# Please critique our flatwork!



## MyBoyPuck (Mar 27, 2009)

For someone who doesn't like flat work, you're pretty good at it. You have a pretty nice connection with your horse going there. Your contact is good. Your hands could come up just a hair to get that straight line to the bit just right. You know about your shoulders so just consciously tell yourself every few strides to roll them back, do shoulder shrugs, turn your palms up, whatever helps to get the right muscle memory. 

Your horse's ears show an attentive happy horse waiting for you next instruction. You're body is lined up well. Stirrups could stand to come up a hole, but it's not like you're losing them, so it's not a big deal. Since you jump, lot's of transitions within the gaits, forward/back, lengthen/collect, etc will keep him adjustable for fences. It also helps the hot ones become more attentive and the dull ones get the spring in the canter.


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## budley95 (Aug 15, 2014)

Thank you  I'll try putting my stirrups up a hole tonight  and lift my hands and keep working on my shoulders!

Transitions within gaits and direct transitions are done to death for the first half hour of our lesson every other week to set him up for a fence (he tries to go to sleep in the flat bit and then gets REALLY hot when he's jumping!) so I'll keep on with them  thank you 
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)

just raising the stirrups a hole, so you aren't 'fishing' for them will help a lot. looking good!
the horse has a bit of a feeling of being jammed back, into his neck. working on thinking of "pushing " him with your hand, rather than "pulling' him will encourage him to reach forward a bit, lift the base of his neck and not have such a look of being pulled back into himself.

this is where you really must have thumbs top and think of the tip of your bent thumb, which is holding down onto the rein, as a "laser" that is pointed directly at the horse's bit rings.


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## budley95 (Aug 15, 2014)

Thank you.  So a little more like this? 

This was on the approach to a jump about October time when we got caught in the rain! Again shoulders are hunched and my toes are sticking out but we'll get there! So lighter in my hand with thumbs on top and a little higher, shoulders back, push him forward more so his back "opens" a little more and stirrups up is what I'm getting. Oh and looking up. Anything else? I'll see if I can prop my phone on a jump wing or something to get a video. We tend to do a lot of riding alone!


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## budley95 (Aug 15, 2014)

I've found another flatwork photo! I don' have many unfortunately...



I'd really appreciate some harsh critique as I want to be the best I can be for his sake. Even if schooling makes me want to snooze!


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## CandyCanes (Jul 1, 2013)

In the above picture, the horse has dropped completely on the forehand. He looks to be lacking energy, and needs much more forwardness and impulsion. I can't actually tell what pace you are in... I think it might be canter? 
It might be just when the picture was taken but it looks very flat and on the forehand. 
Also your toes are pointing downwards and your heels have come up. The picture before that I liked much more, as it showed a willing horse, full of energy, and a well seated rider. And the horse can be forgiven for not being 'round' as she/he is approaching a jump.


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## budley95 (Aug 15, 2014)

CandyCanes said:


> In the above picture, the horse has dropped completely on the forehand. He looks to be lacking energy, and needs much more forwardness and impulsion. I can't actually tell what pace you are in... I think it might be canter?
> It might be just when the picture was taken but it looks very flat and on the forehand.
> Also your toes are pointing downwards and your heels have come up. The picture before that I liked much more, as it showed a willing horse, full of energy, and a well seated rider. And the horse can be forgiven for not being 'round' as she/he is approaching a jump.


 I think that was a canter to walk transition. Heels down taken on board!


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## kelseylane (Mar 27, 2015)

I think you definitely need to sink down in your heel more, even if you are trying to use your leg-- in both pictures. 

I'm not sure if how old your horse is, but he looks hollow in the back. He needs to come over his back and the rock then rocked on to his hind end. Remember: leg to hand, not hand to leg. 

I love the other posts about shortening your stirrups! I would do more than a hole, as in the flat work it looks even too long for dressage, and in the photo where you are cantering the knee is below the knee roll, this will also help you sink into your heel and use your calf (which will help him lift his back too). 

When you get on stand straight up in your stirrups, and push your weight down thru your heels, then sink in to two point. Hold the two point for at least 20 seconds! You can also try calf raises/heel lifts on the stairs. At the bottom step, stand with the ball of your foot on the ledge and the heel hanging off, drop your heels down below the step then lift them high above to build leg strength, or drop your heels and keep them there for at least 20 seconds to stretch the tendons. 

You also look like you have a tendency of sitting behind the vertical, which usually happens when you are driving OR if you are behind the motion. Make sure you sit so that your heels, hips and shoulders are aligned. Tightening the core (and doing crunches or sit ups) will help. 

Let me know what you think


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## kelseylane (Mar 27, 2015)

Also, if you want the real deal when it coms to critiques-- post your photos on judgemyride.net! A professional clinician (the ones that REALLY REALLY know their stuff, seasoned in grand prix, and possibly thru international level I'm not sure) will critique you for free. You can post multiple photos at once, and they give you phenomenal advice! My trainer (who has brought 4 horses to the grand prix level) posted a picture of herself jumping 5ft and actually got really helpful feedback! They do everything from dressage, jumping, western pleasure, conformation etc. Check it out


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## budley95 (Aug 15, 2014)

kelseylane said:


> I think you definitely need to sink down in your heel more, even if you are trying to use your leg-- in both pictures.
> 
> I'm not sure if how old your horse is, but he looks hollow in the back. He needs to come over his back and the rock then rocked on to his hind end. Remember: leg to hand, not hand to leg.
> 
> ...


He's 16 and a bit arthritic through his back end as he has a wonky pelvis (right clavicle higher than left) and has AAD so his muscles "give up" because of his muscles lower affinity for oxygen before he starts sweating normally so we do A LOT of hacking to build fitness in walk and trot.

I really like the idea of the calf exercises, I'll definitely try them! And I try and do pilates core exercises and really struggle so I'll keep going with them.

I shortened my stirrups 2 holes last night and was really trying to drive him forwards. After 15 minutes the dust got too much for him in the school where it was dry so his muscles started to give up on him (he is on inhalers for this and the vets recommendation is to ride him and keep him at a light weight). He was really leaning on my hand so I dropped my reins and thought I'd just plod about on a long rein. He fell right onto his knees and almost sent me for a tumble as I dropped them (I think I was sitting behind the vertical so just stayed on - oops and yay!). So needless to say I walked round a couple of laps to check he was ok and got off. He's having today off and we'll give schooling a break for a week and I'll do lots of calf exercises and practicing my position on hacks where it isn't as dusty! Thank you


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## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)

Fell right on his knees! That's tough fir both if you.


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## budley95 (Aug 15, 2014)

tinyliny said:


> Fell right on his knees! That's tough fir both if you.


 Unfortunately yes. He was just leaning on my hands so much in walk because the dust got to him 15 minutes in (he has his inhaler 30 minutes before exercise). Doesn't help he wasn't concentrating and wanted to go to sleep... So I called it a day. We need the school harrowing and a sprinkler put on it I think, June to August he'll be unrideable because of the dust and pollen. 

I must be the only Brit that loves Winter for the cold and rain - snows the best! The AAD came as a lasting damage from a virus. He developed it at 15 - it was a secondary infection of strangles without him having strangles weirdly. 

So I just want to get my position bang on for him to make it as easy as possible for the little schooling we do do 

He's got the vet out again soon for bloods and a check up and a review of prescription before the horrible months! He was sound this morning, no heat or swelling luckily so he's out for a mooch in the field today as usual to keep him moving, and he's got physio soon. I should have just taken him on a hack and let him mooch rather than try to get him to concentrate in the school when he wanted a nap!


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## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)

what is AAD?


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## Corporal (Jul 29, 2010)

I would like to see some subtle changes. First, that looking down is tough to crack. I have to remind myself to not do it. Secondly, I would like you to have a slightly longer release, slightly longer rein and I would recommend driving forward upward transitions, and half halting backward. Since you have been jumping, I would suggest that you both learn some basic Dressage so that you can sit deeper, and that you start riding without stirrups every schooling session. IMHO, the best way to do this is to walk the warmup without stirrups and then drop them and cool down without stirrups, long, loose rein on the cool down. Your gelding looks lovely and safe. Do you warm up reaching to the poll, tail, toes, x to other toe and lay back? My HS instructor had us to this 3x on each rein. You do this at the walk, then at the trot, and then at the canter. It loosens your core and REALLY helps you follow your horse's movement.
You winter clipping is just lovely! =D


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## kelseylane (Mar 27, 2015)

That makes more sense now! Poor guy! 

It's really good that you do Pilates, cross fit (not just actual crossfit, but being active in multiple areas if you know what I mean) is so great for any sport! 

If he is not moving off the leg, try pulsating them. And if he is leaning into your hand i would say lightly bump up on the reins and increase leg pressure, then relax when he lifts up. You may want to go back to square one for a bit AT THE BEGINNING of the ride, and do a lot of releasing when he moves into the bit. Or maybe ride him on the buckle out of the arena where there isn't as much dust? 

I dunno what AAD is either, so I may be totally wrong lol!


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## beau159 (Oct 4, 2010)

I just wanted to add that if you can get some VIDEO that often is much better to critique what is going on. A picture is only a snapshot in time and we don't know what happened immediately before or after the photo was taken.


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## budley95 (Aug 15, 2014)

I do warm up and cool off without stirrups so I'll keep doing that. I've got a lesson tonight so I'll ask if we can concentrate on flatwork. He gets 65% normally in Prelim dressage when my instructor makes me do it at our local venue. AAD is allergic airways disease. Dust, pollen, molasses, barley, wheat etc sets off an attack of respiration going from 8 to 28+ and coughing and the muscles slowly shutting down and if he gets to the point he lays down its vets for injection instead of his inhalers. 

I don't warm up reaching for his body parts. He's lovely but spooky. Round the world is 1/4 of the way down before I get dumped... So I tend to do my chores as a warm up!


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