How do you teach a rider to use their upper body correctly over fences in equitation?

The upper body position over a fence in Hunter Seat Equitation requires the rider to fold forward from the hip in proportion to the horse's effort over the fence, maintaining a straight line from hip to heel and an angle that follows the horse's motion without anticipating or resisting it. Common upper body faults in equitation include jumping ahead of the horse — where the rider's upper body tips forward before the horse has left the ground — and being left behind the motion — where the upper body remains too upright as the horse rises and the rider's weight falls back onto the horse's back at the moment of greatest effort. Both faults are visible and penalized. Teaching correct upper body position begins on the ground before any jumping is involved. Having the rider practice the correct folding motion from the hip while standing on the ground, with a straight back and a closed hip angle, establishes the correct movement pattern before the complexity of a moving horse is added. Over low fences and gymnastics, the instructor observes and provides immediate feedback on the rider's upper body angle, using photographs or video when available to give the rider a visual reference for what correct and incorrect positions look like. A common drill is the two-point position held through an entire gymnastics exercise at a low height, which requires the rider to maintain the correct hip angle and upper body position continuously rather than only at the moment of each fence. As the rider's position becomes more consistent over low fences, height is added gradually, and the upper body position is expected to remain correct regardless of the increased effort required from the horse.