# Critique Zippie AQHA/APHA Gelding



## sorelhorse (Feb 16, 2009)

Hey guys 
Critique me and my horse please. Say Whatever, i would really appreciate it.
Some background info on him- He is 13 years old, his registered name is continental Zip. He is my little show horse. 15.2 hh. Used to be a halter horse and was 2nd in the nation. Has won some championships and reserves, top fives and tens at paint and pinto worlds. Going to either Paint or pinto worlds 2011. So we need to get ready!! lol





This video was after a lot of rain, so he hadnt been ridden for a few days- also, if you notice i did have to drop my irons


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## xoSonnyLove1234 (May 31, 2009)

Okay, what i saw. In english, i would suggest actually having rein contact. If i were an english judge, i would expect the rider to have a proper contact with your horses head. Your reins are very lose. Your hands are also unsteady, and you have piano hands. I dont have much critique for western, just that his lope looks a little akward. But i cant put my finger on it.
WOW. Worlds? Thats nuts. You have to tell us how that goes. How long have you had your beautiful horse? Looks like a really well trained boy.


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## horseluver2435 (May 27, 2009)

Agreed with the piano hands- one thing I noticed with English was that, in one point of the video, you start see-sawing with your hands- pulling them this way & that. Just wondering what you were doing and why- in my area, this is how a LOT of people train mostly Western Pleasure horses to set their head 'English', and while I'm not going to comment on *why* it's improper, I'll say that it's not the correct way to set their head, and you may be marked down for it in an English show ring. (It's about 0:10-0:11 in the video.) For English, your upper leg stays put (other than the stirrup-less parts, of course), though your lower leg looks a little unsteady- it's not awful, just a little wobbly here & there. I agree that you should probably take more contact with the bit for English. 

I won't pretend to know enough about Western to critique that. Congrats about Worlds, and be sure to post plenty of videos and pictures, as well as letting us know how it goes. I'm sure you're very excited! 

I'll leave the rest of the critique to the masters. 

Edit: Also noticed- I realize there's a reason you are wearing spurs, but be very careful when riding English in spurs- every time your lower leg wobbles, you nudge your horse, and he could easily become numb-sided from it. Just a little added tip- I'm sure you know that already, but pointing it out in the offhand chance you don't.


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## shmurmer4 (Dec 27, 2008)

Lovely gait and confo.


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## sorelhorse (Feb 16, 2009)

xoSonnyLove1234 said:


> Okay, what i saw. In english, i would suggest actually having rein contact. If i were an english judge, i would expect the rider to have a proper contact with your horses head. Your reins are very lose. Your hands are also unsteady, and you have piano hands. I dont have much critique for western, just that his lope looks a little akward. But i cant put my finger on it.
> WOW. Worlds? Thats nuts. You have to tell us how that goes. How long have you had your beautiful horse? Looks like a really well trained boy.


Yes, i definitly agree with the hands and rein contact, and i must say, i have lately been using more contact. i do have piano hands, and im working on fixing them. I definitly will tell you how it goes. im excited because i didnt get to go last year ive had him for 6 years. and thankyou for the critique


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## sorelhorse (Feb 16, 2009)

horseluver2435 said:


> Agreed with the piano hands- one thing I noticed with English was that, in one point of the video, you start see-sawing with your hands- pulling them this way & that. Just wondering what you were doing and why- in my area, this is how a LOT of people train mostly Western Pleasure horses to set their head 'English', and while I'm not going to comment on *why* it's improper, I'll say that it's not the correct way to set their head, and you may be marked down for it in an English show ring. (It's about 0:10-0:11 in the video.) For English, your upper leg stays put (other than the stirrup-less parts, of course), though your lower leg looks a little unsteady- it's not awful, just a little wobbly here & there. I agree that you should probably take more contact with the bit for English.
> 
> I won't pretend to know enough about Western to critique that. Congrats about Worlds, and be sure to post plenty of videos and pictures, as well as letting us know how it goes. I'm sure you're very excited!
> 
> ...


thanks for the great critique! im an english show ring we really dont see saw, because we will get marked down. though out of the ring i do, in some ways to push himself into the bit and extend his stride, with leg contact. ill post a new video soon! and thankyou


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## VelvetsAB (Aug 11, 2010)

_English-- Keep your hands even. One hand keeps dropping lower then the other. Close your fingers up on the reins. You should maybe take your stirrups up one hole so that you can have your heel down just a little bit more. They are pretty flat right now. You also post really high...like almost over the pommel. You shouldnt be having to work so hard to post, the horse should be helping you....dont post more then he bumps you out of the saddle. This might help keep your lower leg still._


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## sorelhorse (Feb 16, 2009)

VelvetsAB said:


> _English-- Keep your hands even. One hand keeps dropping lower then the other. Close your fingers up on the reins. You should maybe take your stirrups up one hole so that you can have your heel down just a little bit more. They are pretty flat right now. You also post really high...like almost over the pommel. You shouldnt be having to work so hard to post, the horse should be helping you....dont post more then he bumps you out of the saddle. This might help keep your lower leg still._


 ok, ill lengthen my stirrups. actually though, in english pleasure we want to post foward and back instead of up and down, which might be why it seems im posting over the pommel. ill try to do it a little less though.im going to get a video up here really soon of us again with all this critique. thankyou


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## Deerly (Apr 18, 2010)

What everyone else said  Hands and lower leg. Keep your fingers _closed _and thumbs on top. Keep your lower leg and hands more still as well. 

I'm not sure what was intended with the trot poles but you want to make sure you have the horse lined up square so that he goes over them perfectly straight in the center. it seems that he's wandering off a lot and going over them towards the sides. 

Congrats on everything you've accomplished so far and good luck next year!


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## sinsin4635 (Dec 1, 2009)

I'm sorry but what ever happend to the old school western pleasure horses? I think they looked so much better! They still had a nice slow jog, & the lope you could actually tell was a lope! Don't get me wrong, your horse is beautiful, but his lope just don't look like a lope. Theres just no effort in it. Looks like a half hearted attempt at a lope in the front, & a jog or trot in the back. I guess i'm just an" old school" girl! Also, ( & again i'm sorry, your horse really is lovely) i just can't get use to the fake tails. I think the only time they would look o.k. is in a halter class, because when they are moving, or swishing their tail, it is so unnatural looking.


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## sorelhorse (Feb 16, 2009)

sinsin4635 said:


> I'm sorry but what ever happend to the old school western pleasure horses? I think they looked so much better! They still had a nice slow jog, & the lope you could actually tell was a lope! Don't get me wrong, your horse is beautiful, but his lope just don't look like a lope. Theres just no effort in it. Looks like a half hearted attempt at a lope in the front, & a jog or trot in the back. I guess i'm just an" old school" girl! Also, ( & again i'm sorry, your horse really is lovely) i just can't get use to the fake tails. I think the only time they would look o.k. is in a halter class, because when they are moving, or swishing their tail, it is so unnatural looking.


 i personally like the new lope much better lol. But thats your opinion, and i respect it. i looove the fake tails too. i guess just the styles change. lol


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## Eliz (Jun 16, 2010)

You are posting a bit much, it's pretty exaggerated. And I ride hunter as well 

Remember to sink into your heals and wrap your legs around him like you're on a barrel. This should help keep your leg steady & toes in (not that I saw a problem with it, it just helps lol) and with your legs anchoring you more you'll post less like a maniac  It seems like you're just pushing off with your feet, think more along the lines of pelvic thrusts lol. When you have more contact with your legs it'll be easier to push him into his face so you won't have to see saw him either.

Once again, your boy is beautiful and you're lucky to have him. I would be one proud mom if I owned him


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## VelvetsAB (Aug 11, 2010)

_Makes sense....different disciplines can never do something similar. Eliz said it better though...being really exaggerated. _

_And I hope you meant shorten them, not lengthen them!_


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## jagman6201 (Mar 13, 2009)

Since most people here have critiqued your huntseat, I'll quickly go over what I saw in your western work. 

First of all, your horse! He's adorable all around, seems willing and content with his job and in good flesh and muscle tone. I love his top line, nice and even with his hind end working sufficiently and his head in neck naturally draped from the shoulders. Now, things that could be improved; he travels every so slightly on the forehand at the lope, though many western pleasure horse's now-a-days do. If you watch, he bobs his head to the motion of his stride, bringing his head up when he lifts he shoulders, this is because he is having to push his shoulder up rather than having his hind end rocked back and carrying himself along with his topline. Practice rocking him back more on his hocks and having himself lift more than pull. A good exercise that will not only train him to do this, but will also strengthen him all around is lots of trot/lope to halt transitions with immediate backing of 4-6 steps then trotting/loping back off. This will all but force him onto his hind end and needs to be repeated as necessary. It will help not only his lope, but improve his already lovely jog!

Now for you! You seemly like a nice little rider but some tweaks could make you spectacular! First and most important, you sit back too far on your seat. This makes your leg less effective than it could be and you cannot cue with your calf correctly. You want to try and "point" your knee to the ground, which comes by shifting your seat slightly forward so your sitting evenly on the "three prongs of you hips". Essentially your two seat bones and, for lack of a better word, your crotch makes up a triangle that should be resting evening on your saddle so that your legs fall correctly around the horse's side and helps your back become more elastic to the motion of the horse. If you sit too far forward and "perch" on the saddle, the tip of your triangle is dipped down towards the ground. If you sit too far back on your seat bone, the tip of your triangle points upwards. Essentially I want you to stop leaning on the cantle of your saddle and develop a more independent seat, it was help you tons (as well as many other riders in all seats!). 

Secondly, you have some pretty recognizable rotation in your shoulders, which is essentially common in western riders (I do it...). Because your rein hand is forward, you drop your outside shoulder and twist your spine. You want to be square with your upper body at all times! Practice bringing your free arm forward and pointing it out in front of you which will help retrain your upper body to be square and make you a top notch rider! 

You guys seems like a great team and sound like have already had a terrific show career together! Just some minor improvements for both of you will help you tremendously to bring the whole package together in a neat and tidy present.  Good luck at world!


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## sorelhorse (Feb 16, 2009)

Jag6201 said:


> Since most people here have critiqued your huntseat, I'll quickly go over what I saw in your western work.
> 
> First of all, your horse! He's adorable all around, seems willing and content with his job and in good flesh and muscle tone. I love his top line, nice and even with his hind end working sufficiently and his head in neck naturally draped from the shoulders. Now, things that could be improved; he travels every so slightly on the forehand at the lope, though many western pleasure horse's now-a-days do. If you watch, he bobs his head to the motion of his stride, bringing his head up when he lifts he shoulders, this is because he is having to push his shoulder up rather than having his hind end rocked back and carrying himself along with his topline. Practice rocking him back more on his hocks and having himself lift more than pull. A good exercise that will not only train him to do this, but will also strengthen him all around is lots of trot/lope to halt transitions with immediate backing of 4-6 steps then trotting/loping back off. This will all but force him onto his hind end and needs to be repeated as necessary. It will help not only his lope, but improve his already lovely jog!
> 
> ...


thankyou very much. this is awesome i think on monday ill also get a new video. i never thought about it as pointing the knee downward...im going to remember that when i ride. ive lately been loping a feqw stirdes, then stopping and backing. that seems to help. and i will try the lope to jog transitions


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## ladybugsgirl (Aug 12, 2009)

Wow how did you afford such a nice horse. Amazing horse. I wish I could get something just like that. I think you two look great together.


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## ladybugsgirl (Aug 12, 2009)

I really like that you take what everyone says with a positive attitude and are willing to admit when you make mistakes. There needs to be more people like that. I wish I could get pictures of me and my horse but have no one to do it...  darn.. Well good luck with your boy.


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## sorelhorse (Feb 16, 2009)

ladybugsgirl said:


> I really like that you take what everyone says with a positive attitude and are willing to admit when you make mistakes. There needs to be more people like that. I wish I could get pictures of me and my horse but have no one to do it...  darn.. Well good luck with your boy.


 aww thanks i appreciate it. we bought him young and trained him with the help of our trainer, that is really the only way we can get a good horse like him lol.


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