by having a forward trot, and straight approach.

You do not need to see strides at all until you are seriously jumping courses. You jump from trot as this allows the horse to pick the best spot to leave the ground.

Good luck and enjoy learning to jump.

As to being crooked, go to a good chiropractor and get straightened out. Really worth it.


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