Can I have some CC / thoughts on my XC video please?

Tiddlypom

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Well, how silly. You specifically asked for 'CC/thoughts' and you got them. No one was unkind, they simply took your request at face value.

Presumably you were just expecting pats on the back and congratulations on how well you are doing, rather than actual suggestions on how you can improve :confused3:?

*why don't people say what they REALLY mean first time round*
 

Rowreach

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I don’t have a very good camera man normally but I’ve got this video from the BE90 I did at eland. I’ve never really had any XC training (although from hunting background so done plenty of it) but would just like some feedback on a) riding, where do I need to improve? b) horse, what do you think on her? Do you think she has potential for bigger things or nearing limit? She’s 6yo ISH, ive had her since unbroken 3yo. She’s not done a great deal really for a 6yo but I am really pleased with her.

Thanks in advance if you can be bothered to look!

https://youtu.be/FAWKLnjucE0

I really don't understand. This is what you asked people for. Nobody was unkind. I was going to offer my thoughts yesterday, but then you asked for the thread to be dropped, so I didn't bother. But other people took time to reply and to offer some pretty constructive (and consistent) advice. Maybe step away for a couple of days and then re-read it.
 

Starbucks

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cant really say anything can I. Maybe being silly. But it’s very hard to take! I probably wasn’t expecting replies to be quite so harsh.
 
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cant really say anything can I. Maybe being silly. But it’s very hard to take! I probably wasn’t expecting replies to be quite so harsh.

They really weren't harsh. I've had people be much "harsher".....though if it makes me improve my riding I don't care!
 

paddi22

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I don't think they are harsh at all, they are the same comments that can be made on 99% of peoples xc videos (including my own!).

A the moment your horse is doing her job, and as a rider it's all on all of us to make sure we are doing ours the best we can. When we ask horses to jump big solid xc fences then we need to make sure we have them in a good rhythm, good balance, straight and bouncing enough in the canter to spring over them. When you check a horse that much the last few strides in front of a fence then its a safety issue - horses can get themselves over them at 90s, they won't when the fences increase. Same with the drop down the bank, if you had a skinny or anything wide a few strides in front of that the horse would have struggled.

All it is is work on the lower leg and riding with less hand, it's not really harsh criticism, its stuff we all get told in xc lessons!
 

Cheshire Chestnut

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Awe she is a gorgeous horse and so honest! She reminds me of my mare who I sadly lost, she was one in a million.

You two just look a bit disjointed at the moment but I think you look like you're early on in your partnership and show loads of promise! She looks happy and content and you both look like you're having a great time!

Loved watching your video :)
 

Cheshire Chestnut

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Well we’ll have to agree to disagree there won’t we. I can only say how it’s made me feel.

Well if I had gone out there and done what you've done on a young horse that I had broken myself, I would be on top of the world. I think you did fab. If you did, then that's all that matters. Everyone has different standards of riding/horses/style, but if that was me doing what you did in your video then I would be proud as punch.

I used to do BE 90 and a lot of my cross country was messy but I had an amazing time and so did my mare. Finished with a big smile on my face and a buzz in my tummy. For me, that was what it was all about :)

Well done x
 

paddi22

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Totally! its a great achievement to get a horse looking so happy and brave. All it is is tweaks to help her out.
 

Starbucks

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Ok, what were you wanting people to say? Genuine question, from someone who would never ask for CC on a forum ....

Probably a bit more ‘you should work on X,Y,Z’ rather than ‘give up or improve because you are dangerous’. I think it perhaps reads worse when it’s aimed at you? Maybe I’m in the wrong but if people were a bit more tactful maybe more people would be brave enough to ask for CC but it’s not really surprising that they don’t!

Anyway, I should have known better really and lots of things to take away from this so positive overall. I perhaps just need to get better at taking a bit of critism.
 

paddi22

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Nobody said anywhere you should give up. I know it's tough to hear criticism at times. I recently came out of a clinic having had every bit of my riding picked apart by a good trainer, and it is tough, but it's all constructive and I did improve because of it as I was more conscious of the things I was doing wrong.

To be honest, at the moment it is slightly dangerous riding if the horse is being interrupted so much coming into a jump and it's no harm for it be pointed out as it will completely transform her xc when you get it fixed. You are obviously a good rider and she's a super horse. It's just tweaks to technique needed
 
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SpringArising

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Probably a bit more ‘you should work on X,Y,Z’ rather than ‘give up or improve because you are dangerous’. I think it perhaps reads worse when it’s aimed at you? Maybe I’m in the wrong but if people were a bit more tactful maybe more people would be brave enough to ask for CC but it’s not really surprising that they don’t!

Anyway, I should have known better really and lots of things to take away from this so positive overall. I perhaps just need to get better at taking a bit of critism.

I understand. It's a lot easier to give advice than it is to take it, and even if people don't think they were harsh, they might feel differently if what they were saying was aimed at them.

Everyone has stuff to improve on - going XC is physically tiring which makes it extra hard to be on top form.

You have a lovely horse, you just need to work on letting her do her job without interfering too much!
 

Starbucks

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I rode the corner badly. My original post on the competition board was asking for help because I’m struggling with corners / skinnies. I’m not sure why though because she is very honest!

I don’t think I mess with her a lot generally though it’s just something I seem to do for corners / skinnies inparticular.🤷*♀️ Hopefully we’ll get it together a bit more in future.
 

paddi22

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totally, i did the exact same thing with a baby eventer I had out yesterday doing her first event. It's so easy to fiddle with them thinking it's helping out! It's so hard sometimes to just set them up and then let them alone to figure it out and get themselves over it.
 

rachk89

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For a 6 year old you trained yourself with little xc experience you did well. People when they give advice are comparing you to what the perfect image of xc should be, which for most riders is going to be a far away target, even for professionals as it's difficult to achieve perfection the whole time. All it really means are here are some things to work on and think about for next time.

You did way better than I would have. I'd have fallen at the first fence no doubt, maybe the second if I managed to cling to the horses neck in time.
 

DabDab

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totally, i did the exact same thing with a baby eventer I had out yesterday doing her first event. It's so easy to fiddle with them thinking it's helping out! It's so hard sometimes to just set them up and then let them alone to figure it out and get themselves over it.

Hell, I can manage to do it just trotting around an arena - I've filmed myself sometimes, watched it back and wondered what on earth I thought I was doing....it's only because I adore my horse and he struggles at times, but me attempting to trot for him still isn't productive :eek: I've done a pretty good job of training my OH from my criticism of my videos to be my eyes on the ground so he can shout things at me as he wombles around doing jobs. If it's mainly a psychological check you need it's quite easy to train someone to shout reminders at you :biggrin3:
 

Woah

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Well I watched that mesmerised so there's you go. You are very brave jumping those sizeable xc jumps. I can only get my pony over a small log, so!
If that were my video I'd be mighty proud. Don't be disheartened Starbucks, you've obviously done a fab job on her getting her to jump confidently round that course- don't put yourself down.
 

Cheshire Chestnut

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Also, I think you're focussing on the critical comments and not the positive ones. A lot of people (me included) have very complimentary and think you did very well.

Try and read through the good comments and relish them.
 

kimberleigh

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Im another one who thinks you're doing great with a very young horse that you've totally produced yourself - and especially without having any xc lessons!

I know you said you arent a fan of clinics (and im assuming its for the same reason I would give if I were honest...a bit of insecurity about my ability!) BUT having said that they really are invaluable - be it one to one or in a group.

Its never nice to hear our faults being picked out, but without hearing it then we can never improve so try to take it with a pinch of salt.

It sounds like you already realise you are fiddling a bit more than your mare needs and just wanted some reassurance that you arent heading in the wrong direction - which in my opinion you aren't!

Stay at this height and work on schooling around the courses, as it will mean when you are both ready to step up in height there wont be any worries about skinnies/corners/striding/distances etc.

Well done for sticking around despite it being clear you were hurt by some comments - nobody, not even the world number 1 rider, ever stops learning!
 

Gingerwitch

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I think you did a cracking job, at least you had a go and got round, which is much more than many !

My main comment's are : why are you riding in spurs when you are having trouble controlling the speed and she is a very good honest mare, many horses would have stopped at a few of these fences. You seam to be taking a few huge pulls, then let go just at the last moment which is putting the mare off both her stride and at higher fences you are asking for trouble.


But please do not get despondent with any comments being made - its easy for some to sit at home saying x y and z and they are too scared to do trotting poles !lol

Last question did you have a huge grin on your mush when you were going round ?? I bet you did and rightly so.
 

Mule

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I think you did great too. I recently saw a video of myself going XC and my lower leg position was ridiculous! The thing is, you do the best you can in the moment. Afterwards it's good to analyse things but remember you did well.
 
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holeymoley

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You’ve got a fabulous honest horse there. To benefit the both of you in the future I agree with the others, work more in your core and seat instead of using too much hand. Stronger core and a more stable lower leg will enable you to approach the fences in more balance. Good luck, it’s always good to have things to focus on and improve.
 

Starbucks

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Thanks all. I’m feeling much better about things now. Pleased everyone seems to like my horse.🙂

She can be a bit lazy in the school so I wear spurs for flatwork, I suppose I’ve never really thought about not wearing them for XC.
 
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