Please critique me and my boy- jumping and dressage!

[imjustjoking22]

I figured I would post this under eventing because while we are not (at least currently) eventers, we regularly do both jumping and dressage. I hope to compete him in at least the lower levels of eventing someday as well. :)

He is a 5y/o Oldenburg by Ideal, dam's sire Constitution. I have had him nearly a year now.

I am familiar with most of my flaws, but would be happy to hear them again (especially if you have any helpful tips on fixing them) and also would love to hear what you think of my horse and his potential. :cool:

Working on dressage- about 4 months ago but that is the most recent dressage vid I have (boyfriend/video-taker thinks dressage is boring :().
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XyHVeNWDOTY

Jumping:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c2GKMay7S5c
and at our first show together:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1hWh9cyuKqY

Pictures:
http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f345/imjustjoking22/shannon10.jpg
http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f345/imjustjoking22/shannon4.jpg
http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f345/imjustjoking22/shannon7.jpg
http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f345/imjustjoking22/dressage2011_1__0008.jpg

(Oh and I want to apologize in advance for my bad rounded shoulders- it is shameful!!)

[Auburn]

Nice horse! :) I was going to comment on your shoulders, but since you are already aware that you tend to slouch.... ;) You are an effective rider, with nice hands. Your horse has a lovely trot. Sometimes, she needs to come more through from behind, especially since you are starting lengthenings.

My mare prefers her left lead, too. In a recognized event, you can lose a lot of time having to come back down to a trot to change your lead. (This is said from the Queen of time faults. :winkgrin:) You might have your instructor work with you on asking, while she is in the air over the jump, to land on her right lead. Or, set up jumping exercises that create the opportunity for her to give you the correct lead. If I remember to ask, then my mare will often land on the right lead.

I love the fact that she is so rideable over her fences. Congrats on your wins. :yes:

[Mukluk]

I didn't have time to watch everything but you have a gorgeous horse. Keep us posted on your progress!

[imjustjoking22]

Nice horse! :) I was going to comment on your shoulders, but since you are already aware that you tend to slouch.... ;) You are an effective rider, with nice hands. Your horse has a lovely trot. Sometimes, she needs to come more through from behind, especially since you are starting lengthenings.

My mare prefers her left lead, too. In a recognized event, you can lose a lot of time having to come back down to a trot to change your lead. (This is said from the Queen of time faults. :winkgrin:) You might have your instructor work with you on asking, while she is in the air over the jump, to land on her right lead. Or, set up jumping exercises that create the opportunity for her to give you the correct lead. If I remember to ask, then my mare will often land on the right lead.

I love the fact that she is so rideable over her fences. Congrats on your wins. :yes:

Thank you very much!! I have definitely been working hard on my position- my problem is mostly staying aware of it :uhoh: more than anything else.

I was the one who started him over fences, so I REALLY am happy that you think he is going nicely over them! :D

The class was a hunter class though, so I (don't think at least!) that it was timed- otherwise I would have asked him for lead changes, which he usually does with a little buck ;). I figured that wouldn't come off so well to a hunter judge, haha.

And you are right on the money, I am totally unreliable when it comes to asking for the lead over jumps, and working on that! (Mostly I forget to ask or ask in a really funky way instead of just shifting my weight :p.)

I didn't have time to watch everything but you have a gorgeous horse. Keep us posted on your progress!

Thank you!! He is my first horse- but worth the wait!! :winkgrin:

[flea52]

First of all, lovely horse! He looks in great shape and condition.

I laughed a little when I watched your video, because it could have been me! We share the same riding position! When you post the heel rises and when you ask him to move forward you do so with the heel. This moves your lower leg slightly too far forward and drives him into slightly unsteady contact (and your gelding to swich his tail!).

My dressage trainer yells at me repeatedly to get my leg underneath me and ride with my calf in contact with my horses side. She has me ride without stirrups on the lunge line a lot! I tend to brace off the stirrup too much so no-stirrup work def helps me ride with more calf which equals a steadier heel.

When I am jumping the same thing, heels down and lower leg back and underneath you. I do a lot of switching between two-point and rising trot and two-point and sitting to the canter, keeping the leg is the same place while going back and forth.

Good job starting him to jump, he looks careful and confident in his job! You both have an exciting future ahead!

[imjustjoking22]

First of all, lovely horse! He looks in great shape and condition.

I laughed a little when I watched your video, because it could have been me! We share the same riding position! When you post the heel rises and when you ask him to move forward you do so with the heel. This moves your lower leg slightly too far forward and drives him into slightly unsteady contact (and your gelding to swich his tail!).

My dressage trainer yells at me repeatedly to get my leg underneath me and ride with my calf in contact with my horses side. She has me ride without stirrups on the lunge line a lot! I tend to brace off the stirrup too much so no-stirrup work def helps me ride with more calf which equals a steadier heel.

When I am jumping the same thing, heels down and lower leg back and underneath you. I do a lot of switching between two-point and rising trot and two-point and sitting to the canter, keeping the leg is the same place while going back and forth.

Good job starting him to jump, he looks careful and confident in his job! You both have an exciting future ahead!

Thanks for all the tips, I will keep them in mind!! :). Isn't it frustrating being a serial huncher?! hahaha.

I can't take any credit for his attitude, he has been a good (but sometimes lazy) boy over jumps from day one!! Any horse who could be started over them by an ammie like me has a good soul :p. He will do pretty much anything for a few pats on the neck and a "good boy!".

[yellowbritches]

He's by Ideal?! :eek: We're talking Ultimate Piaffe's Ideal, correct? I'm assuming the dam must be warmblood, because he doesn't have the same type that ALL the Ideal babies I know have (all out of TB mares). He's a nice guy, just a lot heavier and, well, more warmbloody, than the ones I know. He's got the movement, though, definitely. :yes:

Anyway, he looks like a pretty typical Ideal baby. Sweet, a bit on the quiet side. I'd like to see him a little stronger in his canter and sent more "through" his fences. He tends to get to the fence and kinda plop over. I get the feeling maybe you are taking your leg off and throwing yourself at the fence, instead of RIDING him to, over, and away from his fence (he lands trotting quite a bit). Just get his rpms up a bit more and KEEP YOUR LEG ON (our great Ideal guy will jump ANYTHING out of ANYTHING, but often rather unathletically if not ridden pretty strongly).

Ideal babies are fantastic ammy horses. I LOVE them and find that they are sweet and kind, with a bit of an ornery streak. Here's ours, the BFG- http://www.photoreflect.com/pr3/orderpage.aspx?pi=0EBK00832A0116&po=116 This is one of my all time favorite horses.

[imjustjoking22]

He's by Ideal?! :eek: We're talking Ultimate Piaffe's Ideal, correct? I'm assuming the dam must be warmblood, because he doesn't have the same type that ALL the Ideal babies I know have (all out of TB mares). He's a nice guy, just a lot heavier and, well, more warmbloody, than the ones I know. He's got the movement, though, definitely. :yes:

Anyway, he looks like a pretty typical Ideal baby. Sweet, a bit on the quiet side. I'd like to see him a little stronger in his canter and sent more "through" his fences. He tends to get to the fence and kinda plop over. I get the feeling maybe you are taking your leg off and throwing yourself at the fence, instead of RIDING him to, over, and away from his fence (he lands trotting quite a bit). Just get his rpms up a bit more and KEEP YOUR LEG ON (our great Ideal guy will jump ANYTHING out of ANYTHING, but often rather unathletically if not ridden pretty strongly).

Ideal babies are fantastic ammy horses. I LOVE them and find that they are sweet and kind, with a bit of an ornery streak. Here's ours, the BFG- http://www.photoreflect.com/pr3/orderpage.aspx?pi=0EBK00832A0116&po=116 This is one of my all time favorite horses.

Yes, he is a baby out of that Ideal- his dam is a Holsteiner, out of the Caletto line (http://www.allbreedpedigree.com/ikelos).

I have been working REALLY hard on driving and being confident to the fences in the past couple of weeks, and I have noticed a huge improvement in the quality of his jumps and his canter.
You are SPOT ON in saying that I was dropping him before the jumps- I was just kind of hoping he would get over instead of even asking him to jump it- actually *riding* to the fence tightens up his knees and has eliminated that ugly "hang time".

And you definitely know my guy- he will jump anything!! :D If I drive him to a jump, he will not refuse it unless there is no possible way he can get over it. It's absolutely wonderful for someone like me- I have had a good deal of experience, but on very intimidating horses (retrained a lot of ottbs, nutso ponies for camps, etc) and I lost a lot of my confidence. He has definitely helped me to get it back!! I feel very lucky to have him. :)

ETA: missed the last part of your post- yours is GORGEOUS!! What a lovely jump!! And you're definitely right- my horse can be quite crabby too :p He has a great mind though, definitely an ammie horse at heart!

[CookiePony]

You guys are a very appealing and attractive pair.

Strengthening and learning to use your core will help the position issues you are dealing with. Pilates, I've found, is really great for this. But so will something very simple: wear a shirt with a collar and turn the collar up. Then try to ride with the back of your neck touching your collar. You have to lift and engage your core in order to do this.

[imjustjoking22]

You guys are a very appealing and attractive pair.

Strengthening and learning to use your core will help the position issues you are dealing with. Pilates, I've found, is really great for this. But so will something very simple: wear a shirt with a collar and turn the collar up. Then try to ride with the back of your neck touching your collar. You have to lift and engage your core in order to do this.

Thanks!! That's a great tip- I will definitely try it. What I really need are another couple months of lunge lessons like I had when I was schooling the upper levels- I had abs of steel! :lol:

[Wigwag]

Can't critique, but I just had to reply and say you have an incredibly gorgeous horse. :) Keep up the good work, he looks like a really nice willing kind of guy.

[imjustjoking22]

Can't critique, but I just had to reply and say you have an incredibly gorgeous horse. :) Keep up the good work, he looks like a really nice willing kind of guy.

Thank you very much!! He didn't start out that way, if you can believe it- when I first got him he would kick at his rider at the walk (kinda funny looking!), was incredibly backed off my leg, and was very aggressive on the ground :eek:. But he was well worth the work- I knew from the moment I met him! :D

[Sancudo]

I'll only do the dressage, since that's what I've been doing for years, and leave the jumping to the more qualified. ;)

Consistancy will be your friend. You need a more consistant contact, esp. in the trot work in the field. The reins are snapping, your hands are pretty unsteady, and it shows up in his head tossing. The arena work is much better, but your hands still move a bit when your post, and your legs are kicking nearly everystride. He needs to come fully through his back and withers (he only looks partway there) and then he will come on the bit more solidly, and his his lengthenings will be even nicer. I also think you are posting really high. I'd work on really having him quicker off your leg- ask once, expect a response. If you don't get one, demand one. It's better to ask once and leave him than nag all the time and have him deaden. Impulsion is really important, and I think he needs some working gaits established.

He's cute, keep up the good work!