WBLover inspired me . . . 4 year old critique?

[Sancudo]

I only have two trot videos, one of each.

The dark bay, is Remmington (Rosenthal X Davignport)

He is a very kind, and quick learning horse. I’ve had both for about three weeks, this I believe is my 7th ride on him. I’m just working on forward and straight, and he just started to use himself and come round in the past few days. Has a tendency to want to stretch too low, but he maintains the contact, so I’m just letting him find his balance and not worrying about it too much. He’s improved on that in just a couple of rides. He’s a quick one! Very sweet and quiet.

https://app.photobucket.com/albums/b249/DaylightComes/?action=view&current=RemmFrasierJuly11035.flv

Light bay, Frasier (Feinbrand)

He’s littler, and a loftier mover. Lovely walk and canter, but I only have a trot video. Was a “bronc” to break, according to previous owner, who sent him to the cowboy for two months. She then rode him a few days a week all spring without trouble, and then was unable to ride him about 3 weeks before I came to see him. She said it was too risky to let anyone ride him to try him out, so I bought him on a leap of faith, thinking I might have to rebreak him. The first ride I started from the ground up, working are way to walking on a lungeline.

This is my 6th ride on him. He can be a bit more inconsistant in the contact than the other horse, and this was his first ride starting to come on the bit. I am very proud of the way he has progressed. He will suck back a little bit in the contact, but I’ve just been putting more leg on so he pushes, and that seems to be working well. Both are ridden 3 days a week, and I’ve started hacking them around all the pastures.

If I had to critique myself, I’d say that on Frasier, my hands are a bit too high, probably in a subconscious attempt to try and keep his poll up, and my legs are pulsing too much as he gets tired. Overall, I couldn’t be happier with these two, and I can’t wait to have my first lesson in a couple of weeks.

What do you think?

(WBlover, your dark bay reminds of my dark bay! Pas de deux?)

[WBLover]

I think you are doing a FANTASTIC job on both of them! They are both going so steadily forward (much more so than mine, due to a much steadier rider!) with good rhythm. You’ve inspired me to do better!

Both of them are super nice, I think Remmington looks more of a steady-eddie type who is very correct, quiet, and solid, and Frasier has that little bit of sensitivity and is more forward thinking that will get you that extra sparkle in the show ring. Certainly both are very talented and could go as far as you want to take them, IMO.

I LOVE the bloodlines on them both. I was looking at those kinds bloodlines too, but couldn’t touch anything with my budget! I did find some breeders were very willing to work with me on taking payments though, and I did consider that. But it meant I’d get a younger horse that I couldn’t ride for a few years, and I’m impatient!

You’re doing great, and I think they are right where they should be for their time under saddle.

[Sancudo]

Thanks! They understood forward pretty quick- ironically quicker than my last young horse, an OTTB!

Believe me, they are only in my budget because of owner’s divorce! The two of them together were about the same price as my first horse, a 15 year old jack of all trades QH 8 years ago. It was a rush deal- I heard they were for sale, had people coming the next day to look at them, I drove up with my trailer early in the am and drove back with two horses, hoping I did the right thing. I think I did, I love them! They were both bred by Hilltop Farm.

The three D’s of affordable dressage buying: Death, Debt, and Divorce.

[Sabine]

Good Job Sancudo- nice work on getting theses two…I like them both- Frasier seems to have a bit of a funky front leg? Anyhoo- I would bump him a tad and let the bit ‘fall’ for a second if you know what I mean…you have great hands just release your wrist for a sec and lower your hand- use your seat a tad more…so he engages the middle more…me likes Frasier a lot…maybe a tad better if you can teach him to use his sacrum…(that’s what he doesn’t want to use…LOL!)

good luck!

[Sancudo]

Thanks for the suggestions Sabine. His legs are all in good working order, and his conformation would be excellent if he wasn’t a tad croup high. I think I see what you are seeing, and I think it might just be some fatigue and wobbly legs. He had two very good days in a row, and this is the very end of my ride.

[Dune]

I can’t get the Photobucket video to work. I like the second one a LOT and you look to be a fit and sympathetic rider. He too is going down a bit too much and your hands are a little high in some places, I have a little mare that does the same thing and my reaction is similar to yours. I always have to remind myself: Hands down, shorten reins, use your legs and think UP the staircase! :lol: I really like him, if you ever have to part with him let me know. Now tell me how I can see the first one. :yes:

[BaroquePony]

Like both horses. Like the bay a lot.

You have a good strong seat and coordinated legs aids (finally, I get to see a rider that has a good foundation), but if you will loosen up your shoulders and soften your shoulder, elbow to bit connection and use that good seat of yours to ask for more coming from behind (not speed, but set the rythym) you can soften up on the bit and the horse should be able to bring his poll up a bit more.

Bring your softened elbows back and let the bit connection come through your hips and use your core a bit more to steady everything (even at the posting trot).

Love the bay. How croup high is he? The black is very nice, but the bay is way cool even if a bit unsteady.

[grayarabpony]

I really like your horses. The only critique I can make of your riding is your shoulders are slightly forward. The horses are nicely forward but could use some halt-halts to get them off the forehand more as their schooling progresses.

[BaroquePony]

Yeah, shoulders back (forgot to ad that with the rest of the upper body, elbow hand stuff) … elbows need to come back with whole upper body.

At risk of getting flamed by grayarabpony, I wouldn’t mess around with half-halts until you feel the horses getting steady on just a regular contact, especially the bay who seems a bit busy. One of the best ways to develop steady is to use your seat to help set the rythym going into soft hands. Keep it simple until both you and your horses are in a little better condition.

[grayarabpony]

Getting out flame gun :lol: I think the horses are going to find steady contact difficult as the horses keep tipping over and losing their balance.

[BaroquePony]

grayarabpony, I agree with you, but was worried that hh were not going to come from seat. That’s why I suggested “setting the rythym” with the seat (hh done properly, sneaky way of getting rider to think of using seat to control horses back and then that will only work if rider does not interfere with rising back muscles, but uses the motion to work in her favor to set rythym) :winkgrin:

[egontoast]

Both horses are very nice and well ridden.

There are differing opinions on this of course but some of us have been taught to have a lighter, even slightly forward, seat on a greenie. Those horses do not look to be on the forehand . They are going down some but moving very well from behind and seeking the bit in a horizontal frame which is quite appropriate and much preferable to going up too soon without the proper bridge.

I’m guessing it will be easy to sit down and bring them up later. As long as there is some hesitancy in the contact I would not worry that either of them will be stuck down there.

Don’t shoot me. Just another opinion. Nice riding. I expect the competent rider will know when to sit down more and ask for the horse to come up through the shoulders. Soon probably, especially with #1.

Weren’t you smart to take your horse trailer there, OP. I do feel sorry for the seller, however, who had to part with them for less than their value because of a divorce. Salt in the wounds, no doubt.

[grayarabpony]

Yes the light bay horse Frasier moves very well off his back legs. He looks like he’s begging to stretch down in the video clip.

[Sancudo]

Thanks for the suggestions you guys . . . I just got back from a a few days off and am reading the comments.

Not working on half halts quite yet- this was literally their first or second ride seeking contact, so I wanted to make sure I was steady. The black horse is just a bit farther along, and I’ve done one or two when we go “downhill” (our ring is crowned severely in some spots, which can lead to some balance inconsistancies).

Egontoast- I’m a bit with your school of thought, with a bit of a light forward seat on a greenie. Perhaps it is only because that is where my center of balance has been drilled in to me with a Pony Club/eventer beginning. My stirrups are also about two holes shorter on the greenies than with my schooled horses, b/c I feel more secure, and sometimes I find they might need a half seat to canter on freely, and it is easier this way.

BaroquePony- I agree with you (and my trainer would too!) to loosen up my arms, shorter reins and elbows back. Frasier is maybe an inch croup high, but I already think he’s growing. You can see it a little in this pic- this is 3 weeks ago.
http://s20.photobucket.com/albums/b249/DaylightComes/?action=view&current=NewBoys012-1.jpg

Dune- Thanks for the suggestions, and I also think of the staircase analogy! I don’t know why you can’t see the photobucket one, I’ll post the link again.
http://s20.photobucket.com/albums/b249/DaylightComes/?action=view&current=RemmFrasierJuly11035.flv

[Dressage_Art]

Lovely ride, keep on doing what you doing! You are on the right track.