XC Warm-up at our 2nd Comp. What do you think?

These are just a couple of video's of me and my boy at our 2nd Horse Trials yesterday. They were taken while we were warming up for Cross Country.
No serious critique please, I was going to post them for critique, but then I slowed the videos' down to watch myself and my form is hideous! I'm so far out of the saddle and my leg has fallen back - which I think is due to my stirrups being too long - and I need to improve on just about everything *sigh* So don't look at me, look at the preeettty horse!
We are both quite green at jumping and at this stage all competitions are just for fun and experience. Up until recently the only time we got to jump was once a month at Pony Club, but over the past month we have been practising weekly at our Pony Club's XC course, and although we still look pretty shabby, we have improved.

First vid is our first attempt at the warm-up jump, lol. Shea is not so brave when it comes to new jumps, which makes jumping a course rather difficult. He will typically shy away on first approach and then take it the 2nd time.


A later attempt, much better.


I know he has his head in the air, but I wasn't really worrying about where his head was at that point. He gets a little wired when it comes to jumping and I focusing mainly on keeping him steady and relaxed.
After our warm up I was worried that we were going to have to attempt every jump twice, but although he tried to run out on the 1st I got him over after that I could feel his confidence increase with every jump. It was a blast!
We're not so crash hot now, but I think he has some potential with more practise and training (and better riding from me ). What do you think?

Ah loved it! You guys speak funny!! I ADORE your accent!!!!

I had a patient just today that I absolutely loved. LOVE LOVE LOVE it! You to look like you had a lot of fun!

Haha! We think you sound funny , glad you like it though, lol!

Looks pretty good. All except that first spook at the jump LOL ;p. He looks like a real sweetie.

Nice job (esp the 2nd one)!

LOL about the accent comments...it's true, I especially love the way Austrailians say "no" it's like "nyooooah" or something haha My accent (or lack thereof really) is SO boring...I'm moving to Austrailia so I can have one!

How much do you figure it would cost to ship my horse over from Ohio? Haha

Ooorrrrr, you could come to Texas. Lots closer and I think our accents are pretty cool. Sandie is welcome too; how do you think she would do with cattle work? LOL

LOL yes southern accents are pretty cool too! Ohio accents are so booooooring...at least, northern OH where I live anyway...southern Ohioans sometimes sound like West Virginians depending on how close to the river they live haha! My accent is like the absence of an accent really..boring :-/ Observe in this video from back in winter - I sound so BORING!


Anyway sorry RedHawk, didn't mean to monopolize your thread here!! LOL You really do look like a talented rider with a great horse, and I am still VERY jealous of your accent! Haha

And no, smrobs, Sandie can't do cattle work, she's an English pony! Ok well she's being trained English anyway, Eventing is what we're starting to get into...I'm sure she COULD do cattle work though - my barn manager is constantly teasing me about barrel racing, because he rides Western and he thinks she'd be a great barrel racer! Haha

Thanks smrobs! He is!

Hoofprints, I'm sure we could find room in our paddock if Sandie wanted to come for a holiday ;P and I'm glad you like our accent, lol!

Thanks for all the replies everyone!

I'm sure she'd love that....now, getting her across the ocean is another story! haha!

PS I love that you call it a "holiday"! We call it a "vacation" here...differences are so much fun! Haha