2nd show (with full video)

Kitten Val
I watched the video and left is shorter..............throughout test.
I have found over the years that sometimes holes on stirrup leathers are not always the same.
Fancy bridle is beautiful..........

Kitten - my leathers are uneven as well, but that's because my pelvis is tilted - so I do so to accomodate my uneveness.

If you say your leathers are even, then so be it.

Interesting! Folks, I have to look them up (as I always just go by ## on stirrups). I wonder if the saddle slipped a bit (as she was very sweaty).

Why is an incorrect lead not allowed to be fixed through a flying lead change?

Actually, it's usually unwise to go by the numbers on the holes as the leathers almost always stretch, and stretch unevenly. The left one tends to stretch more because of mounting; the can also be uneven because the rider places uneven pressure. So I'd get your instructor to take a look while you're standing on level ground.

Because the test asked for a trot to canter and that is what must be done. And it is THAT transition that is marked...not a flying change.

This is the same as the person I judged a while back that thought that as collection is asked for then she figured a passage would do nicely. She got 1's on every movement and she was really mad...LOL

I told her a passage is not in the test,therefore incorrect.

It isn't so much as working on the actual "roundness" but in getting the horse suppler and more flexible through the back.

This itself will open the stride and then the horse will allow you to drive it more forward and it will go more willingly.

You can't do enough lateral exercises to achieve this.

Also as far as stirrup length it is best to have someone look directly at you. Leather stretches especially on the mounting side so using holes are not the best indicator of stirrup length.

Thank you, All, for helpful advices and comments!

I asked to take pics front and back today in flat arena to see the leg position/stirrups length. They do look even. So I think it's the way my qh was standing. And I'll ask my trainer to check them too next time I have a lesson to be sure they are OK.

So a trot to canter is asked and the wrong lead is picked up. The rider must drop to a trot and pick up the correct lead?

So then if a flying lead change is asked say across the center line and the wrong lead is picked, the rider must fix it through a flying lead change?

Thanks for taking the time with my questions! Lol

Yes to both questions.

The only time that a "fix" would become difficult is is something happened when the rider was 3/4 the way through a movement.

Just an an example. Lets say a canter circle was started on the correct lead....then 3/4 around the circle the horse cross canters ( picks up a wrong lead in the rear) or somehow goes completely on the wrong lead.

To come down to trot and redo the canter would be viable ONLY if the canter is asked to continue beyond the circle. Then a trot to new canter would be the correct thing to do.

HOWEVER if the canter is only asked for on the circle and the test asked for a trot at the end of the circle then the best thing would to come down to a trot as close to the transition letter and continue on at the trot. In this case you will be more concerned with having the horse ready for the next movement asked for and having the least disturbance in the flow of the test.

Some of these things are judgement calls and if there is no time to make a correction then the the rider should always try to make the flow of the test as smooth as possible.