# Another Critique Request!



## Houston (Apr 15, 2012)

I still have a looooong way to go as a rider, but I hope I've improved (from here at least: http://www.horseforum.com/horse-riding-critique/mare-i-recent-lesson-477218/) and will continue to do so.

I've been getting lessons from an amazing Dressage trainer/instructor who has helped me quite a bit. She has also put a few rides on Dory (and even two made a HUGE difference). Unfortunately I'm short on money, although I just found a nice new part time, so will have to pause until March.

My mare Dory has certainly improved. Her canter used to be a barrel race impression. I wouldn't have even posted it on here because it was terrible. And her left lead? It used to be impossible. She still makes mistakes (as you can see) but they are not easily corrected and I am very proud of my Dory.

I love constructive criticism- it helps me. I've posted here several times before and like hearing comments on what to improve on. I spend most of my time out on the trail and do endurance riding with Dory, but am trying to put more time in the arena to work on my skills as a rider. I would love to make it into the Sport Horse Under Saddle or even Dressage ring with her in the next year or two if possible.

Gosh, my hands are everywhere!

Here's the vid!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cS2SZpMjlcs


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## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)

there's so much to like about your riding, and your relationship with your horse that it's hard to critique. you are a very considerate rider, very sympathetic with your horse and very "allowing". this is step one.

the original horse whisperers say, 
first, "get with your horse". 
then, "get your horse with you". 

you've progressed rapidly, due to inate sensitivity and a willingness to work and learn, rapidly to the "get your horse with you" place. 
this is always an ongoing thing and a matter of balance of you meeting your horse where she needs you to be, and you asking your horse to COME to you, where you want her to be. keep working at his, and you'll become closer and closer. you are a simply delightful pair.

now, to concrete things . . .

relax a bit. center yourself with breathing and visualization. your horse is strung out becuase she does not have enough "center" to come back to. so, you need to sneak that in to your riding. when you feel her willing to listen to your hand, then sort of center yourself visually, and with your breath, to your core and your seat, and this will invite her to join you there. when she does, you kind of "float" with her , and if thing go really good, after several steps of her "coming" back to you, you give her the rein, and let her walk out, and praise her , and let her bask in the glory of having pleased you .

I know that sounds really ephemeral, but next time you ride, really stop worrying about this or that lead, and get really centered in your core, and when things just feel right, ask her, with rein and belly, to come to you, and YOU set the speed, for 3 or 4 strides, and then reward her like hell!


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## Houston (Apr 15, 2012)

Tinyliny you have always been a big help with critiquing my ride videos and I really appreciate it!

Someone the other day said to me, "put your butt down and sit deeper!" while cantering so I think she was saying something similar to what you are mentioning. I think I tend to ride a little more forward (I used to be WAY too forward and that's one of the biggest things I've tried to change about my riding) which may be throwing my mare off. And I definitely need to relax my body more! Sometimes I literally stop breathing. 

I think if "center" myself like you recommend, sit deeper, and BREATHE, then her canter will improve. It already has since I've progressively brought my body and seat back and down.

Thanks again!



Houston said:


> And her left lead? It used to be impossible. She still makes mistakes (as you can see) but they are not easily corrected and I am very proud of my Dory.


_Typo! This is supposed to say they ARE easily corrected._


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## TXhorseman (May 29, 2014)

Your riding is already better than that of many others, Houston, but there is always room for improvement. Tinyliny has provided some sound advice. 

[By the way, tiinyliny, I like the horsewhisperer quote you provided.]

I would like to add some ideas which might help.

You may have simply been cantering circles for the sake of the video, but I would suggest taking the horse wider so you don't need to think about turning for the moment. Also, as tinyliny suggested, don't worry about what lead the horse is in for now.

The canter is a flowing gait. Try to flow with it. Look out in front of your horse where you want to be. We all seem to have the tendency to look down at our horse or are hands which can trow us off balance and cause us to tighten our focus which tends to tighten our muscles.

Try to release the tension in your muscles. Let all of your joints move freely as though they were well oiled gears. Allow your pelvis, especially, to rock with your horse's movements as your body remains essentially upright. The best analogy I can think of is sitting on a bench in a boat looking forward. The boat rises up on oncoming swells and slides down into the trough between the swells and rises on the next swell. The front of the boat tilts up and down, and your pelvis follows this action while your torso remains upright to maintain balance over your hips.

Working on such relaxed freedom of motion should also help your shoulders and arms relax so your hands can better follow the motion of your horse's head.


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## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)

my comments were kind of woo-woo. so, yeah, sitting more into your saddle, breathing more into you core, and being calm and centered is what you want to say to yourself when you start the canter. ease into it and invite your horse to join you there. if she is used to rushing around, and having you kind of tolerate that, you'll want to not turn that off like a light switch, but rather you start out cantering in HER way, then you think , 'sit down, relax, breath' and invite with this calmness and core strenght and I bet you'll feel a change in her way of going. 

that's when you got her with you, and you go together a bit, and then reward, hopefully before she gets rushy and leaves you again.


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## frlsgirl (Aug 6, 2013)

Have you tried opening your hip angle a little more? That usually helps to get your pelvis in the upright position. If your hip flexors are tight, this can be a little uncomfortable. Is the saddle balanced on your horse? If it's tipped forward, that will cause you to tip forward as well. Overall, nice job


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## Houston (Apr 15, 2012)

Thanks guys!

Yesterday I cantered on the rail so I wouldn't have to worry about direction too much. I tried to sit back and deeper, asked for some flexion/lightness in my hands (she has the tendency to pull), and did feel a change in her pace for a couple of strides but it was not consistent. That will take some work of course. At one point she lowered her head (perhaps lifted her back as well) and it was comfortable... well for a few strides! Her canter is not totally uncomfortable, but for some reason it tends to feel more "laborious" for her in the arena. On the trail it feels so much easier to sit.

Concentrated on relaxing and going with her movements. So easier said than done but I will continue to work on this!

frlsgirl I do have a major issue with tightness in my hip flexors. Perhaps some stretches will help me out.

Saddle fits great and I believe it is in the correct position (not to forward, not to far back). It is a Specialized Saddle brand was set to fit her. So comfy for me too!


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## myperuvianpaso (Feb 2, 2014)

You're a great rider and your horse is beautiful, and clearly appreciative of your riding style. She seems to pop her head up the entire time at the canter. I saw her try to put it down a couple of times and I don't know if you didn't release the rein to let her or if she changed her mind, but that's the only thing I would tell you to work on. That and looking ahead of you more. I saw you look down a lot. You're clearly an experienced rider!


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## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)

most horses canter happier on the trail, since they are "going somewhere". I have often found that cantering in an arena makes the horse all "bunched up". I don't know if it's ME , becuase I feel like we are going so fast in a confined space, or if it's them just worrying too much, and not focussing on what's in front of them.

the horse I am riding now has a canter that can be reasonable, or can be like riding a sewing machine. and, the more he compresses and goes UP , rather than reaches out, the more uncomfortable I am and the more I end up falling forward, which makes him bunch up , which makes me . . . . . get it?


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## Houston (Apr 15, 2012)

Thanks for the replies guys! 

myperuvianpaso thank you for the kind words! I'm not too experienced because I have a long way to go, but late this year or next year, aside from the endurance riding I'm doing now, I would like to start riding this mare in dressage or sport horse under saddle classes. After seeing my very experienced Dressage trainer ride her and make her look AMAZING, I think she has the potential to do rail classes or lower level dressage. I just need to get there as a rider. :lol: My trainer made it look like a cakewalk!

We are working on keeping her head in the appropriate position, which she usually does happily at the trot or walk but does shoot it up at the canter! And I totally look down way too much. Bad bad habit of mine. My old riding instructor said if I kept doing that, I'm going to end up where I'm looking (between her ears on the ground). :shock:

tinyliny this mare is much happier cantering on the trails. It feels long and at times nice and rounded. I can rate her speed great on the trails as well. I think it's like you said- either the horse or the rider (I know I do) feels more confined.


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## DanteDressageNerd (Mar 12, 2015)

All riders who care seem to be so hard on themselves. It is a great frustration to me (I do it too, we all do). Have faith is yourself and know that you're moving in a positive direction and that you have guidance from a good dressage trainer to help you. So step one relax and believe in yourself, don't be afraid to be mistakes. Think of them as training opportunities to better yourself. Take every opportunity from the experience you are given. You're very soft and considerate, always good traits and not something everyone has.

First I think it would really help to ride more accurate figures and paying close attention to figures, for example circles or going across the diagonal, etc. On a circle paying attention that you keep a constant bend in your circle shape will help you balance your mare and will help you learn to ride circles and turns more effectively. Riding circles and diagonals and loops it will give you more opportunities to ride them and figure out how to ride the balance. Also getting a consistent feel of both reins, shorten until you feel her mouth (occasionally widen your hands to get the consistent feel) then close them just so you have that connection and feel of her mouth. If a horse braces or gets tight I'll ride the body fo the horse first then I'll lift the rein they're bracing against to get them to soften to the bridle then give the horse that rein with a loop so they take the bit and don't brace against me. 

Note the outside rein and outside thigh are for controlling the outside shoulder and therefore steering, so that is something you could play around with. As well as imagining her wrapping around your leg through the turns. Also something to think about and play with when you're in the up position of your post in the trot use your inside leg and send her into the outside rein. Same with canter when your hip slides forward, that is the moment to use leg and half halt. When you capture that moment of the hind leg you will achieve balance.

And please give yourself more credit, you're on the right path.


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