# critque dressage lesson



## Rachel1786 (Nov 14, 2010)




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## Poneigh (May 25, 2012)

This video (at least on my junk computer) is quite hard to see but my first thought was omg get that horse moving! She was hardly cantering, the first thing I would have you do is get her moving off your leg and do some sensitivity training with her, so you dont have to leg constantly to go hardly anywhere. I also agreed with your trainer when she said the horse was getting a little low, she was dropping behind the bit. 
It was hard to see much of your position, sometimes you looked a little tipped forward and I could see your leg working a lot but other than that you looked pretty good!


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## Rachel1786 (Nov 14, 2010)

Poneigh said:


> This video (at least on my junk computer) is quite hard to see but my first thought was omg get that horse moving! She was hardly cantering, the first thing I would have you do is get her moving off your leg and do some sensitivity training with her, so you dont have to leg constantly to go hardly anywhere. I also agreed with your trainer when she said the horse was getting a little low, she was dropping behind the bit.
> It was hard to see much of your position, sometimes you looked a little tipped forward and I could see your leg working a lot but other than that you looked pretty good!


I meant to write before I posted, but I forgot with my 5 year old bugging me every 5 seconds )

This is a lesson horse and she had just done a lesson for a girl who had never ridden before so she was nearly impossible to get moving(she's almost always changeling, but it was way worse) She's the type of horse who won't move unless you make her, and I'm not always aggressive enough with her. 
I'm also not a huge fan of that saddle, I normally ride in a different one, but she just had me ride in the same saddle the previous rider rode in. In that saddle I feel really uncomfortable at the canter, like I can't sit deep enough and I'm sliding and hitting the pommel and it's very annoying. At first I thought it was her canter, but after riding in the other saddle and now noticing it, I'm pretty sure it's the position the saddle puts me in. 
Sorry if My thoughts are scattered, as soon as I started typing my son decided yet again he had to be right here talking my ear off :shock: why can't he wake up his father and bother him, not my fault he's hung over lol


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## Rachel1786 (Nov 14, 2010)

I'm trying to figured out how much I'm progressing 
This thread is from the end of August http://www.horseforum.com/horse-riding-critique/critique-videos-my-riding-136062/

and this is from the end of October 2011
http://www.horseforum.com/horse-riding-critique/canter-critique-first-time-critique-please-101874/


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## MyBoyPuck (Mar 27, 2009)

Well...aside from the very slow horse, your position looks okay. Your legs are quiet, your rein contact is okay for the horse you are riding. Hands are nice and quiet. It would be easier to give an overall critique on a more forward horse. This one has that western lope going on.


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## PurpleMonkeyWrench (Jun 12, 2012)

almost looks lame to me. could be the quality of the video tho.


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## Kayty (Sep 8, 2009)

No wonder you found it hard to sit in canter - the horse is not cantering. She is doing what I call a 'tranter' - trotting behind with canter steps in front. Near impossible to sit on well. 
You will find everything immensely easier if you give her a few good kick ups or taps behind the leg to encourage a true canter. Trying to stay straight in any pace that is not forward is very difficult, if not near impossible. You lose your steering, balance, rhythm do on and so forth, if you are not riding forward. 
There should be no talk if roundness and behind the vertical etc at this point - roundness is impossible in 'tranter' as forward motion is essential to achieve it. Any 'roundness' you are getting here is false - only the head and neck is involved as the hind legs and back are not going anywhere. 
I don't want to comment on your position until I see a recent video of you riding a horse forward.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Kayty (Sep 8, 2009)

PMW, it looks lame because it is trantering - if a horse is so behind the leg that it is hanging in limbo between two paces, it will often start to look lame when it is not.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## PurpleMonkeyWrench (Jun 12, 2012)

Kayty said:


> PMW, it looks lame because it is trantering - if a horse is so behind the leg that it is hanging in limbo between two paces, it will often start to look lame when it is not.
> _Posted via Mobile Device_


Interesting, thanks for the info.!


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## Rachel1786 (Nov 14, 2010)

Thank you everyone. I'll see if I can get a new video soon. Hopefully I'll get to ride after someone who's made her work, that always makes it easier to keep her moving! I do ride with a dressage whip(although it's hard to see) but I'm terrible about remembering to use it, I remember once my legs are about to fall off lol


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## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)

In US, you might hear the term "Troping" for that gait. (trot + lope)


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## Tigo (Feb 25, 2012)

Rachel1786 said:


> I do ride with a dressage whip(although it's hard to see) but I'm terrible about remembering to use it, I remember once my legs are about to fall off lol


That's really not a bad thing at all :lol: So many people pick up a dressage whip to do the work for them and then forget that they have legs and a seat to use!!  
Keep up the good work!


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## Rachel1786 (Nov 14, 2010)

I had an excellent lesson today, I finally got some round circles, I got a few leg yields that felt awesome and best of all I didn't have to nag star to keep moving  Sadly I have no proof :-/ I have another lesson monday(yay riding on my birthday lol) Maybe I can have someone come and video me on monday


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## jenniferw (May 23, 2012)

This is too funny  The horse isnt even cantering 
Im amazed your instructor didnt say anything


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## crimsonsky (Feb 18, 2011)

Kayty said:


> PMW, it looks lame because it is trantering - if a horse is so behind the leg that it is hanging in limbo between two paces, it will often start to look lame when it is not.
> _Posted via Mobile Device_


tranter is a fantastic term. there is a horse at the barn i board at that does this and the woman insists this means her horse is gaited. *headdesk*


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## Weezilla (Aug 3, 2012)

God bless schoolhorses! They make you work for EVERYTHING!


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## Weezilla (Aug 3, 2012)

OP, I am also dismayed that your trainer did not address the tranter. Dressage begins with a forward horse exhibiting rythym. This horse is so behind the leg that she is 4 beating. Canter, as you know, is a 3 beat gait, and if you don't have that you don't have squat. This horse needs to be taught to go forward from the touch of the leg if she does not move out and stay forward, tap with whip behind your keg. Start in walk, then trot, then canter teaching her that she must move forward at a whisper of keg. Remember, she can feel a fly on her side, so she certainly can feel a gentle squeeze from your leg and know that it means to move out.

I am curious why your trainer disregards the horrible four-beat cancer and has you working on circle? Does she have an answer for this? Does she ever get on this horse and school her?


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## GallopingGuitarist (Jan 8, 2013)

At home I and my siblings call that the 'Can-not' (Canter/trot). We always laughed and called it that because it's hard to ride. We most often got it from our big draft crosses when they were too lazy to canter.


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## Skyseternalangel (Jul 23, 2011)

Update???


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## Lexiie (Nov 14, 2011)

I want to take dressage lessons !


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