jumping in menage- pictures!!

[giftgirl]

went acroos to the menage today with a friend who had come to see gift, my mum, and my sister on her pony.
Mum rode gifty first and my friend rode star (my sisters pony) to start with. Then i got on gift and schooled her for a while, and my sister rode on star. Gift lacks correct bend on the right rein, and when she does try to bend, she tends to fall in. Does anyone have any suggestions for that? i do some neck streches with her everytime i am down there to increase her suppleness, but is there anything else i can do?

Anyway, we then set up a jump and popped over it a few times. The first time i was on her and she took off too late and cat-leaped over it, whick threw me off balance- luckily she isn't the type of pony to tank off after a jump, otherwise i would have eaten sand LOL
Then my friend got on and had a go over the jump (which, by the way, was tiny, as you will see in the pics) After she had had a go, i got on to cool gift down, and popped over it once more, which was perfect (we got a really nice pic of it).
All in all it was a really good ride, and now my confidence will be up for a while, i hope
giftgirl xx
btw here are the pics:
Me on gift while i was schooling:


My friend jumping on gift:


And me jumping gift

[staffsmum]

Well done! ;D Lets see some bigger pictures, Gift looks a lovely pony and a lovely name, I have the same problem with my horse falling in! Any suggestions anyone?

[amarche]

oh she is lovely giftgirl and so sweet!

I also think she looks more comfortable in the picture with you riding than your friend (shhh though, don't want to offend anyone! )

As for the right bend thing you are right to do lots of carrot stretches with her, does she do this properly and not give you a false bend? and make sure you dont give in too early through the stretch ( my mistake always ) if she can carrot stretch ok then I would encourage her to do the same exercise whilst being ridden using your hand/rein as guidance and start in walk around the outside of the arena and to both sides of course (!) , this will increase her suppleness. If she struggles perhaps she's tight through her neck/back and may need a tweak from a physio/chiro

hope I'm not belitting your riding skills in any way as you look fine to me but almost give with the rein and use plenty of leg, think of her bending around the leg rather than being led around the circle (if that makes sense) its so hard to offer advice when you don't actually see the action as it could be a range of things!

[wozzer]

Wow look at you jumping - go giftgirl ;D ;D

Much braver than me and you look like you're having fun - thanks for sharing! xx

[kpick]

Im Sooo stealing your pony, shes geoorgous! Well done you, you look great up there!

[Booze Fish]

Well done you - much braver than I am!!!

xXx

[sallyandruby]

Well done you looked like your having fun! I LOVE your numnah its fab!

[julz]

Lovely pony....is she an Exmoor by any chance?

If she's falling in while bending round a corner, lift your inside hand up so you are supporting her, and also position your inside leg a bit further back to support her quaters, while at the same time asking her to bring her hind legs underneath her...by riding her forward through all this will encourage her to bring herself upright, and so straighter...My horse also does this on the right rein, as he is stiffer on that rein, but you really have to work hard otherwise it feels like he's motorbiking round the corner!!

[giftgirl]

gifty is a new forest lol
she does look like an exmoor though
thanks, sallyandruby i love my numnah too lol
kpick, sorry, she is mineeeeeeee
thanks for all the tips of how to get the correct bend, i am going to try them when i am out hacking thismorning
giftgirlxx