Huntseat errors

Can anyone find the rider and or horse errors in these Huntseat pics?

I'm no expert!

First pic: Rider's posture, saddle?
Second pic: Rider's feet?
Third pic: Rider's feet?


...........................I tried

Shouldn't this be under critique?
Regardless...

Pair #1:

Rider: is slumping the shoulders forward, does not have a nice tilt forward in the seat (around 20 degrees for hunt seat). Ankles are not in line with shoulders & hips, making him look like he's sitting on a chair. Horse: nose isn't on the vertical, but poking forwards, and looks like he's short-striding behind. The bit also looks like it's placed funny, maybe it's too tight?

Pair #2:

Rider: Looks like she's winging her toe out from the side of her horse. Nice tilt from the seat. Horse: striding out nicely. Really can't find much wrong with this picture.

Pair #3:

Rider: needs to do a pelvic tilt to straighten the lower back out (or it's just a bad angle for the pic) and might want to pick her hands up from resting on the horse's wither. Might want to shorten up a little to get light contact so the reins aren't flopping. Horse: Nose in front of the vertical, and something looks funny with the hind end in this picture, but I can't put my finger on it... maybe it's just bad shutter timing for that.


Nice horses though! I was being very very strict. The errors are very minor and are not hard to fix at all. If I were judging them, I'd place pair #2 first, #3 second and #1 third.

Hmm. I'm in the uk, and we don't have huntseat so I'm not used to this style of riding. The first thing I'd say is they ALL seem to be REALLY on the forehand and the horses are carrying their head too low, but that seems to be in all 3? Is that just the way huntseat is? I also noticed someone said the riders should have a slight tilt forward, which is odd to me.

Anyway...

1.
Rider has a terrible 'chair seat' and is tipped forward, reins are too slack, heels not down. Horse looks uncomfortable and is in front of the vertical (though being on the bit here would be pointless since he's not truly going round anyway).

2.
This is pretty good. Horse is going nicely and, shows good extension and actually is not too much on the forehand - probably just built slightly downhill? The rider has a good seat, though she needs to keep her thumbs on top and turn her toes in. Gorgeous horse. Be nice for dressage if he would pick his head up

3.
Horse looks extremely tense and stiff - the way its belly is tucked up like that looks AWFUL. Why is that? Looks skinny too to me. Head is up at a nice level though, but I'm guessing you want it low in huntseat? The rider has a pretty position overall, though needs to bring her bum underneath her more (she's doing what my instructor calls 'duck but') which might help to drive the horse forward properly. She also needs to pick her hands up of his neck, turn her thumbs on top and pick up the slack.

*shrug*

Well these look like quarter horses to me, and I have to say that I don't prefer the low headset. That aside, the first horse and the last horse are clearly not collected.. (you can still have collection and have a lower headset, although its not really ideal IMO) The second is the best collected, although it does like he/she is dragging his hind feet, could be the footing.

Now the riders.

Rider One:
1. HEELS ARE NOT DOWN! I can't stress that enough, lol. (I've seen too many people fall off from bad heels!)
2. No contact with the bit, you can still have a low headset and have contact. (Although I understand that a lot of the QH judges like to see a horse that is responsive and listening without contact, but I come from a dressage/flat background so I like contact contact contact.)
3. No bend in the elbows.. broken elbow to bit connection
4. Slumping his back, aside from looking poor.. if his back his hollow, he can't communicate with his seat effectively. I think that's also why his legs are curling up under him.
5. His leg is too far forward, his heels should come down directly under his hips.
6. Because of his forward leg and slumped shoulders, he has no shoulder-hip-heel connection.
7. Is it just me, or is that saddle to small for him? His stirrups also look to short, but that could be because his heels aren't down, therefore his knee is placed awkward.

Second Picture
1. Her heels are down, (slightly, I like really obvious down heels) but her leg is too far back. This is throwing her body a little ahead of the motion of the horse (or so it seems).
2. She could have a better bend in the elbows
3. I would like to see her shoulders back and sitting a little more upright, but overall her incline is alright.
4. Her foot is a little far in her stirrup

Third Picture
1. Her heels are not down, but rather vertical.. so her foot could easily slide too far into her stirrup
2. Her overall heels-hip-shoulder connection is good, she could be sitting a little more ahead of the vertical
3. Could have a better contact with the bit, starting by bending her elbows and turning her thumbs upright (and maybe holding on to the reins tighter).
4. Her lower leg is in a good spot (especially compared to the forward leg in the first picture and the behind leg in the second)

I liked the second horse the best, and it was a tossup between the second and third rider.. they had different but equal stengths weaknesses. I think the second rider communicates more effectively with her horse, (and still true to the QH ideal) so I liked her the best I would say.

Oh this is fun!

1st rider-His back is slouched, big nono, chin is down. His legs drive me CRAZY! hid foot is not in line with his heel, he basically looks like crap. His elbows aren't bent, and one thing nobody else noticed, but look at his hands. They are wide open! He needs to learn how to use his body, this pic makes me sick.
2nd rider-For HUS, this girl has a good start, just needs some finishing touches. I think her leg is good, although her foot is too far back. She needs to stretch her body upright, as she is a bit slouched and is ahead of her horses motions. A little more bend in the elbow would help. On the positive side, she has a strong calf, her chin is up, and her hand is closed.
3rd rider-Well, she needs a lot more weigth in the heel, and I prefer more closed hands. However, she is my favorite as she is on her plumline and her back is arched beautifully, chin is up, and her elbow is bent.

1st horse-YIKES! The first thing I noticed was the horses headset. A good headset is poll lined up with withers. His nose is way too far out, possibably because the pit is way to high in his mouth. I HATE seeing a huntseat rider not keeping contact on the bit and getting their horse collected. I feel sorry for this horse, because all his faults are from his training. He looks to be a beautiful mover, but the glimmer in his eye is gone, he almost looks scared.
2nd horse-His head is a bit too low, but his nose is where it should be. He looks to be moving nicely, and there is a good connection with the bit. This is my favorite of the three.
3rd horse-This is the only horse with his poll in the correct place, however his nose is a bit far out. Once again, no connection on the bit, icky. If you look closely, this horse in underweight. He has NO stomach, and his hips are slightly protruding. He also looks long backed, one of my pet peeves. However, he looks like he is enjoying his job, which I like to see.

I would agree with JustDressage it on the placings.

Wow very good guys!

Ok the answers:

Rider #1: The first rider has what you all have said, the chair seat which is terrible! He is slouching, he needs to close his hands, pick up on the reins, and put his heels down.

Horse #1: The horse has very little faults, but I like to see the Huntseat horses have there head down and some what on the virtical. They need to look a little down hill which this horse is and there back needs to be how do I say, flatter to say the least. It just shows the horse is streching his muscles and is well underneath of him. If they are not it looks in some cases like the rider is sitting in a ditch.

Rider #2: This rider is very slouched. Like rider #1, she needs to have her elbows at her sides, and her leg is way too far back. She has nice heels and also her focus is not forward.

Horse #2: This horse has a perfect head and neck set for Huntseat, however it needs to have that "flat back" I was talking about and it needs to have a down hill apearence.

Rider #3: The rider here has no faults except her heels need to be down and a little more turned out. And her reins need to have less slack.

Horse #3: This horse has a very nice apearence except, her head set.


This was fun! I'll have to do another one of these sometime! Hehe :)

Really? I thought the third horse looked awful. Why would you WANT a horse to be going downhill?

I want that second horse - he's gorgeous.

It's just how Huntseat is. It gives the impression of a work horse. The third horse is skinny so it makes him look awful but he would be perfect if his head was a little more on the virtical.

I always thought Huntseat horses should have a higher head carriage. Looks like a WP headset to me. Not only that but I can see droopage in the reins. Reins should be taught, always making slight contact.