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HUS Critique *videos*

2K views 14 replies 10 participants last post by  LittleFish 
#1 ·
Hi Guys!!
This is my 2 year old APHA HUS Prospect, Ultimate Showoff (by Ultimate Fancy). I have had her since July 6th, and have been training her myself.

So we have mostly been working on lifting her back and rounding instead of being so flat. That has greatly improved at the trot IMO, but we still need lots of work at the canter.

I have three diffrent videos for you guys to look at to see where we are so far. All were taken on diffrent days.

And yes, I want you to be brutaly honest with me, don't sugur-coat it, I can take it. Also if something about my riding is really bugging you, feel free to comment about that as well, but I'm mostly looking for things about my horse, I know that I have crappy position on her. I promise it's beter on my finished horse.

Video 1: Taken Nov 20th



Video 2: Taken at lessons on Nov 17
A little info first:
This was her 1st time riding with large puddles in the arena, so she picks up her head a little when we are going though the mud, I try not to force her head down, since the mud was a little sticky. Also, this was at the very end of my ride and I worked her hard today, doing LOTS of ground driving and about an hour of riding before this was taken, so she's a little strung out from being tired. I know these are no excuse, just wanted to let ya'll know.




Video 3: From a Horse Show on Oct 2
Her head was a little better here cause I was really inside her mouth sponging the reins, which I hate doing and don't want to rely upon.

 
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#2 ·
I think the horse is lovely. she has a nice long stride and the potential for a lot of suspension. I am surprised that you are riding so much on a two year old. Is she nearly three? To me, two is really young to be doing so much work.
I don't ride HUS and frankly, don't see the logic in it at all. You ride a horse at a Western type of frame in English tack. YOu have have the horses head so low, it is well below lowest point of its' shoulder. Seems like it's training a young horse to run heavy on the forehand from the get go.
I actually liked it in the places where you said you were too much into her mouth, because the horse picked up her head and stepped under for a moment. she has a lot of umph in her stride and if you were to connect her mouth to her hind end and push her up a bit, she'd be a really nice dressage horse. Her natural gait is pretty fast , which I like.
My last negative comment is that in the first video you had your spurs on her (bump, bump, bump) a lot , and I was dismmayed to see how little she reacted to that. You don't want to dull her out so young.

Your postion was actually pretty good, if you ask me. Only that you had your feet turned out putting that big rowl on her too much.
 
#6 ·
I think the horse is lovely. she has a nice long stride and the potential for a lot of suspension. I am surprised that you are riding so much on a two year old. Is she nearly three? To me, two is really young to be doing so much work.
I don't ride HUS and frankly, don't see the logic in it at all. You ride a horse at a Western type of frame in English tack. YOu have have the horses head so low, it is well below lowest point of its' shoulder. Seems like it's training a young horse to run heavy on the forehand from the get go.
I actually liked it in the places where you said you were too much into her mouth, because the horse picked up her head and stepped under for a moment. she has a lot of umph in her stride and if you were to connect her mouth to her hind end and push her up a bit, she'd be a really nice dressage horse. Her natural gait is pretty fast , which I like.
My last negative comment is that in the first video you had your spurs on her (bump, bump, bump) a lot , and I was dismmayed to see how little she reacted to that. You don't want to dull her out so young.

Your postion was actually pretty good, if you ask me. Only that you had your feet turned out putting that big rowl on her too much.
I agree with tinyliy there isnt much piont in riding that way i wouldnt ride my hunter course like that at all not even a little simiar but i think you ride very well but i dont know muck about training horses because ive never been around anything younger than5 but i thought that was to much to be riding a 2 year old that much, i could be wrong though
 
#3 ·
Tinylily, some Thoroughbreds start training as yearlings if they're born at the end of the year. Especially on a QH or TB-type breed, two is not young at all to be training w/t/c.

The horse has very nice gaits and has a lot of potential. Make sure when you ride you're not over-posting though. You seem to be making pretty big motions through your hips and while the motion's correct, try to quiet it down and post as small as you can.
 
#4 ·
I agree with tinyliny. I'm not into the whole APHA way of hunt seat, I was taught to ride english differently. But I know what it is. Your way over posting, you look like your just standing up in the saddle, try griping with your calves and keeping your legs still. just barely raise up from the saddle. And while cantering your upper body was moving some, try to sit up straight and tall, let your hips do all the moving. Thats just my advice.
Very pretty horse though with nice movement
 
#5 ·
I think that your horse looks awesome. She is well on her way to being a great HUS competitor. If she was on the local show circuit where I ride she would easily place consistently in the top 3 in the green division. Obviously with age she will be able to hold and maintain her head instead of bringing it up and down like she does. Some of that is just development. Your rein length on her looks good and she is going with that nice pleasure type loop. I'm assuming that when you need to "sponge" as you call it that you go wide with your reins and then bring them back together to maintain the nice long contact?

I think that this is another age/muscle development thing but when she picks up her canter transition she needs to be able to pick it up cleanly without popping that head up. This is very hard I know and, as I said, I think she'll get it but it will just take some development.

I also thought that you rode her nicely. The great thing about riding is there are so many different forms and ways even under the wide umbrella of "English". I have posted pics and videos on here before and have heard the same things that I read on your post from others. But you and I seem to ride the same and we are both competitive in HUS. I also do pleasure and equitation. Unlike other realms, we sit different, use our legs different, post different, and want a different outline from the horse. You follow everything that I have been taught and watched get placed at shows so I think you're doing great. Keep up the good work and I bet you'll notice with just some more miles on her that she'll really start to be more consistent and you'll have to "sponge" less. Oh, and I started my last horse as a late two and he was showing that year so I think that age wise you're fine too. Have fun :D
 
#7 ·
I think that she has megga potential for APHA HUS. I love her to bits. Fab mover, and she is developing a nice frame for it. Is it the frame you would want for "english" english? Not really, but that is moot point. You want to show Stock Horse HUS, which is different and it doesn't matter if others "don't see the logic in it". I honestly think she is carrying her head in a pretty natural place for her and her build. How tall is she? She's either a pretty big 2yr old or you are tiny! I love LOVE her trot. It's especially nice just after a downward transition - she really floats the front end.

The biggest areas I noticed that needed polishing were upward transitions and cadence. Maybe loose the spurs and work on the transitions to get rid of the sour expression and tail swishing. Cadence will come with experience; she's only 2! Oh, BTW, I wanted to mention I thought you did a great job at the show finding your own realestate on the rail - so important to showcase your horse. Congrats on bringing her along so far on your own - enjoy your success!
 
#8 ·
Thanks Miss Phoebe!! I apreciate it. I hope that your right and that time and more muscle will fix her rushing into the canter and inconsistency.

Yes Jazz is almost 3, she will be 3 officially in March. She was not started intill Late May and was started VERY slowly. I only ride her 2-3 times a week and usually only around 30 min to an hour. If it is more than that then my riding is spread out: 10-15 min concentrated work, walk around for 10 min, 10-15 min concentrated work, then walk around for 10 min, and so forth.

Also we spend a good amount of time warming up slowly, mostly walking and a slow jog, doing lots of stretches to get her really relaxed and supple. Half the time at my lessons I will only canter one lap of the arena.

Most TB's are started before they even turn two. My horse is smaller and thus does not take as long to grow as your typical Hunter/Jumper Warmblood Monsters. Those are big horses and need more time to develope than my little 15.2 hand Paint. I would prob just be starting to break this horse to a rider if she was going to be 17 hands, but she's not.

We have Vet approval to be riding this horse, and he knows exactly how much and how hard she is being ridden. The gaps in her knees are almost gone.

Regarding the "bump bump bumping" of my spurs: I got the reaction that I was looking for from her. When I was bumping, I was asking her to lift her inside shoulder and move her hip over to prepare her for the canter departure, which she did, I think that I just didn't ask at the right moment to get a correct canter departure, so I tried again.

And when I started riding her, she was much duller then that. She has actually gotten much lighter since I have been working with her.

As for her head position, I am in no way aiming to have her head past the point of her shoulder. Her poll should be level (within 3 inches up or down) with the top of her wither, and that is where I am trying to get her head. Most of the time, I am having to pick her head up.

A true HUS horse is up in his shoulders and driving with their hock. That is what I am wanting to achieve. I am using half-passing and shoulder in to teach her to keep her shoulders up. How is half-passing loading her onto her forehand?

If you disagree with the event that I am training my horse in, why did you go onto a Critique for HUS? I could understand if you had at least given me a reason for why you thought she was heavy in her forehand and not driving from the hind, and offered advice for how to fix it, but you did not.
 
#11 ·
Most TB's are started before they even turn two. My horse is smaller and thus does not take as long to grow as your typical Hunter/Jumper Warmblood Monsters. Those are big horses and need more time to develope than my little 15.2 hand Paint. I would prob just be starting to break this horse to a rider if she was going to be 17 hands, but she's not.

We have Vet approval to be riding this horse, and he knows exactly how much and how hard she is being ridden. The gaps in her knees are almost gone.
I'm sorry, but I absolutely had to respond to this part of your post. No matter how big the horse is full bone fusion does not occur until at the very earliest 4 year old and even longer in male horse.

Here's a really good article about starting horses too early
Weber Training Stables - Riding Young

Luckily it doesn't sound like you horse is worked overly hard, but I still think it might be worth it to check out the article.
 
#9 · (Edited)
Shesinthebarn, sorry, just now noticed your post.

Thanks for the good critique!! She is only 15.2 right now, and I'm about 5 foot 3. I agree with how well she looks after a downward trans. In the first vid, I was on a smallish circle and didn't have to room to swing her shoulders like I normally do. That normally gets her really flinging her feet out and lifting way up with her back.

Unfortuanatly when she lifts her back, she drops her head way to the ground. I don't have time to let my reins loose normally so she looks super over bridled at thay point. Example is at 11 seconds to 13 seconds in the first video.

I'm not sure how to get her to pick her head up and keep her back nice and lifted at the same time. Any advice?


BarrelRacer86:
Thanks for the good critique. I'll try and work on that. Would it help if I lengthened my sturrips? I looks to me like they might be a little short, but I'm not sure, lol.
 
#10 · (Edited)
If my comments are wrong for HUS feel free to ignore.

On the first video - the size of your spurs really stood out to me! On such a young horse is that really necessary? I would recommend using the lightest amount of pressure possible so that your horse is light and responsive and doesn't always need such a strong cue. Several times at the walk you are really poking with them over and over again without a response - that can be a really bad habit to get into with such fierce spurs :(

At the canter, your hands are all over the place. Up and down and this way and that. Your position is all over the place too and your movement seems really exaggerated. You come down hard on your horses back when you post. What my trainer told me is you have the energy going up in a post and then ease your way down gently, using your legs to support yourself.

Your horse is ADORABLE though and a wonderful mover., She's fantastic and I'm sure will take you far in whatever direction you want to go! I don't dig that kind of HUS either and secretly hope you are training her to be versatile in addition to that (cuz shes so awesome!) but it looks like shes doing great :)
 
#12 ·
Tinylily, some Thoroughbreds start training as yearlings if they're born at the end of the year.
You might have also noticed that Thoroughbreds are prone to injury. At 1 year especially, but also at 2 years, most horses have not yet had their growth plates fuse. Which means an enormous potential for injury!

Beyond that, I just think that riding at 2 years old is terrible for their mental health. When do they get to just be horses?

http://www.horseforum.com/horse-riding-critique/hus-critique-*videos*-71437/#ixzz16NkxHgO2
 
#13 ·
You might have also noticed that Thoroughbreds are prone to injury. At 1 year especially, but also at 2 years, most horses have not yet had their growth plates fuse. Which means an enormous potential for injury!

Beyond that, I just think that riding at 2 years old is terrible for their mental health. When do they get to just be horses?
They are still horses. It's not like just cause they are being ridden they stop being horses. She is only ridden 3 times a week, not everyday. And she's not locked into a stall 24-7, she goes out with a whole herd of horses. I'm asking for a total of 9 hours a week from her, roughly, including trailering.

How is that keeping her from being a horse? As for mental health, this is the most mentally mature horse that I have ever seen for her age. If she wasn't mentally ready for the work, I wouldn't be working her like I am.

I have another horse of mine that we started when she was 3, but after 60 days we turned her back out for another year till she was mentally ready to go into work.

Yes, I am aware that TB's are prone to injury. But my horse is not worked nearly that hard and she wasn't started till she was two and a half. And the TB's that are injured the most are the ones that are started early then raced into the ground.

Every 4-6 monthes my horses get a month off of hard work. They still get ridden, but it's nothing concentrated and it's only once a week instead of 3 times a week. This is the time when I work on a lot of Liberty and bonding stuff with my horses.
 
#14 ·
She gets to be a horse the three or four days a week she is not worked, and 22 to 23 hours a day on the days she is worked. The OP was looking for critique on her videos, not criticism about what age she starts her horses. As for comparing this work to training of racehorses; that is apples and oranges. I work in racehorses and can tell you, there is no comparrison between what the OP is doing with her horse and what the racehorses do.

OP, you were asking about suggestions to get her shoulders up and maybe her head up a little. Maybe try riding in a square rather than a circle. Think about straight lines and ride corners off of your outside aids. Ride across the arena on a diagonal to get her off the rail so she doen't lean on it. Serpentines are great for lifting shoulders. Always ride the turns off of the outside aids. It will help to elevate the shoulders and engage from behind more consistently. I do agree with some of the PP's who say maybe try ditching the spurs and work on transitions. She does a fair bit of tail swishing in upwards transitions, so maybe this will help. Not saying spurs don't have their place, or that you overuse them, but it's good to go without sometimes.
 
#15 ·
Shesinthebarn: Thank you! *Smacks Head* Why didn't I think of that! Thats a great idea! I am doing that with my Western mare, don't know why I didn't ever think of doing it with Jazz.

Ok, I will try to lay off the spurs next lesson and see how it goes. I just started using them in late Sept.
 
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