*New Horse~Lesson pictures (second set)* CRITIQUE WELCOME<3

[LongShot]

Ok here are some before and after pictures of me.

These are of me in 2006 on my horse Norton (he has a new owner now)

http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a159/SunShinewarrior/jump-lesson.jpg

http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a159/SunShinewarrior/Canter.jpg

http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a159/SunShinewarrior/jump4-showring.jpg

Ok this is a lesson right before New Years on my new horse Blu!!

http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a159/SunShinewarrior/lesson014.jpg

http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a159/SunShinewarrior/lesson012.jpg
^Jump possition ^

http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a159/SunShinewarrior/lesson002.jpg

http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a159/SunShinewarrior/lesson017.jpg

http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a159/SunShinewarrior/lesson016.jpg

And here are our jumps!

http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a159/SunShinewarrior/lesson010.jpg

http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a159/SunShinewarrior/lesson005.jpg

He's an amazing horse but we have to see how bad his alergies are before we buy him.

Critique on before and after are welcome!!! Thank you!

[puzzles]

You have a fantastic position overall.
However be careful not to tilt your upper body too far forward on the flat when jumping as this can force him onto his forehand and make jumping more difficult for him.
Your position over thejumps is very good; balanced, central and non interfering. However be careful to maintain a contact so it's there if you need it for rebalancing and turning, etc, following the jump - particularly useful when jumping a course and if you want to compete.
One thing that caught my eye is that you seme to have quite a tight knee at times, which causes your lower leg to be inefficient and weak as it's not 'there' when you want it. I would loosen up your upper leg and allow your weight to stretch through your thigh, sinking down into your lower leg and heel.
You are also looking up and towards where you're going.
Although your toe tends to stick out, i don't see this as a major problem as, though it could affect the way you nuse your leg, I'd much rather a rider had a flexible, mobile ankle that is far more versatile, than an ankle which pointed the right way but is stiff and can't be moved at all.

Keep the good bits up!

:-D

xx

[coss]

not much to add to puzzles, just that your hands seem rested on the neck slightly going over the jump- think hands to mouth instead of hands to ears so you follow the mouth more, it should mean that you maintain the contact more easily but won't pull either :)
your position has certainly improved :)

[puzzles]

Oh yes - just to add to that :p on the flat you seem to hold your hands a few inches too low. Really carrying your hands (think forward) pointing directly ahead, with your thumb resting lightly on top, will help you to achieve a lighter, more elastic contact that horses tend to find more comfortable and easier to accept. More bend at the elbow will help to achieve this, like you are in the second picture! However having your hands posititoned as though you are riding a motorbike can create a 'harder' feel on the horse's end of the reins and make him more likely to resist you as you cannot have an elastic contact this way.

:-)

xx

[LongShot]

Thanks guy! I'm going to work on my hands I see what you say about how I carry them.

Also a weird story about my ankles, I did have them parrallel to the horse's side for awhile, then my ankle would give out and become unmovable while jumping and jello like, and it turned out that I damaged my leg tendons doing so and my RI told we to hold my ankles out to prevent further damage. If the damage gets too bad I'd need surgery or stop riding, so I can't carry my feet parrallel anymore.


Thanks again! ^^

[puzzles]

O, yikes! :-/ Wish i'd known now ...

xxxxx