Dressage videos- CC please

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Dizzle

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Okay, have never posted video's asking for CC before so keep it constructive! :D This is me and my ex-racer doing stressage, we’ve not competed since 2009 (when we were terrible, yes we used to be worse!!). Since then all we’ve done is hack, so just over three weeks before the competition I decided to enter, I think we had about 4 lessons during that time. Sadly as we’ve only hacked for the last year he totally forgot how to do canter right and/or canter round corners..

Anyway, I’ll let the video’s speak for themselves:

IntroA
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kpUzFPriLz4
P12
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DdmhncCiauk
 
I think he's a lovely looking horse!

Hope you enjoyed the show? Looked quite windy which I find never helps especially if they've not been out for a while.

I can't comment too much as I'm no expert and have similar issues with my boy. I think you did well to keep everything very calm and hopefully he'll be more settled next time you go.

He looks as though he feels quite quick when you are riding him? My TB is like this - he feels quick but he's not tracking up.

I noticed this a bit in your vids - almost like you were holding him back (can't blame you as windy an excitied horse etc!!) but when he's more settled you'll be able to encourage him to step up more behind and take a longer stride.

Well done for giving it a go - were the judges comments helpful?
 
Don't be too hard on yourself. He has quite a high head carriage throughout but shows the potential to soften (probably not helped by the wind!). When you school him try to encourage him to go long and low to help relax the neck and poll, then gradually bring him into a light contact. You have to be careful with this as you don't want them to run along on the forehand.

Make sure you are rising on the correct diagonal in trot as this will help you balance the horse. Finally, lengthen those stirrups, it will push your bum deeper into the saddle and help you drive forward through the leg and open the hips.

You have nice gentle hands and a soft back which are great. Keep going, you're doing really well.
 
He is not going truly forward and you appear to be hanging onto his mouth a little, not as bad as some I have seen but enough to cause a little resistance.

I would work him forward at home and try to get him long and low which will also help relax him.

There were some nice moments and he does have nice paces when relaxed, I have a feeling he will be quite good with schooling.
 
Amaranta said:
There were some nice moments and he does have nice paces when relaxed, I have a feeling he will be quite good with schooling.
Click to expand...

This was pretty much what the judge said in both tests. :D

Suzi yes your right, he has speed without effort although his front end moves far nicer than it used to (in fact I thought he looked a lot worse in front undersaddle than he does), just need to get the hind end to put the same amount of effort in and for me to relax and trust him a bit more. I'm hoping once we get out more that we'll both start to relax a bit more.

I'll try my stirrups down a bit, no idea why they've ended up so short I think it's a defensive thing for some reason, I'll start lengthening them tomorrow.

It's so nice to read that you don't think either of us are lost causes :D
 
Any more? :D

I think we're going to have to just get out more this year to relax us both, I did have a bit of a fixed death grip on him as just before we went into the first test he'd thrown a little wobbler, if you notice at the end of the tests when it's all over and I relax he just wonders out on a loose rein, so pretty sure it's me causing him to tense up.
 
Dizzle said:
Any more? :D

I think we're going to have to just get out more this year to relax us both, I did have a bit of a fixed death grip on him as just before we went into the first test he'd thrown a little wobbler, if you notice at the end of the tests when it's all over and I relax he just wonders out on a loose rein, so pretty sure it's me causing him to tense up.
Click to expand...

Your horse is really nice and you free walk on a long rein was good. Just need to work on softening the neck so you need to lengthen your reins and encourage him into a long low outline!! Easier said than done:Dtried this in a test when I first got my horse and he cantered fast around the arena little sod:eek:just keep practicing you will find once he stretches his neck his strides will become longer Keep at it:)
 
He looks like a typical ex-racer, Very fit and headstrong!
When your out hacking try to do some flat-work as it will help when your out competing in a field and get him looser. Just think more leg, less hand.
He looks lovely and will make a nice test, what test was this?
Hope this helps.
 
Echo what the others have said, there seems to be some tension through your elbows which is making the contact a bit inconsistent at times, I think your contact is a bit restrictive , I'd try giving a little more rein and see how he goes, also try to think about keeping the leg on a little more, a little squeeze each time you sit in the saddle in rising trot to keep his impulsion going and get him forwards into your hand. Plenty of half halts should help with your downward transitions too as he seems to drop a bit on those.
The other things to watch for a to make sure that you're using the correct diagonal and support his quarters through the turns with the outside leg. Remember more seat and legs less hands. :)

Other than my nit picking you look a nice combination - keep at it!
 
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