# Lesson Critique



## equiniphile (Aug 16, 2009)

Grr, computer ate my post.

I got our lesson on video today; it's our second with the new trainer and my third ever. This is Excel, who many of you know; 7-yr old OTTB who I've had off the track for a year and a half. This is our first time jumping in a while....we did a lot of transition work (flatwork not filmed) to get him off the forehand so he wasn't so prone to falling over jumps. My trainer also mentioned something interesting; she said that when I ask for a halt, I sit too deeply for him. She said that it would be great if I was on a finished dressage horse, but that Excel hasn't developed the muscles yet for me to sit so deeply when I ask for a halt. Thought that was interesting. We had a great jump from canter, perfect distances, to that last vertical, but my mom didn't film it :-(. Anyway, critique away!


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## equiniphile (Aug 16, 2009)

A few screenshots.


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## equiniphile (Aug 16, 2009)

No one?


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## Jumper12 (Feb 2, 2012)

really work on turning your horse with your outside aids, he/she was bowing sometimes on approach. also, moving your stirrup to the ball of your foot and angling it so the outter edge hits the bottom of your pinky toe will better allow you to stretch down in your heels. make sure to keep your body straight, in some of the pics you look a little tilted. over all pretty good though.


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## equiniphile (Aug 16, 2009)

Thanks! We worked a lot on not letting him bow out through the circles; she had he half halting and really closing the outside aids. Hmm, I've never noticed the stirrup thing, Ill have to try that.


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## equiniphile (Aug 16, 2009)

Also, what do you mean by tilted? Just leaning to one side over the fences?


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## countercanter (May 18, 2011)

You have a very weak lower leg and would benefit from lots of no stirrup work and trotting in two-point. Also as mentioned, your feet are too far home in the stirrups. Keep them on the balls of your feet and weight sunk down in your heels. This will help you stabilize your leg. Your horse would benefit from lots more flatwork. The breaking into the weird trot/canter and the bowing out and wiggly-ness will decrease the more your work on the flat. When I got my TB off the track I did nothing but flatwork for about a year to get him perfect on the flat before I started jumping regularly. Your horse is absolutely adorable and has some talent. And I am way jealous of your long legs haha. You two are off to a good start.


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## equiniphile (Aug 16, 2009)

Thanks, Counter. I'll have to try some stirrupless work out on the trails until my grass arena is dry enough to ride in. We've done almost no jumping for the year and a half that I've owned him, and he definitely needs more flatwork.


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## Oxer (Jul 9, 2010)

leg. leg. leg. He needs to be pushed up in to the bit, and across the fences. He just seems to sort of "flop" over them. I would be riding grids where the striding facilitates more impulsion with a nice oxer at the very end so that he has to make an effort to find his feet. I assume you're quite tall... as it looks like your legs are nearly 3 feet long! This is a great benefit. Once you strengthen your legs, you'll be able to literally wrap your calf around him, and squeeze him up into the bit.


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## equiniphile (Aug 16, 2009)

When we were working on flatwork I had him extending into a nice big gait at the trot and my calves were wrapping around him to keep him forward to the bit, but Jessica wanted me to keep his stride short when we were jumping, which is why he looks lazy and awkward at times. He's still learning how to use himself at a shortened gait without being lazy.

Oh yes, I'm tall....5'10" at fourteen. You'd never believe the monster under me is almost seventeen hands :rofl:


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## Oxer (Jul 9, 2010)

sheesh!! You could be a runway model!

Do you have any vids of you two schooling on the flat?


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## equiniphile (Aug 16, 2009)

No, I don't think I do. His extended trot is to die for, though. We do most of our schooling out in a huge 500-acre grass field behind our property (park-owned, they mow it and we're the only ones who ever use it....lol), and my mom's down with foot surgery, so I'm usually riding on my own with no one to video.

In that huge open area, he comes willingly onto the bit and is usually easier to push into a frame because of all the forward energy he has.


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## Oxer (Jul 9, 2010)

my horse is a lot like that as well. He goes pretty well on the flat... reaching nicely for the bit. However, when we jump around he will occasionally get heavy on the forehand and/or laying on my hands. from time to time i realize he's doing it and i just give him a little lift and squeeze him back up. jumping takes a lot of thought and awareness... so i think it's easier than most would think, to end up dropping your horse while on course.


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## equiniphile (Aug 16, 2009)

This is me schooling him last summer, you can see he's reaching nicely for the bit and stretching out:


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## Oxer (Jul 9, 2010)

lovely!


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## Jumper12 (Feb 2, 2012)

what i think would help you is to get ^^ that trot and then collect it and go do the exercise your trainer wanted you to do so you get a horse that is using itself properly. in the video it looked like you went from walk to tiny hollow trot, if that makes sense.


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