Hi there, my name is Laura welcome to another video today
I'm going to do a position review for someone who sent in some photographs. So let's get started. Hi there
My name is Laura and welcome to another video
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Coming up today
We're going to do a position review and these photos are from
Nancy Thank You Nancy for taking the time to sending in these photographs. They are so great
They're from the side and I can clearly see what's happening with your position. If you'd like to have your own position review done
Send me an email thistle Ridge at hotmail.com
Put "position review" in the subject line
And I will do a position review for you these photos
Clearly show to me what is going on with this person's riding and we're gonna go over that right now
And I'm going to reflect on what it is that the judge is looking for in the equitation class
so some of the things that we'd like to see some of the things we don't like to see and please remember these are just
a snapshot
It's just a moment in time of what it is that riders doing what the judges are looking for and what the judge likes to
See in equitation class. Let's say
Saying one of the first things that the judge looks for is the writer having their eyes up and you can see in this photograph
Here that the rider has their eyes up and is looking forward to the next jump
looking forward to whatever it is that's coming up next and
Really important to keep your eyes up your head up your head balanced up there properly
Because that helps get you a flat back and you can see this writer here is a beautiful flat back as well
a
Couple other things that the judge looks for when you're in equitation class number one a nice
release
important to have a good release because that allows the horse to stretch forward and round through its head and neck and back so it
Can use itself properly another thing that judge likes to see and really kind of has a checkbox that they check off is
The rider has their heels down
So for me the two things that I look for right away is one
Rider has two heels down. If you don't have your heels down first thing you come into the horse show ring
I don't look at you. Again. The other thing is that the rider has their head out. This rider has both of those things
This person were going in an equitation class
these are the things that the judge would mark her down for one of the big thing is
That her shoulders are way over top of the horses shoulders and what the judge would like to see is a straight line shoulder
nito
And if you have your shoulders well ahead of the horse that just puts you in a little bit of an off-balance
situation you can see here in this photograph that the rider's
Shoulders are well ahead of her body and her base of support. This means that she's not really in balance
should keep your weight over top of your base of support and that means having your
Shoulders over top of your knees over top of your toe
I put a green line here to show you where that should be
And if you bring this rider back
So our seat is closer to the saddle that will help to get her shoulders correctly over where they should be
Stick around because I've got some exercises at the end that you can do to help correct this position
also, I have some exercises right here that you can do off your horse if you want to practice when you're at home one of
the things
I like to think of is if you took that horse out away from up from underneath the rider what would happen?
But they land in balance on their feet or what they tip over take a look at this rider
What do you think is going to happen if you took that horse out from underneath her?
It looks like you're standing up in your stirrups
one thing you can do right away to help you with that is put your stirrups up a hole or two holes the rule of
Thumb when you're writing on the flat is the top of the strip tread should hit the bottom of your ankle bone
And when you're riding over fences think of adjusting it by putting it up a couple of holes
So the top of the stirrup tread hits the top of your ankle bone
That's a good rule of thumb to use when you're adjusting your stirrups adjusting your strips a little bit shorter helps to make your hip
knee ankle angle a
Little bit closer close the angle a little bit more
So your seat goes back to the back of the saddle and your knee can act and act as a shock absorber
Rather than standing up and bringing your seat over top of the pommel of the saddle. This is a lovely photograph of Nancy
It looks like she's had a horse show
It's a really nice photograph
But you can see even here that her shoulders are well over the top of the horses shoulders and you'd like to have her shoulders
More over top of her knees so that she stays in balance with herself rather than loading
The horses front end and making it difficult for him to come off the ground
here are some exercises that you can do so that you can improve your riding and stay with your horse a little bit more the
First thing I'd like to do is one is to join your stirrups a whole do exercises off the ground that will help
Strengthen your legs and strengthen the balance that you should have when you're on top of your horse
Some exercises that you can do to help improve your writing will include writing in you to point position
That's a really good exercise to strengthen your muscles that you need for writing and also to help you
Get and establish your balance that you need for when you go over to off your fences right in your to point down alongside
the regular rising trot on the short sides of the ring and
Incorporate your two point into your regular writing
You can do two point over trot rails
To point down alongside and start with one hand
Put your reins in one hand put the other hand behind your back
so that you can feel how your back is moving when you're into point and
Help to open up your chest to keep your shoulders back
That's another really good exercise
So here's a comment. I'd like to make about this jump. That's generally speaking
I noticed that there are jump cups in the stant jump standards that don't have poles in them
If you're going to be jumping make sure that you remove the jump cups
That aren't being used these look like metal jump cups
If you're riding and you want to do some jumping just take the jump cups off
it's a safety issue if the horse stumbled fall tripped and you
Came off
You were gonna hit one of those jump cups
or
if you're not perfectly in the middle air at the side the horse runs out or
Refuses your horse could catch one of those Jim cups as well. Just remove the jump cups before you start your ride
It's a safety thing
Hi there
My name is Laura now going to use this stuff go hug your horse and we'll see you later in the next video
Thanks now. Bye
Here's a tip your elbows shouldn't go below the horse's neck
But we like this photo because she's got a release her heels are down but her legs are loose. We like to keep her
Weight down into your feet without her lower leg swinging back. She's pinching with her knee
so let's get your lower leg more secure on the horse by putting your stirrups up a hole and
That's all so relax your knee so that you can get the weight down into your heel
If you have your seat closer to the saddle
That will help open up your body more and allow your hands to become an effete or release position when your shoulders become
right over top of your hands it you have a tendency to
Curl your body up our people have a tendency to curl their body up
You want to keep the seat closer to the saddle open up and have your hands releasing out in front of you more?
Rather than bringing your hands. Your shoulders - your hands are curling your body