[gypsymare]

I thought this was interesting as I was looking searching the internet for good jumping photos. I've gone from one extreme to the other in my landings from slipping the reins and landing well back to staying too far forward to be effective. I came across this book and had to cringe and laugh over some of the photos. The author has added some nice wit to the captions as well!

http://www.docstoc.com/docs/5881625/Art-Of-Show-Jumping

[dghunter]

If I looked like some of those riders in the approach pictures, the next picture would be me on one side of the fence and my horse on the other I'll have to show them to my trainer and be like "see I really *don't* lean towards the fence at all compared to some of these pictures!" What's even more amazing is how some of them stayed on! I know I'd sure be a goner

[Donkey]

That book needs an additional chapter called "The Aftermath" with pictures of the many fallen riders that I am sure resulted while collecting photos for the book....

[theroanypony]

Oh my, "plate 14"! Pretty impressive to be able to see your horse's face while going over a jump!

[twofatponies]

OMG Plate 30!!!! ETA - no 31!!!

OMG. I am going to throw up I am laughing so hard.

[kellidahorsegirl]

That book needs an additional chapter called "The Aftermath" with pictures of the many fallen riders that I am sure resulted while collecting photos for the book....

No kidding! I can't even explain what my face looked like when the rider was in fetal position floating above the horse.

May be even more fun to do still frames of some of my iffy fences HAHA

Great book!

[Foxtrot's]

I think I recognize myself somewhere in that era!

[Renn/aissance]

This is brilliant!

I scrolled the first few pages and thought, "Hmm, I don't see anything too bad."

And then... plate 14. Plate 20. Plate 35, which is funny, but I'm sure everyone lived through that one. I particularly appreciated the commentary on the impending fail shown in Plate 24: "[The rider] attempts to be carrying out the first precept of riding, to remain onboard, by grasping his horse firmly round the upper part of the neck, and to have abandoned any pretense of rendering assistance or of rendering control during the jump."

Plate 31: "[the rider's] outlook does not allow for consideration of future developments" such as the ground approaching him very, very quickly.

Plate 33: "A knock down of the furthest element seems inevitable." A fall of rider, who appears to be standing in his irons and hollering "YAHOO!", also seems inevitable.

Plate 37: "It is surprising, then, to find [the rider] adopt a monkey-like attitude."

Plate 69: "The subject of the acrobatic method of riding over fences has already been mentioned." (Next time I duck over a fence, I'll be sure to tell my trainer that I am employing the "acrobatic method of riding.")

But let's not discount the good photos too--plate 30 is a lovely horse and rider. I think the kid in plate 68 is going to go on to win the Maclay, whoever he may be; he and his horse are textbook.

[lizathenag]

I saw way more lovely riding than scary riding. I like the lack of saddle pads! those saddles fit. nice horses and some very nice riding. those are big fences!

[superpony123]

i keep wondering how some of these horses made it over the fences! and even more so: how did these riders STAY ON?? they should have a section for falling pics

some really great pics are in there though

[eqrider1234]

I love how all of those little kids are jumping HUGE fences, and there were a LOT of wow that is amazing equitation pictures.. and some wow HOW?! did they stay on pictures

[neigh.neigh]

The pictures with the riders legs bent completely behind them are pretty impressive hahahaha

[gypsymare]

My favorites are plates 34 & 35 and the preceding comments by the author. Hilarious!

[superpony123]

gosh i went back and read the captions. HILARIOUS!

the only time ive seen something more blatant and funny is when a friend and i found this old british riding video in the barn and it was instructional. the woman was showing different riders, these poor riders, she was being almost as harsh as GM on some of them.

but one part stuck out to me, because this rider in a very bad chair seat is goign around and shes talking about all the flaws of this position, and the instructor/narrator/whatever goes "you know you have a beginner when they look like this. this rider is doing something similar to sitting on the shitter. because she's sitting the exact same way, just on a horse!" and these were the exact words. it still makes me laugh pretty hard. old educational videos are pretty great.

[Candle]

"The rider however, seems over-anxious to get the other side of the fence"

[KateKat]

holy cow! Next time my instructor tells me to open my hip angle, I'll do the up on the neck thing. That should open up my hip angle plenty!

[theroanypony]

old educational videos are pretty great.

That story reminded me of my own old timey educational video experience. One time, my old trainer put in an old riding film while we were all sitting around cleaning tack. I believe it was a dressage film, but I remember the lady explaining about the halt in her very British accent. She said something along the lines of; "When you're riding forward, your buttocks should be moving with the horse. But when you're asking for the horse to halt, you should lock them. Imagine yourself trying to take a shit". I've never heard 5 people laugh so loudly. Me and the one boy at the barn rewound the tape at least 10 times. For some reason it was so entertaining...

[equest]

Oh my, "plate 14"! Pretty impressive to be able to see your horse's face while going over a jump!

Seriously...now that is what I would call jumping ahead.

Holy &*!*@, and the ramped oxer is ginormous!

My understanding is that back then in the cavalry days, you did not start at crossrails and move up slowly to 2'3, then gradually to 3'. You basically started around 3 foot-something and went from there. Hence the scary rider positions.

[Carol Ames]

Sorry, I could see nothing! even reload and refresh didn't help!

[Release First]

FYI This book was published in 1960 and the pictures are probably from the 40s and 50s but certainly not circa 1960.