# Standardbred critique



## equineangel91 (Oct 8, 2008)

just FYI these pics are a little old, but please critique anyways

I REALLY NEED SUPPLING EXERCISES FOR HIM =P


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## equineangel91 (Oct 8, 2008)

one more thing...since i've gotten him i've changed his bit.. youll see him here in a full cheek snaffle, hes now in a pellham thick and mild but heavy.

Also I've gotten him REAL side reigns and he no longer uses this equipment, I see he shouldnt hae been worked in it =P


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## ohmyitschelle (Aug 23, 2008)

Kudos, first of all, congrats on retraining a Standardbred... I'm always popping up in the SB threads on here, because I'm a huge fan of the breed, my three horses are all full Standardbreds  They really are neat horses to work with and usually very level headed and easily retrainable!
Secondly, way to go with getting him to canter! I bet you were thrilled that he completed so much without breaking, and now that he knows he can do it, and you know too, its time to SLOW HIM DOWN! I've found with a lot of SBs they really like to speed when learning new things, especially when they don't have the balance or muscles in the right place to get it right... even in the trot your guy seems to be powering on! It's really time for you to sit back and go "Hey! Can we just slow this down a bit and balance enough so we can work on things nicely?" I used to have a mare who when cantering would turn into a complete speed demon and her canter was so flat, I had to work my butt off to lift her up more and slow it all down... and when she anticipated the canter, her trot was this half trot/canter thing and was awful haha! With this sweet guy, you really need to slow down... make half halts your friend! He took a few corners quite clumsy cos hes powering around that track, you need to get on top of them, and try and lift this fella up so he can learn to canter truely. 
I really like the relaxation in the jumping video... when you come into that line of jumps right at the beginning, that trot is a hell of a lot nicer... I really think he'll make a nice wee jumper, but you need to just work on cutting back on the adrenaline junkie who loves to speed, and just use that speed to your advantage... don't bottle it all up, but control it... allow it to help you with impulse and help in all the right places to balance this fella up so you can really experience a great canter.

Keep up the awesome work, I wish my big fella was cantering under saddle now! But he's just too long and large to even rush into the canter... I'd take a fast trot, over my highly elevated SB gelding... he's pretty to watch, but hard to ride, haha!
All the best, and sorry if I've rambled on a bit, I just got really excited to see another person experiencing an awesome breakthrough with their equine friend 
x

EDIT: Btw don't be incredibly fussed over your stirrup length... yes they're short... but when I'm still teaching something new, I tend to need mine a hole shorter just so I have enough balance in myself... I soon take them down when I feel comfortable!

What's the reason for his bit change? I hope you don't mind me asking... its just I think he's going rather well in the full cheek snaffle, something I was riding my gelding in before I swapped him into a Korsteel Oval Mouth bit (swear by it, he goes SO well in it)... obviously its your choice... 

As for suppling exercises, I tend to do loads and loads of figure of eights and serpentines... it really makes them have to focus and of course balance at the changes in rein... and its a really handy tip for cantering too... ie trot the straight lines, then canter on the half circles... I used that a lot on my old mare and she became so much easier to ride at the canter  But I generally do all those exercises at the trot!

I hope I'm of some help!


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## equineangel91 (Oct 8, 2008)

thankyou soo much for this critique its very extensive and helpful. the cantering video shows him in the pellham and the others in the full cheek. The full cheek was hard for him to understand, it was very light weight and hard fro him to feel well, so the pellham being of heavier weight, is a lot easier for him to understand

The reason behind the very fast trot, was that i was giving him a lot of leg fo rhim to pick up the canter that he knew was coming. USually his trot is much nicer like in the jumping video. he still has to work on collecting it though. 

I need to get im working better in that canter. But im not sure how to get him to really lift in his canter. I'm going to be doing some work with him on saturday on the longe in seid reigns, i hope he picks it up well on the longe

P.S. he is now jumping 3ft very well and cleanly, im so very proud of him. Ill be sure to get some videos up soooon.

I also plan to do some figure eights with him on saturday and sunday before we ever start that canter or jumping.


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## equineangel91 (Oct 8, 2008)

MORE PICTURES I JUST GOT MORE RECENTLY
(LAST WEEK)


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## equineangel91 (Oct 8, 2008)




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## ohmyitschelle (Aug 23, 2008)

I could be wrong at my technique, but I've always found that by putting the leg on during the canter, to encourage the horse forward, but by also using half halts to slow the horse down, makes them collect properly and use that powerhouse thats in their back end and lift themselves up more! What I mean by putting my leg on, is by in a sense, enclosing my upper and lower leg around the belly of my horse, and not squeezing heaps but just light pressure.

I found that the thicker the bit in Evo's mouth, the harder he was to ride... I tried him in an eggbutt snaffle hollow mouth, and he really hated it... before that he was in a full cheek eggbutt snaffle, that was heavier.. and thinner than the hollow mouth... and went well in it... now he's in a JP Korsteel Oval Mouth Eggbutt Snaffle... which is a lot like a french link, but has more of an oval ball in the middle, rather than the flat plate. He *really* likes this bit... its got some weight in it for him still, and removed that whole nutcracker action of the full cheek. I see pelhams as a temporary bit, infact I wouldn't even use one... but thats my opinion, and if you feel happy using it, thats awesome!

I'm not sure if them new photos are from jumping training or not, but I'd suggest you lengthen your stirrups... you're cramping your leg up and thats not allowing you to use your seat effectively. You need to roll forward onto your seatbones more and sit up like you're a posh dressage rider! Make out as if you're the most important person and you're riding with status. It'll help you sit deeper and be able to work at engaging him more! 
I'm not really good at critiquing, so if I am wrong in this, someone correct me, haha!
I hope what I've said somewhat helps!


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## equineangel91 (Oct 8, 2008)

I'll try working with him on that tomorrow =) I know he reeeally needs to slow down
thanks so much =D anyone else????
IDK from the pics, but can i get any kind of body critique on him too.
I think he's got lovely conformation but id love a ...well conformation on my thoughs LOL


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## ohmyitschelle (Aug 23, 2008)

Do you have any photos of him NOT under saddle? Confo shots, ie standing square, side shots, front shots etc... from what I see he doesn't have any major faults, and I like his head


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## equineangel91 (Oct 8, 2008)

yeah ive gotten compliments on is head...ike his nose =P lol

i'll try to get some conformation shots next weekend 0=)


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## ohmyitschelle (Aug 23, 2008)

Awesome! Sounds like he's an awesome horse


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## equineangel91 (Oct 8, 2008)

Thanks so much. I've done some work with him over the weekend, and i can realy feel a difference in his back. It definitely helped doing circles with his trot. Its much nicer, just from the day. I took him on a trail for reward. 

Anymore critique from anyone else, any comments anything???


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## equineangel91 (Oct 8, 2008)

=D *bump*


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## ohmyitschelle (Aug 23, 2008)

Aww congrats love! I'm so glad the circle work is helping... I just did what I was preaching with my gelding the other day and noticed a huge difference by the end of the session... although I was working only in the walk, he became so much more consistent, accepting the bit for longer periods of time I (he has natural carriage anyways so I don't have to work at that) and really felt like he was using his back too. For being such a long horse, that's definitely a plus! Haha!
Can't wait to see more photo of you and your man together... you make a cute pair! 
Chelle x


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## equineangel91 (Oct 8, 2008)

yeah i definitely will be needing to get some more fotos.
I'm going three days in a row this week. Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. 
SO i think friday im going to have him circling at the walk and trot A LOT. and i NEED to teach him lateral movements. He doesnt really understand them but im going to work on that friday as well as collecting and extending his walk and trot, to get him reeeally listening to me. Then that way saturday and sunday we can warm up and really do some serious work in the canter and work to slow it down and work on jumping. His 3ft jumping is going well, he's clearing it, but not with a lot of finesse or structure. I want to get him to start jumping at the canter soon, but ive got to get that canter really controlled first. SO this weekend we will be doing a LOT of work. I think im seeeing him tuesday also, so he'll have monday off, ill give him some liniment sunday so's he's nice and relaxed monday and be loose tuesday


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## ohmyitschelle (Aug 23, 2008)

Sounds like you've got an awesome plan sorted! Looking forward to the photos and the news about your weekend! 
Chelle x


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## equineangel91 (Oct 8, 2008)

yes...i just realized i wont be getting to the barn on friday (today) but ill still have the plans for saturday and sunday. All should go well. SO llooooots of pics to come


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## ohmyitschelle (Aug 23, 2008)

Heya... how did your weekend go? Read your thread in training... I hope you get the help you need to find a solution to the running.


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## equineangel91 (Oct 8, 2008)

I have some new vids on the way. im uploading them to youtube as we speak. As soon as theyre up im gonna take some clips from them and I'll open another critique thread based on his canter =) the circles are absolutely beautiful in my opinion, some of th ebest he's done so far =D


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