# Intercollegiate Horse Show (western) plz critique!! :)



## BuckOff41570 (Nov 15, 2008)

Not much of a critiquer...Just be careful not to push your stirrups too far forward into a chair seat. Remember...Shoulder,hip,and heel. Congrats on doin well your first IHSA show!


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## GeminiJumper (Jun 12, 2008)

Thank you!! I noticed my legs got pushed out a lot by the second day (new horse) so I'll try to keep that in mind.


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## girl_on_black_pony (Jul 19, 2008)

Nice! When I show, we keep our left arm hanging down at out side...it just looks different.

Just pull those legs back. You guys look superb!


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## kickshaw (May 7, 2008)

keep that leg back, and remember to smile once in a while!


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## GeminiJumper (Jun 12, 2008)

haha....yeah, the smiling...i'm sure that'll come the more i show bc right now, i'm too concentrated on making sure everything gets done when i'm in the ring riding!! lol

yeah, we were taught to hold both of our hands at the same level, kind of like you're holding a tray full of glasses of water...so if you're hands are not level, the water will spill


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## arastangrider (Jan 5, 2008)

I knoticed you used a different saddle on the second day that could be why you knoticed your legs getting pushed forward I have a saddle that does that to me in photo 7,9,10,11,12 your hand were not even it would probley be better to have your hand resting on your thigh. I'v seen alot of people do that though the last few years mostley in the AQHA shows but it's alot easier to have your hand resting on your thigh. I also noticed that in some of the photos you are leaning forward a bit if you rotate your hips and sit deep it would help alot. Alot of people have a tendency to look at thier horse when they first start showing and in all of your photos your looking up nice job! over all you look 100 times better then I did at my first show lol


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## GeminiJumper (Jun 12, 2008)

lol...thanks


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## Painted Ride (Jun 30, 2008)

i noticed that you were leaning foward, shoulders back ur slouching a tad..... try to sit back (on the pockets of ur jeans), RELAX and smile.give your horse his head some...it looks like ur holding him back. lower you hands a bit too...over all yall do not look bad....good luck


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## Angel_Leaguer (Jun 13, 2008)

besides everything that has been listed... just RELAX!!!


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## mayfieldk (Mar 5, 2008)

Ahh, intercollegiate shows. I went to the university of Findlay for western, so I know what you're talking about. (Good show program, HORRIBLE COLLEGE and teaching. ugh.)
Push your thigh down; that will help get that almost-straight-legged look and keep your heels lined up with your hip.
Keep your right hand (the non-rein hand) down closer to the pommel of the saddle, near the horn. Don't touch! Just don't bring it up so high.
Rein hand: Unless turning, thumb up!
Shoulders back, girly. 

Other nit-picky things that Findlay did:
Try to get your hat shaped, and ask for the 'quarter horse' style. Your sides aren't as sharp as they need to be. This is what the judges are looking for, and helps create the picture of a neat, crisp rider.
I know not everyone has the money, but if possible try to get a black shirt that has a color/detailing at the shoulder. The black shirt will help create a nicer silhouette rather then the red shirt that seems to cut you in half where it meets your black chaps/pants. Red+black is fine in a pleasure class, but not so in horsemanship!
Earrings, for when your classes get more serious (like open, etc.) and brighter lipstick. It's kind of like putting on stage makeup--it may look ridiculous to you, but the judge will hardly be able to tell.
Try to make the number on your back as SMALL as possible by either cutting off the excess white, or folding back the extra, and then use two pins (on the sides) to secure it--that way, it won't flop. (I didn't see it flopping, but I can't tell how you pinned it, lol!)

Whatever I can tell to other schools to make Findlay lose, I will.  Horrible training program for 36,000 a year.


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## GeminiJumper (Jun 12, 2008)

haha!! thanks! there might of been something about us eventually competing against Findlay. i also noticed that my right leg slides forward, especially when cantering...is there anything i can do to help keep it back? but yeah, the makeup is ridiculus!! haha


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## mayfieldk (Mar 5, 2008)

Kick Findlay's you-know-what! 

We used to do these stupid drills in Findlay where you would 'scissor' your legs... start at a walk, where you take your feet out of the stirrups and push one leg forward as far (towards the horses shoulder) and the other one back as far as you can (towards the horses hip). Keep them as straight as possible with hardly any bend in the knee. It's hard!! You do this at a walk, then jog, and when you're ready, canter--it will help strengthen your legs to keep them where you tell them, lol--and it will also help you sit straight in the saddle. And as always... a lot of no stirrup work!

Good luck!


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## WesternPleasure27 (Nov 9, 2008)

girl_on_black_pony said:


> Nice! When I show, we keep our left arm hanging down at out side...it just looks different.
> 
> Just pull those legs back. You guys look superb!


Holding your hand down at the side is more of a pleasure riding thing.
In horsemanship (which is being judged here) you should hold your hand up as if you were riding too handed (which she is doing).


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## GeminiJumper (Jun 12, 2008)

oh! i plan on kicking Findlay's you-know-what!! hahaha

thanks guys for the critiques


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## bgood400 (Nov 10, 2008)

- keep your elbows in a little tighter to your sides. (to practice horsemanship i put paper under my elbows)
- watch your free arm, it seems to come in towards your belly button and you want to keep it more square.

hope this helps! =]


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## GeminiJumper (Jun 12, 2008)

thanks! my instructor also said i could stick a pole between my elbows behind my back to also keep my elbows closer to my side and to keep my shoulders back.


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## sandsarita (Jan 20, 2008)

a lot of good suggestions, but something I just noticed (and don't know if you have any control over - do you tack up your own horse?), is that one day your horse had a mouth closer on. I don't know about the IHSA shows, but at other shows that's a big no no. Like DQ.

Best of luck with everything, though. the other things I noticed were keeping your legs underneath you, eyes up, shoulders back and rolled down. Also for horsemanship you need to sit up straighter through your lower back and pelvis - there shouldn't be much of a tilt to it. (not sure if that makes any sense at all?) But overall you are looking pretty good.


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## PoptartShop (Jul 25, 2010)

Not gonna critique (idk much about western stuff, lol), but you look great, cute horse!


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## GeminiJumper (Jun 12, 2008)

thanks poptart and sandsarita!


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## my2geldings (Feb 18, 2008)

That is one chunky horse! I'm assuming he is a reg. QH right? I know nothing about western critiqes tho I thought the red looked really good. Congrats on the wins


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## GeminiJumper (Jun 12, 2008)

haha...yeah, they're both registered QHs....and thanks! (yes, my instructor thought the red looked really good, too!)


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## pleasurehorse11 (Dec 1, 2008)

Like bgood400 said keep your elbows in you don't want to see any air in between there. also with western you have to be a little cocky put your chin up and have a i'm better than you attitude- only when in the ring though lol- it shows your confidence and helps you feel better about your ride good luck!


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## GeminiJumper (Jun 12, 2008)

thanks pleasurehorse11, i'll keep that in mind!


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