# Critique Hunter Thoroughbred on Flat



## greentree (Feb 27, 2013)

He is awfully stiff looking. I am sorry to say that he moves like my DSLD mare.


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## LoveTheSaddlebreds (Jul 9, 2009)

greentree said:


> He is awfully stiff looking. I am sorry to say that he moves like my DSLD mare.


I'm not familiar with what that is..

I was supposed to walk him for a few weeks then slowly bring him back into work. I was told consistent light work would be good for him as far as healing goes, but does he look really bad? I might hold off on cantering..


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## MyBoyPuck (Mar 27, 2009)

The thing I notice most is he stays dead straight in the body. When you ask for direction, he will bend only his neck and leave his body stiff and straight. I would do lots of suppleng exercises with him at the walk to get him bending more around your leg. It will also help him reach more into the bridle. In the video he starts to reach and then quickly pops back up. Do you know if his teeth have been done recently?

You already know your flaws. Your hands are low, but I've seen much much worse. At least you know you're doing it. I wouldn't worry too much about his being stiff. Coming off an injury and 4 years as a pasture ornament, I would not expect anything else for now.


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## LoveTheSaddlebreds (Jul 9, 2009)

MyBoyPuck said:


> The thing I notice most is he stays dead straight in the body. When you ask for direction, he will bend only his neck and leave his body stiff and straight. I would do lots of suppling exercises with him at the walk to get him bending more around your leg. It will also help him reach more into the bridle. In the video he starts to reach and then quickly pops back up. Do you know if his teeth have been done recently?
> 
> You already know your flaws. Your hands are low, but I've seen much much worse. At least you know you're doing it. I wouldn't worry too much about his being stiff. Coming off an injury and 4 years as a pasture ornament, I would not expect anything else for now.


His owner said he wouldn't need his teeth done til summer, but when he gets spring shots I could have them looked at. I actually do a lot of suppling work, but I suppose I'll have to do more! Do you think cantering would help or hurt?


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## MyBoyPuck (Mar 27, 2009)

The way he's flipping his head around at the canter tells me he's not ready for it just yet. Get some more muscle on him at the walk & trot and wait until he's feeling loose and supple. Better to go a little too slowly than go backwards.


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## Yogiwick (Sep 30, 2013)

Has the vet given a plan for building him back into work? I would ask for one.

He seems like a good boy.


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## LoveTheSaddlebreds (Jul 9, 2009)

Yogiwick said:


> Has the vet given a plan for building him back into work? I would ask for one.
> 
> He seems like a good boy.


No they didn't really. I can ask about what they recommend. Just said trotting would be hardest for him and to work lightly but consistently. 

I've been trying to end on good notes only. The first couple rides were only 10min long as he was super high strung and I ended with him just walking calmly. I think always ending with something good has really put him in a good frame of mind. He really is nice to work with undersaddle. He's got such a good work ethic and is really honest and happy to do his job. I think he missed having something to do. It's been really hard working on his anxiety, but patience has worked wonders on him so far. 

As for his stiffness, he's 15 and hasn't done anything in years and he just got injured, so I will take it slow. Would a chiropractor help do you think?


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## DanteDressageNerd (Mar 12, 2015)

You can see he is stiff but he gets looser as he goes on which is good. I remember when I'd first started rehabbing a horse I would start by trotting down long sides as circles and bends put more stress on the joints and ligaments, as the muscles aren't strong enough to support the supportive structures (ligaments/tendons/joints). I would spend a good month or so doing just walk and trot, canter would depend on the horse and when they are ready. With rehab I'm big on there is no rush, take your time and you will have lasting results. I've seen riders fail at bringing their horses back because they want too much, too soon and then I'd rehab them. Balance is a big help on bringing a horse back. I would work a lot in the walk on feeling a connection to his mouth and getting him to bend around your inside leg and leg yield him a step or two to help with the balance. I'd get a feel for the outside rein to balance because if you bend to the inside, you need enough support with the outside to maintain balance. I usually half halt on the outside rein in the walk when I feel the inside hind leg leave the ground, when you're trotting when you are in the up position of your post. In canter when your hip slides forward. I also for bend lift up the inside rein while I leave the outside rein steady and elastic like a side rein though sometimes I half halt on that to say hey remember soften and then once the horse does return the hand to its original position.

You're doing a good job. You should be proud of yourself. I don't often critique equitation unless something is obviously bad because I've seen professionals who have been quite successful that ride "ugly" but they're effective and their horses always go well. This isn't to say it's not important, I just feel there are other things to focus on. In a perfect world we'd all ride with perfect, classical equitation.


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## LoveTheSaddlebreds (Jul 9, 2009)

Are there particular exercises I should focus on today during our ride? If it's not too muddy, I was going to try to go on a long walk out of the arena. Though that may be a bit ambitious as he gets a bit nervous out by himself haha (all the more reason to do it, right?)


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## DanteDressageNerd (Mar 12, 2015)

For exercises when trotting down the long side I would leg yield a 2 or 3 steps off the track and 2 or 3 steps back to the track but gradually and with clear bend for the leg yield. I'd then walk the corners but keep it an active walk, then trot the long side and do a shallow loop but very shallow, maybe 3 or 4ft from the track at the steepest point then back and gradual. The challenge of some bend is good for them but without the pressure. You can also try posting bigger with your hip on the side that is injured, you have to compensate for that weakness, stiffness, lack of elasticity they have to make them appear more even. I had a hanoverian gelding I rehabbed (I didn't own him) and in a clinic that was one of the things the instructor emphasized quite a lot but he was also on month 8 or 9 of being back to work and he could use his left hind more than he thought he could.

I'd also try to do some stretches (don't go for how deep the stretch is but just a little bit and listen to them). I found it very helpful, I'd also massage them but if you don't feel comfortable doing that, I wouldn't because you can hurt them if you don't know what you're doing. But doing a little more currying and extra grooming is helpful too, helps with circulation, blood flow, it's relaxing and good for them.


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## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)

it looks to me like you are still getting to know his feel and his rythm. he might be stiff, but he's got a good consistent rythm in the trot, and seem to have a good work ethic. I think he will mature very nicely, as you will become more stable in time, too.

I feel like your stability is a bit iffy at times. it looks a bit like you lean forward, or fall forward some times. and since you have your hands angled downward, you are pullin down on the rein when he is reacting by going up . this sort of position, where the elbows become locked in too open of a position, the thumbs are rolled down and there is a downward orientation and rolled forward shoulder and body over the core , and you often looking down, too . . . all lead to the horse hollowing out more, and reacting defensively to the downward pull of the rein.

I know that in parts of the video you were riding on a very loose rein, so I'm not trying to say that you are being harsh on his mouth. but, rather that it seems you are tryin to get him to keep his head down by putting your hands down to counter that. He will only counter THAT by raising his own.

I would suggest that you radically raise your hands, and maintain a supportive contact, especially on his outside rein. or, give him a super loose rein and put your own hands on either you stomach, or on his withers so that you can resist the temptation to pull them downward.

also, would you feel ok/better with stirrups down one hole?


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## LoveTheSaddlebreds (Jul 9, 2009)

tinyliny said:


> it looks to me like you are still getting to know his feel and his rythm. he might be stiff, but he's got a good consistent rythm in the trot, and seem to have a good work ethic. I think he will mature very nicely, as you will become more stable in time, too.
> 
> I feel like your stability is a bit iffy at times. it looks a bit like you lean forward, or fall forward some times. and since you have your hands angled downward, you are pullin down on the rein when he is reacting by going up . this sort of position, where the elbows become locked in too open of a position, the thumbs are rolled down and there is a downward orientation and rolled forward shoulder and body over the core , and you often looking down, too . . . all lead to the horse hollowing out more, and reacting defensively to the downward pull of the rein.
> 
> ...


My equitation decline is due to not having anyone correct me in a long time. I don't pull him into contact, I push him into it, but my hands are WAY too low and I agree with everything you've said. After seeing this, I'm much more aware of it and have been trying to fix it.


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## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)

consider "inviting " him into contact. my feeling is to invite a horse into contact , you start where he is first. if his head is high, you go up with him and continue asking, becuase he thinks that going up is a way out. so, you keep inviting him at the same angle , meaning you raise your hands so that him raising his head does not give him a release, nor change the angle of the elbow, to rein to bit line.

I realize this sounds kind of woo-woo. but, it can sometimes be helpful to keep such words in your mind when YOu are working with him, more for your own attitude, to keep it friendly and positive. instead of thinking of pushing and forcing him forward, thinking of it as inviting him has a whole different feel. horse pick up on this, I guarantee you.


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## kapbob8 (Mar 18, 2015)

I noticed that you look a little off balance. When you turn, you lean into the circle with your upper body, your shoulder drops, and so does your chin. I always found that a centered rider makes for a well balanced horse. Also it would make you look more confident with a higher chin and straighter back. The horse looks a little stiff and I think if you did some slow seated trotting and had him stretch down it may help him, gradually increasing speed to where you want every week.


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## CSAshley (Mar 21, 2015)

Your equitation is really not that bad, I would just try to work on your hand position and heels position by stretching it out. I've just started working on stretching my heels and it has helped a lot with my balance and such.
Also just a tip I've picked up while riding is when trying to get a horse to stretch down to open your rein a bit and try to push them into it and if they refuse with going into the bit and are resistant to your hand to resist back and make a fist and raise your hands until they are soft again in the mouth accept the bit and stretch forward into the contact.
I have seen way too many people ask their horse to move forward into the bit and the horse resists so they drop the reins which teaches the horse that resistance equals release. It may take a while for a horse to learn that resisting won't equal release but it is well worth it after they learn. This is just something I see riders at my own barn do and that I used to do but it will really help with your flatwork.


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## RMorr1177 (Mar 24, 2015)

He's not terrible for not being in shape or ridden for a long period of time. I would recommend getting him to bend around turns, this means I would do a lot of circles and serpentines to really start getting him to be more supple. About 3 min into the video his head got better at the trot. To work on the trot, I would lift your hands and upper body up, maybe widen your hands a bit, slow your posting, and push slightly asking for a bigger step to maybe get his head and neck to go into the more relaxed state. It will just take time and build up of muscling. Again with the canter I would work on just getting him to loosen up.

An exercise I use is to work on a figure 8 not changing directions each time, but after doing a circle where the horse is bending properly then changing direction and trying to get the same response. By doing this 1. you always have the attention of your horse and 2. your horse becomes more supple.


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## Valentina (Jul 27, 2009)

what I saw (stopped and started video many times):


hands too wide apart. That means the bit has a more severe action on the horses mouth. 
Sometimes arms "moved" during posting. Instead open elbows as you rise and close them as you sit. Once you do this you'll experience less head tossing (pulling on reins) and you'll be able to establish more contact (i.e. shorter reins with constant "feel" of everything you tell horses to do and how horse reacts). Reins too loose now but before you shorten them you need to learn the elbow thing to establish a steadier contact. 
Rider looking down (at times), and rounding shoulders 
Rider too far forward at canter and "pumping/standing in stirrups at times (saw this when I stopped and your but was in the air). Once your butt leaves the saddle you can no longer effectively use that part of your body to influence the horses movement/actions.


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