**VIDEOS** Your CC would be appreciated :)

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sophiebailey

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Hi all!!!

I've noticed that a lot of people have had some really useful feedback from you guys after posting video's of themselves riding for constructive criticism so i've decided to upload two videos and throw myself at your mercy!!! :)

I'm aware that I have a riding instructor (who you can see in the vids!!) and take her word as gospel, however lack of funds mean I can't see her again until February and it's always helpful to have an outsiders view/perspective and I'm sure I would benefit from the wealth of knowledge everyone here has, I'd like some feedback! I'm constantly looking to improve my riding :) :o

Any comments on my riding what i'm doing right/wrong welcomed! I was thinking of entering some walk and trot dressage tests this summer, once I have bailey working in (some form of) an outline, do you think we'd make a half decent attempt at a test? I'm not looking to place first and go to the olympics, just have some fun at local level but not look like a sack of potatoes !!!

First vid: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Rlf_17mjE4&feature=youtu.be

**we start trotting around about 1.10** excuse lazy dobbins tripping hehe!

Second vid: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mRnV2-VUfK8&feature=youtu.be

any and all comments welcome!! I can get practising on your suggestions to impress my RI when I next see her! :)

Sophie xxx
 
From what I can see I would say first thing is to shorten your reins and gather a more steady contact with the mouth. I would also say that you need to relax your elbows and create more of a bend in your arm so that there is a better line in your contact. Next, I would say that at the moment you aren't using enough leg and your horse is ambling around without really putting any effort in. And lastly, it looks like your horse is falling in through each corner and circle and isn't using the hindquarters and bending at all. So in short - gather reins up and keep a more consistent contact, more leg - particularly inside, and relax your position.

I always feel bad putting any comments on this sort of stuff because I know that I fall into some of these habits myself too!! But it's easier to see when looking at someone else!

:D
 
he looks very sweet :)

i would say you need to work on keeping your hands still- i was always told to imagine i was carrying a cup of tea! if you think about it it probably wouldnt be very comfortable for him to work into a decent contact with your hands moving the bit around unnecessarily!

also your lower leg tends to slip forward a bit which cant be helping your balance!

nobodys perfect but a video makes quite a useful tool to spot these kinds of things! also you are definitely right in terms of using more leg- people tend to be scared it just means go faster but it really doesnt- solves so many schooling problems getting them between leg and hand :)
 
Gorgeous horse :) agreed with overtherainbow - I would say keep your hands a little more still - you seem to be unecessarily flapping a little bit. You also look like you're constantly nudging him on every other stride - if he's not going forward or listening to your leg, back it up with a tap of the stick behind your leg at the same time as squeezing, rather than flapping your legs as this will make him somewhat dull to your leg aids! I'm really guilty of this last point too when trying to get a lazy pony moving! You seem a very good rider though and look good together xx
 
Thanks guys this is all great!! Will be keeping all of this in mind when I'm riding!!!

Over the rainbow; my RI is always yelling at me for my lower leg, it seems to have a mind of its own and just pop forwards!!! :P

Thanks again guys really helpful! Xxxx
 
Very sweet pony and I am sure the two of you will do a great walk and trot test this summer!

I couldn't hear what your instructor was saying but I caught an enthusiastic "yay!!!" at one point! It's so helpful to have a positive instructor!

As for CC, the main thing I would say is to think about the bend. You can see on the video that he bends to the outside of the circle, you can see his nose turning to the outside at times and you can see your outside rein being too loose. To correct this you need to think inside leg to outside hand. A good exercise to get the feel of inside leg to outside hand is to slowly decrease your circle to 10m, and then leg yield out. To leg yield out you have to use your inside leg and as the horse moves out you will feel him putting more weight on the outside rein because he is bending his body to the inside.

To get him a little bit more active to the leg try transitions - loads of them! You can't really overdo it with transitions.

It's always a good idea to have lunge lessons, especially if you can without stirrups, as they really help everyone with improving their position.
 
Time to get rid of the stirrups my dear! He's a sweet pony, and you look very happy with him, but it would really help you both if you were in a more effective position, from which you can start to ride him more forward.
At the moment, you're sitting as if you were on a chair (you're not alone - so don't worry!) This means that every time you rise, you are pushing against nothing, making it harder to rise and sit without banging on his back. If your lower leg is further back, giving you a line through shoulder, hip and heel, you will find it easier to rise and sit lightly as your feet are underneath your hip, giving you something to push away from. As an experiment, put your back against (but not touching) a wall, with your legs about a foot away from the wall and your knees bent (you will feel your upper body tipping forward to help you balance). Try and rise up and down as if you were doing rising trot. Then step away from the wall, and do the same, but with your feet underneath you bottom- you'll find it so much easier to rise and sit in balance.
If you take away your stirrups, and relax your legs, they will naturally fall into the right position. Try and do 10 minutes a day without, in walk and trot, concentrating on keeping the leg long, and your seat soft - hooking a couple of fingers under the pommel will help you deepen your seat and keep your balance. As your strength grows, you will be able to extend the length of time you spend without stirrups, and your body will start to learn the new position.
Good on you for asking, and I look forward to seeing a new video in a few weeks when you've been practising.
 
Ahh awesome thanks guys :) looks like I'm gonna have to suffer through some more work without stirrups! As much as I hate it ....... No pain no gain!! Its great to get all of these tips about keeping him going around the circle as this is something I struggle with, esp as bailey is more interested in EVERYTHING other than doing his work! Thanks guys xx
 
Booboos said:
I couldn't hear what your instructor was saying but I caught an enthusiastic "yay!!!" at one point! It's so helpful to have a positive instructor!
Click to expand...

Just realised the YAY was because I managed to change my diagonal first time around, I usually sit for three beats and don't change at all so when I get it right she's very excited :)
 
I don't really have any CC for you, just thought I'd say that whilst watching your videos my kitten was fascinated by your horse moving on the screen and kept swiping at the screen trying to get him :p
 
well he is just lovely! :)

You do what I used to with my hands and fix them low (in attempt to keep them still/soft) I would then let them get longer through my hands in attempt for them to be soft! but this often has the opposite effect because it straightens your arms. If you lift them a little then you will get a little bend in your elbows and then be able to cushion the movement more and have the reins a little shorter but steadier, in turn and with your legs this will help with getting him to bend correctly :). I can't see if you are carrying a schooling whip? I would certainly have one on him so you don't end up nagging too much :).

He really does look like a dude though :D
 
HAHA tonitot I'm glad your kitty enjoyed it! Mine used to have me in stitches if we were watching a nature programme with birds on it, she'd crouch in front of the TV, wriggle her bum and then leap to catch one and just *kerplunk* off the tv!!! Silly kitties :)

Ester; duly noted!! Anything to help my bends! I do carry a crop to try and keep him out (I use it to tap his shoulder as he drifts in) but at the moment the crop is such a new contraption to him he goes from 5mph to 50mph when he sees it!! LOL he sure is a dude, he certainly knows how to do everything other than what I want him to do :rolleyes: but I love him all the same! Thank you xx
 
Hi everyone me again!!!!

Well today me & bailey got some schooling time so I was trying my hardest to remember all the pointers you all gave me! I really tried to concentrate on keeping my hands still and stopping my leg from pushing forward but from the video I'm about to post I didn't do too great of a job keeping the hands still!! :(

HOWEVER I wanted to post this video because i'm SO chuffed with Bailey!!! Every time we attempt canter in the school he either

a) careers off around the school dragging me with him in any random direction he wants (you can see my mum was anticipating this at the beginning when she asks me to warn her if I though we were heading in her direction!!!)

b) naps to the gate at 100mph then stops dead at the fence and I do an unintentional sideways dismount (*cough i fall off cough*)

So today I decided to be brave and ask for a canter and LOOK WHAT HAPPENED!!!! I even managed to stop him cutting the corners and although he slowed down to pass the gate he didn't stop at it!!! :D yayyyy!!! I have noticed that I was on the wrong lead the second time around but I was so overjoyed to have brakes/steering that I didn't even notice!!

So thanks everyone for the tips, hopefully with more time to practise i'll get some of these problems sorted out! THANK YOU :) xxx

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zq3NOTGXLqU
 
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