# Flat Critique on Thumper



## anrz (Dec 21, 2008)

Trotting some more...









Cantering...
















I don't usually rest my inside hand on my thigh, it's just what works with Thumper. At the moment, when you don't do that he doesn't balance himself out and just speeds up and up and up until he is out of control. I'm not saying that that is the only reason he's improved, but it helps a lot with him. You can feel the difference right away when you do that with him. Thanks in advance for critiques!


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## morganshow11 (Dec 19, 2008)

What that red spot on thumpers face(you can see it best in the third pic)


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## MyBoyPuck (Mar 27, 2009)

You know why your hand on your hip works for Thumper not speeding up? (love that name by the way) See how when you bring that hand back, it lifts up your inside shoulder a little bit and flexes his head to the inside a hair? Flexing his head to the inside helps put his weight in the proper place and keeps him balanced, and lifting your inside shoulder frees up his inside shoulder to allow him to canter without you blocking his inside shoulder. 

Position looks great except for cantering ones where you're in a bit of a chair seat and hollowing your back a little. Try tucking your tailbone under a little more and think about relaxing your lower back. (easier said than done especially if you're riding a missile). Looks like you might still be waiting for him to take off a little.

I bet, if you start riding him in frequent transitions, you'll find his balance improves even more and you'll be able to shorten your reins a little to get him more supple on the bit. Obviously if you in the pleasure disciplines that involve long reins, just ignore this paragraph.


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## anrz (Dec 21, 2008)

Morganshow- the red thing is his tag. The barn I ride at has at least 16 lesson horses, and it's way too easy for bridles and halters and saddles to get mixed up. So the bridles and halters have name tags, and the saddles have tags with numbers.

MyBoyPuck- I always have a problem with a chair seat. Today I was working on that in the trot, and I forgot to work on that at the canter. Yeah, my reins are too long. The problem is that when the reins are shortened a little, he tenses up and speeds. I agree with the last paragraph, though. I think he tenses up because he expects riders to be pulling back on him WAY too much. He's a speeding bullet if you don't ride him exactly right and I've seen people ride him and they shorten their reins far too much and pull back, which just gives him something to brace against, and he sticks his head in the air to try and evade the bit, and it's just a vicious cycle. (I have done the same thing- I'm not trying to place the blame on other riders; it happens when you expect him to speed up. I've been working on relaxing so I don't do that now). Thanks for the critique! By the way- I love the picture under your username- the horse is gorgeous and it's a great photo!


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## morganshow11 (Dec 19, 2008)

Oh lol. It looked like blood or somthing.


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## anrz (Dec 21, 2008)

Sadly, I'm not going to be able to ride for another week so I won't be able to work on the things you guys suggested for a while . I hope to ride out of lessons the three days the week after next, though, and I have two lessons scheduled so hopefully I will get back into riding a lot! Do you guys have any suggestions for keeping my legs under me? Exercises and such?


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## MyBoyPuck (Mar 27, 2009)

Unfortunately I think the chair seat has something to do with a weak core. (stomach muscles) I'm not sure how much it really has to do with legs. I started doing pilates to strengthen my stomach muscles. I've always struggled with chair seat and am hoping a stronger core will help.


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## anrz (Dec 21, 2008)

Alright, that makes sense. I've done Pilates before, and usually do an ab work-out when I can't ride, but I've been slacking off lately . I'll have to get back into that.


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## SFMoneyMarket (Sep 20, 2008)

I know that you said that Thumper tenses up when you shorten your reins, and that riding with your hands in your lap actually helps you, but I've been there too. I think you should try to shorten your reins up a bit, but instead of having them too far back, try to put them forward a bit. It should have the same result, but will look much neater, and eventually will teach him that just because you have a short rein, doesn't mean you will tear on his mouth. Unfortunatley, this is a common problem with lesson horses. If you get him to relax with a shorter rein, you can eventually work on bending and working him onto the bit.

I think you look pretty good, and you and Thumper are a good pair. The no-stirrup work is defiantley a good idea to help you with your chair seat. Another way to fix that, is to shorten your stirrups up a hole or two. It may be uncomfortable, but it will strengthen your leg muscles, and when you do go back to a longer stirrup length, you will be able to hold your legs back in the proper position. Other than that, bend your elbows a bit.

On the great side, it's nice to see that you are sitting up tall, and looking where you are going, instead of down at the horse.

You guys are a cute pair!


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## anrz (Dec 21, 2008)

I'll try shortening my stirrups- that sounds like it will help. Do you think that I should gradually shorten my reins, or just ride with them short using a light contact? I really want to try that, because I don't want to get in a habit of riding with my hands in my lap all the time.


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## SFMoneyMarket (Sep 20, 2008)

It does help =] I have reallyyy long legs and I used to have a terrible chairseat, but I shortened my stirrups up for a long time, and although it was uncomfortable at first, it really got my legs strong, and now I've dropped them again and I can hold my leg in the proper head-hip-heel posture.

As far as the reins go, I would try shortening them, but keeping a light contact. Your right, it is very easy to get into the habit of riding with your reins in your lap, I had to break that habit too. Shorten your reins up, but lift your hands and have them at the crest of her neck to keep a very light contact. You should be able to feel if she licks the bit, or moves at all. She may fight you, but it will be worth it over time. Just to show how well this advice works over time, this is me and my horse over the course of the past year and a half.

My horse before:








My horse now:


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## anrz (Dec 21, 2008)

I'll be sure to do that. It looks like it made a HUGE difference with your horse. I'm really excited to ride him on Saturday because I've been gone this past week. I've been riding him like four times a week this summer, and when I was gone I missed him so much . [Sorry that it's kind of off-topic]. I want to ride him in a schooling show in a couple of weeks, and I was wondering if from the pictures that are posted you could suggest anything to work on (other than what you guys have already said)? I want to ride him in Walk/Trot Equitation and maybe the Intro A and B dressage tests. I want to get him to relax more and start to slow down, and I know the first step to that is keeping myself relaxed.


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