The Site Our purpose The Site Submission Info Contact Affiliates	Home | FAQ | Forums | Subscribe | Contact Ringside Critique Back to Basics: Hand to Heel by Megan Fagerhaug This month we have photographs of riders going over two smaller scaled fences for viewing. It's that time of year when many of us start gearing up for summer show season and it’s time to start tweaking our riding. These two riders demonstrate the good and the bad over more "basic" obstacles. Rider One: A simple kind of quality This rider has a quiet, effective balance from hand to heel. Her heels are flexed, angled at the correct forty-five degrees, and her calf is nicely wrapped around her horse's sides, helping him lift off over this tiny vertical correctly and roundly. I really like the all-around picture here. The rider's back is flat and her eyes are up and looking for the next fence. She is properly balanced in the saddle so she can optimize her horse's strengths as well as weaknesses. She has a good short crest release with her hands pressing along his crest just in front of the withers and she has a straight line from elbows to bit without "flapping" her elbows by angling them out. This young rider is effective and stylish; her basics are fabulous. Rider Two: Effective, but with some errors This rider is very workwoman-like and seems to have an effective riding style, but she needs just a few tweaks to combine effectiveness with class. While her heel is lowered, her foot has been tilted inward due to her pinching knees. I'd like to see this rider work without stirrups for a while to really put some weight in her lower leg rather than hanging on with her knees and thighs. Once that has been fixed, I believe everything else will fall into place. This rider's back is flat, she's allowing her horse to come up into her without ducking, and her head and eyes are looking between her mounts ears correctly. Too many riders these days are looking up too high in the show ring, which does nothing but hinder the effectiveness of their ride. Her long crest release is good, but I'd have her lower her hands (especially her right hand) at least an inch. That way, she can press against her horse's neck without floating above it. Overall this looks like a good, solid pair. The rider just needs to brush up on her lower leg basics and I think the ride will improve even more. >> Archived Articles
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