Common Faults
Swinging lower leg: this usually occurs if the rider pinches or grips with the knees, lacks contact throughout the whole leg (for example, has no contact with the thigh), or rides with stirrups that are too long to provide correct balance and support. Since the lower leg is the rider's anchor, a swinging lower leg greatly decreases security and can be very dangerous if the rider is jumping complex fences at high speeds. There are two common occasions for the swinging leg. First, the Grand Prix rider may lose position because the fences are so large, and the horse's thrust and motion is very difficult to follow. Riders of this caliber are generally able to compensate for their deviations from the classical position due to skill and experience. Second, this is commonly seen by show hunter riders, because their horses have such power jumps and round bascule that it is hard to stay with the jump. In both cases, however, there are riders able to maintain a classical position.
Toes down/Heels up: This is usually accompanied by the swinging lower leg. Often due to incorrect leg position, too-long stirrup or, in some cases, due to the rider standing on the toe, instead of sinking his or her weight down his lower leg. Again, this places the rider in a very precarious position
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[.Lower leg shoved forward : Pushing the lower leg slightly forward is appropriate for some fences (such as cross- country) for added security. However, it is not appropriate for riding on level ground in a manicured arena at low speeds. Shoving the lower leg forward tends to decrease the rider's ability to stay with the motion, placing them in "the back seat" and risking that they will fall down on their horse's back while over a fence. It is sometimes associated with "getting left behind."
Jumping ahead: One of the most common jumping faults. This involves the rider opening the hip angle over the fence, rather than folding back, so that the majority of the body is in front of the line made by the stirrup leather. The lower leg usually swings backward. It places the rider in a very insecure position, since the rider not only loses his or her base of support (the lower leg), but also is in front of the horse's center of motion. This means that the rider will fall forward (and possibly off) if the horse for any reason slows down its motion (stops, runs out, or stumbles). Secondly, this throws the rider's weight over the horse's shoulders, making it very difficult for the horse to take off and harder to get out of trouble on landing. Riders most commonly jump ahead if they are trying to jump for their horse or if they anticipate the take-off and do not wait for the horse to close their hip and knee angles. It is also seen in the hunter arena, as some riders believe it makes their horse's jump look more powerful.
.Getting "left behind": When the rider's body is mostly behind the line made by the perpendicular stirrup leather, and behind the horse's motion. This results in the rider placing extra amount of weight on the horse's back. Hitting the horse in the back is a huge fault in the hunter arenas, because it punishes the horse for rounding into the bascule which is essential in those disciplines, and can cause knockdowns in show jumping. However, being behind the motion is not marked down in eventing when riding cross-country. This is because a solid seat slightly behind the motion places the rider in an extremely secure seat (as riders usually fall off over the shoulder of the horse, not the hindquarters), and because a great bascule is not encouraged cross-country. Instead, it is better if the horse jumps slightly flat for most fences, because they are very wide, and because a flat jump is usually a quicker jump, therefore making it easier for the rider to make the time. This position is performed in degrees depending on the type of fence, with most fences where the rider is behind the motion but not putting his seatbones on the horse's back, and others, such as drop fences, where it is essential that the rider keep his or her seat completely in the saddle for security purposes. However, getting left behind sometimes occurs if the rider's upper body is too open and is leaning back before the fence, if the horse takes off from a very long distance (jumps from too far back), or if the rider's lower leg is shoved so far forward in front of the knee that it forces the upper body back. In all cases, the rider must slip the reins to provide the horse freedom of movement to get over the fence.
Snapping up: When the rider throws the upper body upward, quickly opening the hip angle on the landing side. This risks that the rider will catch the horse in the mouth or put too much weight on its back. It also disrupts the horse's jump. It usually occurs when a rider has gotten into the habit of falling forward (usually because the lower leg swings back), and tries to compensate by bringing his or her upper body back too soon before the horse has completed the jump.
Ducking: When the rider bends the hip angles too much and snaps the upper body over one shoulder. This makes the horse carry uneven weight on one side, which makes it more difficult for it to jump. This occurs when the rider has too much weight in one stirrup instead of being evenly centered.
.Not releasing: This is a cardinal sin in all riding circles, as it causes the horse to jump flat and, more importantly, can result in the horse to detest jumping because it is associated with pain, which will eventually lead to stopping. A poor release may occur for several reasons. First, the rider may use the reins for support over the fence because he or she has not developed correct balance. This rider should be sure to grab mane to avoid hitting the horse in the mouth. Secondly, a rider may be left behind the motion for various reasons. In these cases, the rider should be sure to slip the reins. Some riders ride this way when they are mounted on strong horses, and they wish to tell the horse to slow down over the fence before landing, or get in the habit of overusing their hands between fences and forget to release. In this case, the rider must make a conscious effort to remember to release the horse in the air. It also occurs when riders plant their hands on the neck over a fence to support their upper body, but the hands are placed too far back to allow adequate rein for the horse, or if the riders keep contact during takeoff but stiffen their elbows so that they don't follow that contact forward over the fence. Occasionally, it appears as if a rider is not releasing enough, when in fact he or she is slipping the reins or preforming a correct automatic release.
Incorrect release: When the rider releases by shoving his hands above the horse's neck, into the air, or way down below the neck. This not only looks sloppy, but changes the rider's balance over fences.