Critique please?

[whoadammit]

I've been a long time lurker, and haven't been riding lately. This past weekend I was able to hop on a friend's Appx QH (she's a bit out of shape, but I am worse :yes:). Was hoping to get some input on my riding. (I rarely ride in a dressage saddle, I prefer the flat as a pancake CC saddles) All feedback is appreciated, constructive criticism also welcome. Thank you in advance.

**** not sure what I'm doing with my hands/wrists.

http://pets.webshots.com/photo/2016521310104913209IlTgAl

http://pets.webshots.com/photo/2943761380104913209NXUyqF

http://pets.webshots.com/photo/2151842870104913209SgHshX


I hope I linked the pics correctly :confused:

[SillyHorse]

I know what you're doing with your hands and wrists, lol. You're letting your elbows stick out, and rotating your wrists in. This can happen when you let your shoulders hunch forward. You want to sit up, lift your chest so your shoulders can come back and down, let your upper arm hang at your side (think in terms of "tying" your elbows to your hips with rubber bands, and relax and straighten your wrists.

Very cute horse. :)

[dressagedevon]

I am no expert and I only glanced quickly, but the main thing I saw was hunched shoulders and leaning a bit forward. Which I will catch myself doing sometimes, old hunter habit that just won't die!!!

[Gloria]

In all three pictures, you were sitting forward, like you were still ridding in a cc saddle. That may have something to do with your habit. But I think that may have something to do with your saddle too. It looks way too small for you and you are jammed up in it. It is very hard to get into a good position if you don't have a saddle that fit you. You want a hand width between you and the cantle, as well as one hand width between you and the pommel. Were you comfortable in that saddle?

[whoadammit]

Yes, the horse and the saddle are owned by my 5' tall best friend with a little butt :winkgrin: and I'm 5'8 and we'll just say my butt is not as small ;) So yes the saddle does perch me forward. Over all it's just way too much saddle for me. I'll take a old PdN or Collegiate w/ a plain flap any day! Thank you for all your comments so far :)

[FancyFree]

Nice except for elbows out and the broken wrists. You have a lovely leg position. Sit up a bit straighter, shoulders back.

And you're very brave for posting pics, asking for a critique! :lol:

[doccer]

First of all... you look like a competent rider :) It looks fabulous actually!

If i were to go 'dressage' tho... try sitting on the back of your butt a littlel more (in your saddle, put your shoulders on your horses rump - that can help get your butt in place) and the should get your shoulders aligned for sitting up straight.

You're leg looks solid, but i'd like to see it just a little longer and 'under' your hip (while you're riding touch the heel of your foot to your thigh/butt, be sure you keep sitting on your butt like in the exercise above ;) ). Relax the leg a little more so you aren't tensing up to get your heel down, think about a soft balance in the stirrup iron, and let your foot be parallel to your horse (you might have to think toes in for a bit, just to over compensate). This will help wrap yourself around your horse.

Your hands :) shorten your reins... You're breaking in your wrist in compensation for 'feel'. Shorten doesn't mean tighten ;) i'd try and have your hands a little more over the withers (they look like they want to sit in your lap - but aren't yet). and it's not fingers and wrist that develop a 'feel' of your horse... I think of relaxing from the elbow and keeping my hands/wrists steady. Steady wrist/hand is a steady head for your horse.

I need to re-iterate that youre pics look lovely tho :)

[Hunter DQ]

Hi. Not to offer a critique, as I'm a very new poster and not the most competent dressage authority, but perhaps some perspective? I started riding with a dressage trainer a few months ago to get back in shape. I've ridden hunters for years but grad school kinda took way too much time away from riding. Even though I've ridden dressage in the past, I felt like I was constantly perching forward and turning my wrists. The first dressage trainer I started with last fall had me fighting myself constantly to sit up and back (he was a disabled grand prix rider from Holland). When I started riding with one of his previous students, she told me to forgot about sitting far enough back because my core muscles weren't strong enough. Sure enough, four months later, now when she tells me to sit up and back, I don't feel like I'm perching or fighting myself any more. So, in my case it was a fitness issue. Your pictures look great and I enjoyed seeing them!

[Ambrey]

Don't forget to point your toes forward- your inner calf should be on the horse :)

[Gloria]

When I started riding with one of his previous students, she told me to forgot about sitting far enough back because my core muscles weren't strong enough. Sure enough, four months later, now when she tells me to sit up and back, I don't feel like I'm perching or fighting myself any more. So, in my case it was a fitness issue.

You know, this is an interesting perspective. I have observed the same on myself. About 6 months after I started to go to gym regularly (each week, 2 sessions of pilate, 2 session of yoga, and 1 session of target weight lifting), all the sudden I found out I could sit up straight, bring my shoulder back without losing my contact on the saddle, and stay in the middle of the horse all the time easier.

The OP looks fit to me though...

[whoadammit]

Everbody has been so kind, thank you! I will most definately be working on all the advice and suggestions you all have given. Again, I am VERY unfit at this time as I have not ridden all winter and it had been very sporatic over last summer (however in no way am I making excuses :winkgrin:) Time to get my butt in gear! Also, if there is anyone in the New England area that has a horse that is in need of a rider, I am looking for a free lease type situation. Preferably something on the bigger side that does a bit of everything. (I hope this is OK to post here, Mods feel free to remove if that is not the case.) Again, I just wanted to thank everyone for their advice and kind words :)

[Equibrit]

Go take some lessons on a lunge line including no stirrups/reins.

[SillyHorse]

Everbody has been so kind, thank you!
Oh NO! We're going to lose our reputations as mean old dressage queens! :lol:

[doccer]

YOU VILL SEEEEEET ZEE TROUT! SEET!

:D

[whoadammit]

HAHAHAHAH!!!! Doccer you are too funny :D And don't worry, I won't tell :lol:

[slc2]

I think just ride and enjoy yourself, get back in shape and worry about critiques in a couple months. Gradually lengthen your stirrups for dressage, and work on sitting with your upper body straighter up and down.

[whoadammit]

OK slc2, I'll take you up on that. Unfortunately the only dressage saddle I have available to ride in is the one in my pics... too small. Oh well, maybe that will get my core SUPER strong..... Thank you all again!

[pines4equines]

I went to a Susan Harris clinic and something she said that helped me a lot is imagine a piece of thread tied to your breast bone and then imagine pulling it upward. It'll give you a mental image towards sitting up straight.

[buck22]

^^^ I like the Sally Swift (I think) suggestion to envision my spine is a tree trunk, growing and reaching to the sky and my feet are roots growing and reaching to the ground.... I think it was sally anyhow :lol: I'm not much in the memory dept. lately

[Petstorejunkie]

If you were riding cross country your lower body would be fine. And i disagree about your stirrup needing to be longer for dressage; after all that's something that has come about only in the last 30 years of dressage. Look at old pictures of Podjasky, there's plenty of angle in those knees!
To adjust your lower body for dressage riding youll need to open your hip angle alot, activate your lower abdominal muscles to lift your pubic bone up so that your seat bones are pointed down. Basically you want your pubic bone resting in the twist of the saddle, your seat bones "load bearing" and your tail bone resting on the cantle. Visualize your pelvis and legs going from a triangle resting atop the horse to an upside down trapezoid like your femurs are spreading outward at the hip. Then visualize your thighs rotating inward, with knees dropping and sinking straight down. Your lower leg should hang like a bratwurst on a string (with the joint being your knee)
I will warn you that adjusting your pelvis is going to stretch minute muscles and ligaments all around your midsection. Be patient with your body.
Nothing else can get better until you fix your pelvis. it's the epicenter of your equitation... if it's off everything is basically "off"
Once you've fixed your lower body, then visualize you giving your horse space to move out in front of you. get your upper body out of the way. Lift your chest, let heavy weights hang from your elbows, and let that weighted feeling radiate all the way up to the shoulder. I like the visual of trying to touch the bottoms of my shoulderblades together, while elongating my neck like a princess.
Your hands will take some time. As they are now you are not experiencing contact with the bit. In fact you are creating a painful experience for the horse; that's not to say your problem is a rare one. I've actually found taking 6" rulers and banding them to the backs of your hands will give you a sensation reminder to straighten. your main focus though should be feeling the horses mouth back thru your elbows.

I do strongly suggest getting a good set of eyes on the ground for yourself. I've been at this nearly 30 years and i still take lessons 3 days a week. We've never learned enough to stop taking lessons.