# Maybe I've improved. Maybe.



## lostastirrup (Jan 6, 2015)

So I looked at the pictures from my last show. It was a horrid weekend that had me crawling off the bay gelding going "Is it too much to ask for one decent ride?!?!" Long story short: he was lame for a week up till the show and I got on him the morning of without him being worked in a week. Also a mix up in grain had him on a performance horse diet...and boy did he 'perform' :x The other horse I showed did half decent. But still disappointed me as I have now gone through the entire show season without a decent simple change in the show ring. She anticipates, crosses her jaw and then hollows and jigs through the transition. I had the modest goal of getting at least one good one in the ring as we can do them beautifully everywhere else: the warmup ring, at home, around the outside track. But for some reason no matter how perfectly I have set her up and how perfectly I sit her and half halt her it's like she knows that the desire of my heart is to have her walk and does everything to not....So after a horrid weekend of weather and showing I looked at the pictures...and to my surprise they arent all awful. Here are a few. Critique at will.

The one of the bay- he is doing a twenty meter circle in working trot- training level. About two strides later he's moon walking backwards like a maniac, but this moment is nice.

The black- She is doing a lengthened canter down the long side. What I see is my shoulder hip heel line needs to happen. And my inside rein is more active then it ought to be. But I love how happy and peppy she looks in the picture. 

i don't know if anyone remembers my critique from last time, but my question is in comparison have I improved? I'll see if I can locate that thread and put the pictures over here...but that may take some hunting.


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## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)

I do not remember the prior shots, but I"ll tell you what I see from these photos only. and , my disclaimer is that I am not a trainer, not even a very good rider myself, so take it all with a grain of salt.

... . . .what I see is that you are giving away some of the power that you could have by allowing your center to roll forward . your pelvis is rolled forward more than necessary, your hands are down, you are looking down. the whole felling is of "allowing" a downward and forward fall of your energy, and thus the hrose is not as put together as he could be. this might be what you want, if the horse is very green and you want to be a bit more passive in allowing it to move ,more forward, less upward. and I know it's training level.

your leg position and alignment look very good, and if you were to just sit down a bit more, roll your pelvis back a bit (bring the pubic bone forward, and the top of the pelvis back), connect your elbow to your ribcage, lift the hands and think of holding everything up with your core, and then kind of "pushing" the horse forward with your hands, as if the reins are two sticks. in order to "push" the horse forward, the horse must be on the bit and the rein must not have droop in it. this image of "pushing" the horse helps becuase you have to have a solid core from which to push. you can "allow' the horse to fall forward from a lighter seat, but to "push" him forward with your hands, you must have a more upright, solid core.


I realize these musings are vague, but I think you are a good rider and you can imagine what I am talking about just fine.


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## lostastirrup (Jan 6, 2015)

Not vague at all...and I've heard them before...rolled shoulders and hips not quite down enough have been my eternal struggle. I think I am more rocked forward on the bay because I tend to prefer to hover like a hunt seat rider when he explodes and he was just doing that before in the corner by M. Also I ended up posting this test instead of sitting- which I usually do because of the backing up issue. We nearly left the arena, but the judge gave us some tips for dealing with it after the show and we got to try them the next day (even though we were dismissed from the arena for being unsafe...I only got twenty minutes warm-up between my two horses and he spent all of day two bolting, bucking and backing up...not to mention I could not get him 'through' at all. It was like riding a two-by-four that was made of dynamite. But on the plus side a year ago he wouldn't load into a trailor, leave the property or stand tied. He does all those things now. Maybe in another year we can turn out a sane dressage test.


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## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)

well, more power to you. I would not put my butt in the saddle if he felt like a two by four stick of dynamite. I am not that brave.


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## lostastirrup (Jan 6, 2015)

> Well, more power to you. I would not put my butt in the saddle if he felt like a two by four stick of dynamite. I am not that brave.


Worst bit was after our first test day two in which we were excused- one of my instructors/ an FEI rider caught me once I came out of the ring and suggested I get off and scratch the rest of my tests. Confirming that it looked as bad as it felt. At least I didnt end up in the 49% club...as I surely would have if I had completed that test.



> n order to "push" the horse forward, the horse must be on the bit and the rein must not have droop in it.


Tiny- I've never been told I could not have slack in the reins. In fact when my horse is through- either one of them I put a western pleasure-esque droop in my inside rein and occasionally both. I didn't in the bay's tests- as there was nothing good to release to, but I have had a number of good instructors/clinicians tell me to give my rein so long as the horse maintains energy from behind and moves with self-carriage. I have a picture of that somewhere...I'll have to find it and post it. 'on the bit' doesn't always come from 'the bit' as counter intuitive as that is. My best rides on the black and the bay (rarer as he is only training level and she is 2nd) have been when they carry themselves and me and I can ride almost entirely off my seat.


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## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)

Tiny- I've never been told I could not have slack in the reins. In fact when my horse is through- either one of them I put a western pleasure-esque droop in my inside rein and occasionally both. I didn't in the bay's tests- as there was nothing good to release to, but I have had a number of good instructors/clinicians tell me to give my rein so long as the horse maintains energy from behind and moves with self-carriage. I have a picture of that somewhere...*I'll have to find it and post it. 'on the bit' doesn't always come from 'the bit' as counter intuitive as that is.* My best rides on the black and the bay (rarer as he is only training level and she is 2nd) have been when they carry themselves and me and I can ride almost entirely off my seat.[/QUOTE]

yes, I know that. and when I say to think of "pushing" the horse forward, I don't mean the commonly said "push him onto the bit with your legs". what I mean is that your feeling for his mouth is one of pushing verses pulling. if the horse comes behind the bit too much, you get a droop in the reins, but the hrose is not longer there at the bit, for you to extend or collect. you can't really push him if he doesn't meet the bit. the visual of having your reins as solid objects helps you to both follow the horse's mouth better, as indeed, if they were sticks you'd really have to follow well to not bang him in the mouth, and, with the visual of sticks it reinforces the idea of riding from your seat into his mouth, and beyond. forward, forward.
it also helps inhibit the habit of dropping ones hands to try and get the horse back down, and thus putting a break in the direct line. if the reins are sticks, you would have to keep them in a direct line with your elbow, or it won't work well.

in any case, it's just a visual image that may or may not help. I tend to be a very visual person, so such things are very helpful to me. But, as I said, I am a very mediocre rider, so what I say is not based on a huge personal background of experience.


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## Tihannah (Apr 7, 2015)

Sorry that it did not go as you were hoping! You know I have no useful critique since I'm just hoping to get to your level one day. Beautiful horses and I think the pics are lovely. I think you just had a lot working against you this weekend. The next show will be better!


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## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)

Tihannah said:


> Sorry that it did not go as you were hoping! You know I have no useful critique since I'm just hoping to get to your level one day. Beautiful horses and I think the pics are lovely. I think you just had a lot working against you this weekend. The next show will be better!


I agree. you are a handy rider, and look good. I only offered those comments as things to think about.


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## DuffyDuck (Sep 27, 2011)

If I remember rightly, I pointed out your hands last time. They do look less motorbike-ish in both these pictures, however I would still like to see them higher.

You hollow your back, which will end up tipping you forwards on to your front bottom rather than the back one  It's definitely clearer on the darker horse. You need to scooch that butt underneath yourself so you have more control from your seat. Once you do this, I reckon your hands will follow and the horse won't look so deep and heavy on the front. 

I can't remember the exact diagram, however there is a picture out there that shows you the weight imbalance that happens when you tip.

You will also gain more control. It is the darker one that has a bit more spirit, isn't it? You putting yourself in a weak position increases your risk of eating dirt when he decides no. Loosen off the shoulders and back, and tuck that butt!

I completely disgaree with the slack in the reins.

The horse should never be controlled with reins that have no slack. Riding is 90% seat, 7% legs and 3% reins.

Again, this comes back to your seat. Once you ride the horse back to front, and his engine comes from behind, he will come up naturally in his head and neck. The reins can be there to support, guide and give small amounts of instruction. You definitely don't want slack in the outside rein. This will assist in keeping your horse straight, and also gives signals... half halts. You need half halts to let the horse be aware that something new is coming up, a change in tempo, a halt, walk, trot, canter. But your hands are low, so the hand bit rein connection means his head is low. 

See how this all connects?

I always have "slack" on my inside rein when I can. It's not hugely noticeable, possibly less that what you have in the top picture. But the horse feels it. I want the horse to have that as his reward, but also be able to bring my hand forward and scratch him when he's done well! It also lets me check he is bending to the inside on his self carriage rather than hanging on my hands. I had a school master that when I bought him hung on your hands and gave you sore shoulders and a sore back. I was instructed to sit, to move the horse, and let him do as he pleases with his head. We ran around like a giraffe for about 30 minutes because I was relying on his balance and carriage to be my balance. Once I sorted myself out, he stretched long and low and I was able to pick up my reins. We had to have occasional refreshers, but it worked. 

HOWEVER, your reins ARE too long. And your hands are in your pocket. Second picture inside rein. 

Shorten the reins, raise your hands, tuck your butt. 

Don't "hold" the reins. Slacken them when you drive so the horse has the ability to stretch in to it. When you extend the trot, your hands go forward to allow for the movement. If your hands go forward now, you've dropped your contact.


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## Zexious (Aug 2, 2013)

Totally agree with everything that has been said above, but I won't beat a dead horse.

I would like to see your photos from your previous show, if you can find them to post here 

I'm sorry things didn't go as planned--happens to all of us.


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## lostastirrup (Jan 6, 2015)

thanks all. Sorry I haven't been on to update- I recently shipped off to college. Both those ponies gave been left with an accomplished rider for the duration of the school year. They say it takes seven repetitions to develop a habit and a thousand to get rid of it...likely you'll see the same struggles in my critiques...but hopefully with improvement. <br />
Note: I am unable to access last times pics...sorry. <


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## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)

please dont feel bad about crit comments its always much easier to criticize than to actually DO. good luck at school!


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## lostastirrup (Jan 6, 2015)

oh I love to be critiqued! In fact I pay more than I ought to be regularly and mercilessly criticized. If I couldn't stand criticism I would not be in the sport.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## LoveTheSaddlebreds (Jul 9, 2009)

I'd like to see you ride the horses back to front a bit more, the bay has his neck broken at the third vertebrae and both horses' backs could come up a good amount. They're also a bit downhill at this point. For dressage, I usually don't like nose bands as they can cause the horse to get tense in the jaw, but obviously every horse is different.

For you, I'd like to see your hands and your eyes come up considerably.

I love the black horse's expression.


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## lostastirrup (Jan 6, 2015)

Thanks for the info. Yeah... the bay is a constant struggle to get 'through' he prefers to shuffle along like two people in a horse suit...We got eliminated in that test as after he had come behind the vertical, and stiffened his back we had and episode of "resistence" to put it lightly. He isn't always that awful...But looking through the pics of that test...It was the only one I could find with him not doing something untoward... Attached is a pic of him doing decent at a show about a month before( just to show that we actually can) ....We had one heck of a show season and got eliminated 4 times...But I just found out we may have gotten state jr/yr champ at training level...proves that just showing up is 80% of success.


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## Fantelle (Oct 26, 2015)

I spot what most people have already mentioned.

1) You need to really sit down on the back of your pelvis.

2) Control your hands, keep them up and even. In the first picture I feel your outside rein is slipping away, and in the second they both are.

3) Point your toes more inwards, I feel like your heel is clinging to the horse in an awkward fashion.

Apart from that, you seem like a very relaxed rider, and your horses have nice movements


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