Video Critique Please!! (UPDATE #78; New video)

[LoveJubal]

At the show, he is slower and much more cautious. That can only be fixed with time and show miles. I agree with the other posters that advise that he needs to be fit before you show him.

Have you ever though about doing the hunters with him? Of course, you’ll have to lose the hackamore, but he is super cute. In the show video, I just had a thought that hunters might be more up his alley.

Anyway, don’t show him at anything more than 2 ft. at his little practice shows. I agree with HorseGal that he probably shouldn’t even jump at his first few shows.

Good Luck with him. He is very cute

[Horsegal984]

[QUOTE=chestnuthunter;7410281]

 This horse is an outstanding jumper, and though you may say "there's not excuse to not muzzle him," jumpingstarr's boarding facility DOES NOT ALLOW her to muzzle. It's not up to her or her fault.[/QUOTE]

Actually she didn’t say that. She said she cannot halter him because of woods and an assumption that other horses would tear off him muzzle. I do not believe either of these to be reasons not to muzzle him, since they make muzzles that are safe for the situation she described and most horses actually won’t tear off other horses muzzles.

I point these things out because I successfully muzzled a horse for years in a pasture situation with trees and other horses.

I do not think it’s appropriate to let a horse’s health not be a priority. This horse is overweight, middle-aged to older, and being asked to jump nearly 4ft at home. This is not a good mix for long term soundness of her horse and since the OP seems to love and care about him it seems reasonable she would want him to stay sound and be around for years to come.

[RugBug]

[QUOTE=Horsegal984;7410208]

You appear to be riding him quite differently at the shows than you are in the video at home, his pace seems slower at shows, he often appears to be counter bent around the turns. I wonder if the changes in your riding style are affecting him at shows and your apprehension is causing his to be worse, creating a cycle.
.[/QUOTE]

Yes. He is different at home most likely because YOU are different at home. I watched the show video at thought you should not be jumping much more than crossrails to 2’…but the home video show someone who is ready for at least 2’6". You are holding him and telling him not to go and to be worried…and he’s believing you.

Is showing worth it? Well, that’s really up to you. If you enjoy showing and don’t care about ribbons, then it probably is. If what you like about showing is the ribbons, well, make sure you stick to the shows where getting ribbons is a possibility. The “worth it” question is really a personal one.

Fitness is going to be an issue for this horse. He’s huge…and it’s not helping him. The wear and tear from being that overweight and out of shape is going to break him down. It’s really not okay to say you can’t do something about his weight. A proper horseman finds a way to fix something as glaring as this rather than just throwing up their hands.

[cowhorse]

Not sure I totally agree. Most folks in the real world are weekend warriors and simply enjoy showing. The talent of this rider may exceed her horse currently but I have taken many, many horses and produced a winner simply by hard work. He appears fit enough to almost jump from a complete refusal. I certainly would not want to see him look like the horses I see around that look like a greyhound. So I have to slightly disagree. At 5-6 day a week work program is optimum but not what the majority of us can do. He looks to me to simply need exposure to a show setting.

[jumpingstarr]

[QUOTE=cowhorse;7410446]
Not sure I totally agree. Most folks in the real world are weekend warriors and simply enjoy showing. The talent of this rider may exceed her horse currently but I have taken many, many horses and produced a winner simply by hard work. He appears fit enough to almost jump from a complete refusal. I certainly would not want to see him look like the horses I see around that look like a greyhound. So I have to slightly disagree. At 5-6 day a week work program is optimum but not what the majority of us can do. He looks to me to simply need exposure to a show setting.[/QUOTE]

Thank you soo much! You completely understand the situation! HE IS FAT I ACKNOWLEDGE THAT! But that doesn’t mean that he doesn’t have sufficient muscling to jump 4ft does it? He’s been consistently ridden enough in the past 5 years+ that he is a very strong and muscled horse. I did not ask for critique on the way that I care for my horse. He is healthy and has never been lame in his life. I know plenty of “fit” warmbloods that require corrective shoeing and hock injections…he’s one of the healthiest horses I know. He has a hay belly. It’s not dangerous, just a bit of a potbelly. He could easily lose the weight. It’s not like I feed him grain to get him this fat, it’s purely from grass and hay. My grandmother has been raising and training horses for 40 years this same way and has NEVER had a horse colic. EVER. ALso, our horses are rarely lame. I think they’re pretty healthy eh?

[chestnuthunter]

[QUOTE=Horsegal984;7410328]
Actually she didn’t say that. She said she cannot halter him because of woods and an assumption that other horses would tear off him muzzle. I do not believe either of these to be reasons not to muzzle him, since they make muzzles that are safe for the situation she described and most horses actually won’t tear off other horses muzzles.

I know she didn’t say that, but I know her personally and that is the case.

[jumpingstarr]

[QUOTE=RugBug;7410336]
Yes. He is different at home most likely because YOU are different at home. I watched the show video at thought you should not be jumping much more than crossrails to 2’…but the home video show someone who is ready for at least 2’6". You are holding him and telling him not to go and to be worried…and he’s believing you.

Fitness is going to be an issue for this horse. He’s huge…and it’s not helping him. The wear and tear from being that overweight and out of shape is going to break him down. It’s really not okay to say you can’t do something about his weight. A proper horseman finds a way to fix something as glaring as this rather than just throwing up their hands.[/QUOTE]

Okay guys this was literally my 5th show ever probably. 2nd ever jumper show. I was nervous I’m not gonna lie. Plus, I had to push him around that course. It may not look like it but I was literally forcing him around the arena! At home he is much happier. Showing IS NOT the priority in my mind. I’d much rather have a happy horse at home just riding for the pleasure of it.

[Laurierace]

[QUOTE=jumpingstarr;7410471]
Thank you soo much! You completely understand the situation! HE IS FAT I ACKNOWLEDGE THAT! But that doesn’t mean that he doesn’t have sufficient muscling to jump 4ft does it? He’s been consistently ridden enough in the past 5 years+ that he is a very strong and muscled horse. I did not ask for critique on the way that I care for my horse. He is healthy and has never been lame in his life. I know plenty of “fit” warmbloods that require corrective shoeing and hock injections…he’s one of the healthiest horses I know. He has a hay belly. It’s not dangerous, just a bit of a potbelly. He could easily lose the weight. It’s not like I feed him grain to get him this fat, it’s purely from grass and hay. My grandmother has been raising and training horses for 40 years this same way and has NEVER had a horse colic. EVER. ALso, our horses are rarely lame. I think they’re pretty healthy eh?[/QUOTE]

You stand a better chance of winning the lottery than making it over a 4 foot fence.

[jumpingstarr]

[QUOTE=Horsegal984;7410328]
Actually she didn’t say that. She said she cannot halter him because of woods and an assumption that other horses would tear off him muzzle. I do not believe either of these to be reasons not to muzzle him, since they make muzzles that are safe for the situation she described and most horses actually won’t tear off other horses muzzles.

I point these things out because I successfully muzzled a horse for years in a pasture situation with trees and other horses.

I do not think it’s appropriate to let a horse’s health not be a priority. This horse is overweight, middle-aged to older, and being asked to jump nearly 4ft at home. This is not a good mix for long term soundness of her horse and since the OP seems to love and care about him it seems reasonable she would want him to stay sound and be around for years to come.[/QUOTE]

I did not say it, but it is true. I don’t have control over his turnout.

[jumpingstarr]

UM OKAY. I’ve definitely jumped 4ft before?? Multiple times! No need to be rude.

[chestnuthunter]

[QUOTE=Laurierace;7410492]
You stand a better chance of winning the lottery than making it over a 4 foot fence.[/QUOTE]

Then she will soon be a millionaire and I hope she shares it with me. She has jumped him over a 4 foot and a 4’6 fence many a time. I have seen it. He is jumping poorly in this show video because he is scared and worried. At home, he is a beautiful jumper with lots of scope and power.

[Horsegal984]

[QUOTE=chestnuthunter;7410478]

I know she didn’t say that, but I know her personally and that is the case.[/QUOTE]

In that case, thank you for clarifying it’s not allowed.

It is unfortunate that a relative with such vast horse experience cannot help the OP come up with a workable solution to manage her horse’s weight.

[chestnuthunter]

[QUOTE=Horsegal984;7410510]
In that case, thank you for clarifying it’s not allowed.

It is unfortunate that a relative with such vast horse experience cannot help the OP come up with a workable solution to manage her horse’s weight.[/QUOTE]

He’s honestly not that overweight. He has never been unsound and gets an incredible amount of exercise. He has a stocky build, but he isn’t morbidly obese and I don’t see it as a threat to his health in any way.

[jumpingstarr]

[QUOTE=Alter_nativ3;7410217]
I really really like your horse, he is too cute. You are right he does seem more confident at home. If showing is important to you then it would be worth it to take him more, that is the only way to make him more comfortable in a new ring. Do you have any friends that have farms? Taking him off site to a neighbor barn is a good way to school him without the added pressure of the show ring and added costs. He might also be feeding off of your nerves, you looked a little more relaxed and confident at home as well

He is precious though, how big is he?[/QUOTE]

I’m working on getting him out more! thank you, He’s 14.3hh

[RugBug]

[QUOTE=jumpingstarr;7410484]
Okay guys this was literally my 5th show ever probably. 2nd ever jumper show. I was nervous I’m not gonna lie. Plus, I had to push him around that course. It may not look like it but I was literally forcing him around the arena! [/QUOTE]

I’m not blaming you. I’m saying that you need to look at yourself rather than your horse. You couldn’t be the rider he needed on that day. He needed someone confident that said “no problem, we’ve got this,” and was able to give him confidence. Instead you rode completely backward. It happens. It’s my favorite thing to do, actually, when I get nervous. BUT, I don’t say it’s my horse that is the issue…I recognize that it’s me.

When showing a green horse, you need to stick to the level that you CAN be the confident, positive rider. It’s not fair to your horse otherwise. If you can’t be that rider, find someone else who can until your horse can take up the slack for your nerves.

[chestnuthunter]

This is a resident at my barn. She is overweight, not the paint horse.

And I hope she sits on you all.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IEYLnfBPxK0

[jumpingstarr]

[QUOTE=RugBug;7410538]
I’m not blaming you. I’m saying that you need to look at yourself rather than your horse. You couldn’t be the rider he needed on that day. He needed someone confident that said “no problem, we’ve got this,” and was able to give him confidence. Instead you rode completely backward. It happens. It’s my favorite thing to do, actually, when I get nervous. BUT, I don’t say it’s my horse that is the issue…I recognize that it’s me.

When showing a green horse, you need to stick to the level that you CAN be the confident, positive rider. It’s not fair to your horse otherwise. If you can’t be that rider, find someone else who can until your horse can take up the slack for your nerves.[/QUOTE]

Okay I do recognize that it has something to do with me, sure. However, showing is not my priority, so I don’t think that I’ll worry about getting someone else to ride him for me or anything. I will definitely stick to the lower level for a while if I ever show him again or any other horse… Obviously as I posted in my very first post, I am not interested in stressing him out. I probably won’t ever even show him again tbh. I guess I’ll just continue being that photographer that never gets to actually ride at the shows…

[jumpingstarr]

[QUOTE=chestnuthunter;7410545]
This is a resident at my barn. She is overweight, not the paint horse.

And I hope she sits on you all.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IEYLnfBPxK0[/QUOTE]

haha Shelby, I’m sure Mrs. Piggy would be way too lazy to sit on anyone!

[chestnuthunter]

[QUOTE=jumpingstarr;7410557]
haha Shelby, I’m sure Mrs. Piggy would be way too lazy to sit on anyone! :P[/QUOTE]

Haha probably so!

[TheJenners]

OK guys, I think this might be a glimpse into how unforgiving COTH can be. This OP, who is obviously younger, has asked a question and acknowledged some issues with her horse (nervous, overweight). She has been rigidly told over and over that she shouldn’t be showing and that she needs to muzzle her fat old horse. And that she needs to be riding five days a week in a program or else she is wasting her time.

How nice is that?

OP, he’s adorable. I recommend going to shows :yes:. Buuuuut…do flat classes for now. Even if he doesn’t fit in or they aren’t the right class, put him in flat classes and who cares about a $0.18 ribbon. I took my WB to a show and did two flat hunter classes…even though he is NOT a hunter and looked like he was churning butter with his knee and hock action compared to everyone else’s hunter horses. But he needed the experience. And he was challenged and worried, but not overfaced and scared.

Challenge is good. A little worry is good. Fear is not. You want the showing to be a good experience, for you both. Obviously you are also tense, so you showing him in flat classes and everyone “surviving” and having a good experience is great for you both.

PS I think that big white marking over his belly makes him look fatter than he is.

PPS: I can’t ride five days a week either OP, and my horses are ripped :winkgrin: