Please cast your eyes over this vid?

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reindeerlover

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Hi all, I have read some brilliant advice on here from people regarding other folks horses/riding and I wonder if your be so kind as to do the same for me?

Feel free to be as condemnatory or rude as you like, I do realise my riding leaves an awful lot to be desired (I'm clearly NOT a dressarge person) and I do not intend to take up dressage/showing. Advice as to how to improve transitions up the way and stop the nose poking down the way would be cool and also general comments on the horse's way of going etc.

He did have a lumpy leg at the time from a kick above the knee..

Thanks in advance!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6CbNx6WzIrk

Now you get chocolate muffins. :D
 
He looks a really nice sort and is going forwards well :)

My only comments would be that he seems to be running into his upwards transitions, and seemed almost surprised when asked, so I'd be looking at doing half halts before you actually ask him to go into canter and also go forwards to sitting trot a little bit sooner. Your lower leg looks a little too far forwards, which might be slightly unsettling for him if you are then bringing your outside leg behind the girth to ask for canter.

For downwards transitions it's the same thing with half halts, preparing for the transition and when he comes back to trot keeping him between hand and leg so he is being ridden forwards, even though you are asking him to slow.
 
I am by no means an expert but I like your boy, nice balanced trot, looks good.

I would suggest shortening your reins substantially and lifting your hands so your horse really has a contact to work into and hopefully will stop the nose poking. In the canter transition try to think about lifting the horse "up" into canter by maintaining the contact and sitting deep rather than throwing everything at him to get him to go forward.

Probably talking rubbish!
 
You say this is your new boy? Well, can i just ask his name and breeding, because he REEEEALLY looks like a horse my friend used to own! :O
 
He's super :)
You need to sit more to the front of the saddle and straighten your back- youre tipping your upper body forard, your legs are consequently coming forward and your bottom is going back. You're also not using your hands independantly- they need to be carried just slightly higher with more bend in the elbow. If you shorten your reins but still your hands I think you'll solve the nose poking.
Give him much more advance warning of the transition- sit for longer, get him off the leg first then half halt and re-balance before giving a very clear aid.
 
Thanks you guys! I do have a super "leg forward" position, from years of riding in stock saddles and with one hand... I do try but I think that is my general conformation at this point! I agree that he seems "surprised" when asked to move up to canter, I ask very gently, he doesn't listen (or understand?) so I ask more strongly and then he kind of wakes up and runs into it. I think a lot of it is getting used to his buttons etc? My other horses are youngsters or my boy who I know inside out so I have to be very gentle with them.

Shortening my reins would also def be a good idea! I didn't realise how ridiculously long they were until I saw the video, embarrassing... He does have an extremely long neck!

Thanks and keep them coming! xx
 
Reading my message back it sounds really patronising. Sorry, I'm trying to get the written word across without sounding like that and I'm struggling! Lovely horse by the way!
 
gilliantahatann said:
You say this is your new boy? Well, can i just ask his name and breeding, because he REEEEALLY looks like a horse my friend used to own! :O
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Yes, well I have had him since April so not than new now- his name is Shanghai Noon (stable name previously Alfie). I think he came from Sussex area? I may be wrong, I bought him at Ascot. Any news about his previous 2 years would be great! :D
 
touchstone said:
Reading my message back it sounds really patronising. Sorry, I'm trying to get the written word across without sounding like that and I'm struggling! Lovely horse by the way!
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Gosh, not at all I am such a schooling spaz all this sounds like great info!

"Themule" you are so right, I am used to sitting like this in my stock saddle so I must unlearn some stuff. I think longer stirrups would help immensely, then I must learn not to lose them all the time... Actually quite embarrassed now about my completely inept riding :o although if you send me a youngster I'll probably not get bucked off! :D
 
Might be the position of your stirrup bars on the saddle but your lower leg is too far forwards and putting you in an armchair position, which then makes it harder to stay with the movement, rather than fall behind it. OK minus points out of the way...

Lovely horse, nice natural head carriage which is NOT being interfered with by the usual accompaniment to a small rider on a big moving horse whose saddle isn't doing them any favours! Id like to see shorter reins held a tad more up and in front. Going to be a learning curve to get you riding him up to the hand as really, he is just trotting round without much impulsion or 'containment', but what a lovely lad.
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Think shorter stirrups, not longer?

Oh and you need to be offering ice-lollies in this weather!
 
brighteyes said:
Might be the position of your stirrup bars on the saddle but your lower leg is too far forwards and putting you in an armchair position, which then makes it harder to stay with the movement, rather than fall behind it. OK minus points out of the way...

Lovely horse, nice natural head carriage which is NOT being interfered with by the usual accompaniment to a small rider on a big moving horse whose saddle isn't doing them any favours! Id like to see shorter reins held a tad more up and in front. Going to be a learning curve to get you riding him up to the hand as really, he is just trotting round without much impulsion or 'containment', but what a lovely lad.
c014.gif


Think shorter stirrups, not longer?

Oh and you need to be offering ice-lollies in this weather!
Click to expand...

Shorter stirrups?? :eek: I will try that, I just assumed that my legs would come back more with longer ones but watching back I did notice that I seemed to be reaching for the stirrups....

Shorten reins too, yes that seems to be the general consensus and makes a lot of sense, I hadn't done a lot with him by then so didn't want to be hanging off his mouth in any way but can see that he started off on the forehand (maybe because of this?) although not so much after he had had his canter.

I'm off to get some ice lollys but there is pimms in the fridge if anyone wants to start on that?

P.S Who are you calling small???? :mad:

teeheeehee
 
I am by NO MEANS an expert, but I think you need to try to keep your hands still....perhaps with shortening your stirrups you will balance yourself a little better, but you seem to be balancing a little on his mouth?

I was also once told that in trot you should 'kiss' the saddle rather than sit out in to it??...Again, with shorter stirrups and more balance, I think you will be able to do this more....

I found lunge lessons to be invaluable to highlight my faults (Of which there are many!!!!)

He is a lovely boy though..... :)
 
Did someone mention pimms :-D

What a stunner your new (ish!) horse is. Like everyone else i agree to the rein shortening, but its nice to see his natural carriage. I would be tempted to shorten the stirrups a hole and try and bring the lower leg back slightly underneath you (although fully understand the forward leg position....i am a bit the same with my horse....always ready for him to chuck in a buck!!!!). But overall.....what a lovely horse and relaxed rider.
 
Again, probably don't know anything at all, but I have been having lessons with a biomechanics teacher and here are some thoughts ...

When doing transitions (and in between in you can) try taking you weight on your thighs, rather than your bum*. The theory is that this gives the horse space to round its back and not go hollow backed (his head comes up when you ask for a transition indicating he finds it difficult to round his back at this point). It is quite interesting when in walk to experiment putting more of your weight on your thighs and see what impact taking weight off the back makes. Hopefully will encourage the horse to reach down.

* To do this effectively you have to engage your core muscles and make sure that you aren't 'hollowing' your own back!!

OK trying to condense many years of lessons into a small paragraph, but it has worked for me!
 
He's lovely and you ride really well, really relaxed and not intefering/fiddling. He has a lovely natural carriage.

I'm no expert, but would say shorter reins, carry your hands and more bend in your elbows.

gOOD LUCK, i'M VERY JEALOUS.
 
Jeebus folks, where has all the pimms gorn?? Thanks very much for all your help and your kind words about Eric. I really must have a few "normal riding" lessons to sort out my position. He is very long and lanky and doesn't have a very muscled up back so I think I am probably sitting too deeply when I ask for a transition (as someone mentioned..?) and he is therefore unable to round as easily.

So..
1. Shorten reins and bend elbows.
2. Shorten (?) stirrups and try to put leg back.
3. Sit up straighter and use my core muscles to hold bum and belly in.
4. Give up riding, sell all horses and take up a new hobby.

:D
 
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