▁ref us al . ▁In ▁the ▁air , ▁the ▁r ider ▁usually ▁allows ▁their ▁shoulders ▁to ▁move ▁slightly ▁forward , ▁and ▁lif ts ▁their ▁seat b ones ▁off ▁the ▁s addle ▁until ▁the ▁peak ▁of ▁the ▁jump . ▁However , ▁as ▁the ▁horse ▁desc ends , ▁the ▁r ider ▁should ▁allow ▁their ▁upper ▁body ▁to ▁open , ▁keeping ▁their ▁body ▁relatively ▁u pr ight ▁( es pecially ▁if ▁the ▁drop ▁is ▁large ). ▁If ▁the ▁r ider ▁continues ▁to ▁lean ▁forward ▁on ▁landing , ▁it ▁is ▁much ▁more ▁likely ▁that ▁they ▁will ▁to pp le ▁forward ▁and ▁become ▁un se ated ▁when ▁the ▁horse ▁touch es ▁the ▁ground , ▁due ▁to ▁the ▁momentum . ▁This ▁is ▁especially ▁true ▁with ▁dro ps ▁because ▁the ▁landing ▁is ▁almost ▁always ▁slightly ▁down hill , ▁as ▁this ▁helps ▁reduce ▁conc uss ion ▁on ▁the ▁horse ' s ▁legs . ▁The ▁r ider ▁must ▁also ▁be ▁sure ▁to ▁s lip ▁their ▁re ins ▁as ▁the ▁horse ▁desc ends , ▁allowing ▁the ▁horse ▁the ▁freedom ▁to ▁stretch ▁its ▁neck ▁forward ▁and ▁down . ▁Many ▁rid ers , ▁especially ▁those ▁who ▁have ▁only ▁jump ed ▁in ▁the ▁ring , ▁believe ▁cross - country ▁rid ers ▁to ▁be ▁falling ▁back ward ▁( or ▁getting ▁" left ▁behind ") ▁when ▁they ▁jump ▁a ▁drop ▁f ence . ▁However , ▁it ▁is ▁important ▁to ▁note ▁that ▁more ▁security ▁is ▁needed ▁when ▁jump ing ▁this ▁type ▁of ▁f ence ▁than ▁is ▁typically ▁required ▁when ▁jump ing ▁in ▁a ▁level ▁ar ena . ▁Additionally ,