# Horse and Rider Critique (video)



## Gingerrrrr (Feb 12, 2008)

okay im not a pro at critiquing by any means but i will try.

as you already mentioned your hunched over and when your trotting you seem to be flinging yourself out of the saddle. thats all i really see. very pretty horse btw!


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## equinkel (Oct 25, 2008)

When you say flinging.. do you mean I'm popping up too far, or too far forward?


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## jacken around (Oct 14, 2008)

I think maybe you should lengthen your stirrups they are to short which is pushing you forward and making you rise to high put them down a few holes and you will centre yourself more.
lovely boy he looks really comfortable


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## missy06 (Apr 5, 2008)

What I can see-

Trot: You seem to be pumping your body back and forth, instead of sitting deep and letting the motion of the trot push your pelvis forward and back. Posting should be a really gentle motion. You also seem to lift your hands a bit and turn your hands over (thumbs up!).

Canter: You've already covered the learning forward but you want to sit up and deep with the motion of the gait. You actually have a lovely lower leg position at the canter, but the learning forward makes it look like you're about to run down the track with him. I know you said he likes to track off of the rail at the canter, but you're also pushing your hands up his neck and loosening his rein as he's doing that, so you can't give him much direction that way.

Your guy's an absolute dreamboat  I really like him.


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## HorsesAreForever (Nov 9, 2007)

just curious did you use to ride western at any point??? Everything was mostly said.


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## equinkel (Oct 25, 2008)

Like I said before I have not been riding since I was a kid. My dad trained Race horses and we had a training facility in our back yard. I probably had 10 ponies at some point throughout my childhood. Sometimes I rode western, exercise saddle, bareback...I never had any technical training. 
One of the problems I'm having is that my horse is not very responsive to leg pressure so I feel like I have to get low in order to get good contract with my legs. I'm also looking down at his legs to see if he's on the correct lead etc...
I do appreciate the suggestions...


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## farmpony84 (Apr 21, 2008)

Your horse has alot of potential, he'll be really cute in the hunt circuit. I think you know most of your issues already and you are on the right track w/ a trainer...

I'll hit on the obvious, You know you are a little hunched at your shoulders. You are much too forward in my opinion at the canter. (But hunt riders are forward ...) I think you need to bring your heels down more, your feet are pushed too far forward in your stirrups....You just want to place the ball of your foot on the stirrup. It's pushed way up onto your arch. Now... Scoot forward in the saddle, keep your lower leg back, heels down and roll up onto your pelvis. You are allowing your legs to slide forward while you are attempting to ride in 2 point or jump position but it is throwing you off balance so you are doing alot of bouncing. 

I know that sounds bad but you actually arent doing horrible, especially for having had several years off. You mentioned that he's not listening to your leg... It's probalby because your leg is not strong yet. You probably feel like you are giving all of your leg to him, but you probably arent. Just keep working on your seat and balance and the rest will come.

Overall you guys are a really cute pair and I think you will do well together. Good luck!


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## BarneyBabby (Nov 18, 2008)

jacken around said:


> I think maybe you should lengthen your stirrups they are to short which is pushing you forward and making you rise to high put them down a few holes and you will centre yourself more.
> lovely boy he looks really comfortable


 
I couldnt agree more.


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## equinkel (Oct 25, 2008)

Good, I prefer the stirrups longer. My instructor was the one that told me to shorten. The longer the stirrup the easier it is to balance for me.


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## my2geldings (Feb 18, 2008)

Here are my suggestions. Sit up, bring your shoulders back, don't rise so far out of the saddle, sink your heal down and put the weight in your heal. I would shorten those stirrups a 1-2 holes at least. Grab more contact and push your horse forward. Not to be rude but from the video your instructor does not sound very good. Might work for very beginner riders but didn't sound like she was helping you much with you and your lovely horse.


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## equinkel (Oct 25, 2008)

I hear you on the instructor.....you're the first one to tell me to shorten the stirrups, everyone else said to lengthen them b/c I was coming up out of the saddle too much. Why do you think shortening is the better fix?


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## IrishRider (Aug 7, 2008)

I agree with shortening your stirrups. You need to have a better angle in you leg. Shortening your stirrups will help you sink into your heel as well. At least one hole, if not two. I recently moved mine up two holes and there was a world of difference.


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## farmpony84 (Apr 21, 2008)

I went back and watched the video again. I think you could stand to shorten your stirrups one hole. You do need to bring your leg back though and then you are way to tipped forward. SIT UP! 

I still think you are a cute team.


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## sonnysfirststar (Sep 14, 2008)

you remind me alot of me im 20 and up until a year ago never had a lesson im my life but still rode on and off since i was 12...dont get frustrated your issues are very very common.....first off dont forget to breathe take a deep breath and consentrate on sitting as tall as you can and gently roll your sholders back work on this at the walk but if your anything like me when you start to trot your all hunched again so instead of thinkin of posthing as an up and down motion just think of moving your hips forward and then back but keep sitting up while you do this....My horse use to fall in really bad at the canter and ignore my leg but as i began to sit up more and raised my hands just a bit i had alot more control of his body i dont know if i would recomend spurs at this time but in the future they may be an option but for now you need to work on rocking back just a little and using those legs to really get him to bend you guys look like a great team i like that he keeps his head low and out of the air but if you feel hanging on your hands and pulling you forward just gently squeeze the reins left hand right hand and so on he seems very patient and willing i wish you the best of luck and i hoped this will help you :wink:


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## jeddah31 (Jun 11, 2008)

Ok everyone has covered your position.

I can see that your horse isn't moving forwards very well..this will get better once your sitting up straight and are connected with him through your seat. 
At the moment your thrusting yourself forwards in rising trot. That's an unconsious attempt to get him to move more forwards. Avoid doing this, all it will do is throw him off balance, put your lower legs on use them. 

In canter your getting a bit to 'busy' with your riding, meaning your trying too hard and moving too much, mostly in your arms. The same thing here is happening with your arms that was happening in trot with your rising and sitting-your using your arms to ry to encourage him forwards by exaggerating your 'following' the canter.
Things like this need to be kept a tad more subtle, although it's good to see your not pulling on his mouth.

Work on some transitions. Walk, trot, walk, trot, canter etc. Vary things up to keep both of you thinking and the transitions will start to get him more responsive to your leg aids.

hope this helped


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## equinkel (Oct 25, 2008)

*Update since last video*

It's been awhile since I first posted my rider/horse critique. Here are some new videos. Feel free to comment and leave suggestions. Neither me or my horse have ever jumped before so suggested exercises would be nice too. Thanks!

1. left Canter




 
2. Right canter




 
3. trot poles




 
4. small cross rail 




 
5. original videos when I first got my horse. The dreaded "before" video.


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## 1dog3cats17rodents (Dec 7, 2007)

The one thing I se is, you seem to be "helping" the horse with your body too much at the canter. My mom does that too when her horse seems slow. In stead, sit back and _push_ your horse forward with you legs. This will make him extend more and you will be more still. Over all the improvement is very impressive, keep up the good work


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## mayfieldk (Mar 5, 2008)

You need to work on impulsion, bad. Your horse really seems to be laboring and struggling at the canter--actually, in the 'before' video it looked better. Push him out and bring his head up! When he looks at a jump and he pulls his head and neck up--that's where it should be, not down where it is.
He really needs to learn to move off your leg and get going somewhere with purpose, before you really start to tackle some jumps.


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## RockinTheBit07 (Jan 3, 2008)

I think you look a lot better!!! Big improvement! Sounds like your trainer is really helping you so keep it up! It will take time to get better. And your horse is gorgeous by the way:wink:.


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## equinkel (Oct 25, 2008)

Yes, i agree, ,we need some impulsion. After the video I gave him a day to rest and today I carried a crop and he was much more responsive. I felt him engageing his hindquarters today more in the canter...much better. 
For now I think I will continue with trot poles and small cross rails. Thanks for the suggestions.


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## librahorse94 (May 7, 2008)

I would say to steady your hands. And i think you may need to get a crop. hehe


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## ohmyitschelle (Aug 23, 2008)

Firstly, well done on the improvement, must feel great to know you've worked hard and got results!
I think your hands are unsteady. Like others have mentioned, you are working harder than your horse. In the canter your hands are basically going "release, pull, release, pull" and your horse is going ahh? I have a friend who does exactly the same. She's so busy encouraging the horse forward with her hands, that she's forgotten to drive her forward from her leg! Forget about using your hands to go with the motion (which you at times go against), put your leg on and PUSH him forward. Then when he's more engaged and lifting his canter, your hands can flow with the movement of the horse and not block him every stride.
I don't know why you lean forward in the trot, there is definite improvement, but your back looks too rounded to me. Like I said above, you're working harder than your horse. You really need to sit up and tall, not slouch forward from the waist up. I like that you look up we're you're going, but the angle is off because your shoulders are slumped and your back is rounded. If you sit up tall (think of yourself as some real important person of status and everyones watching so you must remain poised and elegant), things will start to seem much easier for you. 
I like the bend in your elbow. 
I think overall, if you fix some of the things suggested, you and your lovely horse will be a very nice team 
All the best, hope I've not offended!
x


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## kchfuller (Feb 1, 2008)

wow you look SOOOO much better ... your posture alone is a big difference. I won't repeat what others have already said but i second some of there comments 

keep up the good work and keep taking lessons!


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## equinkel (Oct 25, 2008)

Do you guys think I need to get more rein contact with my horse? I feel like my horse's nose is always low and extended. I hear some people say it's good to let them stretch but when do you know when it's time to collect?
I do appreciate the suggestions. I actually have not been taking lessons. The girl's voice in the video is a friend who just started helping me that day. I wish I could do more lessons with a professional instuctor but my boarding alone is costing me a fotune! I've been trying to watch more videos to help me with my position. I think watching myself on video is by far the best learning tool.


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## BeauReba (Jul 2, 2008)

I think more contact would definitely help! But you have to have steady contact because if you are jabbing him in the mouth he'll get sore and cranky. Keep your elbows bent, thumbs on top, and your hands soft.


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## kchfuller (Feb 1, 2008)

He does have a slow and "long" headset ... if depends on what you are doing for the headset that you want ... so what exactly are you looking to do? (specifically) ... I have found that using draw reign or a martingale (occasionally) has really helped my OTTB ... some people on here will strongly suggest against the use of those aides but used in the right way and not all the time, I have found that they are beneficial ... it's all up to you


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## kchfuller (Feb 1, 2008)

sorry to double post but i watched the videos again and i have a few things:

try to sit deep deep deep ... you are almost doing a 2 point ish seat when you are cantering. try to really sink down into your heals 

also i notice that you are really pushing him forward (i know other people said that already) but i noticed that maybe if you sit really deep then you can use your heal more affectively. Right now your leg swings a little and then you aren't getting really good contact with your heal. Have you thought about riding with out sturrups to get a good feel of using your heals? When I rode in college, the first few weeks we strictly rode on a lunge line without sturrups and then atleast once a week we did this for the whole year ... this might be something you can try if you have someone to lunge you. This will also give you the ability to focus only on your posture and position because the person who is lunging is in charge of keeping the horse going... just some thoughts! 

But please don't get me wrong, you look a million times better! Keep up the work!


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## equinkel (Oct 25, 2008)

I've tried some your suggestions and things are getting better. Specificly impulsion and deeper seat. Admitally I started taking lessons at a jumper stable and its making a big difference. Being able to ride a horse that already knows what it's doing is making me realize what my horse should feel like. 
I think the reason my horse holds his head so low and nose out is b/c he has a hard time keeping it tucked in. I experiented by holding a carrot in a position where he would have to keeep his head tucked in and I can tell it's quite a challenge for him. He's young and I need to be patient and build his strength. 
I can't wait to update the video in a few weeks with his jumping... he's starting to look like he is enjoying the jumps!


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## equinkel (Oct 25, 2008)

kchfuller said:


> He does have a slow and "long" headset ... if depends on what you are doing for the headset that you want ... so what exactly are you looking to do? (specifically) ... I have found that using draw reign or a martingale (occasionally) has really helped my OTTB ... some people on here will strongly suggest against the use of those aides but used in the right way and not all the time, I have found that they are beneficial ... it's all up to you


 What do you think the martingale will do for my horse specifically? Does it help him collect? I know there is a few different types.. which one do you suggest?


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## Spyder (Jul 27, 2008)

Second batch of videos look fine to me.


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## KGImages (Jan 10, 2009)

Here some points to work on:
Don't plunge down into the saddle when trotting.
lengthen your stirrups.

For the pulling problem, you have to sit back first.
If he wants to move into the arena, give a **** right good nudge with your inside leg. He seems to ignore you as you use it.
If you lean less forward you'll have better steering aswell.


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## RoostersMom (Nov 19, 2008)

In addition to the other comments above, I would like to see more bend in the horse and more engagement from behind, but I ride dressage.


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## kacyponygirl (Jan 11, 2009)

Equinkel,

You've made some nice improvements. So how long has your ottb been on the track? Because ottbs aren't used to leg aids; so that maybe why he's not moving very forward, he just needs consistancy and paitience. Also you may or may not know that race horses are used to leaning on the bit for balance, so maybe thats why he is leaning on the bit. I may be wrong but he may feel a bit unbalanced or may just be used to leaning on the bit from his track days. 

Post more videos and keep up the good work. I believe you two will make a great partnership.


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