# Critique us from the show



## Dumas'_Grrrl (Apr 2, 2008)

I don't know squat about critiquing what you are doing...What I see is a gal out there doing what she loves with a smile on her face and a horse with a good attitude!!!!! GOOD JOB!


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## Carrie (Aug 22, 2008)

I don't know anything either, except that the two of you look great out there...and I see some ribbons, so couldn't be that bad!!


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## SonnyWimps (Feb 22, 2008)

thanks both of you! I did have a blast and Sonny gave me more than his all and I was totally dumbfounded by the way he was. I placed in all classes that I entered and I think we did a pretty good job. I didn't think we deserved second on Pairs though lol....unless the person that got third was realllllllly bad


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## Painted Ride (Jun 30, 2008)

hey...yall dont look bad but your hand is too high!!!think of it as your giving a gift to your horse. legs closer to your horse. shoulders back sit up straight. dont let that judge see you grab your hat  !! put a paper towel in the inner brim, oldest trick in the book!!!! your horse looks good except him nose is out too far. try a martingale or draw reins. keep up the awsome work!!!good luck


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## Harlee rides horses (Jan 13, 2008)

Just some tips since you look good for your first show!!

Sit up a little bit more, 
try to point your toes in towards his nose,
pull your shoulders back, 
and chin up!


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## Arrow (Jul 21, 2008)

Sonny looks nice and relaxed, you look quiet and confident, good job!

You are riding chair seat a bit. Stand in your stirrups and really get you feet under you, then sit down straight down. Get used to what it feels like--one thing I do is just randomly stand in my stirrups when I think that my butt is going back and my feet are going forward, then sit back down to get back in position. You need to develop a centered seat.

One way to think of it is this--if your horse shot forward suddenly, would you land on your feet or your butt? With a centered seat, you'll probably stay with him better--you need to put your center of gravity right on top of his...whatever you call it at his girth--the place he spins around, I guess that's his center of gravity, too. Think of the area from your belly button through the top of your thighs as welded to the place you girth him up--that part of you and that part of him are all one piece. When you balance right there, you can stay with the horse wherever he goes because you're always right there with him.

When you ride with a chair seat, you are behind his center of gravity, and you're more likely to hit the dirt right on your butt if something goes wrong.

Don't know if I explained that well...

You both look good for your first time in the ring, though!


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## SonnyWimps (Feb 22, 2008)

> try a martingale or draw reins.


Okay I'm not going to start an arguement, but IMO martingales and draw reins are cruel and I will NOT for any reason use them. They do more harm than good, in my opinion.



> You are riding chair seat a bit. Stand in your stirrups and really get you feet under you, then sit down straight down. Get used to what it feels like--one thing I do is just randomly stand in my stirrups when I think that my butt is going back and my feet are going forward, then sit back down to get back in position. You need to develop a centered seat.


That's the main difference in equitation riding and fluidity riding, you are sitting on your tail bone, which is your center of balance...when you are balanced your horse will be also. If you are sitting on your croutch you aren't on your balance point and any sharp movement will make you loose your balance. 




> dont let that judge see you grab your hat


Yeah and sadly that part was for equitation also lol. The hat was bigger on me than I thought it was, but didn't realize it until the first class lol. I got it fixed after that though.
How does the paper towel thing work? I know it does, but exactly how? hehe


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## Arrow (Jul 21, 2008)

Well since I almost never lose my balance, I'd have to disagree with you. I fell off once bareback--my third bareback ride after 25 years off, when I'd only had Arrow for 2 months; and I fell off once last fall when Arrow slipped on mud and almost went down himself. That's it--a year and a half of riding, 5 days a week, 10 months of it with a bareback pad, no stirrups, on a horse that can shy bigger than you would believe. I think I know a little about how to balance on the top of a horse. I ride trails only--up and down hills, through steams, across rocks, etc.

But ride as you think best.


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## SonnyWimps (Feb 22, 2008)

I'm not saying that your wrong...but as I said on the first thing, I don't do equitation riding, I do fluidity riding, so the form, etc is alot different than regular riding, but I find it's more comfortable not only for me, but for Sonny as well.

Mainly I can't balance where equitation riding (normal riding) is....so fluidity riding is best for me because I can actually balance on a horse bareback. But I normally don't use a bareback pad or anything. Normally if I ride bareback it's with no pad, and in either a halter and lead rope or nothing on at all just a rope around his neck.........well won't be a rope anymore cause he broke it today.....he was naughty. He took off having a fit because I wouldn't let him follow his buddy, so he took off when I asked him to do a circle...and he wouldn't stop lol


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## Arrow (Jul 21, 2008)

I used a pad because I'm old! 44! I rode bareback with no pad for 7 years in my teens--that's why I have such a great seat. I can still ride bareback classic--and I've ridden out big shys on Arrow with no pad, no nothing--but at my age, the horse just seems a lot more slippery than I remember from my teenage years!

I don't do "equitation riding"--what the heck is that exactly? I don't show or anything--I just ride my horse in a centered way, and I feel like part of him. I googled fluidity riding and saw Linda Parelli's article about it--well all those feelings she describes, being in harmony with your horse, etc.--I achieve all that with centered riding. Nowhere in that article did I read that she recommended a chair seat--though I skimmed it. My seat comes from riding bareback almost exclusively out on the trails from the age of 10 to the age of 17--no equitation lessons required. No roundpens back in the 1970s--though they are all the rage these days.

So you can ride in a roundpen with no pad and no bridle, that's great, I guess. Can you ride on the trail for hours on end, at all speeds, through all terrain, and ride out all the spooks, and get your horse to go through whatever scares him initially? That's riding in my book.

If you and Sonny are comfortable, and if you are gaining confidence and improving all the time--then continue on as you are going. Your bareback pics are great--congratulations on making so much progress! You look happy and confident, and Sonny looks relaxed--that's all that really matters, isn't it?

The only thing I didn't like was you quoting me and telling me that my kind of riding means I'll lose my balance if the horse does something unexpected--that's clearly untrue.


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## Delregans Way (Sep 11, 2007)

SonnyWimps said:


> I'm not saying that your wrong...but as I said on the first thing, I don't do equitation riding, I do fluidity riding, so the form, etc is alot different than regular riding, but I find it's more comfortable not only for me, but for Sonny as well.
> 
> Mainly I can't balance where equitation riding (normal riding) is....so fluidity riding is best for me because I can actually balance on a horse bareback. But I normally don't use a bareback pad or anything. Normally if I ride bareback it's with no pad, and in either a halter and lead rope or nothing on at all just a rope around his neck.........well won't be a rope anymore cause he broke it today.....he was naughty. He took off having a fit because I wouldn't let him follow his buddy, so he took off when I asked him to do a circle...and he wouldn't stop lol


Sonny Wimps, no matter what disipline you do, all require you to have a centre of balance, and a strong pelvic seat (if that makes the slightest sense?? LOL). 

Im sorry, but I dont care if you do other forms of riding, riding is riding, and with that sort of attitude "I dont do equtation" is going to get you no where is your riding career. So Step off your high seat for a while and listen to what other people are saying, and try to work on it. Everyone is capable of being a good rider, its those who strive to improve, and listen to others that get that final result. 

Im not being rude, but iv tried to be understanding to you in the past and it doesnt work.


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## lolayla (Jul 25, 2008)

i just wanted to comment that you (OP) said that you ride on your seat bone. this is correct but you should still be able to do this without being in a chairseat. you just need to have your heels lined up with your shoulders and hips and you position will be much better


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## farmpony84 (Apr 21, 2008)

Sonny, 

You have a very nice presentation, you put together a nice outfit and picked colors that compliment your horse. Good job on that.

Now for the critique, sonny isn't quite on the bit yet but I do see a lot of improvement. his jog is not bad, if you look at the pix where his head is higher, you'll notice at those points he's moving off his front end. I know you don't like training devices so I won't suggest those, what I will suggest (when you are riding w/ a bridle) is that you back up one step before asking for the trot or canter. I mean, ask him to back and then IMMEDIATELY jog or canter. he will move from his rear instead of his front end but you do need to get him on the bit a little more. 

I always use my chaps for equitation classes, they should have been allowed. Now, your seat. You are on your pockets which is where you need to be but I think your stirrups are about one, maybe 2 holes too short which is part of why you are so chair seated. You can sit on your pockets and still move your leg behind the girth. 

Also, never, EVER fix your hat in the showring... bad bad girl! I don't think you are terribly slouchie, My favorite pic is the fourth one. He looks great. I'm glad you had a blast, you've come MILES since you left that other barn. Do you take lessons at this new barn?


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## SonnyWimps (Feb 22, 2008)

the reason why I had to fix my had was because if I didn't it would have been on the ground...and since it wasn't _my_ hat I'd rather get marked off for that then get the hat dirty or possibly ruined by having it fall off....and either way I'm sure I'd get marked off for it.

I do agree that my stirrups are a tad bit too short, but I didn't realize it until last night when I rode in my saddle after Sonny took off with me (yeah he got mad at me lol), and I realized how short they really were. I will be lowering them for next time I ride in it.

I know he's not on the bit, but at the moment I'm working more on listening, keeping his neck low, and having slow gaits....after that I'll work on getting on the bit. He's been good about keeping his head down low....I realize now the reason he raises his neck up is because I am bothering him. I'm guessing he has a REALLLLLY sensitive back...not in a bad way, but he really can feel my every move and if I'm bouncing or not moving with him he throws up his neck


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