Rate My Riding Need some fine-tuning with your showmanship and equitation? Submit a photo or video of your ride at www.ratemyriding.com and get an expert evaluation. The first impression is really good, nice horse and well turned out rider, but looking closely there are a few problems. First is the pumpkin colored saddle. It detracts from the beautiful bay horse and rider. Stain the saddle a darker color…before the next show! Also, the “underskirt” or seat flap is poking forward of the saddle which is unattractive. I don’t like the look of that much saddle pad in front of the saddle, but if it is necessary to prevent wither sores, leave it there. I would like to see the rider’s heel a little lower. If her jods were longer I wouldn’t have noticed that. Her lower leg is in a good position and she appears to be posting the correct height for the motion of the horse. The rider’s hands appear to be excellent. They
seem to have a very good line of communication with the horse’s mouth. The horse is very pretty and has great expression with his ears. If his left front cannon bone and his right rear cannon bone were parallel to each other, it would show a really true square trot. The rider is leaning slightly too far forward. Here is where I would really fault this rider. She is looking down at her horse rather than where she is going. She just won her class and should be looking up with a proud appearance acknowledging her victory. Keep winning blue ribbons! The horse looks fun to ride and the rider looks like she is having a good time. It doesn’t get any better than that! -Gayle Lampe, Adjunct Professor, William Woods University
SEPTEMBER 2012
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