# Critique me - lesson on KWPN and fun on Friesians!



## IndiesaurusRex (Feb 23, 2011)

Hey guys!

Haven't been on in a while - guilty as charged! Well, on Thursday, I had lots of fun - hour lesson on my favourite horse at college, a big beautiful KWPN gelding Alfie. He is the most darling thing, but a little screwy :lol: Brownie points to those who can guess his previous discipline!

After that, I was lucky enough to be able to ride TWO Friesians, Nanning and Merck. My friend is using them for her dissertation from a member of staff, and we were allowed to play afterwards :wink:

So, any critique guys? I know I need to get my shoulders back in canter, and I've been working on cranking my stirrups up and getting my leg underneath me, as I have a habit of riding too long and chair-seating a bit 

Anyone else jealous of my college arena? I want one!


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## IndiesaurusRex (Feb 23, 2011)

Bumpity bump?


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## lecairde (Dec 20, 2013)

I don't have much to critique but rather a bit of advice: try to push your heel down a bit more, it will help you to keep your leg under you. Also think about having your toes in line with the middle of the girth to help with your leg  

Beautiful horses! And you look great on them!


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## laurenlewis24 (Dec 1, 2012)

I am new to this, isn't the friesian behind the vertical?


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## eventrider (Dec 27, 2013)

I'd just try to keep your heel down a little more to give yourself some more balance...I also noticed that your hands are quite low try to pick them up more it will keep a better hold on the bit and keep your horses head and body steadier! But those are beautiful horses and i really love the friesian


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## IndiesaurusRex (Feb 23, 2011)

laurenlewis24 said:


> I am new to this, isn't the friesian behind the vertical?





lecairde said:


> I don't have much to critique but rather a bit of advice: try to push your heel down a bit more, it will help you to keep your leg under you. Also think about having your toes in line with the middle of the girth to help with your leg
> 
> Beautiful horses! And you look great on them!





eventrider said:


> I'd just try to keep your heel down a little more to give yourself some more balance...I also noticed that your hands are quite low try to pick them up more it will keep a better hold on the bit and keep your horses head and body steadier! But those are beautiful horses and i really love the friesian


In regards to my heel, I've actually been told to bring it up a little by my instructor, as a have a bad habit of having it forced down, which brings my leg forwards and into a bit of a chair seat.

I am also being told to bring my hands up all the time! Bad habits die hard... :lol:

The Friesian is behind the vertical, but that can be quite a common issue with them - they are very good at arching their necks and looking pretty (especially those who mainly drive, like these boys), but tend to come behind the vertical and slack off the impulsion. This was the first time they had been ridden rather than driven in months, so they were lazy butts, and they freak at whips apparently :wink:


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## IndiesaurusRex (Feb 23, 2011)

Nobody else? I don't bite ;-)


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## frlsgirl (Aug 6, 2013)

The pics are a bit too dark to judge your confo as you blend right in with the horse


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## IndiesaurusRex (Feb 23, 2011)

frlsgirl said:


> The pics are a bit too dark to judge your confo as you blend right in with the horse


Ahah, okay, one of the perks of having to wear a uniform on the college yard! :-|


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## WhyAHorseOfCourse (May 28, 2013)

Maybe it's just me, but your stirrups appear to be too short which may be causing your knees to go over the front flap(?). Lowering your stirrups and relaxing down into your heals a little might help with that chair seat as well as doing some stirrupless work to strengthen your legs. That Friesian looks like a dream to ride!


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## IndiesaurusRex (Feb 23, 2011)

WhyAHorseOfCourse said:


> Maybe it's just me, but your stirrups appear to be too short which may be causing your knees to go over the front flap(?). Lowering your stirrups and relaxing down into your heals a little might help with that chair seat as well as doing some stirrupless work to strengthen your legs. That Friesian looks like a dream to ride!


Thanks! I definitely felt like my stirrups were too short on the Friesian, but he was pratting about whilst I was readjusting everything, so I gave up on lengthening my stirrups. What do you think of my stirrups on Alfie (KWPN)? I've started pulling my stirrups up a little bit, college are very up on shorter stirrups, whereas I've always ridden long 

He was lovely! Not as easy as he looked though :lol:


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## WhyAHorseOfCourse (May 28, 2013)

Honestly, I would keep them a hole or two longer at least until you've gained a stronger leg, but if that's the way the trainers want it they've probably got a reason :wink: If you're just doing flat work I don't see why you would need them short, though. I'm sure someone else will chime in about that.

Yeah, A friend let me ride her big OTTB and that was not as easy as his owner makes it look! I prefer my(free lease) 15 hand stumpy strided standardbred :lol:

Another thing to add, if the saddle isn't correctly balanced that can also contribute to a chair seat


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## IndiesaurusRex (Feb 23, 2011)

WhyAHorseOfCourse said:


> Honestly, I would keep them a hole or two longer at least until you've gained a stronger leg, but if that's the way the trainers want it they've probably got a reason :wink: If you're just doing flat work I don't see why you would need them short, though. I'm sure someone else will chime in about that.
> 
> Yeah, A friend let me ride her big OTTB and that was not as easy as his owner makes it look! I prefer my(free lease) 15 hand stumpy strided standardbred :lol:
> 
> Another thing to add, if the saddle isn't correctly balanced that can also contribute to a chair seat


Okay, I'll try bumping them down a hole for next time, gotta wait until after exams though :-( You would think an equine course would be easy, but no, I spent 3 hours in an exam hall this morning writing about equine nutrition, glycogen pathways, foal nutrition, rationing in God knows what else :lol:

Yeah, all the instructors here are used to teaching towards BHS stages, which are notorious for for being sticklers for not allowing students to ride too long :lol:


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