Critique my Saddleseat

[aBreeze]

well, sorry they arent the best... indoor arenas were not made for high quality pictures. We now know, though, to leave the camera on its usual setting, and lighten them on photoshop later. Iv been riding saddleseat for about 6 months[one lesson a week], but Iv been doing western/huntseat for 8 years. My first SS show is TOMORROW! Im scared, but Keaton[horse Im on] is an old pro. Thanks!

The arena was pretty busy -> trainer training, kid trying horse out, kid getting lesson w/ other instructor, woman I cant stand warming horse up.

My main problems that I know of are
leaning forward
toes sticking out
heels not down enough
not looking up
puppy paws < gotten alot better

http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d143/aBreeze00511/2feb11ss.jpg
http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d143/aBreeze00511/3feb11ss.jpg
http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d143/aBreeze00511/4feb11ss.jpg
http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d143/aBreeze00511/5feb11ss.jpg
http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d143/aBreeze00511/15feb11ss.jpg
http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d143/aBreeze00511/17feb11ss.jpg
http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d143/aBreeze00511/23feb11ss.jpg
http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d143/aBreeze00511/24feb11ss.jpg
http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d143/aBreeze00511/25feb11ss.jpg


No, I am not wearing a helmet. Its a personal choice. I know what can happen, I dont need you to warn me. If this becomes a advertisement for helmets, I will delete the thread and leave it at that.

[CMR]

You look nice, although in some of them you look as though as you are arching your back a lot, and look a little stiff. In the last picture it looks as though you're posting a little high, but it's probably just the picture.

[coverblown]

you should delete the thread

[elise]

I don't know a lot about saddle seat myself, though it seems everyone I hang out with lately rides saddle seat!

From the looks of it you're sitting up straight. I can't quite see your heels but they look pretty good, I suppose we could always have them down further ;)

What is the positioning of the hands supposed to look like? I know they are generally higher than dressage, but it looks like if you dropped them just a little bit, there'd be a straighter line from elbow to bit

[aBreeze]

my heels are on their way down, lol... since Iv been repositioning my legs in ss - very good thing - my heels have gotten all messed up.... but they are going down, and my toes are coming in!

my hands in these pics have too much of a "V", You want a nice "L"from your shoulder through your reins. In other words, I need to lower my hands :)

In the stiff pictures -> for some reason I started rocking to the canter yesterday... dont know why. I havent had a problem with that in 7 years... but the rocking thing had me all stiff...

Also, Iv dropped my stirrups a notch ;)

[BeachRiding]

AAH- why? no harm has been done?

Btw- I think you look great!

[Luv 2 Trot]

Im no saddle seat expert, so i wont critique you. But just out of curiosity, what breed of horse are you riding? Also, i am supposidly showing SS this summer on a Morgan mare of a friends, can i ask what you think of it and what i should expect from regular lessons/practice? Sorry if it seems irrelevant(sp?) but i would love to know.

[CMR]

Since someone else resurrected this thread, how did the show go?

[Katie_85]

Glad you dropped your sturrups a hole. Other than that, it's hard to tell from the pictures.

P.S. Members cannot delete threads.

[Whatanejit]

although in some of them you look as though as you are arching your back a lot, and look a little stiff.

I used to do this - my instructor told me I looked like a duck when I did it :eek:

Tighten pelvic floor muscles - push pelivs forward (Think of some of Elvis' moves :p ) and leave it forward.

Took me a while but it worked eventually.

xx