# Kind of scared but... Critique me...



## rhosroyalvelvet (Sep 5, 2013)

Hi. I'll add a little info first. This is me and Rhos my 22 year old 138/143 pony. He has shown all his life and done so well with us the past three years and came on from a dippy skinny generally poor pony to a fairly fat (fatter when showing) happy loved caring pony. We have pretty much retired him from showing now for this upcoming season because he is looking a bit old in the ring and we are starting dressage. We have done a few prelim tests that went quite well. My instructor has big plans for us this year and wants me to do silver spurs on Rhos and her pony. Silver spurs is a dressage comp that is mainly based on riding. I think I know my riding faults and am working on them. I know my instructor will help me right through any problems I have but It'll be good for people who don't know me and haven't seen my improve over the years to see what they think are my main riding faults. Thanks so much in advance I feel that this will really help me improve. thanks again,
Rhosroyalvelvet


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## jaydee (May 10, 2012)

He's a lovely pony and looks well balanced but with all the Rolkurr debate going on judges are going to start to be harder on anything that dips behind the vertical headset and he does tend to that quite a lot


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## rhosroyalvelvet (Sep 5, 2013)

Yeah I noticed when you said it that he does sometimes. I don't know why because I don't want him to come in anymore. I'm wondering is it anything with doing long and low with him for a while. I would put pressure on the reins when he came up and whenever he relaxed and came in I would give him the whole rein. So mabey he was trying to come in more in order to get his rein? I don't know. What could I do to fix it. I always ride with a very light hand and a long rein. I am constantly shortening my reins because I'm told I'm riding to tight. Come to think of it I was riding with quite a tight rein for me because I felt he was stringing out and needed more leg and a stronger contact so we could re-collect. Mabey he mistook it for the pressure to come down for long and low? Any ideas because I never want him to go behind the verical I would rather him being infront of the vertical than behind it.


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## rhosroyalvelvet (Sep 5, 2013)

Mabey I was using too much hand in trying to collect him again. If I was at least we have caught early because I do not want to be working to much off my hand.


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## jaydee (May 10, 2012)

I mentioned on a current rolkurr thread how easy it is to get a forward going horse/pony with a light mouth slightly behind the vertical without even trying
I don't think that having to show in double bridles helps that either. You'll just have to try not to 'hold him in frame' and have whoever watches or instructs you yell out every time it happens!!


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## rhosroyalvelvet (Sep 5, 2013)

Ok thanks so much. I will get my instructors to keep an eye out of it. Does any one else have a critique on me.


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## JaneyWaney9 (Jun 7, 2010)

I agree with the Rolkurr comment, for sure. I know lighter breeds sometimes just do that, though...my morgan would sometimes do that without any rein contact.

As for your position, it was more difficult to tell because of how far away the filming was, but your legs do not seem to be secure. Your stirrups may be too long, but they move around a lot especially when you're posting...it looks as if you're kicking him the entire time, which probably isn't the case. Try doing some no stirrup or bareback work to secure your leg!


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## rhosroyalvelvet (Sep 5, 2013)

JaneyWaney9 said:


> I agree with the Rolkurr comment, for sure. I know lighter breeds sometimes just do that, though...my morgan would sometimes do that without any rein contact.
> 
> As for your position, it was more difficult to tell because of how far away the filming was, but your legs do not seem to be secure. Your stirrups may be too long, but they move around a lot especially when you're posting...it looks as if you're kicking him the entire time, which probably isn't the case. Try doing some no stirrup or bareback work to secure your leg!


Thanks. My stirrups were to long and I do regularly do work with no stirrups. But I do squeeze him everytime I sit (It was more a niggle with my heels there because I could not use my calves properly with my stirrups to long) because that is what every book on dressage I read and every instuctor I have evry had says to do. And I use my leg to get rounded body flexion on corners and circles.


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## MyBoyPuck (Mar 27, 2009)

Very nice overall. I can't comment on your position much because it is a bit far away. You look like you're lined up well and your hands are maybe a smidge low, but your line from elbow to bit appears to be good. 

One thing I noticed is that you stay in the same trot and canter without any variations in tempo or stride. It might help with your horse's tendency to dip behind the vertical and hang on the reins to do lots of transitions within the gaits. Also lots and lots of half halts. That first transition from canter back to trot would have been 100% better with a small half halt to rebalance him before the down transition. One thing I like to do it is, every 8 strides, do something different. Change gait, tempo, your position (half seat, full seat, sitting trot, posting trot, etc). It's a lot harder to do than it sounds to actually time everything well enough to do it exactly 8 strides, but it really helps keep your horse engaged and you might find that BTV quickly disappear.


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## cessi0909 (Nov 3, 2013)

I have not read the other comments but first thing I noticed was a lot of leg movement, you seem to post right from your stirrup. I would suggest riding without stirrups to work on using your leg more. I would also suggest a little more bend in your elbow so your hands don't post with you, it would help keep them a touch quieter.


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## rhosroyalvelvet (Sep 5, 2013)

cessi0909 said:


> I have not read the other comments but first thing I noticed was a lot of leg movement, you seem to post right from your stirrup. I would suggest riding without stirrups to work on using your leg more. I would also suggest a little more bend in your elbow so your hands don't post with you, it would help keep them a touch quieter.


yeah those were the things I have worked on this past month. My stirrups were too long causing alot of unbalance.


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## rhosroyalvelvet (Sep 5, 2013)

So, I know it's been a while but I think it's time to post some more videos. Alot has happened between now and January, if you want to find out I think it's all here on this thread :http://www.horseforum.com/member-journals/our-dressage-developments-open-all-posts-394770/

So main things I am working on, is trying to relax but still give effective aids. You see when I relax, I find it so difficult to use my leg or hands. Once I start giving hand or leg aids to Rhos I get tense and that travels through. So I am really trying to find a middle ground for that problem. We think I may be getting tense because I am trying to hard to get it perfect, because today I rode my sisters pony and he is a real pig. And bar a few piggy issues he went really well and did a beautiful counter canter and all. My mum says I am probably getting this on pelli because I don't give a dam about how perfect it is because I am not competing him in dressage, and what I am doing is just to get him thinking. SO any tips for my relaxation on Rhos will be much appreciated. You will probably see that I get stiffer in each video.

I have been working on transitions for two days now and plan to continue for the next 2/3 weeks coming up to Danescroft (mini international) and Silver spurs (competition based soley on rider).

I am also trying to improve lateral work, because I am moving up to Novice level after Danescroft and I need to be able to do medium trot, canter and counter canter. But I want to also be practicing for Elementry level when ever I get up there (hopefully).

So my main things I am working on are loosening up both pony and rider and getting transitions with less resistance, and lateral work.

Also I want to say, I have a problem with my hip. I don't know the name of the bone but what ever bone I think it is the bone that connects the hip/leg to the rotary joint (or something along those lines, I try not to focus too much on it.). But that means I can't walk straight, also i sit crookedly. I never had problems before, but now I am doing more work in dressage it's beginning to get sore, like a dull nagging pain. I am starting some excercises to strech my it out, but using my right leg effectivly is becoming difficult.

I think that covers the basics. So firstly while the other videos are uplaoding I will put up a video of our first registered dressage test.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BCSixFO8QiE

When uplaoded I will also put up a video of us today, and at the winter finals in cavan.


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## rhosroyalvelvet (Sep 5, 2013)

Also we have been offered a welsh section D, that has competed up to elementry level, and are being considered for the loan of a black 15hh welsh x warmblood stallion!

So really excited about those.


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## rhosroyalvelvet (Sep 5, 2013)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XrTL1kbcf4U

This is him today. As you can see I'm very stiff. Also please don't take into consideration the fact his movement is dead and not covering any ground. It was the end of an hour session and he was tired.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o7CTErFeD88
This is him at winter champs. I think we got 69% in this test.


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## jaydee (May 10, 2012)

He's made a really good change from show pony to dressage pony - be good to see you on something bigger so I hope you get the chance of a new horse


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## rhosroyalvelvet (Sep 5, 2013)

Thank you very much Jaydee.

Yes I am actually really excited to get a new horse (though Rhos is going nowhere) because I do need one and we have been looking to find the perfect one for over 2 years now!

Hopefully we can progress more now.


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