Riding Critique.

Be harsh if ya want.

Video didn't work. Says it's private.

fixed.

You hands really bug me, try and keep your elbows by your side.

You're really stretching your arms out, you need to bend them more. You're also really leaning forward in canter, you need to sit up more and get more impulsion in the canter.

My instructor tells me to keep my hands out, and I'm not sitting the canter all my weight is in the stirrups. Keep it coming!

Still, at the canter it looks like you're hunching over. Roll those shoulders back and sit up tall!

You need to turn your hands so your thumbs are up and bend more at the elbows. You said your instructor tells you to put your hands out in front of you, but you're totally losing the effectiveness of your rein aids that way. With your arms straight and your hands in the puppy paw position, you don't have any elasticity to give and take with his mouth and offer soft supple aids.

In the canter, why are you standing in the stirrups instead of sitting? You're actually using your hands to support you much of the time, not just your stirrups, so you're really just perching there and not supporting your horse so he's just shuffling along. If you sat down, sat up straight, and picked your hands up, you would get a lot more impulsion and he would use his body better. Even if you're standing in the stirrups for a purpose (to let the horse warm up his back, to improve your balance, etc) you shouldn't be supporting yourself with your hands on his neck; your hands should be independent.

Finally, when you jump, try to aim straight for the middle of the x instead of off to the side.

Very cute horse! I'm impressed at how clean he is too

Ok, I'll talk to my instructor about that stuff. I think I'm ready to sit at the canter now. I know about the whole aiming for the middle thing, that horse doesn't like to respond very well and has a mind of his own. I'm riding him so I learn how to use the reins properly and really use my leg. Plus he's a good horse to learn to jump on. Thanks!

See, I think if your instructor let you sit down and take your hands off of his neck on the approach to the jump, you would have a far easier time of aiming for the middle. Since you're just perched there, he can really do whatever he wants. Good luck!