English, flat and jumping critique.

This post is from August, I am hoping to see some improvement from this:

Be Honest and Harsh

The following pictures were taken this weekend, so nearly 6 months have passed. I feel like I am stagnating a bit, and not improving much. Having said that, I focussed a lot on keeping my hands in a better position, or at least I thought I did. My thumbs are on top, but my elbows are straight now I also feel like I need my heels down just a touch, but before you start telling me to push them lower or force them down, remember that I want to aim for dressage, which doesn't require such extremely dropped heels. On that same note, I feel like I need to lean back a touch, to bring my weight into my seat a bit better.

Go ahead and pick them apart, feel free to be mean or to give constructive advice Please don't critique the mare, Elle, since she is not mine.

Holy big photos batman! Thumbnails lol











BTW my non horsey fiancée took these photos, so they aren't the greatest for jumping critiquing but you can see a bit :)

There is improvement. Your heal is down more than your photos before. A couple things I noticed is you need to sit up taller and keep your shoulders back, and bend your elbows. Also your thumbs were up in your older photos, now you have piano hands, try not to get in that habit.

The jumping is hard to see, but it looks like your stirrups are too long, and you heal is up. You are also leaning too much on your horses neck. Practice your 2-point at the walk, trot and canter, so you can strengthen your muscles, and get the correct feel of the horse.

Thanks ErikaLynn :)

Alright, I'm going to be harsh! Haha(:

I don't do dressage, so I can't critique on that :P

However, I do jump. I'm a complete equitation freak!
1. It looks to me like you need to do a LOT of no stirrup work. Your leg looks loose, causing your heel to go up over the fence, instead of down. You want to have a secure lower leg. I think of your legs being your "roots", like the roots to a tree. Without them being strong, the tree will not grow, and therefore, you won't grow as a rider. Try warming up without them, doing sit trots, posting trots, canter. Also, when your trotting around, try standing up in your saddle and 2-pointing at the trot and canter also. This always helps my legs get stronger! But, don't over do the no stirrups at first. Start small, and work your way up to eventually being able to jump without the stirrups! Trust me, doing no stirrups always always helps!

2. Your stirrups could be shorter? This could also be a reason for your heel going up. Try shortening them a hole or two, it could make a big difference.

3. In the third picture, it looked like your hands, or release, was a little too far back. You want to be able to be in 2-point position and look down with your eyes, and be able to see your thumbs. Try doing a bigger release, it will help a lot!

Videos will also help the critique, I can't tell how quiet your upper body, legs, and arms are by a picture. Get someone to video you riding, and post it here! I'd love to give you some advice, it seems like you really want to improve!
http://i861.photobucket.com/albums/a...s/FAVORITE.jpg
That's a picture of my horse and I jumping. I think my release could've been a little bigger! But as for my heels, see how they're down? That's what you want to aim for!

Good luck! I bet you'll improve in no time and be a fantastic rider!=D

1st Photo: Good posture, good heels, but your arms are really tight. You should work on keeping your horse 'on the bit'. In dressage, judges look for the poll being the highest point of the horse. This will help keep the reins a bit less... long, I suppose you could say. It seems as if your horse is leaning on the bit a little.
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2nd Photo: Good posture, but heels DOWN! Again, your horse looks uncomfortable with the pressure on the bit. Of course, as I'm not riding, it is sort of hard to tell, but.... What type of bit do you use? Broken snaffle?
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3rd Photo: Hard to see much in this one, but I can see that you are doing on of the most important things in jumping - having fun!
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4th Photo: I like this one. Just remember not to depend to much on your hands or the horse's neck and keep those legs steady (my biggest downfall).
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5th Photo: You're pushing yourself out and forward just a little too much. I bet that when you landed, you were out of balence a bit and your stirrups were wiggling.
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You have a gorgeous horse, by the way. Keep up the work and KEEP SMILING!

~Dalilah

Thanks guys!

Justjump - I do work on no stirrups when I can. The stirrups probably were too short, I had dropped them a few holes for flat work from what I am used to and probably didn't bring them up to account for that. As for my release, I have been working on that. Usually I have a ribbon in her mane and make sure that my hands go to the ribbon :) Thanks for the advice :)

JumpintheMoon - I don't try to get her onto the bit. She is young, and I just don't have the strength of position yet to ask her correctly, she doesn't have the strength of muscle development to offer it herself. She does lean on the bit a little, usually a half halt will get her lighter though. She is in a broken snaffle with loose ring and obviously with cheek pieces too. Unfortunately, I cannot change that, since she is a schoolie and not mine. My jumping is actually improving rapidly, and just from having fun while doing it :) I used to not leave the saddle, which was horrible, then I would over jump and throw the horse off balance. So it is nice to know that it is down to little stuff now, like letting her come to me etc.

Thanks again :)

No problem! But honestly, don't start grabbing the mane. It's a good way to practice your release, but it might turn into a habit. Again, it goes back to having a stronger lower leg to where you can support yourself over the fence.

You don't have to take my advice as the gospel, but these are just things that I have learned from many many clinics with equitation trainers(: Good luck! You have a lot of potential and you'll be great in no time!

Oh I never grabbed her mane when I had the ribbon in it. It was a visual reminder to have my hands that far up her neck, that is all :)

Oh alright! Awesome Good luck!!