Tuesday, June 26, 2018

Truthful Tuesday: Happy Hands Edition

If you follow my instagram, you know that I made an impulsive decision to show in the Alumni classes at the Skidmore College horse show on Saturday. I'll talk allllll about it tomorrow (it was so much fun!) but for today, I want to talk about my rogue hands. Unfortunately, I have no new media, so sorry for the repeats.
It's no secret that I love to balance to the base of the jump. Hunter gap be damned! My go-to method for jumping is to collect right on down to the base. I've been able to get away with this for the last many, many years because I was riding jumpers. Jumpers carry an engine, and they jump great at the base. You WANT to get to the base so they power up and over and land into the line. Jamp and Rio both are kings at covering this up for me. They jump perfectly well at the base, knees up, the whole thing.
 But this weekend, I rode a legitimate REAL hunter. He loves the gap. He had NO idea what to do with the distance at the base. None. And I clearly didn't know how to get him there early enough to create the gap. I mean, I haven't ever jumped him, and I haven't jumped a course in probably a year and half. So I'm not worked up about it. But there was much evidence that I have things to work on.
Bob Braswell helped me at the show, and after I found the base spot in the school ring he told me "You have to calm those happy hands."  Lol. I'd call them manic hands, but happy sounds nicer. And he's totally right. The next time, I came through the turn, put my leg on, and rode up to the gap. The horse jumped AMAZING! But it was SO HARD for me to just put my hands down and not take back. SO HARD. I really wonder how I'm going to break this habit on my own. I guess it's a non issue at least until I have a horse to jump. But definitely something to work on.

Do you have happy hands? Or are you more of a deer in headlights when you don't see the spot you want? Any tips on how to get the hands to just sit chilly and calm the eff down?


16 comments:

  1. Haha I don't really jump but I had an instructor call my left hand "narcissistic" and it definitely fits (plus causes me no end of issues in dressage). C'mon body parts, do what I tell you!

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    1. Haha! Narcissistic! I think mine are more insecure.

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  2. I mean, my preferred method is to pull/hold until the very last second and then throw the reins away and say 'i don't know - please just jump it'. All while looking down, of course.

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    1. But as long as you keep your leg, it all works out, right?! Lol

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  3. Quick way to fix this: ride a horse who gets so frustrated with you that he ignores you, starts picking his own distances, eventually leaves out 2, overjumps, jumps you out of the tack, land on the ground, break your back.

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    1. I'm not sure I want to go this route... Though I do see where it could be effective!

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  4. I finally learned to stop pulling to the base regularly when I kept landing in the dirt. So. That helped.

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    1. I'm going to file this one with Holly's suggestion above... But I'd like to find a less drastic method first! haha!

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  5. I don't have happy hands but I do have hands that hold up to the jump then throw away and I say Remus take the wheel. LOL Old habits are HARD to break. SO glad you got to show for real in a ring and everything :) #goals :)

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    1. Haha! As long as you give in the air, I think it's just fine! (Says me who does the same thing.)
      Thanks! It was so fun!

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  6. Omg not doing anything before a jump is the hardest thing for me. Unless I'm just straight up doing NOTHING and staring into the void waiting for my horse to magically fling us over all on his lonesome. Surely there's a happy medium in there somewhere...

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    1. I imagine there must be. I have yet to find it!

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  7. Replies
    1. So very hard! Especially on a horse you don't know!

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