# Please Critque my jumping. horse and rider!



## Mehtala09 (Jan 25, 2010)

bump??


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## Hunterjumper7654 (May 28, 2010)

Ok so this is my first Critque so take it with a grain of salt till the big wig's come in. 
So with the first picture it looks as if your mount got a bad distance or got a little too deep but I could be wrong. Your position has slipped. Your leg is behind you causing you to fall on his neck. You're pinching with your knee and your weight is in your toe not your heel. You are looking forward and not down and your back looks nice and flat. 

Picture number two, I can't tell much from the angle but you look more solid and I really love your horse's expression over the fence, Your looking up and forward to the next fence. 

Number three it looks like your leg hasn't slipped as far behind you but still has slipped back. I think that's do too pinching with the knee. Maybe try working with no irons and working on your half seat with out them. 

Number four looks like another odd distance maybe? You're looking down! Don't look down! xD It looks like maybe you got left behind a bit do too your face and hands, your not following your horse over the fence it looks like you're trying to play catch up with his movement and stay with him. 

I guess that's all I can critque on, I hope that helped maybe a little. 

-Bethany.


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## maura (Nov 21, 2009)

The Paint has lovely, spectacular jumping form but is NOT an eq prospect. 
Too round and thrusty a jumper. The best eq horses are fairly flat jumpers, allowing the rider to maintain their position and not make big moves. The Paint might make a great jumper or event prospect, or hunter prospect on a local circuit or unrated division with no color prejudice. Love how tight and careful that front end is, and how even and well-engaged he is behind. 

The bay with the watch eye is a nice hunter type and seems to have the attitude, but needs to tighten up below the knee. 

The grey is jumping way over his shoulder and showing less than stellar form. Appears relaxed and attentive, and I can't tell from the angle of the photo whether he took off very close tot he fence. 

I am curious as to why these very green horses are jumping single fences? Or has the paint jumped before, just with someone else?

You appear to be a capable, sympathetic rider, however, you're showing a few bad habits that will limit your progress. You're pivoting on your knee and losing your lower leg in the air, which robs you of security and pushes you too far forward in the landing. The open fingers in the second photo are also a probem - more than a few riders have broken this habit by breaking fingers when the horse stumbles or pecks on landing; a few more have broken the habit after dropping a rein.


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## Mehtala09 (Jan 25, 2010)

The paint has jumped ALOT! He's dumbing down for me, the bay jumps 2'9'' courses easily and the grey was at a show... Thank you both! I am definetly trying to work on my leg these lazy horses are taking quite a work out willl try and get video! Thanks again


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## Mckellar (Apr 18, 2012)

I think you have placed these horses as prospects in the right category, your not trying to make the horse something it's not. I can't see very well but the paint would make a GREAT medal horse, great big jump for it which goes with the eq. Portion. You want medal horses to have a big jump and defiantly not flat!


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## maura (Nov 21, 2009)

Huh? What medal are you talking about? Medal/Maclay? USEF Medal?

Google photos of horses in those classes, or look on the BigEq.com sale horse site. 

A true equitation horse is an odd sort of specialist, and is supposed to make the rider look good. Most of the eq specialists do have a flat jump, the better to show off the rider's position. A truly good jumper, with a round, thrusty jump that really uses its back over a fence is not a good eq horse - good at just about everything else, just not a good eq horse. 

I think that Paint is spectacular, and I love his jumpig form, but think equitation is the one thing he's not suited for. Sure, you could show him in equitation as long as he's highly adjustable and ridable, but it wouldn't be a level playing field - the riders on the eq specialists who look like they barely move in the tack because of their horse's jumping style will show at an advantage. 

Maybe big eq is different in Canada?


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## Mckellar (Apr 18, 2012)

Eq is not different in Canada? Why on earth would it be different? That's a pretty snarky comment. Did I say big eq?? Nope.


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## maura (Nov 21, 2009)

Wasn't meant to be snarky, I'm legitimately confused, and I'm wondering if the reason for our very different opinions isn't that showing might be different in our respective regions. 

I have never, ever heard of a round, thrusty jumper being refered to as a good eq horse, or a "great big jump for it which goes with the eq. Portion. You want medal horses to have a big jump and defiantly not flat! " 

You didn't say "big eq" but you did say Medal. Medal = big eq, at least in my area. And I referred to the "Big Eq" website simply because it's a place to see photos of a lot of equitation horses, all of which are jumping fairly flat. 

So if there's a difference in the way equitation is judged in your area, and that somehow judges reward the trips with the rounder, thrustier jumpers, I am genuinely interested in knowing about it, no snark intended.


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## maura (Nov 21, 2009)

Pretty good explanation here -

What makes a horse a good equitation horse? - Yahoo! Answers

and from here

Horse Show Jumping

"Hunt seat equitation classes judge the rider only, including his or her position on the flat and over fences and overall effectiveness while riding. *The ideal equitation mount has less bascule then the show hunter, because it is easier for a rider to maintain the correct jumping position on a "flatter" horse that does not throw the rider out of the saddle when it jumps. "*


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## Mckellar (Apr 18, 2012)

Well, I knew that but I guess I'll take my comment back. The OP said a jumper - eq. prospect, so I was also trying to go with what she had wanted for the horse. I don't think the horse could do big eq, but there are many smaller medals/ jumper medals - thats what I was thinking of, not Maclay. 

Anyway, comment withdrawl...Sorry for the confusion :S


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