Video Critic! AGAIN!!!

FREESTYLER

FREESTYLER

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Hi,

Been buisy training training and more training, in the rain mostly!!!! Well, thought I would add a bit of music to the vid to give it a bit of life!! Hope not so much dust kicking up by the back feet this time......... blast I am pooped!!!!!!!! LOTS still to work on but thought I would keep you up-dated! (sad moo I am !!)
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0KSicwDkyx4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CoW8wp6PxpE
Ok... have a good laugh at these!!! Ha!!!
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I love the rock and roll/doo whop tunes... they are such good fun... especially the American 1950's .. I am hoping to use them in a dressage to music.. I think they are rather entertaining too!!! He is now just 8, unlike me!! LOL!!! Sitting that trot.. umm well.. I use sticky bottom jods, glue and hope and pray!! We have lots to learn but boy am I enjoying this dressage journey....comments as usual most welcome! I take no offence........!!!!!!!!!!
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OK - I've watched your videos with interest. You asked for a critique, so here goes.

Firstly, your horse is STUNNING! And you are a nice, effective rider. It was difficult to see everything clearly in the videos, and I'm sure that your trainer is a big help, but for what its worth this is what I say from your vids:

The canter in the first vid: look at your inside hand/arm; there is lots of movement in the elbow. From the look of the canter and the movement of your inside arm, I would think that you are probably blocking with that hand. You need to release that inside contact and allow the horse to swing through more with his shoulder. The canter is nice, but a bit on the forehand, possibly because of the above problem. I would play with temo in the canter; in and out of medium on a circle, and use canter canter to help him with engagement. In true canter try taking an outside bend on a 20m circle to help him engage his inside hind more.

The trot: he has a lovely trot, very cadenced and elevated. However, I don't think he is really through - he isn't straight (watch the slow mo bits closely), and he is not completely engaged behind. He is on his forehand and this is preventing him from really swinging through and using his shoulder.

I would ride lots of transitions, walk/trot and within the trot. I would also do lots of spiraling in and out on the circle. Personally I would up the tempo a bit; I would like him to carry much more weight behind and I think that by increasing the tempo it will make it a bit easier for him to begin with. When he is carrying himself better you can slow it back down but still keep the engagement. Watch the straightness - he is avoiding really pushing through by going crooked.

The shoulder in: you have too much neck bend. I can't really see it that clearly on the vid, but I think you are doing more of a leg yield than a shoulder in. Remember that the horse should be on three tracks- the outside foreleg in line with the inside hind leg. This means that the shoulders should be the same distance from the track as the distance between the horses hind legs. Try riding a few steps in shoulder-fore (very shallow angle), then straight, then more shoulder-fore, then straight. Ride this on the long side until you can move in and out of shoulder-fore with ease. Then do the same exercise, but ask for more angle. Don't pull your inside rein, and don't use the outside leg too strongly!

I really like your horse, and you are a very good rider!

x
 
Thanks Madmare, lots to absorb there!! Yes, I see my inside hand moving.. Agghhh!!! I also had a lesson a lateral movements because yes, as you can see... too much neck bend.. grrrrrrrrrhhhhhhhh!!!!!! I have not done much lateral movement and really need to be able to feel what is happening beneath me. I shall take on board your comments and use them tomorrow!!... I shall have my porridge first for energy!! Thankyou anyway!!! Much appreciated!
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Tania, hi how are you?

Vids are looking good!! Better than last ones you posted but would agree absolutely with Madmare who beat me to it when replying.

Would also say with the shoulder-in that not only have you got too much neck bend but that he needs to be softer to the bend with more of a feeling of him stepping off your inside leg into the outside rein contact so you could give the inside rein away for a few steps without losing the s-in.

Training, however, certainly looks to be progressing the right way. Have you been out competing recently?
 
Hi Jlav, how are you?!
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Thanks for that I am having a "block" with lateral movements.. I need to experience the movements more... so frustrating!! Was looking out for you at Patchetts... I have been out doing Elem. training twice but thats all... working hard at home and saving pennies!! I hope to be at Patchetts nx weekend to use up my last Novice points ..Gulp!!
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Then onto Elem seriously!!! What have you been up to?
 
Ok firstly you have a lovely horse but you are falling into the trap with his paces that means he is 'lingering ' a little,in the trot and 'pushing' into a slightly closed down shoulder particularly in the canter.
Your hands are too high and your right arm comes across your body and this blocks the channel that you need to guide the hind leg trough and under the body. This will then encourage him to soften in his back behind the saddle, at the moment he 'holds' himself . The hand becomes a pivot when its high and he 'curls' over in the neck and against the hand so that the power he generates comes against the hand. so instead of the shoulder muscles opening the shoulder they stay slightly closed and you then have the effect of a 'kink' in the hose pipe so that the energy 'flow' is resisted.
This becomes paricularly clear in the 'shoulder-in where you loose him under the outside rein and you are 'pinching' at the knee and hence you loose the impulsion as the 'channel' for the energy of the hind leg becomes disturbed.
You need to ride him more around the leg through his ribs so that he connects more into the outside rein. you do not need to 'drop' a rein. If you were holding the handlebars of a bike you would not let go of one through a turn because the dirrection you were turning in would be de-stabilised, so dont do it on a horse.
You need him to turn the shoulder around the inside leg more through the corners , to do this you need to turn your shoulders ,taking the elbows with you so that he looks through his corners and thus takes his body around your leg; which is at the girth on the inside and behind the girth on the outside. the outside leg then 'holds' the outside leg onto the turn so he does not step out and the ask on the inside enables the inside hind to step under the body and carry more rather than push on to the connection.
I think once you have developed this connection in a more consistent and submissive way then he will not 'nod' and he will 'sit' more giving you greater fluency especially in the transitions.
When you feel a hand that is heavey you need to balance that with the seat. So for example and very commonly the left hand will be heavey, this is due to the 'stronger' left hind that then pushes into the inside hand, the right hind , in this situation wants to step out and avoid taking its share of the load. The ribs need to be pushed out at the girth , but more importantly you must not LEAN IN. Keep a more even weight in the hand by sitting a little more on the outside seat bone and keep the outside shoulder down, making more space between the ear and the shoulder. This helps true straightness to develope.
This probably sounds like i am being hard but you both obviously have a lot of potential. This development of the correct base of relaxation, rhythm connection and straightness will mean that your progress in the physical development with your horse will enable him to progress through the levels.
Good luck with your lovely horse, oh and try and open up your hips to allow your leg and your heel down and stretch up through your waist to allow yourself to follow the movement more rather than try and hold on to it!!!
One thing i was told a long time ago was ' when you have a horse with exceptional movement it is the development of your own riding that preserves this movement.'
 
thanks partoow that is much to take on board!
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He is a very big horse and does tend to lean when he can, I must admit that for me he is a challenge but I shall keep on adjusting as I am determined to get it! I know I have much to learn with him and he is developing my riding which is great.. I just need to feel and go with him ... I think I need to get my physio ball out and bounce on that more to open my hips! I shall keep you posted... as usual... and see if I can work on all of this...
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ok, here we go!!
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Not sure what has already been said, but personally i think you need to shorten your reins - this will stop you from crossing your inside hand over to get the inside bend. Currently i dont think hes bending through is body enough - altho hes lovely and supple you can see (especially in the canter) that his quarters are slightly leading, even when you are going round corners. I think ive banged on before about shoulder fore in canter - this picks up the inside hind whilst the inside for is ever so slightly on an inside track. You dont ask for bend in the neck tho, just look for the inside eye and think of picking him up behind with your inside leg.

Do lots of bending with him in canter - so flex him left, then right and so on - this will help increase the suppleness through his body. Really over-open your inside rein when going through corners and when on circles, and use your inside leg to pick him up into the outside hand (similar to the shoulder fore idea). Make sure you keep your reins shorter as otherwise the flexing wont work and all you will end up doing is moving his neck around and nothing coming from his body.

His trot is looking much better - hes not dragging his hind toes so much anymore and its in a much better and more balanced rhythm.
 
Good for you. I wish you all the best and the comments you made RE:lateral work, will i hope now be clearer as you can see why you may not be giving appropriate guidance for his balance and as most lateral work needs to have an open shoulder.
The physio ball is a great idea!!
All the best of luck you and your lovely horse will have fun and go far.
 
Thanks PG..prob I have when bending left and right more so in canter is that his poll gets deeper and deeper... but I suppose if this is suppling excercise this is ok as long as I can then bring him back up again. I suppose then I would be looking at critics from people who do like long deep low etc....!! I am now asking for shoulder in on circle and asking him to bring quarters in on a circle also. I must admit I have only just begun this as it has taken me all this time to get our transitions better!!! Soooo much to work on in an hour!! Went for a hack instead this am and boy did he move... little bugger bounced everywhere.... Think I am going to buy a parachute when I go out hacking... he is very naughy and loves to "play"... ie prancing/dancing and spooking!! Grrrrhhh!!
 
Ah you see i think he does not need to do this work deep. All he is doing is dropping the connection by dropping his poll and 'curling' up. Stretching is good but he should take the connection forward along the floor. he needs to accept the contact in the bridle. At the mo he his either against the hand or dropping behind it. Bending the neck is not a good idea you need to move him more in the ribs so that you can open up the channel NOT bend an already beny joint, ie the neck. Usually it is the jaw that needs to release and that comes with the elbows and arms giving you the framework of connection and the fingers softening the jaw.Suppleness is the application of the hind leg to support the body evenly on both reins.
You do not need him deep in the canter he really needs to kep the poll up by riding him again from the inside to the outside holding the hind leg on the outside on. To have him 'curling up' is not a good way of developing a carrying hindleg, it only promotes a pushing one with the shoulders will remain closed and all the impulsion generated will be into the floor not up and off it and 'bringing him up will always be an issue if the horse is not developed along these lines.
Sorry hate to openly disagree with some one but i have made these mistakes a long time ago and now understand why it is an error and then had the why's and wherefores pointed out to me by someone who really knows their onions.
 
the bending can get them to drop the poll - however its great for geting the hind leg through and for creating more suppleness through the body. As long as he is still light in your hand, then a bit of bending thrown in will be helpful too. The rest of the time keep him up in front.

He looks fab anyways!

When are you next competing? Have you qualified for the summers?
 
Sorry to jump in here but you could be describing my horse and I completely get what you mean. I have a tendancy to use neck flexion without much success and I can see why - new approach needed. My girlie also curls or resists, occassionally we get it right but we stumble across it rather than 'go get it' if you see what I mean. I will nick your advice and see how we go.

Freestyler - fantastic movement there.
 
yes, but its not just flexing the neck, its flexing through the whole body and getting him to pick up more behind and stretch into the contact, whilst bringing the hindleg through. He needs to bend more through his body - and this exercise will help him do it. You obviously dont ride round doing it all the time, but vary the work - as most riders do - you dont just ride around with a high neck carriage for a whole hours schooling, the neck/head carriage should be varied to allow for the different muscles to develop and to be used in the correct way.
 
I love watching your progress when you post these videos Freestyler, what a lovely lovely horse with loads of natural rhythm and correct paces. Agree with Partoow's (sp?) comments which were very well written. You are clearly a thinking intuitive rider and both of you are very talented. Pls keep posting.
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Thanks EJ123, I will keep posting as I love to listen and hear others opinions as I am very open minded in training...

So question time now I have had time to read and think about these suggestions.

He tends to curl, yes, and what I do is try and push him into the contact or flex him left/right, ensuring that I try and keep his head vertical, albeit the poll is not always the highest point. I thought that this would not allow him to hold onto the bit so much ie. pull down onto his forehand.
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I bend him now laterally on a circle, started this in last lesson, shoulder in, he was not willing so I was told to open my inside rein more and push his quarters out slightly so he moved off my inside leg. I did this for a couple of strides and then straightened him again. I also on a circle moved his quarters in. Again he was a little stubborn on my leg aid so we asked him to bend/look outside the circle and then move his quarters in.

I believed that the bending of the neck was a suppling exercise, used at the beginning, so that he did not go like a plank basically!!
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I know the effects of doing this for too long etc. and not using other exercises can harm nuchal ligaments etc. and if not careful horse on forehand but if he is not on forehand and head is on vertical surely this can be beneficial?!
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If he then moves through his shoulders we have shoulder in/renver etc...??? Countercanter possibly too a good one??
I hope this makes sense now, as I have been interrupted by work several times.. tut!!!
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can't offer any help or criticism, but really enjoyed watching the videos, what a lovely horse with such beautiful paces, and you ride so nicely, how do you do that sitting trot!?
 
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