Difference?

Eventing101 · Well Schooled

Difference?

Goatgirl · Advanced

jumper is based on speed - whether the horse gets over the jump without 'getting rails'...crashes...etc
you go round fast as possible and - you go clear....

hunter is more based on the horse's way of going...the appearance, the rythym, the jump, lead changes...the 'prettiness' of the picture..- for lack of a better way of putting it...- and of coarse you must go clear - get your distances...etc....

Eventing101 · Well Schooled

okay, thanks and umm for hunter do can u do simple lead changes? and is there a difference in position???

knitty · Yearling

Hello,

Simple changes won't give you any brownie points in the hunter ring. I was always told that because you have to break gait to achieve a simple change the judge counts this as similar to a refusal. If your horse doesn't do changes you can teach him to land on the lead from the fence or allow him to swop up front and do a 'hop skip' in behind.

As for the jumpers - there is much more involved than just speed. Adjustability, accuracy and obedience are qualities you would also find in a successful jumper. If you watch some top riders you will see that the winning horses are not only fast but they can turn on a dime and shorten or lengthen their strides at the drop of a hat.

Goatgirl · Advanced

Indeed Knitty - you are correct re. jumpers...I am guilty of over-simplifying...yes...the jumpers must be obedient, they must have their distances their ability to lengthen and shorten turn offf the leg...

I have a young student who is wanting to do jumpers one day...we do some jumping right now - just to keep her focused - but right now we are working largely on learning to move the horse off her leg...getting her to ride with the seat - suppling the horse...-- getting our leg yields...are bending -- my 'mantra' has been --- you will need to be able to do all this in the jumper ring...once she is really riding through seat and legs we'll be working on collecting and extending....

jumping is 'dressage' with fences' -- if the flat-work is weak - the over fences stuff crumbles --

as well of coarse as see distances - we work over canter poles etc...and counting strides...-

So yes. I'm sorry I over-simplified...

Eventing101 · Well Schooled

thanks for all of that, and for jumper is there a difference between hand position for when going over a jump?

barnfrog · Advanced

Ideally there is not difference in how the rider looks over fences, including that the rider follows the mouth (now call automatic release) with straight line from elbow to horse's mouth. Nowadays there are also long and short crest release where the rider slides the hands up the crest over fences, but once started difficult to change to the more 'advanced' method.

Pix of equitation over a jumper fence (in Rome 1960??) http://www.equisearch.com/horses_riding_training/english/eventing/jim_wofford_greatest_horses_040208/

-- Edited by barnfrog on Wednesday 15th of June 2011 09:31:27 AM