# Cross rail~ Critique!



## farmpony84 (Apr 21, 2008)

I'm not a huge jumper person but I think you look really cute. Maybe you could release a little bit more w/ your hands but I don't see any blaring issues. Very cute. Were you showing that day?


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## horsegirl123 (Jan 7, 2009)

Thanks! =) Yes I was showing!!!


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## horsegirl123 (Jan 7, 2009)

MIEventer, can you please give me a critique?


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## MIEventer (Feb 15, 2009)

I think you look pretty darn good 

Your leg is solid at the girth, your seat is a smidge too far outo f your tack and on the fence of being slightly ahead of your horses motion - but it isn't bad.

What I do see though, is knee grippage. Be careful to not get into the habit of relying on your knees, remember to rely on your inner calf and your heels - those are what anchor you in your tack.

What I would like to see is you sink down into your lower leg, and push your tooshy back towards the cantle of your saddle. But again, you look pretty darn good 

Your back is strait, I absolutely love your hip angle, perfect! Job well done! I love that you are looking up, and I think you have a nice release *I'm not really one to critique on releases though*

All in all, you look good - just remember to allow your horse to lift you out of your tack, and open those knees up and sink your weight into your heels.

You both make a great pair


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## horsegirl123 (Jan 7, 2009)

Thank you!! =) 

I was thinking the same thing about my knees gripping. I don't usually grip with my knee on the flat, but jumping I sometimes do. 

I'll try to get some more pictures this weekend to be critiqued!


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## JustDressageIt (Oct 4, 2007)

You're looking awesome!
I agree, I see slight knee gripping going on, so think of there being tacks on your saddle that will hurt if you grip with your knees. 
Make sure your elbows are in and shoulders are even. 
Other than that, I have to agree with MIEventer 

Hope I was at least a bit helpful!! Keep up the awesome work!


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## horsegirl123 (Jan 7, 2009)

Yes, I do need to keep my elbows in! Thanks JustDressageIt!


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## ridingismylife2 (Nov 4, 2008)

MIEventer covered pretty much everything 
U look good!


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## MIEventer (Feb 15, 2009)

> so think of there being tacks on your saddle that will hurt if you grip with your knees.


OOOH OUCH! My knees hurt just reading that...........*rubs knees*


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## saint3meg3rlfc (May 16, 2009)

Looks like the critiquing has been done but other than that you look great


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## horsegirl123 (Jan 7, 2009)

Ok, so the main things that I have to work on are: keeping with my horse's motion a bit more, not gripping with my knees, sinking down into my lower leg and heels, and keeping my elbows in. Got it!

Also, I have one person saying that I should release a little bit more, and another person saying that my release is good. Can someone please tell me which person is right?


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## ridingismylife2 (Nov 4, 2008)

*I think ur release is good  especially for the size of the jump. But when jumping bigger then a bigger release is needed *


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## anrz (Dec 21, 2008)

I agree with what everyone else said, and judging from the picture, it looks like you aren't really using the horse's neck for support with the release, and- please correct me if I'm wrong- the point of this kind of release is to give your horse his/her head while using their neck to balance yourself by pressing into their neck (gently ). If you make contact with your horse's neck through your hands, it will be a little easier. At least that's what I believe it said in PC about the release. (?). Your position looks really good! I can't really tell because of the standard, but you might want to get your heel down a bit.


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## horsegirl123 (Jan 7, 2009)

I'm not so sure about that anrz. I'll have to ask my instructor about that.


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## anrz (Dec 21, 2008)

Yeah, I'm not sure exactly- it probably doesn't make sense how I wrote it- I don't mean that you put all of your weight on your horses neck. George Morris refers to it as using the horse's neck as a support. A quote from him (I just went thru all of my PC magazines to find it)) "Having her hands this high defeats the purpose of using a crest release, which is to provide support for the intermediate rider's upper body." "...it also deprives her of the ability to use his neck for balance," (talking about a rider's crest release). "...the crest release is an intermediate release, meant to let the rider provide her upper body with support by resting her hand alongside the horse's neck, much as one would rest it on a tabletop..." I think I might have just worded it wrongly before. Yeah, I would ask your instructor about it anyway, though, to see her opinion on it.


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## horsegirl123 (Jan 7, 2009)

Oh thanks! You didn't need to look through all your PC magazines though! =)


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## MIEventer (Feb 15, 2009)

Practicle Horseman. LOL, you put PC and I was like "pony club magazines?"

Wait - are there Pony Club Magazines??????? I sooo have to sign up for them if there are!

~~~

Horsegirl - George Morris is right  As usual - he is the one who Created Hunter/Jumpers in North America, and he created the Crest Release.

But it looks to me that you are pressing your knuckles into your horses neck for balance.


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## horsegirl123 (Jan 7, 2009)

I actually don't exactly know how to release. I just kind of guess. =/ I didn't jump in my lesson today so I didn't ask my instructor, but next time I jump I will. So, it is wrong to press my knuckles into my horse's neck for balance?


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## MIEventer (Feb 15, 2009)

I always assumed the Crest Release was where you pressed your knuckles into your horses crest, to rely on their neck to give you that base of support/balance/security over the fence , so not to interfear with your horses mouth.

To do that, aren't you supposed to push your knuckles into your horses neck?


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## anrz (Dec 21, 2008)

Yeah, I guess that she does have her hands on the horse's neck- I wasn't really sure, but to me it just looked like there was space between her hands and her horse's neck, but now that I look back she does, I think. horsegirl123- I enjoyed looking through them- I usually do anyway when I'm bored .
Oh yeah, I meant PH- I have no clue WHY I put PC in all of them- oops!


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## horsegirl123 (Jan 7, 2009)

I was wondering if you meant PC as in Pony Club but I wasn't sure lol. 

I know this has nothing to do with my thread, but I got new show boots for free today!! =)


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## anrz (Dec 21, 2008)

Wow you are sooo lucky! Those are usually really expensive so you are very fortunate . Yeah, I have no idea why I wrote PC.


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## horsegirl123 (Jan 7, 2009)

I am fortunate! They are a little bit big on me, but I will grow into them.


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