[sonnysfirststar]

Ok I started a post a few days ago and didn't get a whole lot of replies so please critique my new riding videos (different from last post)...Please let me know my strengths and weakness are...What am I doing wrong and how can I improve? Any excercises you can suggest would be great!!:lol:
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[jazzyrider]

ok, im watching the vids and coming back here to write as i notice anything so it might be a little all over the place i also wanna say first that all in all you two look pretty good i see by the name of the vids that you were having a lesson but my sound isnt working at the moment so i dont know if im repeating anything your instructor is saying.

first thing i have noticed is your horse is lacking a little impulsion. try driving her forward a little more so that she is striding out a little more. she seems to be accepting the bit well enough but not engaging properly. driving her forward into your hands more will help that. she has a reasonably fast trot though even though she isnt taking long, striding steps so you dont want to speed up the trot by asking for more impulsion. you want her confidently moving forward but not speeding

toes in and pointing forwards

hands down a little more (at times)

i dont know for sure but it looks like you are rising from your toes. try using your inner thigh muscles more to rise and rise a little smaller if that makes sense. at the moment it looks like you are throwing yourself forward a little too much and that combined with rising from your toes will be making things harder for you and the horse

keep up the good work

 

[sonnysfirststar]

Please anyone else I would really like to hear your opinions!

 

[MyBoyPuck]

I only had time to look at the first one where you're trotting. It's a little dark, but from what I can see, it looks good. Your contact is consistent, you don't overbend him on circles. You're looking straight through his ears and keeping him nice and "straight" on the circle. If I had to pick on something, I'd say it was not enough impulsion. Since you already have the relaxation and contact part down, I'm thinking start working on transitions within the trot. At any given stride, your horse should be ready to give you more trot within a single step. Maybe do working trot down the long side, shorten it on the short side and then ask for working trot again down the next long side. The bottom line is, when you ask for more impulsion, he should deliver. It's all best done under the supervision of an instructor so you don't accidentally throw him off balance and onto his forehand. That's my 2 cents for now.

 

[sonnysfirststar]

myboypuck...thank you...your suggestions are always helpful, I tried the arm exercise you recommended in my previous post and you can actually see and feel cadi reacting to my change in position!!! I am working on the trot she has perch in her so if she gets going too much she gets alot of knee action we are trying to get her long and low...but I def like your suggestion about changing her stride up

jazzyrider...I'm sorry I forgot to thank you for your critique as well...I'm def working on the whole impulsion thing...I always over post I will have to work harder on that as well Thanks again!!