~*Jumping and Flatwork!! Horse and Rider!!*~

Hello :)

This is my 14.1hh Arabian, Diamond, and my 16.3hh TB, Cowboy! I do Eventing with Diamond, and Hunters with Cowboy. I am asking you to judge them both.

The video shows Diamond jumping a small crossrail (18"), then a 2'9" vertical first. I am asking you to critique both of us, but mainly myself. I usually jump her right around 2'6". Also, do you think she has the ability to go higher? If so, how much?

Cowboy comes in after Diamond. With him, I am doing flatwork. Trot and Canter. Critique both of us, please :)



Thanks Again!! I can answer any and all questions.
Happy Holidays!!

Somehow I just knew that Home by Phillip Phillips would play when I clicked the video....

You're kinda just throwing yourself up the horse's neck instead of letting the horse fold you into position. As a result, you're pivoting on your knee and dropping back into the saddle way too early. The horse has the potential to go higher but you need to do some serious stability work if you wish to help her get there. Height doesn't really matter so leave it out of the equation and really focus on building your own strength and stability. Work on lots of gridwork with and without stirrups and reins. Jack up your stirrups and work W/T/C to help strengthen those legs. Calf raises on the stairs really help too.

Wow, Cowboy is the spitting image of my Puck. I wonder if they are related. Same build and movement too. I don't see hunters in Cowboy's movement, but then again I know squat about hunters. You work your horse the same way I do, lots of flat work on somewhat unlevel ground. As I'm sure you already know, it's fantastic for building muscle. That being said, in that video, he just doesn't look like he has that long and low hunter movement. Have you thought about eventing with him? I love how he looks, but then I'm very biased due to the resemblance.

Canterklutz-
Thank you!! So you are suggesting lots of gridwork, and leg muscle buildup? Will do!!

MyBoyPuck-
Lol, that's cool!! I have thought about eventing, but to be honest, it's not my favorite. Diamond loves it, so I do it for her. I love Hunters and Jumpers, it's my passion, so I'd like to keep him there, and leave Diamond the XC and such :) Do you have any ideas on how to get him long and low? And yes, he had much less muscle before I got his butt on those hills! I have a specific hill (that isn't this one) that I use for trotting up and down, specifically for butt-building :p

It's his hind end. If he's built like he looks he is, he probably isn't really capable of stepping under himself with his hind end in that true hunter fashion. I'm thinking he might be a better jumper candidate. I have a feeling, with that build, he might have some scope and adjustability to him. Also, he seems to enjoy riding around in those fields, so he might get easily bored jumping hunter courses. Hopefully some folks from those disciplines will ring in. It's just so funny how much he reminds me of Puck. It makes me want to go and ride him. What was his racing name?

Lol, We could switch horses for an hour! All of that makes sense. I'd be very willing to step into the Jumper ring, but I'd like to really make sure I learn the ins and outs of Hunters first - so that I can master pace, distances, adjustability, etc. before moving into the Jumper ring. His Registered/Racing name is Just Call Me Cowboy

With your little mare, I think she could jump bigger. However, with the smaller horses coming down to a bigger jump means that you have to be accurate. You want them to remain brave to simply gallop down to something bigger than they are, and know that you're going to set them up appropriately every time. I'd say that until you can do that, I wouldn't jump her up much bigger. But I do think she makes a lovely little sport horse. As for your boy, he's quite nice... and i'd even venture to say that you could start working on getting his changes. His canter is nice, quiet, and balanced, so there's no reason why you can't begin to start asking for his changes.

Oxer - Thank you for your input! :) Yes, we have been working on his changes. What I am doing here is actually to try to help that, at the canter - working on cantering on a figure eight, with a quick as possible transition, slowly building to getting a lead change. We have also been working on the same excersize, but instead of trotting, changing over a pole. But here, he'd had some time off, and I didn't feel like dragging the poles into the field This video was toward the beggining of the excersize - he was doing MUCH better by the end, with only one or two steps before changing when we quit.

Anyone else? Looking for critique for me :) I'm noticing that I need to pick my hands up a bit, and move them further up his neck a tad. And the leg strength, I need to get back into the gym.

Anyone?

I can't critique you well for h/j since its been decades since I rode equitation, but I WILL tell you that as a dressage crone, I think your TB would do very well in dressage! He has a lovely trot and canter for dressage.

FYI, George Morris is doing his annual Horsemastership Clininc in Wellington right now, and it is available free online - its fabulous! Tons of flatwork with and w/o stirrups. Great stuff for all disciplines!

2013 George H. Morris Horsemastership Training Session - USEF Network

ETA - Cowboy is only 4 or 5?? Wow- Super simple changes, super everything on this horse!