# Riding critique? (dressage)



## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)

IN some pictures it looks like you are rolling your pelvus under you more than necessary, and hunching over (kind of curling up like a "prawn") a little bit.

Also, I think you might shorten your stirrup just one notch. Seeing video would reveal better if the stirrup is too long or not.


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## teamfire (May 27, 2011)

I sit kind of crookedly (some due to my probably misaligned hip that needs to be cared for and I went to physio for, plus bad muscle memory stemming from that) so especially if looking at my right leg, it often looks like it needs to be shortened! But then my left leg will be faaar too short lol. I need to remember to stretch down into my right stirrup.

Yep, the hunching is an ongoing problem. Some days it's worse than others, but it happens when I get too comfortable oops. I can fix it fairly easily, I know how it SHOULD feel, I just... let it pass. Gotta keep on it...


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## teamfire (May 27, 2011)

Ok, here's a lazy video haha. Normally I edit it so there's clips from throughout the entire session, to give any viewers a more accurate look. But as I said, don't really feel like editing, so just took a short piece.


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## Cherrij (Jan 30, 2013)

From what I see, you sit a little too much on your bum, you should be more on the front of your seat than so much back.
Look where you are going, not where the horses head is, eg, lift your head and look further out. 
your upper body looks a bit stiff, like you are trying a bit too hard, i would say shorten the reigns a bit, loosen your arms, then shoulders and relax all the way through. I know, easy to say, I sometimes have the same issue, but with lots of work one can loosen up and be with the horse 
in the video it looked like you are trying to cramp on the reigns into your stomach. 
It is not all bad, you ride well, its just there is always something to improve..


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## soenjer55 (Dec 4, 2011)

I am only a dressage beginner, so I can't give anything substantial, but overall, I think you're a good rider. You could relax some more and sit farther forward off your bum so that your leg is straighter, which has been said already. I don't think it's your stirrup length, just how you're sitting. Both of you seem a tad bit stiff in the video, but I'm attributing that to your circumstances.
There's something that I can't seem to put my finger on here, I'm thinking it might just be the stiffness... When are you riding next? Would it be possible for you to get a video again? I'd like to see how you two do with a longer rein...
someone please tell me if I'm going in the wrong direction, lol.


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## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)

thanks for sharing that. I think you are doing quite well. I don't do much sitting trot and am perfectly horrid at at, so not sure if my thoughts are worth much. 
It does look like you are back on your tail bone just the tiniest bit, and upper chest curled down a tiny bit. It looks like you are a wee, wee bit behind the vertical. Iknow that a lot of people do this to sit the trot; allowing the energy to come out through their abdomin, thus kind of leading with it. But I think yo may get a more energetic trot from that horse if you can lift your chest and think of our sternum as "leading" you as you travel through space.

All in all, you are really doing quite well.


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## teamfire (May 27, 2011)

Some of the stiffness from me is also that I'm a bit ouchy, lol. I wore the wrong underwear some days ago and I got some saddle sores. As in, literally right over both seat bones! Ah well! My saddle is no soft thing either. Good thing he's got such easy gaits.

Nope, you're absolutely right. I have to sit up more, bring out my chest. I can do it, I DO do it, I just haven't broken free of the bad habit of doing it! When I do, he does indeed move freer. Just gotta get in it my head to do it ALL the time!!

I was gonna get some video today, but we were in the indoor and riding with 6 other horses! He did sooooo well; he's normally very nervous around too many horses. We just worked on relaxation really.

I might have some more video of us riding on a long rein from the outdoor session, if that helps? We normally do a lot of work on a longer rein and riding in a stretch, so I'll take a look and see if my mom recorded some of that. (she was focusing on pics this time, since it was so sunny)


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## teamfire (May 27, 2011)

Ok, it appears I really was tense and didn't seem to do any stretchy riding for that sunday. I found a short snippet of giving him some rein for like 20 seconds, but I doubt that's gonna be useful.

I'll try another recording next sunday!


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## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)

I always like to say that just because I might have some advice, does not mean that I could put that advice into play. My riding is very sucky compared to yours, beleive me!


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## ~*~anebel~*~ (Aug 21, 2008)

So that's not a stretching frame you're showing in all the pictures/video??

I would actually disagree with other critiquers - your seat is actually in a better place than most. Leaning forward is a bad habit to get into, and right now I would say the position of your seat and leg is the best thing in your riding.

Overall I see a lack of positive tension in both horse and rider. The picture is one of a horse who bumbles along passively and a rider working on getting her balance through use of the reins.

What I think is going to benefit you the most is shortening your reins a good 8" each, and then pressing your hands forwards and towards the withers. On a horse who is so behind the leg and tends towards on the forehand, the hand needs to be extremely passive, pressed forward and never used in a backwards fashion.
From there, really ride the horse forward into a working trot. If you are sitting, your abs should be burning. If you are rising it should be at a far quicker pace than what you are accustomed to. The trot you are riding now resembles more of a jog, and with the length of rein, how much you fuss with your hands and how little leg you are using, the horse is falling further and further behind you. You can see, every time the horse tosses her head, your elbows come out and back and then you are pulling. That is riding front to back. Back to front riding dictates that is the point at which the hands soften forward and you kick the horse forward.

Overall I think your seat is quite good, and now it is learning how to ride correctly and getting the horse going forward in a more positive way.

Good luck!


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## teamfire (May 27, 2011)

Thanks Anebel! Always enjoy your words.

Well, like I said, I wanted him relaxed due to the circumstances so I was riding him in a longer frame than normal, but I am in a terrible habit right now that I let him suck me into a longer frame at all times... oops.

Today I had a lesson and guess what we worked on??? Lol just what you said! "shorten your reins/close your fingers!" "stay in your box!" "get more out of him!" "don't let him stretch yet!!" <-- this was repeated far too often. I think I had forgotten what a working trot was like, oops.

He LOVES to stretch, and I guess I've always been afraid of tensing him up, but I know now I've gone to the other end. He really sucks me into letting him do so.

Ok, me. Time to get serious again. Let's see if next week's video shows a little improvement!!


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## soenjer55 (Dec 4, 2011)

I hope you get some videos and pictures next time! I'd love if you could keep us updated, if anything for my own learning, lol.


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## teamfire (May 27, 2011)

Well, I think the combination of my lesson with a particular comment of Anebel's seemed to do the trick, I think.

I got him going so forward today its not even funny the difference I felt. It wasn't just a faster tempo, but there was an odd feeling too. Like he was.about to kick out or maybe throw a light buck any second.

He was a bit finicky, but when he rose his head I simply did as I was told: hands forward and tap him forward. So at first it seemed strange since he didn't seek out contact as he usually does, but then he did and that's when the buck-y feeling arose, in addition to REAL forwardness.

Don't know if that was correct, .but I was happy with the fact I actually managed to get him in front of my leg. That difference was huge.
.


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## existentialpony (Dec 4, 2012)

You two look nice together! I agree with what's been, said but just one more thing... 

Eyes up, chin up like you're the queen of that arena, shoulders pulled away from your ears (down and back, which you do in a few pictures!). Best of luck! Is the horse yours or your instructor's? He's a cutie!


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## teamfire (May 27, 2011)

Absolutely! Not sure when I developed the bad habit of looking down, I wasn't always like that! Fix one thing and break another. XP 

And he is indeed mine! My pride and joy


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## star16 (Aug 10, 2012)

Your horse has a great neck, especially on a looser rein! It's obvious that you two work well together.


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## teamfire (May 27, 2011)

Thank you! We work very hard (although sometimes I think I work harder than him, lol).

Can't take all the credit for his neck; he's got a really nice neck that looks good even when he just stands around looking like a fool, hahah.


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