Kind Critique please!

[LiveLikeUrDyn04]

Hello, Some of you may remember my post about getting a horse to go forward. Well I don't know why I didn't ask before but perhaps you could give me a little critique. Maybe there is something with the way I am riding that is keeping him from moving forward in the ring as he does outside.

Thanks!!

http://photos-c.ak.fbcdn.net/photos-ak-sf2p/v289/55/60/1393710930/n1393710930_30249418_4837.jpg

[kashmere]

I'm certainly not the most qualified to offer a critique; but I can tell you that those folks whose opinions you seek would be much better able to help you with a) a few more pictures, and b) pictures that are slightly brighter. :)

[slc2]

With a name like livelikeurdyin, you should be able to handle any critique, :lol:

Most people, their horse goes slower in the ring because the rider doesn't insist on the horse not going slow.

It probably isn't any subtle position or manner of your riding or anything a picture would reveal - it's just plain old 'every time you ride you are training your horse - for better or worse' - just plain old not immediately requiring the horse to go when you use your leg - not reinforcing the aids. On the trail or in a field, the horse more moves along by himself because he's eager to turn around and head for home and dinner.

[LiveLikeUrDyn04]

I agree with what you are saying the horse was asked to move forward when ridden at all times but not pushed too hard as he had been ridden only a handful of times in the year before I arrived on the farm so I had to work HARD to get him back into shape and build up stamina. A 20 minute ride killed him when I first got to the farm. By the end of summer he was out enjoying 1.5-2hour trails

[Kathy Johnson]

He looks like a very well trained older gentleman. Sooo..... If he is an older, upper level schoolmaster, which he appears to be, he is teaching you something.

I got on a nice mare like this a few weeks ago, after riding my honking huge Friesian/Mammoth cross. My legs of steel locked on poor little Blossom, and before I knew it, she was cantering in place. The more leg I put on her to go on, the more she collected. I could've done any number of canter pirouettes with her, but I was really wanting her to move on. Since she was a sales horse, I just smiled and said, "I meant to do that."

It is possible for the position to be too strong. To not move enough. To collect your body so much you inadvertently collect the horse.

Take your legs off. Let them breathe. Let your hips relax more and swing more. Let all of the inner vibrations of your joints vibrate a little more. It doesn't mean get sloppy or out of position, it means to extend the long bones of your body just a few inches so the horse can extend his gaits too.

[Manes and Tails]

A lot of horses do go slower in the arena.

He's a tad behind the bit, which, combined with 'won't go forward', suggests to me that you're over-collecting. From that picture, though, I can't see exactly what you might be doing to have that effect.

[LiveLikeUrDyn04]

I think his habit to go a tad behind is due to his Arab side...I've seen so many that tend to do that. He is special though...arabxtrak cross.

Thanks for critiques thus far...the only other pictures I have aren't good angles or the picture themselves are angled funny. I blame it on having a 10 yr old take pictures!

[Mach Two]

The first thing that I noticed was that the saddle was going "uphill"...so that you pommel is highher than the cantle, and the horse's back looks to be slightly hollow. Is the horse wide just behind the withers? That would be typical for an Arab and many Arab crosses...and if the the saddle is sitting on top of the back at the forward point, rather than fitting "around" his back, it could be causing him to not want to lift his back...which can allow the hindquarters to trail....which can make that walk kind of "mopey" instead of engaged and energetic....and yep, I also agree that some horses take back when the get in the ring...chalk it up to distractions, and rider anticipation, though unintentional.
But what a lovely horse you have. Could you experiment with moving the saddle back about 2-3 inches? It seems a bit more forward than it needs to me.

Hope you continue to enjoy that lovely gentleman.

[angel]

Need to see how this saddle looks on the horse in better light. However, my first impression is that the saddle doesn't fit the horse. Probably doesn't fit you either. Its pinching his shoulders and throwing you too much to the rear of the seat. This is a double whammy of keeping him from being able to move forward properly as well as placing your weight too far back, which impacts the weakest portion of his back, making him even more hollow.

[LiveLikeUrDyn04]

sorry for the angle of the picture not being straight on side shot but this is the same horse

http://photos-b.ak.fbcdn.net/photos-ak-sf2p/v289/55/60/1393710930/n1393710930_30249425_7062.jpg

I was very careful about making sure the said saddle did not pinch him as he was very sensitive to things like that. We were constantly changing the way he was padded in order to compensate for muscular changes as he grew stronger.

[Valentina_32926]

Hard to tell from 1 pic but appears horse is not truely in front of your leg - so when you lighly ask for transition upwards it might take more cues and when you ask for transition downwards horse will tend to fall on nose rather than step underneath itself.

Riding wise looks like toes are pointed out.

Do you "give" with elbows NOT fingers? Always keep fingers closed and when you rewARD HORSE BY GIVING DO SO USING THE ELBOWS bend (sorry for caps).

[Elegante E]

Without vid, it's all guessing.

But do some of the checks suggested. Be sure your legs are breathing and not tight. Be sure you are posting through and not stopping short in the trot. In the canter, be sure you are opening your hips to send him through on the jump. If he tends to come btv, be sure you aren't locking your arms at the wrong time and pulling against him (agreed, about elbows not hands).

[InsideLeg2OutsideRein]

Have you tried working him over some ground ploles/cavaletti? It does *wonders* for my TB -- he gets forward, through, swinging over his back and even focused :winkgrin: much more quickly when I throw in some fun ground pole exercises every once in a while.

[pines4equines]

Are your stirrups a wee bit short for a dressage position? That might loosen your legs a bit. I mean your leg looks great but it does look like it's set up for H/J.

When I try to get my guy a smidge more forward at the walk, I alternate squeezings with my legs. As his right front goes forward and is placed on the ground, I squeeze with my right leg, then same for the left, then the right, then the left.

Basically, I'm squeezing his side as his hind leg comes off the ground to reach forward and hopefully my squeeze encourages that hind leg just a wee bit farther forward.