How did the crest release become the standard way of using the hands during jumping in the United States? Did we always use the crest release? Where did it come from?
In 1938 when Capt. Littauer first told riders to “…support(ing) yourself with your hands laid on the horse’s neck.”, he was addressing riders who were beginning to jump. He encouraged riders to support themselves in this way because, he says, to do other wise “requires a very athletic body and constant daily practice”. Obviously he was speaking of the casual rider at the beginning stages of learning to jump. (For more check out my blogs ” Evolution of the Crest Release” and “Forwards and Backwards”.)
When Gordon Wright published “Learning to Ride, Hunt, and Show” in 1950 he instructed the elementary level rider to put the weight of his upper body on his hands and on the horse’s neck. He continued this for the intermediate rider. In addressing the advanced rider he says (pg 99) “The rider’s position in the saddle, smoothness with which his hands and upper body function, are all dependent on his security. Final and real security can not be achieved until the heels are down and the rider’s weight is actually carried in the heels. For that reason, the learner and the intermediate rider both are cautioned against trying to jump out of hand before this final security has been achieved, and the shock absorbers are able and ready to go to work for them.”
Mr. Wright continues, “But jumping out of hand is the goal toward which we are steadily and constantly working in everything we do, because jumping out of hand permits the maximum security and control over the horse. It enables the rider to ride a course of jumps without wings with much less danger of run outs than if the hands must be brought up three strides away from the fence. It means the rider can now attempt more difficult horses, because he is able to use all of his aids in controlling his horse. It is, of course, the only way to train or jump horses that refuse or run out.”
And Mr. Wright went on to say, ” But this ideal form of jumping is certainly something that anyone with the will and the patience to learn and learn properly can master. It is within the realm of any rider who will resist the temptation to hurry the early work or jump the bigger fences, before his reactions become automatic, and before he finds his hands moving forward no matter what his horse does or what sudden emergency condition he encounters before a fence.”
When George Morris published “Hunter Seat Equitation” 20 years later, I don’t think he intended to develop generations of riders who were dependent on supporting their upper body with their hands in order to jump at all levels of riding. But it happened – an unintended consequence. Today we see ALL levels of hunter jumper riders leaning on their hands for support over all sizes of jumps.
An over dependency on the use of the crest release has created an epidemic of riders who “jump ahead of their horses”, “stand in their stirrups”, “duck” or “lay” over fences. This, in turn, undermines the riders’ base of support and has created a huge burden for the horse.
In September 2009 issue of Practical Horseman’s “Jumping Clinic with George Morris”, Mr Morris gives us a definition of “jumping ahead of the horse” He says of rider # 1, “Her nearly vertical thigh indicates that she is standing in her stirrups, ahead of her horse’s motion, instead of crouching above him in balance.”
The video “The Effects of the Crest Release” shows examples of “standing”. “jumping ahead”, “laying on the horse” and “ducking”. You can compare these riding faults, for yourself, with pictures of riders in the video who don’t use the crest release. The video is posted at the end of this article.
How do riding faults such as “standing”, “jumping ahead”, “laying on the horse” and “ducking” effect the horse? Is there a place for the crest release in modern U.S. Horsemanship? Or is the crest release an abomination that was thrust upon American riders resulting in the ruination of good horsemanship? What’s your opinion?
Thanks for reading U.S. Horsemanship,
Barbara Ellin Fox