The drive

I am training Crownie over jumps. Cross rails actually. And it's not going well. Approaching each jump I aim straight for the middle, with my legs around the horse, as opposed to on the horse. And the horse is looking to run out.

I know that Crownie is a brave horse, so why is she looking to run out?

I put my legs on, sit stronger, straighter and further back in the saddle, and come around again. No hesitation, no running out. Pop.

The penny drops. If you just amble towards the jump, the horse is not engaged enough, and they will have trouble jumping. And so they will not want to jump. If you are strong in your seat and leg, but in a "half-halt" position, then your horse will also have trouble jumping. But if you're using a driving seat, and truly engaging the hindquarters then you will get a nice forward jump.

If the horse is looking at the jump and feeling worried about it, you will need a stronger driving seat, to generate more energy, to conquer the fear and get a jump.