Yahoo Answers is shutting down on May 4th, 2021 (Eastern Time) and the Yahoo Answers website is now in read-only mode. There will be no changes to other Yahoo properties or services, or your Yahoo account. You can find more information about the Yahoo Answers shutdown and how to download your data on this help page.

Karen asked in PetsHorses · 8 years ago

How's my riding? How's my horses movement?

How's my riding? How's my horses movement?

Let me know what you think.

Here's a video.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_6nsApajaU4

We do some jumping. Cantering, with some flying lead changes. Some trotting.

Be specific!

Thanks!

Update:

Thanks for the answers!! My horse is a mare by the way. She is also a Mustang, and loves to run. Getting her to slow down is a chore. She's also 21 years old and stuck in her ways. I'm aware my jumping wasn't to great in this video. As for her putting her head down, I'd been letting her eat grass, so she thought she was allowed to and kept trying to, usually that's not an issue. She was also being very LAZY at the trot, and again was thinking about grass. She knew cantering was not an option, so she was being lazy. Usually she's more uppity at the trot and moves much better.

She is a very fun mare to ride, but she LOVES to take advantage of new riders! :)

Again, thanks for the answers.

More answers welcome, will be picking a best answer soon.

3 Answers

Relevance
  • ?
    Lv 6
    8 years ago
    Favorite Answer

    You need to develop your seat at the canter. You're very choppy, not quite with the motion. Lots of sitting trot will help you loosen up your hips. Do some hip stretches before you get on, as well.

    Your jumping is okay. You're basically just standing up in the stirrups and grounding your hands in the neck. When you're riding a horse that's small for you height-wise, it's difficult to get a good position over these little jumps, but try to think about "crouching" over the saddle and not standing straight up. Move your hands forward a fraction instead of burying them in the mane.

    Your mare is really cute. Be very careful when you execute your downward transition from a canter to trot that you do not let her just fall on her forehand like that. She's just ripping the reins from your hand and throwing her head down. I don't mind a horse going like that, but she shouldn't automatically go there. She should wait for you to offer for her to go there.

    I would like to see your ask for your flying changes on more of a figure of eight instead of a half-diagonal like that. It will give you a better place to *ask* instead of taking her to the fence and picking a random spot. So, think of it as two large circles, like a snowman, instead of an infinity sign (if that makes sense).

    More impulsion at the trot (NOT more speed). Think of it like a stuffed toy. When you're trotting along in the video your mare is floppy. She's behind the leg, and floppy, and has no stuffing. A teddy bear with no stuffing just flops around wherever. So imagine filling your mare with stuffing. Post higher, not faster.

    Your canter over fences is okay. I would like to see a more judicious use of half-halts to keep her balanced and encourage her to sit back a little bit instead of tearing around like a bullet. When she starts to get "floppy," just like in the trot, elevate your hand a tad.

    But this is a horse I would love to ride. She looks like a lot of fun.

  • 8 years ago

    It looks nice. You move well with your horse but it looks as if you need to slow down a bit and collect a little more. Get him to move slower, then start adding some speed. The jumping looks good also.

  • Julia
    Lv 4
    8 years ago

    You look good on him/her! You have a great seat and you're using your aids well, but you could shorten up his stride and just collect him/her a bit more. It's kind of hard to see what your eq looks like, but I don't see you doing anything wrong :)

    Good job and your horse is a cutie!

Still have questions? Get your answers by asking now.