Critique county fair pic.

This was last september. The pony that I've been training myself Taffy, "In a New York Minute"
We got grand champion in this class but if you don't mind looking at this pic? (:
Thanksss;

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y29.../2DSC_0089.jpg

Oh I should add some info about her:
She's a 6 year old 14.2 hand Morgan/QH cross mare;
We got her from a sales barn about 3 years ago, she was about to go to the house
She was too strong for the younger children so I started her from nothing. She knew absolutely nothing.
& a few months went by and she started getting big. And what do you know; months later out popps a baby, but not safetly; the babys cord cut too soon and the baby sufficated. We almost lost Taffy also, she lost so much blood and she was too weak to finish giving birth, so we had to pull the baby out ourselves and the baby was twisted. It was a BEAUTIFUL foal though. Dark bay male with a huge blaze down his face & all four white stockings and the back left leg, the stocking almost looked like it swirled up his leg.
So a month or so after the baby insident, I started her up and two years passed with all the training I put into her she's been named Grand Champion All-Around hunter mare in my area.
Its a BIGGGGGGGGGGGGGG accomplishment for me.

I know nothing about jumping so I can't help you there!

But way to go, what a huge accomplishment! Give yourself a pat on the back and be very proud of yourself!

Thanks (: im proud of myself. It took a long time to get Taffy to where she is now, but it was worth it. She's one of the most giving ponies I've ever met. It really goes to show, you have to give respect to recieve it. She does anything and has the heart and soul for jumping.

Just this past sunday; well lemme back up, about 5 years ago my old pony Secret and I went to do this 2'6" box, that's the normal 6 feet wide, but its a box so it has about a 2 feet spred ontop so we went to do it, and her back feet caught on it and flipped it over, I flipped off her neck, and she fell ontop of me; luckily I didnt break anything, just sprained my ankle and both wrists, twisted my neck, and damaged my knee. But nothing severe, and its put a fear for me to ever do that box again and with taffy im safe because she will never refuse ANYTHING. She's never refused anything with me, and well I took the box, and she soared over it. I have a video but I can't upload it right now. We did it about 4 more times after that.
That's one pony who will always have my heart.

It's an amazing feeling ain't it! You don't get a bond like that everyday!

Heres a picture off of the video; you can't really see that well but its somethin. It shows us goin over the box & that's all that matters (:
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y29...5a9fa4528b.jpg

All I can see is that you need to point your toes when you jump, bc that will also put ur weight back in the stirrup bc in the pic ur foot isnt all the way in the stirrup, it should be flat. And you need to squeeze with your knee and hug ur calf to ur pony, other than those minor falts you guys look really cute.

Congrats on your accomplishments!

Just a tip before I comment on your position. For a show, keep your hair up and under a helmet for a neater look. Swinging braids are quite distracting. Other than that you are turned out to impress!

Overall you are a nice rider, there are just a few things I'd like to point out.

Right now, your stirrup is twisted the wrong way, creating a stiff ankle and prohibiting your weight to sink into your ankles and anchor your leg at the girth.

Position your stirrup so that it is lying diagonaly across the ball of your foot. This will allow greater flexibiliity in your ankle, allowing your heel to act as a shock absorber and therefore increasing suppleness throughout your entire position.

Your leg has slid back a tad, due to either your siff ankle, a pinching knee, or both. Your stirrup length is nice, maybe a tad short. This unstable lower leg is also a reason for...

...your jumping ahead. Quite a bit actually, with your upper body on your horse neck and your seat much too high out of the saddle. Wait for your horse thrust to close your hip angle and lift you out of the tack. Work over many small crossrails to help stop your anticipation.

Your release is nice, with your hands pressing into the crest. Be sure not to break your wrists, this is an unsightly habit.

Your reins look very short, as your hands are quite a ways up her neck and yet you still have a lot of contact. Your mare will enjoy a looser rein so that she can really stretch out and round over the jumps. In the hunter ring, it is sometimes appropriate to ride with a drapey rein to show off your horses form. In a jumper or eq class, a shorter rein is more approapriate as you cannot sacrifice contol.

Your horse is very classy, and looks through the bridle well. I suspect she has a tight front end, but it is difficult for her to snap those knees up because of the exessive weight placed on her front by your overjumping. Once you sit back and straighten up, she will improve.

She is also leaning heavily to her left, I realize that you are about to make a left turn (at least, that is what I am assuming from your head position) but she's dropped her left side and leg. This will only result in a heavy turn after the fence instead of a light and balanced one. Is she stronger on her left or right lead? If she is left sided, then this leaning may be a habit she has developed.

Overall you two look great and very competitive! Good luck in all of your showing endeavors!!

Thankyou Just Jump It for the nice critique, but yes; after that fence there was a sharp left turn so that's why she was bent to the left. She is very strong on both ways. She's a very very strong mare with very strong hind ends, that's where she moves from, and moves from her neck. You can see how her neck is very thick, she has muscle like you wouldnt believe. But yes that stirrup is fixed the way it is because I have severe knee problems with that knee; I dislocated it a few years ago and its just having problems on and on, so that's why I cannot put so much weight on it so I don't put it straight on the ball of my foot, I put it more at an angle.
She's a flashy little mover when she's in the show ring.[/b]

Maybe I worded my post wrong... I didn't mean to say to put your stirrup iron straight across the ball of your foot, I meant to say to put it at more of an angle. Right now it is quite straight across.

Angling your stirrup iron makes your ankle more supple-therefore making the rest of your leg supple and relaxed. It helps you sink your heel down and makes keeping it down less difficult.

I would think that it would help your knee, I can't see how it would make it worse.

But... you know what feels right and what dosent! I hope you feel better soon!