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OMG I'm so brave -- please "critique"?

1K views 7 replies 4 participants last post by  Joshie 
#1 ·
...with a grain of salt, please.:oops: I'm not looking for competition or show or jumping seat, just good balance on flat work at a walk (with the occasional mini-buck or mini-rear thrown in for good form!:lol:)

Sorry that the 2nd picture is not a good angle. My son took the photos and the whole deal was touch and go. If the photos aren't good enough, I'll try again sometime in the future with this.

The first pic is with the stirrups shorter and the second a hole longer. Which is better? I find that when I have my stirrups longer in English, I tend to not have a good heel, hips, shoulder line so if they should be on the longer side, any tips?

This mare is NOT calm so I'm always on the lookout with her. (Love my face, eh?) She's all about head tossing lately and this is the first time a saddle has been on her with anything at all being asked of her. She wasn't quite sure of things and she kept trying to check out just exactly what was going on back there!
 

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#2 ·
Yay! Northernmama pictures!! Have to say though the new avatar threw me off...

I like the first picture better for stirrup length, at least for now. The second picture, although it's all skewed and stuff, it looks like your leg has slipped forward just a tinch, so the shorter stirrups will help you develop the muscles to keep that leg back.
Another thing- relax!! You look pretty tense up there. Sing your ABCs or Twinkle Twinkle Little Star to yourself to help you breathe and relax your abdomen and back.
 
#4 ·
Another thing- relax!! You look pretty tense up there. Sing your ABCs or Twinkle Twinkle Little Star to yourself to help you breathe and relax your abdomen and back.
Tense? I didn't feel tense. I have always been a very "upright" person -- very aware of being tall and abdomen in at all times, not just riding. I'll try to pay attention to that though. I am constantly on guard with this girl, so maybe that's it.
JDI, it's funny 'cause I thought our trainer was the only one who sang. He makes us sing all the time. I hate to sing. He says it helps you to not think so hard.

Northern, you just look tense and uncomfortable. I think that if you relax then you'll communicate that relaxed mood to your girl. That may very well help things in that direction.
 
#3 ·
Thanks JDI. Glad my pics make you happy! LOL

Tense? I didn't feel tense. I have always been a very "upright" person -- very aware of being tall and abdomen in at all times, not just riding. I'll try to pay attention to that though. I am constantly on guard with this girl, so maybe that's it.

I agree about keeping my legs back -- that's a big thing with me in this saddle. My son took a video of us walking and it was so bad I refused to post it! Good lesson for me to watch myself though.
 
#5 ·
Joshie I first learned that trick at my first dressage show. I was super tense so my trainer's friend came over to me and told me 2 things:
- Sing your ABCs
- Don't concentrate on you, concentrate on your horse being loose and supple, watch her ears to start going flop, flop, flop.

Singing relaxes your diaphragm which then untenses your back and abs, as well as taking your mind off things.
I always sing when I start feeling tense, or am riding a youngster so I "feel" loose to them even if I'm not.
 
#7 ·
Ok, ok. Singing it is. Plus I think I'll take her out soon with MDH leading on Lisa so Jade will be a bit more secure despite the saddle.

Honestly though that is actually a smile in the first photo! ha ha. Man I do look scarey in the second one though.

Ok, singing... any requests?
 
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