CC please on getting my horse to use himself better- vids..

[charlie76]

I bought my horse 2 years ago, previously he was Sj'd and was ridden a lot in draw reins so he tends to hold himself and not stretch enough over his back and neck. Any cc to improve this?
He will take the contact down however he tends to snatch the reins rather than taking it down nicely.
He also tends to come short in the neck in canter.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S_YTFs1u1D0

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q5mzL_PbZkI


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mWukb1A-XYY
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jWVw8tyApuw

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T6fJEXCalrA

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ucxzsSpuLUc

Also any ideas on how to get his paces more expressive?

 

[Auslander]

He's a lovely horse with a nice rhythmic way of going, and he looks to me like he is ready to asked for a bit more. His face is behind the vertical a lot of the time, and he does seem to curl up in front whenever you ask a question of him. Your way of working him looks to be large circles and a lot of going large- good for babies, but he looks like he could do with some more challenges to get his body and brain working harder. And a lot more half halt/push to get that back end bouncing! Once the back end is working, the front will sort itself out, and only then will he stretch out and do long and low correctly as well. I let mine stretch on a loose rein to warm up, but don't ask for true long and low until they've worked for a bit.

Is he a bit lazy? It looks like you're pushing him forward all the time at the expense of engagement and expression-he's a bit fast and flat. Easily done on a horse who makes you work hard. For schooling purposes, I'd be bringing my hands up a bit, getting my leg on and half halting a lot to slow him down, ignite his back end and get him stepping through more.

I use a great exercise, which is almost impossible to explain in writing, but it really works to get them engaging the back end and using themselves. basically, it's a 10m circle at K,E,H,M,B and F - changing the rein in between each circle. Don't even think about where his head is - just focus on riding the exercise, half halting every time you change direction.. It will feel awful at first, but once you've done it a few times, you'll feel him starting to come off his front end and step through -the exercise will give him no choice but to balance himself by slowing down and using his back end. You will be able to use twice the amount of leg without him being able to escape it, and once you've had a bit of practice, you will be able to do it with a very light contact on his mouth, using your seat and legs to change direction.

A really established horse can do all sorts within this exercise - transitions form collected to medium trot on the change of rein, shoulder in or travers, or counter canter/flying changes of you're doing it in canter.

Happy to elaborate if I haven't explained myself very well. And I love your horse, he's the spit of mine, who is no longer with us - but was my horse of a lifetime for the short time he had.

 

[Bryndu]

REALLY like your horse and you ride him well.
Try bringing your hands much closer together and in front of you more as keeping them wide tends to straighten the bit in the beasties mouth and it is then easier for him to set his head down. I noticed in one part as you passed the jump you did a give and retake on the inside rein and he raised his head briefly to the correct level.
LOADS of transitions and feel that in the transitions, ie walk to canter that you are almost riding him up a set of steps. and in canter to walk do the transitions without usuing the rein, just your body and weight.
Not too much wrong IMO.
Good luck.
Bryndu

 

[Oldred]

Ah, since I can't ride atm, second best is to criticize someone else! It looks similar to me and my boy actually so maybe my comment will be of use. Often there are several dynamics going on when its not going quite right I have discovered. Looks like a chicken and egg situation going on, as has been pointed out where he is hurrying along to your forward leg aids etc etc and the other posts are spot on. But also it looks to my eye that you are slightly behind the movement on him, which is what happens in this scenario. It looks as if you never quite get to the top of your rise that would catch up with him - because he doesn't have his self carriage/implusion/ping he doesn't allow you to just ride him, rather than chase him. Looking at your thighs (hope you don't mind!) I feel I would like to suggest you 'narrowed' them in, towards each other from the hip joint down, so that they had a bit more strength and tone and narrowness to decrease the tendency of the horse each stride sort of shooting out forwards between your legs. You then stay forward with him more and can dictate the rhythm with your body a bit more. Do hope this doesn't sound daft.

 

[Bethie]

I would look at you to start with, I'd like to see more stretch and relaxation through your hips and pelvis allowing you to drape your leg round the horses barrel more. You also seem to be bracing through your lower back and fixed through the shoulders which is resulting in a strong restrictive hand. Its difficult to see as the clips are a bit jolty but I think you might be either collapsing to the left or shorter in your musculature in the left hand side of your back. I would be looking at some physio/pilates/yoga to realign and release your body and to build up strength in your core particularly to keep your lower back from pinging forwards so much.

That should hopefully allow the horse to feel that he can stretch through his topline more. I would then be doing lots of stop/go exercises to get him off the leg and actually moving forwards, he's looking very pretty without really going anywhere. The head carriage should improve enormously once you get the hind leg engaged. Lateral work to engage the inside hind and get him sitting down more. Short sharp bursts of work with lots of walk on a free rein breaks inbetween, still even when he's resting insisting that the hind legs are engaged and moving on. The hand absolutely must allow him to go forward though and not be restricting in anyway, I think that this may need to be an act of faith by you and that you need to trust in him and yourself to let go and let him take responsibility for himself.