# Critique English riding-cantering



## howrsegirl123 (Feb 19, 2012)

Can you all see it? I can only see it on my computer when I make it full screen.


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## howrsegirl123 (Feb 19, 2012)

I think I need to bring my lower leg back more, don't I?


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## Barrelracer00 (Sep 9, 2012)

Yeah, lower leg back. And no offense, but the horse dosen't move the most amazing either (In my opinion, but I'm not a pro, I'm mostly western and a little English)


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## Kayty (Sep 8, 2009)

You are quite a neat little rider, however you are very much a passenger. 
I don't think your horse moved terribly, he's just very much on his front legs. When a horse is on the forehand, it gets unbalanced and often the canter will start to become 4 beat, and the hocks unable to bend. 

I'd like to see you sit right back over your seat bones, bring your upper body back. Think of making yourself look like a capital "D" - your spine being the straight line, while you push your belly button towards your hands. 
Another one, is to imagine that you are sitting on his haunches when you ride, and you're about to drive up a bridge. You need to lift his wither up, and lower his haunches. Press his haunches down with your seat bones, and lift his wither with your belly button. 


Pin your elbows back so that they rest on your hips, and allow them to act as hinges. Right now, your whole upper body is doing the work of your lower arm. The elbow is a hinge, that allows your lower arm to follow the movement of the horse's topline while your body remains still. Try resting your hands on your horse's wither, or slip your pinky fingers into the velcro on the front of your saddle pad, a neck strap, or a monkey grip. This will give you just enough movement through your forearms to follow the horse's movement. 

Just these two corrections should start to bring your horse a little more over his haunches. Getting your seat stable should be your number one priority, you really need to be on your seat bones and driving the horse forward and up rather than being a passenger and allowing him to nose dive. 
Also, I would avoid doing that much canter. You are riding around and around and around and I did not once see you adjust anything. If that were me, I would have ridden at least 5 transitions on that sized circle, would have ridden collected-medium-collected canter, asked the horse to bring its jaw and poll an inch to the inside, then straight, then an inch to the outside, bring the quarters in, push them out, ride leg yield on the circle etc. 
Shake it right up, going around and around and around and around and around and around.... does nothing productive other than getting the horse fitter and especially when on the forehand, you'll be building up muscles in the wrong places, that will take a long time to undo. 

So, sit back on your seat bones to lift the wither, elbows locked onto your hips, hands together and at the wither, using elbows to act as hinges, and SHAKE IT UP


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## howrsegirl123 (Feb 19, 2012)

Thank you Kayty. I will try your suggestions. I normally do more transitions and such but I just wanted this for the video, just so you could see him cantering. 
People have said I need to sit back a little more, and I'll try to do that. But I am sitting back more than I used to, which is an improvement to me! But thank you again.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## howrsegirl123 (Feb 19, 2012)

More critiques please! 
Positive comments too!
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## howrsegirl123 (Feb 19, 2012)

Bumping


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## DappleGrayHunter (Jul 4, 2012)

I just noticed two minor things that immediately jumped out of me. Shorten up your reins a bit, just to give you some more control over your horse. He seems pretty quiet, but you never know when he may spook or buck. And secondly, don't let his head droop so low. Use the reins to pull up his head some, even if it requires you putting on some more leg to keep him going. Overall, you look great!


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## howrsegirl123 (Feb 19, 2012)

Thanks DappleGrayHunter!
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## JustDressageIt (Oct 4, 2007)

Fantastic critique by Kayty. I will add one thing, and that is your seat. You're very tense through your entire leg, which is causing your butt to come out of and slap the saddle each stride. Your knee is also completely off the knee roll; while you don't want to GRIP with your knees, you want them to be in contact with the saddle, not be all loosey goosey. You want to loosen up your hips, and allow your pelvis to move WITH your horse's movement, rather than be rigid and have your butt slapping the saddle. I think that stirrup-less work would really help you out here, as it's very hard to brace against stirrups when you don't have any - hah! Think about rotating your toe to point forwards instead of out to the sides.


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## howrsegirl123 (Feb 19, 2012)

Bumping
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Kayty (Sep 8, 2009)

OP, there are only so many critiques you can get - otherwise you'll just get a bunch of people saying exactly the same thing over and over and over...and over... and over.....


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## howrsegirl123 (Feb 19, 2012)

I just wanted to see what others would say.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## JustDressageIt (Oct 4, 2007)

Really, OP, if the only response you're giving people who take time out of their busy days to reply is "bumping" then you won't get many replies at all.
I'm regretting taking time out to reply when it's very obviously not appreciated. I don't feel that it would be prudent for me to reply further to your threads, and many other people see your lack of reply and will not bother replying themselves. 
If you want pats on the back, post in the video section.
Eta- here's a thread showing a gracious OP that actually wants to learn. http://www.horseforum.com/horse-riding-critique/jumping-new-trainer-better-worse-137673

_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## alexischristina (Jun 30, 2009)

You seem really floppy to me. You're in a horrible chair seat, need to bring your legs back and underneath you, strengthen your core so you're not bouncing around so much in the saddle and pumping with your body. It almost looked to me like you were pumping with your arms as well, forward and then back, mostly seen in your elbows, you just need to sit up and ride more.


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## Kayty (Sep 8, 2009)

I have to agree with JDI. If you are looking for some nice comments and people to look at your horse, post some photos or video in the photo/video threads. 
Ignoring good, well thought out suggestions with the aim to get as many comments as you can, is not well received in 'forum land'.


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## mbaron5731 (Nov 13, 2012)

I really agree with kayte.
I do like your style of riding, you're very structured. Your legs stay, your seat and torso need some work, but your shoulders are great! Keep your hands steady and relaxed and don't be afraid to get contact on your reins, get your horse on the bit and work patterns to really flex and animate your horse.
I recommend working on patterns that will really test your balance. You're about 85% there (in my opinion).
I suggest moving your horse forward. Using your leg muscle to push him forward, but keep contact so he doesn't get heavy on the forehand. 
Otherwise, you two look really nice


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## DancingArabian (Jul 15, 2011)

I think you should drop your stirrups. You have long legs and you need to be able to bring them back and tuck them under you so your shoulders-hips-heels make a straight line. Imagine a string running vertically through you and stretching you vertically.

It looks like you're driving the canter a little too much with your seat and flopping. Ride with the horse's movement instead of trying to move like he's moving. Imagine that you're riding wave (ever been on a jetski?). I don't think I'm explaining it well, but ride WITH the movement of the horse, don't move independently of the horse and try to be in sync.


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## Mariss (Nov 16, 2012)

The only way I can explain what I'm seeing is that you seem to try and drive your horse by 'thrusting' your hips. Try to relax and sink into your saddle more let your hips move, but don't be the one moving them, let the natural rhythm be whats moving your body.


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## howrsegirl123 (Feb 19, 2012)

Thanks everyone!
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## bsms (Dec 31, 2010)

Not a critique, but a thread that you might find helpful. I did:

http://www.horseforum.com/english-riding/riding-canter-half-seat-120340/


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## Kia98 (Aug 1, 2013)

You seem pretty stable, which is good, and your horse is really obedient. It looks like he'd keep cantering forever if you asked him! 
Like you said, your lower leg should be a bit back. To help you tell, you should be able to draw a pretty straight line through your shoulders, hips, and heel.
Your horse seems a bit stiff. His canter is also pretty slow. To fix this, lift your hands up a bit higher and urge him on a bit with your leg. Then try to move your hands back and forth with the movement of the horse's head. A bigger canter should also help to bring him off the forehand.


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## MyBoyPuck (Mar 27, 2009)

Kayty said:


> OP, there are only so many critiques you can get - otherwise you'll just get a bunch of people saying exactly the same thing over and over and over...and over... and over.....


Kayty's right. My input was going to be "read Kayty's post again". I love the elbow hinge description. I am also guilty of letting the whole upper body follow the motion instead of anchor the elbow. I also thought while watching your first canter circle, that I probably would have half halted 10 times or more on that circle alone. Your horse falls onto the forehand quickly and needs either half halts within the canter or canter-trot transitions to get his legs under him more. 

The only independent thought I had was regarding your not quite being in the saddle and the stiffness in your lower legs. If you can, every few strides take your legs completely off the saddle and let them fall back into place. It helps reset your core center of balance, takes the stiffness out of the equation if only for a moment and seems to get the rider more with the motion...that is of course if you don't fall off first instead.


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## nyancat (Jun 30, 2014)

the horse is a so-so mover. if it held its head up a little higher and tucked its nose in it would look better but there's not much else you can improve with a horse's movement. Your riding is good, just hold your hands a little higher and your full seat is very nice compared to what I've seen but just try to keep your but still instead of rocking back and forth so much


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## Kayty (Sep 8, 2009)

Actually nyancat, there is a lot that can be done to improve a horse's movement and it does not have anything to do with faking a frame by raising the head and taking the nose in...
A good ride can improve a horse's movement significantly. Simply by lifting a horse from the forehand will improve the movement as it frees the shoulders, allowing more bend in the knees. The joints of the hind legs will move and bend, creating better quality of pace.

The trot can be dramatically improved, a very average mover can become a nice mover. Walk and canter are difficult if they are not naturally of brilliant quality, but again simply by lifting the forehand and starting collection, these paces will improve.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Valentina (Jul 27, 2009)

Besides what Kathyd said - hands are too low, put thumbs UP, and hands closer together. When you separate your hands it tends to make the action of the bit harsher, and this horse doesn't need that, as stated horse needs more leg and more "jump" in the canter.


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## jaydee (May 10, 2012)

The horse carries himself like a typical quarter horse, if you're aiming at dressage you do need to shorten up your reins and get his front end up but if you're aiming at AQHA english classes then the reins are longer and the head lower
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cPO4IiAotW0
I really like that at least you're trying to canter in full seat in this sort of schooling situation and not in half seat or 2 point
I also paused the video several times and really I'm not seeing a horrible 'chair seat', your legs do drift a couple of times but not a huge amount. If you sat up more and got your bum down on the saddle I think the line drawn between shoulder/hip/heel wouldn't be too far out


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## TessaMay (Jul 26, 2013)

Waiting for someone to realize the original post is two years old...


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## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)

JustDressageIt said:


> Really, OP, if the only response you're giving people who take time out of their busy days to reply is "bumping" then you won't get many replies at all.
> I'm regretting taking time out to reply when it's very obviously not appreciated. I don't feel that it would be prudent for me to reply further to your threads, and many other people see your lack of reply and will not bother replying themselves.
> If you want pats on the back, post in the video section.
> Eta- here's a thread showing a gracious OP that actually wants to learn. http://www.horseforum.com/horse-riding-critique/jumping-new-trainer-better-worse-137673
> ...


Yep. this thread is old. However, I'd like to point out that members are under no obligation to come back and make a response to even the most time consuming and thoughtful response to a request for a crititque. it IS, however, very bad form to not respond, and to only "bump" to solicit more, and will give you a "rep" as someone not worth giving your time to, but it is not against any forum rules to do so.


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