# Western Riding critique and confo critique on Romeo



## APHA MOMMA (Jul 10, 2009)

Do you normally ride english?? You look cute, but you look like an english rider in a western saddle.  Idk, just when I ride western, (have all my life) and with other friends, we are very very relaxed in the saddle. Plus I don't do critiques really because I feel that as long as you feel good on your horse and you are enjoying your ride, then it doesn't matter how pretty you look up in your saddle, (others may disagree) but just call me old fashioned. 

Also, Romeo is GORGEOUS!!! I am not too good at doing confo, but he sure is a looker to my eye.


----------



## Pidge (Sep 5, 2009)

Thank you! and i prob look up tight in these pictures because with other people around he tend to just be goofy and want to go to them like "Pet me! Pet me!" lol he really is a character... I was looking more for if my posture was good...im usually a much more relaxed rider...oh an ive never done english lol dont like the saddles lol

And im glad you think he looks good...I think he looks lovely myself and ive been working on muscle toning with him...


----------



## APHA MOMMA (Jul 10, 2009)

Haha, well riding for hours and hours and even weeks on trail rides, I guess I don't think about posture when I ride, which is why when I seen yours (which I believe is good) I figured you rode english because they concentrate on their posture. I personally, not really slump, but I don't sit up to to straight, I let me shoulders relax. I guess when I ride, I am just sitting up there, not thinking of a care in the world except that we are in the middle of nowhere riding, lol, so I guess I am not the best person in the world to talk to about posture, haha. But you do look good on Romeo. 

I do want to comment on one thing though and it was the 4th picture down that caught my eye on it. I would say your feet are too far forward in your stirrups. When I ride I just use the balls of my feet on the stirrub, not my heel and not the curve part of my foot. You just don't want to be caught with a foot stuck in a stirrup if something for some odd reason were to ever happen.


----------



## Pidge (Sep 5, 2009)

Yes i have been informed that i have an issue with that....been working on it...staying on the balls of my feet though is extremely ucomfortable for my shin splints though...still working it though lol thankfully if i forget about it Romeo is a big anti-spook and relaxed baby lol and that fourth picture just looks funny all together lol but thank you for the tips!!

Its really odd to think that only two years ago Romeo was a rough looking lanky green broke $800 second choice buy lol He such a big baby now an he looks a thousand times better... lol

Anyone else? lol


----------



## Thatgirlsacowboy (Aug 17, 2009)

Y'all are absolutely GORGEOUS together! Very fitting =D

I agree with Momma. And I'm fairly the same way. I'm not very good at critque BUT in the pictures, your feet are a little too far forward in the stirrups. You should be resting the balls of your feet in the stirrup with your heels down =D

Aside from that, you two are adorable! And I might just come steal him...


----------



## Pidge (Sep 5, 2009)

LOL good luck finding us... Its pretty hard too...hard enough that I have to meet my horse dentist at the vets office for fear of having him lost on the dirt roads and the only reason my farrier comes to me is because he lives down the road lol If you can find us kudos! Ill let you steal him then lol j/k


----------



## farmpony84 (Apr 21, 2008)

He's a very cute horse. I love his coloring. His neck is a little on the "thin" side because he's not traveling quite right, he's a little strung out and moves from his front end rather then his rear. But if you are a trail rider and that is your main focus, I don't think it matters too much as long as he is balanced. 

In one of the pix I thought your bit was too tight and the bridel needed to be loosened but in a later pic it seemed fine to me. Check your mouth, if that is a port bit then you don't really want any wrinkles.

Your seat looks pretty good and I can tell you are putting an effort into light rein contact. I see where he fights you a bit in that one picture but for the most part you don't look bad. 

The stirrups are my biggest issue. I hate that your feet are shoved in so deep like that, it's dangerous. I understand the ball of foot pain because I have issues as well, but if you get your weight distributed correctly, you actually are putting very little pressure on the ball of your foot. You end up not really even putting any weight on the stirrup, it's all in your heel. If you can't figure out how to work past that, I would suggest getting safety stirrups because it can be dangerous to have your feet jammed in that deep.

Cute horse. Good luck!


----------



## Pidge (Sep 5, 2009)

Thank you! and yes the mouth peice does fit properly...it is ported an has no wrinkles...he just gets bored an chews on it sometimes so it looks all drawn up in his mouth lol but thanks for the concern!

Lol i did look into safety stirrups but no where around me sells them...i noticed that i dont have as big an issue with my feet if i ride bare back more often cause his trot forces me to keep my heals down for better ballance lol I guess ill just need to pick it back up again or atleast ride bareback more often lol


----------



## SavvyHearts (Sep 29, 2009)

I definitely agree that the bit is way too tight, but also think that you need to stay out of his mouth. To me it looks like you are using your reins wayyy too much. But I like your horse, he is beautiful!!


----------



## Pidge (Sep 5, 2009)

Thank you! I try really hard to watch my hands...an was having to be a little more in contact when the pics were taken due to his "Pet me" behaviour...but ill watch myself 

And the bit isnt tight I promise...no wrinkles what so ever...its actually fairly loose...he just chews on it for some reason...never figured it out...he mostly does it if we have been standing still so i figure he gets bored... but that is one thing i will swear by! his bit fits perfect!

And thank you! Im glad everyone thinks he looks so good! Last time it was just about agreed that more muscle and weight was needed so ive tried hard with that...


----------



## Pidge (Sep 5, 2009)

Bump...any comments on his confrmation? Ive gotten a lot on my riding so far...but anything on him? lol past hes gorgeous lol


----------



## Honeysuga (Sep 1, 2009)

Confo wise i think he is a very well built animal other than he might want a little more muscle along the top line( his neck looks really flat on top). Other than that id say get outta his mouth loosen that bit and just chill. If he acts goofy around people and other horses(dont worry Dhom is a hamm and a half w/ other horses and riders around so i feel ya) go back to the basics and reinforce the fact that when you are on his back or the end of the leadrope you are the boss and noone else matters....


----------



## triplembwp (Dec 16, 2010)

You need to move your lower leg back a little and relax your lower back. In the second picture when he's turning, you're leaning to the right which causes him to lean also. Be sure to keep the ball of your foot resting on the stirrup, with your heels down. 
He's such a cute horse!!


----------



## SilverSpur (Mar 25, 2010)

Pic 1 your position isn’t too bad. But try and keep your lower leg back. This will help you engage the hind quarters.

2. looks like the horse is pacing. Probably due to balance. So remembering to sit up ,not lean and engaging the hind quarters will help in getting the trot happening.

3.were you asking for a halt? If so you need to be halting with your seat and not the bit. Weight into your heals and roll back onto your pockets.

4. you don’t look relaxed, your quite perched on your pelvis. Try sitting back and tucking your tail bone underneath you. Length of stirrup is good, and I like how your shoulders are always back 

5. probable my fav picture, just remember elbows in. 

I think you might find that your leg position has a lot to do with your saddle. It doesn’t look balanced and will cause your leg to swing forward.


----------



## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)

Pidge,
I didn't see your last critique post so cannot say if improvement is there or not.
I rather like your position, fundamentally. . I like that you look up and sit up nice and vertical. There is some tension in the lower back AND because your knee gets locked, you end up either being braced into your stirrup when he is giving you some trouble, OR you rock forward onto your pubic bone too much and you lose your stirrup. IT's there but since your foot is through it too much, it is useless to you and dangerous to boot.

Sit down on the horse, get vertical as you like. take a deep breathe and lift your legs straight OFF the horses sides (out of the stirrups) let them fall back to the horse's sides. Take another breath and have him walk on. Ride at a walk with no stirrups for a good 10 minutes, then stop, pause and just lift your toe and find your stirrup NOT tightening your knee. When you find it , then try not to change that feeling of a loose knee and a draping leg down into the heel. Your upper body is good . I like to see the bend in your elbow and that your upper arm hang hangs vertical with the elbow back, almost behind your torso.

That good enough for ya?


----------



## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)

You might try shortening the stirrup ONE. Just a thought


----------



## Gidget (Jan 19, 2010)

it looks like you are hollowing your back in the 4th picture and in the 1st pictures you look stiff.You should be relaxed. You should also not have the reins up by the horn(1st picture looks like you are holding them past the horn and I was taught that it should be).

You guys do look good together and your horse is nice looking. In the 3rd confo pic his front pasterns look a bit long but it might just be the angle as in the other pictures it doesn't.It is hard to tell with the pictures. You should make sure you have him squared up for the most part and try to have his head level.


----------



## x Branded Heart x (Jun 17, 2010)

tinyliny said:


> Pidge,
> I didn't see your last critique post so cannot say if improvement is there or not.
> I rather like your position, fundamentally. . I like that you look up and sit up nice and vertical. There is some tension in the lower back AND because your knee gets locked, you end up either being braced into your stirrup when he is giving you some trouble, OR you rock forward onto your pubic bone too much and you lose your stirrup. IT's there but since your foot is through it too much, it is useless to you and dangerous to boot.
> 
> ...


I agree with tinyliny,
I rather like your position. So no major issues there, however, your legs and feet need some work. It looks like your stirrups are too long and you are reaching for them. If you are having pain when using them I suggest riding stirrup-less. It's much safer than having your foot in too far, and it will benefit both you and your horse if you no longer have to think about trying to keep your foot in there. Make sure, when you ride without stirrups, that your leg is in the same position it would be if you w_ere_ riding with them. Keeping your heel down, a soft bend at the knee and having your ankle lined up with your hip and shoulder. 

As for your horse, he seems to be quite a character! His muscling is coming along nicely, although it still has some ways to go. My only concern is the bit, yes it may fit him, but something definitely seems to be bothering him. 

Maybe work on asking him to give to pressure and it may fix his resisting of the bit? I'd have to see him in action to really understand what is going on, but anyhoodle.

Good luck !


----------



## KJsDustyDash (Oct 9, 2012)

I know this advice is coming a little late, but hopefully it can still be helpful.

Pic 1) It was said before, but I'll say it again, relax. You look very stiff and not very deep in the saddle. Also your hands should be touching mane/hair, you have your hands really high, especially considering the aggressive bit you've got.

Pic 2) You're over leaning into your turns and judging from your elbows your hands are probably still too high. However your seat is good (aside from the leaning) and your leg looks better than in pic 1. Did you adjust the stirrup or is pic 1 a bad angle?

Pic 3) You're standing in the stirrups rather than sitting and putting weight in them. You are leaning forward. You are really up in the horses mouth at this point. I read about the situation and I think you are trying to turn him. I think I see why you are having trouble aside from the horse being stubborn. You have heavy pressure on your right side (presumably to pull the horse around) however you also have a lot of contact from your left hand. This would be confusing for the horse and results in the head being brought up to avoid the pressure. You might want to try gentle, tugging pressure from the right rein only, letting the left rein go almost entirely slack. Also, don't forget, you have legs; inside leg inside leg inside leg! I hope that made sense.  Also, it might be a bad angle but it looks like you are drawing back with the reins, you might want to draw up or out or a combination (depending on the training of the horse). 

Pic 4) You are really far forward and your feet are too far back. Really kick them out there, this is western, relax, lol. 

Pic 5) Are you posting? Stop it, stop it now, lol. You can post in a western saddle, I sometimes do over rough terrain, but if you can really put the pressure in your stirrups and get a good deep seat, sitting a trot would really improve your tendency to lean forward. Also your hands are too high and you are really in the horses mouth. Let the reins drop a little and get some neck contact. Also is there a reason you're using that particular bit? It gives you a lot of leverage, so it might be exacerbating being in the horses mouth. 

Romeo is a real looker, he looks a little uphill and he has a smaller head and neck than I like, but nothing really jumps out at me.


----------

