Critique please

[VTHokie]

From this weekend's show, please critique this trot photo.
More specifically the horse, I know I could sit a bit more upright, and bend elbows more.

http://www.photoreflect.com/pr3/orderpage.aspx?pi=07JE004Q000092&po=92

Thank you

[doccer]

I think it's a lovely photo! :) caught a really great moment in time.

My initial thought is... for rider to use inside leg at the girth, to promote a little more roundness - i see that inside leg bringing the horses back up a little more and helping to unlock the neck/jaw :yes:

Thats just from a photo tho ;) looks good!

[2boys]

I am NO EXPERT, but am going to give it a go. The horse is so cute! I agree with softening up the jaw/neck, but also think based on his/her reach (or lack of) in the photo shows that this needs to be worked on. Free up the shoulders. But you look like a nice team!!:winkgrin:

[LarkspurCO]

What test were you riding?

[Ambrey]

She is not quite tracking up. The the hind leg lands in the print of the foreleg for a working trot.

(ask me why that is the one thing I looked at, lol! I had to work on quite a few things before the "sub-power trot" was no longer the norm.)

[Quest52]

I think you're doing a great job for the point that you are at in your training. It may be the moment in time that is captured, but in addition to what has been suggested I would attempt to hold the horse on the outside reign (which I can't see!! :) ) and keep that inside reign as your communication reign, loose and helping to communicate suppleness.
I would also try to push your heels down and toes in a bit more to communicate with the horse more completely.

But he is listening to you well... his inside ear is right on you.

[Petstorejunkie]

horse has alot more to give than what was given in the photo. Correcting your equitation will allow your horse to get in front of your leg. It all starts with the rider, and your are blocking your horses flow of energy.

[VTHokie]

LarkspurCO- It was not a test. It was a dressage suitability flat class.

Not to make excuses but it was at the end of a very long day, and after riding 3 other flat classes that morning, so we were both pretty worn out. I was thrilled with how cooperative she remained and how happy she was to do what I asked. After this class I scratched the last one. She behaved well and we had a good day there was no need to do more.

I'm still waiting for photos from the morning classes.

Here's a couple more from the afternoon:
http://www.photoreflect.com/pr3/orderpage.aspx?pi=07JE004Q000044&po=44

http://www.photoreflect.com/pr3/orderpage.aspx?pi=07JE004Q000093&po=93

Edit to add: Yes, her mane is roached if anyone was trying figure it out.:winkgrin:

[Petstorejunkie]

I want you to look at the difference in the rotation of your leg in those two photos and the difference it has made on your mount.
In the first pick your toe is pointed out and the whole side of your leg is off the horse; instead you are using the back of your calf. As a result your mount is fair but could be better.
Now, take a look at pick #2. you could still stretch down thru your leg a bit more but your rotation inward has given you an effective leg, resulting in a more engaged supple horse. Look at how much more active that step is! it's lofferly. also your line from elbow to bit is complete in this one and your horse is yielding nicely... not quite straight but getting there.

[alibi_18]

The last photo seems to be the best to me.
So; since your mare isn't 'tracking up' that much, her head carriage is still quite good (relax, not pulling, on the bit per say) And I prefer that than seing a horse that isn't pushing from behing and have is head straight dead or under the vertical (which would mean that the rider is pulling the head instead of pushing the hindquarters underneath so to make the horse poll be the highest point of the top line as for the horse to relax his jaw and fall onto the bit by itself)
Has for her capabilities, I would say that with more forwardness she would get really rounder, more underneath at the back and lighter in the front. She seems to have a really quiet and light mouth as well.

As for your position, this picture is also the best. But, I would like to see your toes pointing a bit more inward (in the direction you are going) even if on that picture your lower leg seems quite good.
You seem to have really forgiving hands and you guys look really well!

[VTHokie]

Thanks all.
I'm using my spur a bit and haven't quite figured how to use it without turning my toe out. I am a hunter rider trying to convert to dressage but have only had 4 lessons due to location issues. I appreciate all advice I can get.
She is quite soft in my hands. I need to remember to get my elbows back and bent. When I do this, surprise :rolleyes:, she gets even rounder and soft. She can be a loftier mover in the right conditions, but with only 4 shows under her belt she does get a wee bit unfocused compared to at home which leads to a more up and down gait. Despite this though, she didn't fuss at all this time around with her head. I was so happy with her. We just seem to keep making nice little progressions each time out. I know I could do better with a trainer there with me but it just wasn't an option.

Our next goal is to work with the trainer the next month and gear towards a dressage show in June.

[Petstorejunkie]

you may find that working with a long whip will help you create a solid leg instead of bad habits ;)
I must say for only a few lessons in dressage, you are already doing better than most starting out!
One visual that helps me keep my elbows back is that there is an elastic band that goes from my left wrist, around my backside, and attaches to my right hand. thinking of that behind the back elasticity really helps me to sit up, and bring my elbows back and be supple

[LarkspurCO]

Well, heck. Suitability for dressage? You look great, and better than a lot of the other riders. I don't see you hanging on her mouth anyway. It's just a matter of working at it with a good coach (when you can). Have you played with lateral flexion to unlock her neck? I would work on getting her soft to your hand, using some flexion to get her to soften her poll. Your horse is really cute.;)

[slc2]

A very nice horse and rider. The horse looks content and very well cared for, beautifully groomed, always very well behaved and steady at least in the videos i've seen. It's a very pretty heavy hunter type. I think we might be past the days when brightly colored horses seemed to be a no-no in the hunter ring; it certainly makes no difference in dressage.

The horse is just not forward, this is the problem. Remove you spurs, pick up a whip. Sit up straight, take your heels out of your horse's sides, bring your elbows back to your side, send your horse forward into the bridle.

Activity is what is missing. It makes bending, half halts, and the horse lifting his feet from the ground, bending his joints and rounding his topline possible. It's the basic thing that has to change.

[VTHokie]

Thanks for all the kind words. I don't use the spurs with every ride but I'll consider getting a longer whip and leaving them off altogether while we get her "motor" figured out. She's very forward on the trails when we do hill work, even gives me (dare I say) a gallop. I certainly don't want to get her more dead to my leg which was a discussion in another of our older posts. I still need to work on actually using the whip instead of just carrying; I have started, it just needs more practice.

LarkspurCO- We do frequently work on serpentines and circles, especially when I feel her not moving off my leg in the turns.

[VTHokie]

Here are the pictures from earlier that day in the field hunter division; I let her have a longer rein for a more huntery look:
http://www.photoreflect.com/pr3/orderpage.aspx?pi=07JE004Q0A0067&po=67

http://www.photoreflect.com/pr3/orderpage.aspx?pi=07JE004Q0A0068&po=68

http://www.photoreflect.com/pr3/orderpage.aspx?pi=07JE004Q0A0070&po=70

http://www.photoreflect.com/pr3/orderpage.aspx?pi=07JE004Q0A0075&po=75

[2boys]

Here are the pictures from earlier that day in the field hunter division; I let her have a longer rein for a more huntery look:
http://www.photoreflect.com/pr3/orderpage.aspx?pi=07JE004Q0A0067&po=67

http://www.photoreflect.com/pr3/orderpage.aspx?pi=07JE004Q0A0068&po=68

http://www.photoreflect.com/pr3/orderpage.aspx?pi=07JE004Q0A0070&po=70

http://www.photoreflect.com/pr3/orderpage.aspx?pi=07JE004Q0A0075&po=75

Ohhhhh! I like her front end so much here!!! She looks like such a nice girl. ;)

[VTHokie]

Thanks, I do think it made a difference for both of us when we had plenty of energy in the morning. We still need to work on our endurance.:yes:

[AnotherRound]

Well, for a gross response, I have to say that in the first pic I was concerned how your leg justu wasn't uner you, and you were way over your center. I thought you might be on the rise of the trot, but then the other two pics showed that you are keeping your leg behind you. When you were 'sitting up straight' your butt is sticking out, and you don't have your hips tucked under you. The makes your leg swing back, and yes, you have to turn your toes out to put on the spurs. You really don't need spurs in the beginnign if you are going to try to learn that leg, which you don't yet have. Cominjg from hunters myself, I understand your concern, but in a good centered seat, if your leg is under you, in other words, you need to get back down into the seat - feels like you are doing saddle seat but you aren't coming from hunter. Get down, baby, get down!! The rise in your trot does not bring you back up over your center, you just come forward in the hips a bit, keeping y0our leg still and under you. IN dressage, you need to change from a pinched in knee (we were taught, in myold days, to use the knees to grip) to a loose knee with your lower leg still on the horse through out your rise. your hip and seat pull down into the saddle. Here, your feet are not under your hip and they must be. Also, your butt is sticking out. You need to tuck it in, under you entirely. Think long leg, like you are rollerskating on the ground whilst you ride. With your leg back, you will tilt forward and have no seat, as you are in all these photos. Never mind your toes, take off the spurs. If you aren't thinking about putting the spurs into the horse you will learn your leg and seat. Use a dressage whip behind your girth until you learn your leg.

As for the "hunter look" photos, phleh, why would you "try" for that? You need very much to sit down into the horse and drive him from your seat and move him into the bit long and low. Has nothing to do with a "look". Its a work ethic. Very hard and much much work.

As for your suitability for dressage, you both look darling and will do well. Just forget all your former training, pull down and get your hip and leg under you instead of behind you. And tuck in your butt!! Even in hunters, it shouldn't be sticking out!!

IMHO.


Sorry for the spelling errors. My keyboard is whacked.
:)

[VTHokie]

I try to get up over my leg as much as I can but with an A/P saddle like this one there's only so much I can do. It does tilt me and I do the best I can. I cannot afford to have more than one saddle now and I do want to occasionally jump.

[goeslikestink]

Thanks all.
I'm using my spur a bit and haven't quite figured how to use it without turning my toe out. I am a hunter rider trying to convert to dressage but have only had 4 lessons due to location issues. I appreciate all advice I can get.
She is quite soft in my hands. I need to remember to get my elbows back and bent. When I do this, surprise :rolleyes:, she gets even rounder and soft. She can be a loftier mover in the right conditions, but with only 4 shows under her belt she does get a wee bit unfocused compared to at home which leads to a more up and down gait. Despite this though, she didn't fuss at all this time around with her head. I was so happy with her. We just seem to keep making nice little progressions each time out. I know I could do better with a trainer there with me but it just wasn't an option.

Our next goal is to work with the trainer the next month and gear towards a dressage show in June.

ditch the spurs--- as they arnt helping you and you need to use your legs
this way you wont be using spurs wrongly and making your horses sides dead to the leg
as they are constantly banging on is sides in every movement

then do as petstorejunkie says and she explains very well whats not happening and what shoud be happening with your legs
so turn your foot in thus turns the legs in which is on the horse rather than off the horse
otherwise you can hello floor a lot quicker

[NCSue]

All in all you've gotten good, fair feed back. I had the pleasure of watching Ginger at the show and was very pleased to see how her training has progressed. You two looked nice and I enjoyed watching you ride. There were so many positives. It was brutally hot this past weekend for this area and that sapped endurance from lots of the bigger, heavier horses. Sure you've got a few things to work on. We all do. The leg starts with the hip. In dressage we want a move open hip angle. Our conformation plays a great deal into the ease or difficulty of rotating the hip so the leg hangs correctly with foot parallel to the horse's side. When you first mount think of actually taking your hand and rolling your thigh back so inner thigh makes contact with saddle. Then roll your butt under you. And then turn those feet in from the hips. Just think every couple of strides about turning your toe in. It probably won't happen over night. Step by step progress.

[AnotherRound]

I try to get up over my leg as much as I can but with an A/P saddle like this one there's only so much I can do. It does tilt me and I do the best I can. I cannot afford to have more than one saddle now and I do want to occasionally jump.

Well I can do it in an A/P saddle. I think you can do it. You just have to pull down and line yourself up harder. No use blaming it on the saddle. Borrow one for a session and see if there is a difference or if it is you. Bet its you, because your hip back and seat are not aligned, and you are not sitting correctly, saddle or not. If they were, and still you couldn't get your leg in line, I'd reluctantly agree. The saddle may not help, but its not an excuse, you aren't doing the work!!

Try a friend's saddle. Then make it happen in yours.