Talk:Jumping position
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NO. Hunt seat riding does not mean "jumping position." Eventers, show jumpers, foxhunters, etc all use the jumping position. Additionally, there are certain trends in hunt seat riding (such as the use of the crest release almost exculsively) that would make this inappropriate to be merged. The only thing that connects the two is that hunt seat riders ride in 2-point around the course, which is similar to jumping position (but not exactly the same).
To put this into the hunt seat article (which is a uniquely American form of riding), would be like saying the jumping position is not used by the rest of the world. Eventer 20:48, 13 February 2007 (UTC)
OK, I'll pull the merge tags, then. I am curious though, how you view "hunt seat" as all that uniquely American, other than terminology. To me, really it seems no different from the forward seat or any of the classic sport horse seats used throughout the world. (Maybe hunt seat needs to be renamed forward seat??) At least, as I understand it, and my understanding of what the "hunt seat" is, is strongly influenced by the techniques and approach of George Morris as outlined in works like Hunter Seat Equitation, etc...of course I don't know the variations used elsewhere in the USA, but I have always felt that basically the hunt seat and the forward seat as created by Caprilli are essentially interchangable terms for the seat suitable for jumping, contrasted with the deep, long leg seat used by dressage riders. This goes to the concepts of la jineta and la brida seats that date to the middle ages...they are really the only two true classic seats...my humble opinion...but fads change... Montanabw 04:32, 14 February 2007 (UTC)
I guess what I'm trying to get at is that this article is about the position the rider uses over the fence, not between them. Using the 2-point position in hunt seat, while rather similar to the jumping position, is not the same thing. Also, by merging this into hunt seat, it would be like saying that show jumpers, eventers, foxhunters, etc dont use the jumping position over a fence.
To elaborate on hunt seat being "American": "hunter seat equitation" is pretty much non-existant elsewhere in the world, besides the US (and Canada). The rest of the world uses the "balanced seat" rather than the forward seat. Not that the forward seat is bad, it just is very limited (IMO) in its uses. For example, its not very safe if you are riding on uneven terrain. So while it serves its purposes in the show arena, and builds good basics for jumping, it is not necessarily what everyone is using to jump.
Sorry if this is poorly written and hard to understand, I'm very tiered right now. Eventer 04:52, 1 March 2007 (UTC)
[edit] Balanced seat
I think I take a different philosophical approach here. Essentially, all seats must be a "balanced seat," depending on the job at hand, from the jockey's seat, which is a properly balanced seat for a racehorse, to, oh say a jousting knight with his "feet on the dashboard," which though weird-looking is a properly balanced seat for ramming a lance into someone else. To me, the "forward seat" as invented by Caprilli is the properly balanced seat for modern jumping, just as the deeper seat and longer stirrup of a Dressage seat that has been around since Guerinere (sp?) is proper for achieving maximum precision and control. We probably are just debating semantics here, nothing more, IMHO... I kind of think this article should go back to being named "forward seat", as I know that term is used in the UK as well as the USA, but it's also not that big of a deal to me. I have to think about all of this a bit. Maybe Culnacreann should weigh in on this, being from Ireland and all... Montanabw 22:40, 1 March 2007 (UTC)
