Please critique this walk-trot test

T

Thyme & Me

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Nov 23, 2011
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Thyme is just 4 (June birthday) and was backed in Feb. She is obviously still very green. And my riding leaves a lot to be desired...I spent too long riding a pony so that I got into the habit of drawing my leg back and up to find the pony's side as my legs hung below his belly. And I'm STILL doing it :banghead:

But, I have decided to try a test anyway as a base-line. And here we are!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yzdgaa-ch18&feature=plcp

Any advice on what we need to work on. I think she lacks impulsion, is not tracking up in trot. Has an unsteady head carriage. A little slow to respond sometimes....And WHAT have I done to my stirrups! One is a good 2 holes longer than the other!! But she is willing and obedient. And halts nicely!

What do others think?
 
First she needs to go more rhymically forward and gain balance before you worry about anything else. I suspect this will happen if you concentrate on sitting straighter and in better balance, work on position of your lower leg and softness of thigh in trot, velcro your legs to her don't nag!!

Lovely youngster though!
 
Not experienced enough to give any advice.
See what you mean about bringing your leg up though.
My trainer used to tie mine to the girth it annoyed her so much.
Not allowed to do things like that these days I guess!
I thought you were nagging a little but I know I have to or I just get a nice slow walk.
Gorgeous gorgeous horse though. :inlove:
 
As you have said your legs are drawn back, but this is exagerated due to the saddle as well. This saddle already has set back stirrup bars and is designed to put you in a good position so you need to let the saddle do it's job and not fight it :wink: Your heels were also drawn up, so thinking of keeping the foot flat or heel very slightly down will not only be more correct but will help the leg position as well. Remember the leg aid should come from the inside of the calf not the heel. Agree with EML about rhythm and balance. I think at the moment slowing everything down will help her and you with this and also stregthen her rear end. There are also times when you are pushing with your seat (in walk) instead of using your legs with the swing of the belly.

Totally agree with you on how willing and obedient she is :smile: and that was a smashing halt at the end. I also think she has good natural movement and is the type of horse that I would love to have a ride on :smile:
 
Lovely pony really nice paces. I would concentrate your efforts on you at the moment not her as if you don't get your self balanced you will not allow her to balance herself if that makes senses.

echo what the other have said. You are leaning forward from the waist but I actually think you are not leaning but falling forward as you kick your legs up and you are pushing from your public bone. Your just need to re-aline yourself before you start. Tuck your bum under you a bit more and this will open your pelvis and allow your legs to drop more and keep the weight in your toes.

You are nagging her a fair bit so you need to access her walk and find how fast/slow her natural walk is we and in all of us have a habit of trying to push the walk on out of the natural rhythm. Chanter walk is slow but he covers ground so this is correct but I know I am always trying to get more and and never happy with what I have RI yells at me for it.

Sorry last comment do not do free walk on a long rein one handed and don't give the rein away. gentle release more rein and as the Thyme takes the rein give some more until he has reached down and popping his nose out.

Thyme is really pretty and well done for trying and allowing us all to see.
 
Nothing to add except:

  • gosh you are brave missus, I wouldn't dare post a vid of me!
  • Isn't Thyme gorgeous?
  • Did I mention, Thyme is gorgeous?

She is such a sweet willing girlie. Well done both of you.
 
Thanks so much for all the comments.
Thyme is a better horse than I am a rider! But I am really working on me. I'm going to a 3 day clinic in July and more clinics in August and I have regular EE lessons. Years of bad habits to eradicate......

I was (and still am) worried that I shouldn't be training a youngster. She's the first horse I have backed and brought on. But I think we are doing ok. So far anyway.

Re the 'nagging'. I see exactly what you mean. The weird thing is I don't normally nag at all. In fact I normally hardly use any leg aids as she responds to weight/seat/intent. I'll try and get some video. But for the dressage test I had to steer very accurately. Most of the leg 'nagging' was trying to keep her out on the track as she was bothered by people in the caravans on one side and curious about the shetlands on the other! And as usually I don;t really care where she goes as my only focus is on rhythm, she just chooses an inside track and I don't need much leg.

Re the one-handed: the test said reins in left and then reins in right hand. But for the free walk that is very useful advice to let the reins out slowly.

Kathyt1: I am sofar the only person who has ridden Thyme. I'd love to see how she goes for someone who can actually ride! Are you volunteering. :wink:
 
Can't critique, sorry. Just wanted to say Thyme is lush, absolutely gorgeous! And how on earth do you get that shine on a grey?? Please give me your secret!
 
I'm one of the last people around here that could pass judgement on another's riding so I just wanted to add my support and thankyou for posting this - nice to here the expert's take on other people's riding and listen to the advice.
That...and admiring Thyme. I don't know what it is, but there's something about her I reeeeeaally like. My incredibly novice eye sees alot of potential in her. Will be nice to see how you both develop together.
 
kathyt1 said:
I am (unusually for me!), but I think you are quite a way from me :cry: Ask your EE instructor (sorry I forget who you have?). Maybe she is waiting for the invitation :wink:
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RI is Yvonne Thomas. But she won't ride. Has health problems and says her years of crash-test dummy are over :( Not that Thyme acts like a newly backed youngster! Oh well, if you are ever up this way, feel free to drop in.
 
Bodshi said:
Can't critique, sorry. Just wanted to say Thyme is lush, absolutely gorgeous! And how on earth do you get that shine on a grey?? Please give me your secret!
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No idea as she lives out unrugged and is very dusty/muddy under the shine! She can scrub up quite well though. Maybe it's all the different feeds she gets in my attempts to get some condition on her. She's always been a bit on the ribby side.
 
Flipo's Mum said:
That...and admiring Thyme. I don't know what it is, but there's something about her I reeeeeaally like. My incredibly novice eye sees alot of potential in her.
Click to expand...

Aw thanks! There is something special about her, I think. She is very trusting and willing. I really don't know how she will develop. I think she could be an event horse. Equally she is safe and sane enough to be a bombproof type for a happy hacker. And I bet she'd be a great hunter! I do plan to take her hunting in the Autumn. (Gulp...)
 
how lovely to see such a positive and constructive thread!!!

I agree -- she is a LOVELY horse -- keep an eye on her as I thnk she would fit in veyr well with my Milto Keynes herd LOL

as for critique -- I would suggest that when you are by yourself, you do some warm up riding on a loose rein without stirrups -- esp at trot as this will give you a good seat and enable you to relax your legs enough to stop them riding up

this will also improve your balance -- occasionally thyme goes overbent when your balance means you accidentally increase rein pressure for a second or two -- so your balance will make a difference to that

another idea is some seat and lunge lessons on other horses -- that will help too and "reprogramme" your legs easily!!!

well done for doing the test -- posting it here -- and riding so well!!

x

Cathy
 
First of all I think you are VERY brave for posting a vid on here, so huge pat on the back for you.

I think she is absolutely lovely and has stacks of potential.
Re her being slow to respond..I think this is possibly due to the fact that your lower leg is asking constantly, so she is possibly switching off to it a little bit which means when you ask her something different it takes a little while for the message to get through. The last thing you want is for her to become dead to your leg, it's so much easier for both rider and horse when they respond from the lightest aid.

You need to work on your balance and keeping quiet and still in the saddle and letting her do the work. Let your legs feel loose and long and try to use the inside of your legs to give the aid rather than drawing your legs back and up. This has a knock on effect as when you bring your legs up, it shifts your centre of gravity which makes your shoulders go forward (and vice versa, if your shoulders are forward it is easier for your legs to creep back!). Once you are out of balance like that your position is quite insecure and if she should stumble you would quite likely be straight out of the front door! If you look at classically trained riders and those with a good balanced position, and imagine the horse being taken away from them they would land on their feet and not fall over. At the moment you would tip forward and land on your face if Thyme was removed and obviously we don't want that!

I wouldn't worry about her head carriage for now, she will learn to work into more of an outline when she has more balance and is using her quarters and back more.

I started having lessons with a classical instructor last year and she has made such a difference, I am starting to feel like I can actually ride now (sometimes!)

(hope you don't think I am being too critical, it's just that I naturally have quite a lot of the same issues as you so I notice them!)
 
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Gillydaydream said:
Have you got a classical/EE instructor anywhere near you? Or a simulator you could have lessons on?

(hope you don't think I am being too critical, it's just that I naturally have quite a lot of the same issues as you so I notice them!)
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I am already having EE lessons. I have to admit I was pretty unhappy when I saw my legs and my lack of balance. I emailed the vid to my RI saying 'Do I always ride like that!'. She said part of the problem is I am in a new saddle. It's a treeless and is the first time I have used it as have only just bought it. She said I need knee blocks! I thought the saddles were supposed to help with position??? Anyhow I was relieved when she said I am not normally THAT bad, although it is still something we need to work on.

And please be critical! Much as I like the 'Thyme is lush' comments, I do really REALLY want to improve and video feedback is brilliant for that. I have learnt loads from all the people who have take the time to watch and to reply. So thank-you very much :smile::smile:
 
another who admires you for posting - more so also as i have just spent an hour loading 1.38 of footage and haven't a clue why it takes me so long and so difficult to loads footage:cry:

I have nothing to add - some really good advice and really positively set out for you to suceed as you have such a lovely attitude towards your riding.

Thyme is a wee cracker and I look forward to future updates:wub:
 
Do you have the dressage or GP model saddle? Either way I think knee blocks will help. They do take a bit of getting used to as the stirrup bars are futher back than most people are used to. I found them very strange at first but you do get used to them when you learn not to fight the position. Yvonne will soon sort you out.
 
Treeless saddles don't offer as firm a seat as treed so I am not surprised that you are finding it hard to adapt. If you can fit knee blocks I think they could make a big difference. I lost a knee block off my (treed) saddle the other day and was astonished at hom much less secure it felt. My leg was wobbling everywhere!
 
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