# Ok Critique all you want



## meggymoo (Mar 10, 2007)

Hi, your place looks gorgeous. I love tb's, such pretty horses.  

I dont normally like to critique :roll: but I think your best position is in pic number 3 (on the nine that are together)
Your hands look alot softer, where as on some of the others you look to be pulling back alittle towards your tummy. You have good leg position too on this pic. You look good and relaxed

She looks to have nice paces.


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## kimcore (Mar 22, 2007)

Yes I totally agree with the 3rd pic. I have heaps others if your interested.. Of the different movements. 
She has a nice trot, but Canter is something short of a disaster...ha ha
Here is a cantering one...








And another one, where i'm in 2 point position for most of it.


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## meggymoo (Mar 10, 2007)

Your position looks excellent and relaxed on the top set. Her canter looks good, I'd say you looked more of a team on that set than the trotting ones. Your hands look a little close to your tummy again, but overall I'd say loads better.

Two point position again looks good, I think you have a habit like me, I tend to widen my hands, especially when trying to get her on the bit and in a good outline.  But your hands are again softer looking.


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## kimcore (Mar 22, 2007)

Aww Thanks..
I cant find the really bad bad pic of her cantering. She is built slightly downhill, so her left rein canter is shocking, very very uncomfortable to sit.. she pings you out of the saddle. So now i've broken my canter sessions down to about 5 to 8 canter strides back to trot, and so on, to keep her more up instead of leaning and being so down of the forehand. Very frustrating, but i'm trying to do the best I can.


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## meggymoo (Mar 10, 2007)

Lol, My mare is exactly the same! Absolutely terrible on the left rein, and her canter :roll: impossible to stay sat on the saddle!!!

Right rein is totally different. I try to work her a little more on the left rein, but its not making much difference!  Only time will tell.


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## kimcore (Mar 22, 2007)

Is your horse an ex race horse too???
Its so uncomfortable.... But i'm finding with Lunging her, and then doing the short bursts of canter, its really helping her so much, and tonight I could actually sit to her...  Its a great feeling...


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## meggymoo (Mar 10, 2007)

No, she's a tb x Dales. I've lunge her a couple of times a week, she is improving, but only slightly!! :lol: 

I did have an ex-racer, he's on permanent loan now. I had to take him right back to basics, This is him below


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## kimcore (Mar 22, 2007)

Any more critiques?


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## hsharp123 (Mar 22, 2007)

Hi there, its hard to do this from pictures but il have a go. 

You look a little tense in your upper body? Is she strong at all, or does take a pull as you look to be bracing yourself against her slightly?
She is a very pretty mare and you do well to keep her so up and forwards with her way of going being a little down hill.
Do you have lessons on her at all?
Also with the lunging sessions-have you tried using a passoa (type) training aid? My mare was also down hill in her way of going and it has done no end of good on her!! Also getting her into canter on the lunge on a larger circle (easier for her) and then gradually making it smaller and then larger again (before she breaks back into trot) will help her learn to stay ballanced.
Does she fall out of canter much? Or pick up her the wrong lead often?


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## Robyn-Niagara (Mar 7, 2007)

i can't really critique anything! she's a BEAUTIFUL horse and looks like she has a good rider!


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## kimcore (Mar 22, 2007)

Hey Hsharp123 Thanks for your comments  
I am probably a little tense in my upper body, i'm working on it. Oska had a pulling problem, but she's a lot more softer now. I used to finish each ride with sore shoulders. It was awful. Now she's going a lot softer and doesnt pull. I no longer get sore shoulders so thats a good thing. 

I lunge her quite frequently and constrantly work on her frame, and its improving out of sight. Some of the multiple shots she looks jammed up... so i'm trying my hardest to get more flexible in the neck. She does however have a short neck and is quite compact... And the left rein canter is an absolute shocker. Just dreadful, but on the lunge we're doing lots of canter work, and also while i'm riding I do short bursts of canter transitions. Say about 5 to 9 canter strides then back to trot, and then same again. This has really helped her. Also trot to halt, and some rein back..etc..

I used to have lessons 3 times a week, but havent had any lessons for a while now due to money. But my landlord that lives upstairs is a coach and judge so she often yells out tips from upstairs 

If anyone else has any feedback it would be greatly appreciated


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## hsharp123 (Mar 22, 2007)

In that case you are doing all the right things and now only time will tell! 
Short/compact down hill horses will always struggle but you are doing well and cant see it posing her a problem for too much longer if you continue the good work. Definatley try a passoe kit on her while lunging as it will aid her to keep her back end under making it easier for her to come up and light into a correct shape. Dont use anything like fixed side reins if you can help it as down hill horses tend to use them less as 'guide reins' and more as 'support reins' to hold them up as they run on Hehe (which wont help her mouth become softer in the long run) 
I know passoa kits are expensive however you can get fake ones which work just aswell off ebay for under Â£25! ( i have one! gr8!!)

Shes stuuning and you will get there! (itl be the next problem then- "best levellers around-horses", so my coach tells me when they go from one problem to the next! Wouldnt be without them though!!!

All the best!!
Elz x


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## wee-lyndz (Mar 24, 2007)

aww, she looks lovely!!!!
love the last pic you posted of her!!!!
I think your position is good, you carry your hands nicely!!!!
She looks like a good mover judging on the pics lol ..............x


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## kimcore (Mar 22, 2007)

Aw thanks girls... You are kind..
i have a pessoa system for my horse, i used to use it, but people turned their noses up. I do use side reins now, and used to long rein her as well. I do some hill work as trail work as well. I am lucky to have an arena at home so it helps. My biggest struggle is me... And being consistent. I started to ride full on, and had her working 5 days a week, but then something comes up and i'm back to square one again.. or the last time, we had a floating accident and she had to have time off... so now we're back on track... we should be right... and it does really work, once you are consistent with your work....  its just keeping that motivation going..


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## Nikki (Mar 16, 2007)

You are very tense in your upper body, especially in your shoulders personally i think that this is destroying most of your position.

a) look up because when u look down u slouch 

b) open your shoulder (this will also come with looking up)

c) relax breath and let all the weight sink into your saddled) hold your stomach muscles and let your breast come forward and our and your shoulders back relaxed and elbows softly bent.

d) take your leg back formt he hip. 

e. Put weight into your heel.
* it looks to me as though you ar wearing full gum boots? The rubber boots? I could be corrected but on the point those boots are terrible for position, the are loose and not fitter and the restrict your heel and foot movement refraining you from getting your heels down and therefore bringing your knee up and loosing your leg position completely. 

To me your horse looks very tense as if she has been pulled into the frame and not just sitting there relaxed through her back and on her quarters. It looks like it is coming form the head only. Being on the bit is not just having a round head fram but working through the hind quarters and being pushed into the bit rather than pulled. HTis gets them through the back.

Hope I could help you both have awesoem potebtial good luck


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## hsharp123 (Mar 22, 2007)

Aw passoa kits are brilliant as they are only fighting themselfs and there is also immediate relief when they come up and under from behind (witht them working on a pully system) 
Many people thought it was rubbish at my yard too, but if it works im not one to take any notice im affraid. If it didnt work with her though fair enough- different things for dif horses eh?!

Yep consistency is my big flaw to! im awful for allowing something one day or not being quick enough to stop it and then having a battle with them the next over the same issue! (STUPID ME i know!) im trying....hehe

Anyway shes gorgeous and yourl do fine,

Elz x


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## wee-lyndz (Mar 24, 2007)

I think the pessoa is great, I use it n my pony, and have noticed a big difference in her after using it, I find it comes through when I am riding her too. I agree with hsharp123 too, it will work with soem horses and not with others. Personally I think you should use what is best for your horse, not what other people "like" using.........................xx


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## Wee-Lee (Mar 24, 2007)

Yeh, i agree, pessoas are good, ive seen the change its made to princess wee-lynz!! 

I think the ony thing could critique is that you should keep your head up and hands upmore! your horse is lovely!! xoxoxox


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## kimcore (Mar 22, 2007)

Hey NIkki Thanks for your feedback.
I have a lot of problems with my posture off the horse, I have scoliosis (curvature of the spine) so I find it hard to even stand up straight and keep my shoulders back, if I do put my shoulders back, it pushes my head forward. I know this is a big flaw with my riding and I have to try and keep my head on my shoulders. I am wearing short boots and ariat gaitors, not gumboots at all.... 

My horse used to pull very badly to the point that she used me as a lever to hold herself up. We are working on it now, and I no longer get pulled along, she is starting to go along nicely and use her own weight. 

I appreciate all critism and feedback. So let loose if you think I could improve on a little bit or alot.. I know I have a lot to fix.... But i'm trying...


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