Critique my trot-work

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Bossanova

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Go for it
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I'm aware I'm no dressage rider and she's no dressage horse. We've got a long way to go on the flat, mainly as she's so weak and not put together very well. I have a long term plan for her but need a short term improvement in marks for the last two events of the season. Any ideas?!! My trainer has helped a lot and it's coming better.
I prefer it in sitting trot but so often the judges dont like you to sit, particularly on a young horse...

Rising- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IEBWClhKzGA

Sitting- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lsReEwFxYv8
 
i'd do a mixture of rising and sitting... the judges like that, usually! sit so you can prepare early for transitions etc, rise on diagonals when you want a bit more swing maybe, if you think sitting shuts her down a bit.
it looks a bit quick to me, but it's hard to tell on a video. i'd say try to slow it down a bit to give her time to take a good step, but keep the energy and forwardness and swing. lots of gentle half halts might help.
i'd also say release your knee away from the saddle so your lower leg hangs looser and you have a more accurate aid with your calf muscles taut, like the bow of a violin... but again, it's hard to tell from the vid, and you may not be gripping with your knees at all.
hope this helps a teeny bit.
 
I prefer her when you're rising, she moves little more forward and is more off the forehand. She musn't dip her head right down as she does a couple of times, L does this sometimes and a kick with the inside leg as a telling off has helped. She almost looks a little unlevel on right circles, her head nods slightly in this direction and doesn't in the other. Worth getting a physio to her maybe?
 
Thanks
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Yes it is too quick, we're working on slowing it down a notch. This is where it all goes to pot in a test really as we've only just got her into the outside rein on a circle. Next year I'm hoping it will all come together a bit more!
I have to be very careful with my leg on her as she has a tendancy to over-react to changes in leg pressure- she kicks out, bucks or rears, depending on where the pressure is *bless her*
 
Outline is more uphill in sitting trot, but I know what you mean about judges not liking you to sit! I did one test in sitting trot at Mattingley and got totally slated for it even tho she went better than she had before!

She loses a bit of rhythm on the turns - try to take a tiny bit of pace away which will help that.

Looks good though!

Where are your last 2 events then?
 
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I prefer her when you're rising, she moves little more forward and is more off the forehand. She musn't dip her head right down as she does a couple of times, L does this sometimes and a kick with the inside leg as a telling off has helped. She almost looks a little unlevel on right circles, her head nods slightly in this direction and doesn't in the other. Worth getting a physio to her maybe?

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I think any head nod is caused by me being too strong on the left hand, she's def 100% level and has regular checks. The head down is her release from holding her back up, it's such hard work for her at the mo. I like her more forward too but I think it all looks a bit rushed and sloppy when it's forward? Judges seem to think so anyway. In a test she backs off a lot more so I prob will end up rising but if she allows me to ride her, I get a better trot in sitting (I think!)
 
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Outline is more uphill in sitting trot, but I know what you mean about judges not liking you to sit! I did one test in sitting trot at Mattingley and got totally slated for it even tho she went better than she had before!

She loses a bit of rhythm on the turns - try to take a tiny bit of pace away which will help that.

Looks good though!

Where are your last 2 events then?

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Thanks, yes you're right about the corners, I must remember to balance and prepare her.
West Wilts PAVO next Sunday and then hopefully Gatcombe CIC* although thats a bit up in the air as BDWP entries system failed me
 
I'm at West Wilts on Sunday too - I'm going to have 8.06 dressage as am 2nd to go in section! OUCH!!

I'm also going to Gatcombe but for novice and then doing Charlton PN because I'm moving house and probably wont get to ride her as much as normal so don't want added worry of doing novice there. Finishing with a fun run at Aldon PN3DE to give the owner a fun week!

Can't believe it's so nearly the end of the season!
 
do you make a conscious decision to try to ride the test slowly, to counter the effects of adrenalin? a lot of people subconsciously hurry through their test because of nerves etc. try to ride it slowly and have time to think about rebalancing. i try to "ride every stride" in there and it helps.
tricksy mares on the flat... don't you just love them? if you can get your lower leg more passive and constant, she might be a bit easier about it, because then she won't get any surprises!
my old advanced mare used to take violent exception to certain aids, especially half-pass and shoulder in. she'd stop dead and do threatening half-rears until i let my legs hang again, the old bag! eventually she taught me to ask with my seat and suggest politely with my legs! dressage judges just loved her antics, obviously.
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she looks like a nice mare, good luck in your last 2 events.
 
Prefer her in rising, have you tried shortening the reins to bring her up a bit, think she would look better being ridden a bit more upright.

Obviously dont know the horse but just a suggestion!!
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Prefer her in rising, have you tried shortening the reins to bring her up a bit, think she would look better being ridden a bit more upright.

Obviously dont know the horse but just a suggestion!!
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She physically cant work more uphill, she hasnt got the strength across her back yet. I could pull her up but then we get tension and a cross pony!!
 
She's actually a really super mover with a big trot am surprised as its not as bad as you made out to be- its going to get there!
When I first watched the video I was just drawn to her head and neck and was not all that hopefull as the overall picture seemed to be distracted by the head and neck just not looking right so wonder if this is what the judge is seeing,.. I did not think to look at her legs at all.. BUT second time I watched the videos I looked at the legs only and I liked what I saw- that is a good moving horse.

Where she is going wrong-mainly its in her head, neck and jaw and then secondly its the push of the hindlegs as they do not match the rythym of the front leg movement, if that makes sense..
Know that you said a few weeks ago that you were trying to ride her rounder for the judges but I think this makes her look worse- think that you should stick with your more classical principles, as you know what the judges hate more than anything is to see a jaw behind the vertical I know that you are trying to be soft to stop her doing that, but the tight short neck is still really apparent, and she does not work into a consitent enough contact nor does she seem trustfull enough to take the contact forwards to stretch her nose out and up. If you could just get her to really really take that contact forwards more firmly out, so that she brings her nose outwards so that she has some form of 'giving' support from your hand but not so that she is leaning on you if that makes sense?
To do this-this is one of my wierd/prob v.unorthodox methods terribly boring but I swear it works if you can be terribly patient! Swear it strengthens up the back and back end loads. Its an hour to and hour and a half of just walking on the roads ( not soft ground, has to be road)3/4 times a week. Making them really really march in walk off the leg all the time. Pushing hands right forwards softly trying to make them take up the contact and stretch neck and nose out into that contact and really use their whole bodies properly to take that contact forwards outwards into a soft hand. Basically once they are doing that ( can be instant, can be a while before they trust enough to take the right sort of contact...) start doing walk-trot-walk trot trans on the roads making them maintain that contact every time they try and drop behind it pushing them forwards again back into the contact. Oh asking for trot by leaning back a little(they soon get it) &not using the leg because then the hindleg comes underneath you more in the transition. Then you can build up on that in the school using loads of uphill transitions to get them more uphill so that with every trans you do, your 'pushing' their hindlegs under therefore ( hopefully) encouraging them to take more of a contact forwards and uphill
Cant emphasise how much loads of march-walking on the roads with them walking in the right balanced, way with a few walk-trot-walk-trot trans seems to strengthen them up more than actual schooling itself... well in Owens case anyway! But you could compare him with Moon in a way as both are weak in the back..

Oh another thing ( sorry this is such a long ramble,) you def need to slow down Moons trot tempo a lot, to aim for a more regular and slow rythym....have realised with Owen that the slower his trotwork the higher they mark him even if it feels like a complete snails pace to me and no-where near enough energy, they most definately prefer them in a really slow tempo. Also half halting before the corners and circles would help Moon too as she is unbalanced on them.
 
for what its worth in my listed dressage judge opinon, boss, the horse has a corrrct and reasonbly active trot in both video's. she is secure in the rein though a fraction behind the vertical at times and not always quite through to the rein. However in the second video the rythmn is a fraction hurried and on occasion lost entirely. there is also more head movement. IMO you are better offf rising on a younger green horse because you a) help establish and kep the rythmn better B) the horse is better able to work through its back and consequently C) is less likely to lose its outline when it loses its rythmn and/or balance. That is why as a judge i prefer to seee younger horses ridden in rising because there is really no need to sit!
that said she is a nice sort and i will look forward to seeing her at some point.
 
I havent read all the replies, so sorry if im repeating what others have already said!

Firstly i think you need to shorten your reins and carry your hands higher, keep your hands still as shes tends to swing her head (only slightly). She needs more 'push' from behind, and if you keep your reins a bit shorter you should be able to ride her up and into the contact more. At the moment shes too long in the frame (i know shes got a long back though so its hard to make her shorter). If you can get her shorter and more up and round infront then she will look even better! Her hind leg is a little slow, so id use a stick and give her a couple of taps on her croup every now and again to keep her active and engaged. Also shoulder fore in trot and canter will help engage the hindleg and enable her to lift her shoulder more. Have you tried raised trotting poles aswell? Great for activating the hindleg and elevating the trot work
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Your arms and elbows are really good and soft, and your lower leg is nice and secure aswell. Overal its a really nice picture (both sitting and rising).
 
haven't been able to watch the video (bloody computer) but agree totally with DofftheDerbys methods! it seems not enough road work is done nowadays and it does wonders!
 
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