# Hunter on the Flat Critique



## upupandflyaway1 (May 10, 2010)

bump


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## tarebear (May 28, 2010)

*Can I have him?*

I know nothing about hunters, but he looks he'd make a great dressage horse


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## SarahHershey (Dec 17, 2009)

Thumbs up, shoulers back, heels way down, and you need to get him less heavy. use your leg to lift him, so he carries himself, His poll is also WAY too low. The picture isn't really showing too well on my computer, so its hard to go in depth. More pictures of different gaits, etc would be helpful to help you some more. =D


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## sarahver (Apr 9, 2010)

Beautiful horse, going kindly for a greenie.

Half halt, half halt, half halt! Get his hindquarters underneath his body and the level of his head will be raised accordingly. He looks like he is leaning on the bit, and you are allowing your upper body to be tilted forwards to compensate. You need to drive with your leg, don't allow him to rest on the pressure of the bit and your hands - he needs to support himself!

As Sarah Hershey mentioned, keep your shoulders back. When you feel his head dipping low, drive with that leg rather than closing your shoulders and tilting forwards. Also, although it is only one picture, it looks to me like he might benefit from a softer bit? Maybe a rubber bit or the like? Just a thought given the angle of his head...


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## upupandflyaway1 (May 10, 2010)

SarahHershey said:


> Thumbs up, shoulers back, heels way down, and you need to get him less heavy. use your leg to lift him, so he carries himself, His poll is also WAY too low. The picture isn't really showing too well on my computer, so its hard to go in depth. More pictures of different gaits, etc would be helpful to help you some more. =D


I probabaly should of mentioned that I didn't have riding boots on, I forgot them so I was wearing slouch boots so my heel was slipping in and out of my boot. Haha.


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## upupandflyaway1 (May 10, 2010)

sarahver said:


> Beautiful horse, going kindly for a greenie.
> 
> Half halt, half halt, half halt! Get his hindquarters underneath his body and the level of his head will be raised accordingly. He looks like he is leaning on the bit, and you are allowing your upper body to be tilted forwards to compensate. You need to drive with your leg, don't allow him to rest on the pressure of the bit and your hands - he needs to support himself!
> 
> As Sarah Hershey mentioned, keep your shoulders back. When you feel his head dipping low, drive with that leg rather than closing your shoulders and tilting forwards. Also, although it is only one picture, it looks to me like he might benefit from a softer bit? Maybe a rubber bit or the like? Just a thought given the angle of his head...


Oh I should PROBABLY mention this was my third time on him too. First time trotting. He's an ex track horse (he used to pony horses on the track). Now im riding him with spurs because he just responds so much better and listens to my leg SO much more. I have just a regular snaffle in him right now, we had a problem with his head being SKY high and in this picture ( I dont remember which one i posted lol) I think i half-halted RIGHT after this one. Hes still very green and he HATES contact in his face, like you touch his face and he goes nuts so you REALLY have to ride him through your seat/legs and hes SUCH a pokey horse that you REALLY have to keep pushing and pushing and pushing for him to do ANYTHING.


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## upupandflyaway1 (May 10, 2010)

sarahver said:


> Beautiful horse, going kindly for a greenie.
> 
> Half halt, half halt, half halt! Get his hindquarters underneath his body and the level of his head will be raised accordingly. He looks like he is leaning on the bit, and you are allowing your upper body to be tilted forwards to compensate. You need to drive with your leg, don't allow him to rest on the pressure of the bit and your hands - he needs to support himself!
> 
> As Sarah Hershey mentioned, keep your shoulders back. When you feel his head dipping low, drive with that leg rather than closing your shoulders and tilting forwards. Also, although it is only one picture, it looks to me like he might benefit from a softer bit? Maybe a rubber bit or the like? Just a thought given the angle of his head...


I might try that though. I have one somewhere..Thanks! Were working on it! Right now were really just trying to work on lateral movement and moving OFF the leg. But I will try that


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## dreamergurl4101 (Dec 24, 2008)

tarebear said:


> I know nothing about hunters, but he looks he'd make a great dressage horse


i second that notion!!!


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## gerrypony (Jun 7, 2010)

I agree that he definitely looks heavy on the forehand. If you're already riding in spurs and pushing as hard as you can, then there's nothing to half halt. Half halting works when you've got some forward momentum that you want to collect a little. If you half halt this horse the way he's going in the picture, you'll probably kill whatever impulsion there is.

Since he's a hunter, why not start doing some pole work and cavaletti? Start with one pole, then keep adding until you get to 4. Once he's trotting happily over those, raise them a few inches (if you have the equipment). Poles are great to help articulate the horse's joints, supple him up, and get him moving more actively. 

As for you, yes you are a little forward with your upper body. Thumbs up, like everyone here said, as that's better for the contact with his mouth. Your leg looks fine to me. 

Good luck


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## maura (Nov 21, 2009)

Hunters on the flat should carry something slighty less than a training level frame on a very light passive contact, with a lot of movement from the shoulder. They should move in a connected manner, rather than a dresasge frame with a lot of contact. 

Your horse is lovely, but he doesn't scream hunter to me, more dressage horse.









Compare the head and neck carriage, the contact and the movement out from the shoulder to the horse in the photo. You do see horses pin in Hunter Under Saddle classes with their noses a little closer to vertical and a little more frame, but the movement, contact and attitude on this horse are all very close to what judges look for.


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