Critique My Horseback Riding?

Question

Me and my horse doing flat work. Please give comments to help out. Anything is welcome. I know it is a little hard to see from the bluriness.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uXIPPP12aKg

AT THE END PLEASE GUESS A SCORE OF 0-10. (0 being the lowest and 10 the highest.)

Thanks.

Answer 1

Get your horse going more, he's way too lazy

score= 6

Answer 2

First your thumbs must be at the top and you must stop advancing your shoulders forward. Lately your hand should be the width of your  horse shoulders, so you have to separate them more

Answer 3

Well you have a very lovely horse who has been trained very well.

Do to his level of training you are able to just sit there and look quite lovely however i see to major flaws.

Flaw 1: They way your horse was trained. He was trained with most likely draw reins. This allows him to carry his head in that never changing position that looks correct. Now in performance classes in 4-H you will probably do just fine for those judges really don't understand how to properly ride or train a horse. In dressage test he won't do as well because he is not using himself correctly.

He is not using his back end and lifting through his back (your transition proved this that instead of flowing in he stopped his front then his hind) His muscling also gives this away how there is that dip in front of his wither because he holds his neck rigid and stuck in place and the dip behind your saddle means he is not really tucking and lifting his back like he should be.

Flaw 2: Your level of understanding. I knew your horse was trained in draw reins just from watching 1 minute of a video (whether you used them or not that is how he was trained) Your reins were flopping but his head never moved. Which means your level of understanding of how to ride a horse in a correct frame is not there. You do not understand how to get a horse properly on the bit and because of that horses training you won't have to learn on him. On a properly trained horse (without use of gadgets) the loss of contact should send his head up.

I feel like i have explained enough and you can disagree with me that fine but from my years of experience i know what i saw and that is what i saw. and there are also other pieces of evidence that lead me to believe he is not being ridden correctly nor was his training correct.

And i am assuming you will be showing at fair so good luck

Answer 4

I think your riding huntseat, so that would explain the arch in your back?

The only MAJOR problem I see is your hands/arm. And at some points your toes poke outttt.

Answer 5

You almost got those turns, keep trying. looked like there was a nice smooth canter, just a shame it didn't last very long and I couldn't tell whether you wanted him to canter or not. Sorry but I didn't like the commentary.

I would give you a 6.7 out of 10

Answer 6

You have the starting points established.

Your thumbs aren't on top. (Motorbike hands)

When you canter you thump bak down into the saddle, it is ad for the horses back, you also arch your back, no offence but its looks strange.

Remeber there is two lines in a correct position.

Bit > Reins > Hands > Elbow

Ear > Shoulder > Hip > Heel

Keep a bend in your elbow.

Heels down!!

- The horse isn't connected. you need to shorten your reins and drive more with your seat and and legs. you want the horse to round up  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MQzRNHfdT... (There are some good examples in this vid)

The horse needs to be engaged in the front and back legs. YOu maybe not this good but I have seen 7yos get there first paddock ponies(not very well trained) to engage!

Answer 7

A few things:

-get your horse moving forwards more

-Keep a steady contact (NO CLIMBING UP AND DOWN THE REINS :P)

-it looks like your saying to the horse 'its up to you' take control

5

Answer 8

If you stop arching you back and sit back in the saddle a bit more you won't thump down when you canter. It will also look nicer. Also, stop those ankles swiveling and point those toes forward. Didn't see enough to rate you but I thought you did pretty good. Good on you for being open to constructive critcism.

I think comments like "YOu maybe not this good but I have seen 7yos get there first paddock ponies(not very well trained) to engage!" are needlessly unkind and patronizing. The girl is asking for help. You could probably have found a much less condescending way to make your point.

Answer 9

quite gd! just relax a little, shorten ur stirrups (u lk like ur about to jump!), when ur horse puts his head down when you are moveing, hes trying to buck u off! pull his head up. your arms need to b more bent. when cantering sit deep in the saddle unless doing standing canter/race.

6/10

Answer 10

The first thing I noticed was your hands.  You really need to keep your thumbs up.  You also roll your shoulders forward.  I have the same problem too.  You need to sit with your shoulders forward, then bring them up to your ears then roll them back and let them relax behind you. once you get those problems fixed, you need to focus on your horse's head.  It was too low.  The poll should be the highest point of his head. It would be best to get a riding instructor to help you with that. Besides that, you did a pretty good job.  I give you a 6!