Anyone Fancy Giving a Novice Some Gentle Critique?

Flipo's Mum

Flipo's Mum

Heavy owner of a Heavy
Aug 17, 2009
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Perthshire, Scotland
I had intended on attending a local dressage event this Sunday with Flip. They are offering the opportunity to do a walk trot training test, so not actually competing and what we wear wouldn't have to be dressage legal (which would have worked out well as we still use a driving bit at the moment).
Unfortunately I have a lame Flipo and its not going to happen.:cry: I did, however, have a couple of practice attempts last month and one was video'd. Unfortunately, the cameraman had a bad case of the shakes and I had to improvise a tiny bit because of two jumps left up in the school. I wonder though, would anyone be willing to give a novice some friendly critique and advice? Please appreciate that I have no aspirations and am not living in dream world, but what do you think? Please be gentle!!
P.S - the test we were attempting was the B.D Intro A Walk Trot. If that means anything to anyone.:unsure::redface:
 
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There's actually not a lot to critique for walk trot level, it looks pretty good to me! I must admit I didn't watch it all because the camera work was making me a bit queasy, but I watched bits all the way through so hopefully I've got a good taste of it.

The only two things I'd say are try to keep your hands steadier in the trot work - not that it seems to be bothering him - & can you get a little more inside bend on the corners & turns? I know the latter isn't easy with his build, but even a tiny bit would help as there are times when he almost seems to look to the outside & pivot. But overall it's nice :smile:
 
On the whole I don't think you are doing a bad job at all. He is very wide so getting your position is not going to be easy.


The main things that I would comment on are that you are "pushing" with your seat in walk and you are rising too high and upright in the trot.
You also need to try to get your lower leg further back although this is not going to be easy (but IS possible!) due to your saddle and both yours and Flipo's conformation.


The easiest way to explain what I mean would be for you to have a look at these youtube vids. Give it a go, and although I can understand the temptation to use your seat to push a horse forward, it generally just slows them down more. In walk try to use your legs seperatly to move the belly of the horse away from the leg. Think of the belly like a swing and your legs as two people trying to get the swing to go higher.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fbbm_U9MdPc&feature=player_embedded
 
Thank you carthorse, i appreciate it's a bit long and bumpy in places, and don't worry you won't have missed anything by skipping bits, most of the same. I do wonder about my hands and general position so thank you for the feedback - and yes, we have a lot of work to do with bending, lots of carrot stretches and more circles and spirals and flexing - until were sick of it! We will never be super bendy but I agree there needs to be an improvement.
Thank you for the feedback;-)
 
kathyt1 said:
On the whole I don't think you are doing a bad job at all. He is very wide so getting your position is not going to be easy.


The main things that I would comment on are that you are "pushing" with your seat in walk and you are rising too high and upright in the trot.
You also need to try to get your lower leg further back although this is not going to be easy (but IS possible!) due to your saddle and both yours and Flipo's conformation.


The easiest way to explain what I mean would be for you to have a look at these youtube vids. Give it a go, and although I can understand the temptation to use your seat to push a horse forward, it generally just slows them down more. In walk try to use your legs seperatly to move the belly of the horse away from the leg. Think of the belly like a swing and your legs as two people trying to get the swing to go higher.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fbbm_U9MdPc&feature=player_embedded
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Hi kathy, thankyou - I am awful at saddle polishing during walk, my RI has been concentrating on getting me to encourage flip to have more impulsion but not necessarily more speed, that seems to help steady me. I spend a heap of time with my eyes closed relaxing out and just trying to move with him but I think it is all to do with our ploddy way of going - I'm trying to encourage him along with my bum which is just awful. I think I read the explanation you've given about feeling the belly swing on here before and have tried it once - I need to persevere, I just don't want to end up nagging him with my leg but I guess that's what I'm doing here with my butt?!
I do have a tendency to lock my heels down, no flexibility. It's a bit of a defensive move I guess, from a few bad experiences of being tanked off with, but yes absolutely I think it's my weight for the most part - Ive had other people on him and they don't look as out of line as I do. That's something I'm working on - the size of my thighs lol!
I hadn't considered my rising and will have a look at the videos you suggest, thank you. I think i might need to go back and get some lessons on a more trustworthy stead at some point over the winter to help improve my seat. Thankyou for the suggestions, very much appreciated!
 
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It helped me to think about each hind leg picking up my seat bone in walk - it means you allow an up and down movement to come through, rather than trying to drive a forward back movement with your seat bones. I do wonder if your saddle is a little low at the back - it might be worth trying to lift the back a little with a wedge of gamgee or similar and see if it helps your leg position - I think the saddle is currently sitting you too far back and allowing your leg to drift forwards. You'll always need to ride shortish on such a wide horse but you should find it easier to get your leg underneath you.
 
sbloom said:
It helped me to think about each hind leg picking up my seat bone in walk - it means you allow an up and down movement to come through, rather than trying to drive a forward back movement with your seat bones. I do wonder if your saddle is a little low at the back - it might be worth trying to lift the back a little with a wedge of gamgee or similar and see if it helps your leg position - I think the saddle is currently sitting you too far back and allowing your leg to drift forwards. You'll always need to ride shortish on such a wide horse but you should find it easier to get your leg underneath you.
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The above is all good advice. Especially "picking up my seat bone". I suppose that is the crux of the matter! Every thing should be "up" not "down" :biggrin: The saddle is definatly not helping you.

Using your legs with the swing of the belly is only done until you get a walk you are happy with. Then you leave him alone. What you are aiming for is for him to maintain speed/rythem until you ask for something different. That way you won't be nagging.

I have no idea about geography in Scotland but it might be worth you trying to have a lesson with Lisa Avery. If she can't come to you she might be able to recommend someone. You would not need many lessons as really a few adjustments will make a big difference.

http://www.enlightenedequitation.com/teacher_findSCOT.htm
 
You look absolutely great together - very comfortable - he totally loves you.

Loving your shoulders and elbows!

Obviously you have your stirrups where they are for a reason, but do you think it might be very uncomfortable taking them one lower?
 
OK, here goes, from someone of a similar standard! :biggrin:

You sit lovely and straight and your back looks straight (mine tends to hollow). This is great as it means your seatbones will make good contact with Flip's back muscles.

Flipo looks content, responsive and obedient, which is about all they are looking for in a walk and trot test. He looks to me to have a lovely length of rein for a horse of his type, and I bet once you get him with a bit more impulsion he will begin to make a really good shape.

I see what you mean about pushing him forward with your seat. It has taken me 2 years of lessons to stop doing this! Good luck with that!

The thing that I noticed most is that your lower leg is a little far forward so you aren't "ear, shoulder, hip and heel" and also that your lower leg around the ankle tends to move a lot. I don't know if this is because you are trying to encourage Flip on or if it just moves, but perhaps getting the lower leg further back might make it easier to keep still?

My RI is Mary Wanless rather than Enlightened Equitation and she tells me to sit as still as I can and think of using my underparts to suck Ziggy's back towards me, so that he lifts himself into a better frame. This is hard to do, but gradually I'm getting it.

:inlove:Flipo:inlove:
 
echo kathy1, I would also comment that your lower leg moves a little, you maybe just need to focus on keeping your heel down and nudging with the inside of your calf (not easy when they are wide like the gorgeous Mr Flip!)

But might I also add that the difference in both you and Flipo since you posted a vid a little while ago (think it was one of you having a lesson in an indoor school?) is amazing!!!!!!!!! I know you have said that you're still a bit nervous but your position is so much better and you look so much more confident!
 
Thankyou for the lovely constructive feedback, I've got a lot to work on, will just need to pick one thing to start with - and I think that has to be our walk. It does feel as if we've made an improvement from last year - yep BnP, there's a thread on here from last year when I was asking about my bum shuffling from a lesson I had at my RS - that was actually about a year ago this month. (Yikes, how time flies!) I'm trying more consciously to stop moving but there's still space for improvement.
I think I could work on lengthening my stirrups and it might help me not look so chair like but the size of my thighs (and everything else for that matter) just work against me. More dieting over the winter required....for both of us. I think the key has to be some more no stirrups work. Something I'm not confident doing on my own horse. I think I might indeed investigate the instructor you have suggested kathy, I was planning on some canter lessons to improve my balance anyway and hadn't decided where to go - I wonder if the instructor you have suggested has other horses I could ride. Will find out.

I'm gutted today as I went along to support a friend while she did the training test - I read for her and I really wish we'd been able to do it. I think we wouldn't have faired too badly - Flip is coming along with his schooling...slowly, but then his rider has a LOT of work to do.:wink:
 
There certainly has been a big improvement since your last video's. I had not remembered that was you until bitsnpieces reminded me :smile: I really hope Lisa can help you and that you keep us up to date on your progress.
 
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