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Leg & Upper body Critique

2K views 10 replies 6 participants last post by  hotreddun 
#1 ·
I know this should really be in the Critique Section but i was looking for a jumping critique. I was reviewing this picture from last year's season and i'd like everyone's opinion on my leg and upper body. I think that i definatly need to release WAYYYY more, but i feel like something is off and i can't put my finger on it... anyways, with out further a due here is the picture
 

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#3 ·
Thank you! The pony in the picture was built downhill so i ended up rounding my shoulders a lot and getting pulled down. I learned quickly that i had to keep my heel down in order to keep my upper body up! I was riding the horse i'm leasing the other day and half way through i realized that my upperbody was able to function with out leaning on my horses neck. Its so much easier when the horse isn't pulling down the whole time! Do you think i should've shortened my stirrups though, i feel like my leg angle is too wide...
 
#4 ·
you guys look good :) i think you could shorten your stirrups a hole though, your knee angle is a bit too open, and i think by shortening your stirrup leathers you would be able to have a more effective leg/ base of support, allowing you to open your hip angle a little

love your flat back and that you are looking forward towards where you are going! good job overall :)
 
#6 ·
Thank you!
Stormy Blues: I know! The tail is in a mud knot but its still nonexistent! The horse i ride now is the same way - i was talking to the girl who used to ride him and i was complaining about how i can't get it too grow and she said it was the biggest she's seen from him :(
 
#8 · (Edited)
juju, you look great :)

I love that your legs are solid at the girth. I love that you are allowing your heels to do their job. I love that your seat is dead center over your saddle and I especially love that you have the proper space between your seat and your saddle.

Your back is strait, you are looking up - but I do have to agree wtih 3days3ways about your upper body. I am not going to argue about your leather length, since it is working for you - but there should be about 100 - 110 degree angle in your knees when jumping.

The other thing is your release - your horse is tense in the mouth. Maybe make it a bit of a longer crest release?

I would love to see a picture of you on take off to a fence if I could :)


OH! And I forgot to say, Nelson has the same sort of deal with his tail. When I got him, he had a gorgeous thick tail - then I got my hands on it. I was told I had to have a well groomed horse when I ride *the BM/Coach was strict* so I groomed every part of him...including his tail. Before I knew it...I had thinned it out because I brushed it everytime I rode............*sigh* now I'm working hard on getting it to grow out.

I leave it alone now. I never brush it, just condition it and don't touch it. Seems to be working.
 
#10 ·
Thank everyone!
MIEventer: I never touched her tail, never ever! I would hose it out and then brush it but that was it, and that happened like maybe three times. I agree that leaving them alone is better though! As for a take off picture, i dont think that i have any. Out of curiosity, what do you think that might show? One of the moms at the barn takes all the pictures and puts them on her website (she has taken over a thousand for each horse show :shock:) so she edits a lot of them out. However, i am workin on getting a video or a picture of the horse i ride now. My dad was suppose to video tape my show the other day - just like the one before that and the one before that :-p
 
#11 ·
The first thing I saw was your horses mouth...which looks very tense to me. That could be just nerves of the horse...but more than likely its translated from your upper body somewhere...which has already been mentioned. The only place I see a little tension is in your shoulders...upper arms. I used to do the same thing. I started doing little neck rolls and shoulder shrugs in the saddle while my horse was walking around at warm up and that seemed to help me.
 
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