When the rider in your sale video causes the horse for sale to
-flip its head
-lose contact with the bit
-frequently flip its tail in annoyance
-have a lazy hind end
-do a half flying change because she didn’t prepare for it properly
And lets the horse
-not bend around her inside leg
-careen uncontrolled around jumps
-awkwardly jump because she’s too busy flapping at it to keep her legs on to encourage it over said jump (oh god, I just watched 2:31… oh fuck, it just got worse: 2:50)
Well, it may be time to find a new rider and shoot another video.
The flapping of the arms: At first I just thought she was repositioning the reins. Ok, it’s not the best way to do so, but she’s clearly an amateur rider [she writes, with her fingers crossed, hoping the rider isn't being paid to train the horse] and the ride is just getting going. But then, as the video goes on and she eventually gets the horse to canter (after several strides of digging her outside spur in to the horse’s side) you can see that flapping is habitual. You can also see that it goes hand in hand with broken wrists and very unsteady hands. No wonder the horse’s tail is just this side of constantly wringing.
The horse is cute! Why not get him a decent rider to show him off to his full potential? Because honestly, throughout the entire video my eye was drawn to the rider (uneven, jerky movement is distracting, what can I say?) and while there were certainly some nice moments with the horse – there could have been a helluva lot more.
ps. If you go to their website, advertised at the end of the video, and check out this horse’s sale page, he has an interesting white spot on his right wither – methinks an ill fitting saddle has been used on him previously and not just once… Aww hell, I’ll just post the pic here:
Photo from: CompleteEquine.com
74 Comments
I went to the website…after flinching. Flapping your elbows like wings will not help your horse to jump higher.
First of all…why is he light bay in some shots and black in others? And I mean really light bay in all the ridden shots, black in all the in-hand ones. To be fair, I used to ride a horse who was bright red in winter and liver chestnut in summer…but it just doesn’t look like the same horse…what’s going on there?
The other thing that really struck me was that I got the impression he was being rewarded for ducking his head behind the bit…which often happens when people confuse correct going and ‘headset’. The horse can and will learn to fake it.
Sad thing is the video DID make me want the horse.
And…then I read their visitor policy. They ‘no longer make appointments or accept walk-ups’.
Yup.
You can’t go to their farm and look at or try the horse. You have to buy it sight unseen, and they don’t let people on the property. What ARE they hiding?
For amusement, I looked at a couple of others. ‘Pegasus’ was put together by committee and has no bone. ‘Legend’ is being ridden by somebody who can’t handle any kind of release. And if ‘Shiloh’ isn’t at least N/H I’ll be amazed.
And, of course, ‘God is our first priority’.
In any case, I wouldn’t buy from a dealer who won’t let you on the property.
Obviously something they don’t want normal, rational, unabusive people to see. Red flag and alarms went off when I read that. Chances are they’d run to the bank with the money, and you’d probably be stuck with a dead head who doesn’t enjoy their job any more and is lame as can be. If people make other people buy horses sight unseen, should make people run away as fast as they can. I equate that to all training areas blocked off or have high fences or are away from the barn(s). All just scream ‘I abuse my horses and I don’t want to be caught!’ I wouldn’t be surprised if they did some unmoral if not down right abusive techniques on their horses. Sorry, but I think I’ll look else where for a horse where they do make and allow appointments and for you to try horses. I’d understand a fee to ride the horse to prevent tire kickers, but out right banning. Someone is smoking something they shouldn’t when they put that on their website. As no person in their right mind would buy a horse from them.
That’s exactly right. Never ever ever buy a horse without riding it. Just like never buy a car without test driving it.
Her riding left me speechless, so I’m only commenting on your color comment. My 2 yr old Percheron/QH has the EXACT colors of this poor guy. We haven’t decided if in the summer he’s a faded black or dark brown, because in the winter/fall months he’s jet black… We still don’t know how to describe his color on his coggins…
Sounds like he’s a fading black.
I have a quarter horse mare that is registered as grulla. She is as black as night in the winter, and after being out all summer, gets the bayish coloring of the video horse on her barrel- her head, neck, legs, and hqs stay pretty much black. Idk anything about colors/genetics, but her sire is a grulla- his offspring are usually buckskins or grullas. Her dam was a chestnut.
Holy chicken wings, Batman!
Wow what a mess! And what is with all that jiggling? I mean, I know she’s big on top but why is her head bouncing around too? Poor horse – it’s lovely and with the correct rider could have a very winning video. This, is not winning.
I was really starting to wonder if she needed a neck brace after that ride. I really loved the bat wings though. It looks like she’s trying to help her horse fly. >.< Oh my, could be a nice horse. I couldn't tell, I was way to distracted by the rider.
Hahahahahaha…. I was just going to type of the same thing ( Holy chicken wings, Batman.)
Perhaps she remembered the line from Romeo and Juliette where Romeo says, “With arms like wings I approach these walls…er fences.” She should have remembered the old Arab proverb, “Thou shall fly without wings…er arms!”
I want the horse too, despite the flapping wings. He’s cute!
What……..the hell?!
I don’t even know what to say.
I see a lot of flapping in televised jumping. The head nod was a little bobbly.
My old horse was registered with a white spot on his withers in a shape of an “o”. Seeing as how he was all sorts of confused when I would (properly) command him, I do believe that his white spot came from an ill-fitting saddle and his mentality from a trainer who had no idea what they were doing.
Anyway, did anyone else catch the rider watching the mirror as they went around the corner in the beginning? I can understand taking a quick glance to check your position, but completely staring at the mirror while you go around? My trainer would have kicked my butt for that! I know that its hard to sit the trot, so why wasn’t the rider posting and, for that matter, watch their head bounce around at 0:51. Is that normal? And more staring into the mirror…
Even though the horse looks agitated, he has some beautiful movement! Ugh…that arm flapping reminds me of something this one girl use to do when I was taking lessons. She was obviously a beginner but she thought flapping her arms would get the horse to go…like in the old cartoons or movies. Needless to say, she was broken of that and now rides beautifully! That last jump towards the end, you can almost see the horse saying “What the **** do you want me to do?!” Poor thing looked so confused.
Awesome horse, none the less! If I was in the market for one (and could afford to have him shipped), I would definitely check him out!
I noticed her focusing on the mirror as well. I’ve never ridden in a space with mirrors, but I can imagine what my trainer would say if spent a whole short side watching myself–your horse will go where you look, and the mirror is not your final destination! Admittedly I expect I would be very tempted to watch myself, as I’m not accustomed to having the opportunity, but I’m guessing that isn’t the hardest habit to break.
Holy crapoli! Flapping your arms and throwing the reins forward isn’t a way to speed up your horse. When you’re gaming or running home, you give them their head, not try to take flight. Also, anyone catch around 2:35 when she starts posting to the canter…um…WHAT!?
OMG!!! The posting at the canter!!!! Well, I’d like to think I’ve seen it all now folks. I am in just awe- she’s created a new riding style. Ohmygoodgod.
I’ve seen people intentionally posting to the canter before. I saw it at a jumping show, though I’m told it isn’t uncommon among polo players. Apparently it helps the rider conserve energy, which would make sense to me.
Posting at the canter is fine. Can be very good for helping the rider feel and then influence the horse’s rythem. That’s not what bothered me in this video!
I dont think this rider is an ammie, in the traditional sense, I think she is a jumper. She rides like an open jumper, and I think she fancies herself a Grand Prix rider. I’ve seen jumpers ride like that, with the elbows ( not to that extreme, of course) and the posting to the canter.
I am dubbing her creative (cough, cough, snark, snark) style of riding the “Bobble headed chicken dance”! It was like watching a bobble head chicken ride and go over fences! Also, the song was all wrong. It should have been “I’m so pretty, so pretty” as she checked out her lack of form every trip past the mirrors. That horse would be a star in the right hands, not her wings. Very talented, tolerant, willing and just plain cute! Hope he finds a new happy home.
This is why they chose her, to prove the horse is indeed a saint and won’t kill said rider. I mean really?! I admit my sitting trot could use some work, but at least I don’t look like a bobble head!
Holy Moley that horse is a saint!
Based on your title and the listing of flaws, I was hoping that he was going to dump her. But, then again, if that was the case, they probably wouldn’t use that as a sale video.
Um….WOW. This poor animal is a SAINT. I would’ve thrown this rider long ago! I noticed the rider’s head bobbing (some other folks commented on it)…add that with the flapping wings (oops, arms) and I think this rider is part rubber chicken. I can’t believe this is a sale video. Did anyone else notice that at around 2:41…tracking left in the corner…it looks like she damn near comes out of the saddle?? And why, oh why, is she sitting the trot?!! He’s too young, under-trained and under-developed for any rider to be doing a sitting trot. There’s no consistent contact on the bit (bump, bump, bump), no consistent leg aids, so he has no idea how to carry himself properly…especially over the jumps. Somebody please purchase this poor guy, and get him away from this moron. Sigh.
I usually hesitate to critique someone’s riding based on one ride. There are so many variables. Is this their first ride in that horse? Is the horse having an off day? Is the rider? Etc, etc.
BUT, holy hell, what was THAT?!?! There was not one thing redeeming about her riding. Granted, he didn’t look like an easy ride. He’s green, stiff, a little bouncy, unfit, blah blah blah, but WTF was that? The head bob, the constant spurring, the arms, … Poor horse. Definitely time for an upgrade.
I will say that many of the bad things mentioned, while they are definitely bad signs, are also very common for Morgans to do. From my experience, you actually have to train a Morgan to not toss its head, not evade contact, not be annoyed with everything. Rather than starting from scratch, all the Morgans I know START with those habits. It’s manageable, and these people aren’t capable of handling it, but it’s not as easy as it might be with a Quarter Horse or Warmblood.
And half changes are a Morgan’s favorite “gait.”
As the owner of a Morgan cross, I find this comment so hilarious. So true.
As the owner of many Morgans I have to say, what a ridicules comment. Maybe yours just needed a more experienced or skilled trainer? They are sensitive and very responsive and maybe just don’t respond well to rough handling.
The Morgans I have started began with soft mouths and gave easily to the bit.
Yes, all the Morgans I’ve meet had soft mouths and “gave easily to the bit.” While you may think that’s a good thing, in my experience, they would give and evade contact by overflexing. Maybe that’s okay for you, but as a dressage rider, a horse needs to be able to work into a soft contact, not avoid it.
Maybe the rider is trying to fly as she waves her arms about so much when approaching a jump. Rider has an unsteady rein contact all the way through & in the jumping section nearly goes out through the side door when the horse turns left ! Goodness what a mess poor horse has someone on ( I hesitate to call her a rider ) who hasn’t a clue & keeps a tight hold all the way through. perhaps it’s supposed to show us what a saint the horse is ?
OK, I want to whack that rider repeatedly over the head with a copy of “Happy Horsemanship.”
WTF?!?!?! What’s with the hands???? Is she a stock-horse HUS rider trying to do the headset thing? Or what? Funny thing: She is constantly in his mouth with hands moving and elbows flapping at the trot, and he’s really cramping his neck trying to evade the bit, but at the canter, she simply SETS her hands right around his withers.
And the jumping?!?! The flapping? What? WHAT???? Is it just me or did he run out at the first jump so she decides to take him thru the line of crossrails while the spectator scrambles out of the way?
God, she’s terrible. I was mesmerized by the terribleness of her riding. It’s not even ignorant terribleness, it’s MEAN terribleness. Just mean. No release when he’s good, which he’s trying to be the whole damn time. Just jerk, jerk, jerk, spur spur spur, flail flail flail, bounce bounce bounce.
That’s a nice horse, too. If he ever gets over fearing the bit. He’s super cute and moves as nicely as possible, under the circumstances. With kind work and thoughtful suppling, I think he’d be a nice little athlete.
Ugly riding. You would think that when she sees herself in that big mirror,
that she would see how bouncy and floppy she is.
I know this guy – they are located in Georgia and you have to buy there horses via cash or credit card and then they ship them – sight unseen with teh agreement that you can “trade” for something else if they don’t work out. They mostly have gated horses. I must say this is the worst leg postition I have ever seen and what is up with the arms?
That’s absolutely crazy–do they really think someone would buy a horse sight unseen like that?
Hmmmmm….. maybe she is used to the whole Monkey-hump Gaited Horse Seat then?
She totally rides like someone who’s never had a lesson but thinks she is Gods Gift.
People who jump like that… sheesh. My 14 year old 4H kids jump better than that.
I try not to be a critic when it comes to riding since I am not the strongest rider, and that is because I do not have a horse right now I don’t get much practice in. I used to do second level dressage, but do you think I would get on a horse to show off its ability right now? Heck no! This rider is horrific and is so distracting. I would also take a guess and say that the horse has poor training as well as his rider. He looks like a beautiful mount as long as there is nothing they are hiding about him! Is he sedated since he is tolerating all the spuring and pulling in the mouth?
The central problem I see here is the rider is too loose entirely. She can’t keep her leg steady on his side (no business wearing spurs with that lack of control), her hands don’t ‘follow’ (contant bumping his mouth) and she’ drops behind his movement even at the trot never mind the jump. She lost her balance way out on the left turn canter and on the right turn coming to the first jump and causing a run out. Its as if she dosen’t know the difference between ‘soft’ and ‘loose’. Nice horse though – and a really wierd way of selling – no visiting? Sight unseen. Now that’s a red flag if I ever saw on!
Oh. Oh my. Oh myyy. I’m usually a nice person and I usually give the benefit of the doubt. I just…can’t!!! This horse is going to be completely ruined. Poor guy looks green as grass and QUIT trying to sit that giant fast trot! It seems like they are trying to make him do/look like he is far more advanced than he really is – not that its his fault. But I agree with the above poster about the riding being mean – spur spur spur snatch behind the bit behind the bit spur spur. ICK!! And what the hell is with the arms??? As if the jumping itself isn’t scary enough when you are racing around uncollected?!? Poor boy will need a 6 month pasture break just to detox from this toxic riding. I feel ill…someone get this boy an upgrade!!
You should see the video of him being ridden western… ugh! His boots are practically all the way through his stirrups! None of the kids, or adults for that matter, are wearing a damn helmet… These people should be banned from horses, forever…
http://www.onetruemedia.com/otm_site/view_shared?p=11196076972c6a7e028c727&autoplay&skin_id=1602
Honestly, he appears to be a better rider than she is, boots-in-stirrups and all! I see that a LOT in western riders. At least he has a quiet seat and hands.
The music…
I just looked at the website quite a bit – I’d never ever ever buy a horse SIGHT UNSEEN but at least all the horses in the pics are clean, well groomed, and appear in good health. The photos are good and well done to show the horses off. I think they appear nice as long as they stay away from English riding. At least there is a happy in there somewhere?
Oh lordy, if my coach saw me flapping the reins around like that she would probably glue my hands to the horse’s neck. Or take the reins away. Possibly both.
I know there seems to be this weird misconception among some non-horse people that to get a horse to go, you have to flick the reins or some crap like that. Did this person miss the why-real-riding-is-not-the-same-as-fictional-riding class?
This rider is the opposite of “tactful” and “workmanlike.”
Oh, and “correct.”
WOW! Is all I can say! lol I could have shown that horse better than that, and I am by no means an excellent rider. My legs might not stay in place all the time, and I might not always be balanced, but my hands are steady and I don’t flap my arms! haha Poor horse, I feel sorry for him. He was good to put up with all the distracting arm flapping. I’m surprised he still jumped. The TB mare I learned to jump on would have swerved or stopped, but she would jump anything as long as you were confident and moving with her. Very bad sale video! Also, I’m with everyone else on not buying anything from them if I can’t at least look at the horse in person.
Did anybody else notice that the horse is just not engaged…at all? Like AT ALL. He’s kind of looking around, bored, being lazy. Not that it’s his fault. I had a horse just like this guy and you really just have to give them something to do that they *can* do. Turbo did anything I asked as soon as I asked it with a lot of spirit but very little argument. This guy has almost got a defeatist, “Well, I really don’t know what you’re asking anymore, so I’ll try but…ohmigosh, it’s me friend!…Ouch!! Right. Back to what I was saying.”
He knows what she’s asking (when I pull on the bit, YOU give way), but it’s so simple, so easy, and inconsistent. She not asking right, not asking for the right thing, and not asking consistently, and so he’s not having to try very hard and it’s boring. “Okay, I gave to the bit. (distracted) Oh, you’re pulling again? Giving to the bit! (distraction). Giving again. *tail twitch* I’m freaking bored and you’re irritating me!”
It looks like he’s trying, and I would give whatever ridiculous amount they’re asking (well, maybe not if it’s too ridiculous…) for a horse *that* willing. He just needs a good home!
Buy him and then he would have a good home and not have to suffer at those
hands anymore.
I watched the rider for about 2 seconds, shrugged and factored her into the behavior of the horse while I watched him for the rest of the film.
I liked the gelding. He moves well and treats his rider well, and seemed to be sound. So I’d go look at him.
What is in my favor as a buyer?
Hopefully a green rider who doesn’t know what she has.
Even better yet, a rider who thinks she’s highly accomplished, after all she sharpens her skills by critiquing (making fun of) other riders on YouTube. She will be incredibly easy to convince the horse is off because his back is sore.
Especially when I assure her it couldn’t be her balance, she’s much too accomplished an equestrian, so maybe she’ll drop the price by $500?
When I’m horse shopping, I watch the horse.
A highly accomplished rider can hide all kinds of issues. I’ll have a non-pro show me a horse any day.
Ah but going to look at him would require them to actually allow you to try the horse or get it vet checked before buying.
Very good point, this video actually seems to “sell the horse” quite well on the fact that the rider is *that* incorrect and the horse still manages
Holy heck! My beginners ride with quieter hands, if they ever flapped like that they would only do it once! Great babysitter horse! Any other would have dumped her long ago, what was with the mirror gazing? Quick look not stare for the whole end of the arena! Boy oh what not to do if you want to show your horse for sale.
HOLY FREAKING HELL!!!! I had to fix a lot of rider errors as a new trainer replacing an older trainer with…shall we say not ideal methods….but this….this is insane! Grab grab grab spur spur spur grab hold hold hold spur spur spur. Umm….do you really think he will go forward willingly!?
I love how she lifted her hands in the beginning and shook them to get him to drop his head. If she was any sort of rider at all she wouldn’t spur him through the corners at the canter to keep his momentum, all he needs her to do is pick up her inside hand slightly so he can lift his shoulder and stay engaged! The floppiness bothers me so much but I think it is due to her trying to ride dressage and failing because she is a jumper. And the arm flapping…holy chicken wings! I used to cluck and clack at my students if they did that, even the 7 yr olds knew what it meant! He doesn’t seem to be refusing to bend, my guess if he simply doesn’t have the muscling and training to do it consistently. And that is okay for a greenie!
I am in love with the horse anyway, he seems to simply be afraid and confused. I agree I think they are trying to make him look much more advanced than he is. If they had a video of him going around on a lunge line and in work with a different rider who didn’t ride in the same style taking him over ground poles instead of verticals I would be much more inclined to buy the horse. I’d also like to see just plain ground work with him, show me that he yields his hindquarters in both directions nicely, show me if he knows how to put his head down for the halter or bridle, picks up his feet, stands still nicely on the end of a long line, backs up willingly when you shake the lead or lunge line etc etc etc. These are things I would much rather have even if he has had horrible under saddle training.
Oh my what terrible terrible rider but I WANT THAT HORSE. I want to save him, he looks like he could be so nice… also he reminds me of my retired morgan.. this guy needs a upgrade where he will be appreciated and loved by a competent rider/owner!
Sad how all the lovely horses get such a shitty rider/owner… horse are so humble and kind, If I was that horse I would have killed her and NOT felt a bit sorry.
Yes, the flapping arms, the unsteady posting, posting off her stirrups, watching her reflection in the mirror instead of where she’s going…We’ve all been beginners, though. (Some of us still are.) She’s not being mean to the horse or bratty, which are far worse and more difficult to remedy.
Strange to me that an arena would have mirrors. In dojos or dance studios with mirrors, you are supposed to check your form in the mirror and self-correct. We don’t have mirrors where I ride; that’s what I pay my instructor for, to correct me!
Finally, regarding the horse’s color, from Wikipedia:
“True black horses have dark brown eyes, black skin, and wholly black hair coats without any areas of permanently reddish or brownish hair. They may have pink skin beneath any white markings under the areas of white hair, and if such white markings include one or both eyes, the eyes may be blue. Furthermore, most black horses “sun bleach” with exposure to the elements and sweat, and therefore their coats may lose some of their rich black character. Black horses that do not sun bleach are called “non-fading” or “sheer” blacks.”
I really, REALLY wish the arena I school in had mirrors. No, you shouldn’t stare at them, but then, your eye should be soft enough when riding to take in everything anyway.
If you don’t always ride with a trainer, mirrors are handy for checking that you are actually even in the saddle (many people drift crooked). They’re also good for a quick glance to check your *horse’s* form. (This is why dressage people use mirrors a lot. True, you SHOULD be able to feel when its correct, but…) They’re particularly handy for making sure your horse is doing a good shoulder-in or travers/renvers. They help you resist the temptation to look down at your horse. I want mirrors.
I also should bug my trainer to video tape me one of these days…that’s also useful for seeing what’s going on.
For those of us with no trainer, the mirror comes in handy. I use it to make sure my body is in the correct alignment and my heels are down. Sometimes when I feel like I’m okay, I’ll look in the mirror and see that I’m wonky. Having a mirror is second-best to having that extra set of eyes on the ground, for sure, but without it I could quite possibly ride with my heels up…even though it feels like they’re down. Once I figure out the SIGHT of what’s wrong, I can change it and then relearn the FEEL of it. That being said, I just peek quickly as I pass the mirror. I don’t assess my hair, makeup, clothing, whatever the girl in the video was doing…
Even when you do have an instructor, I’ve found that mirrors are invaluable, because then *I* can see exactly what my instructor is seeing, and fix it better – one of those things being that I was always leaning forward, but to me it *felt* like I was sitting perfectly vertical, so no matter how many times I got told “sit back, sit back, stop leaning forward” it just didn’t work. When she got the mirrors, I could *see* “Oh hey, what feels perfectly straight to me isn’t” and then use the mirrors to find where vertical is, what it feels like, and stay there. Solved SO many problems. I’m also on a horse right now that likes to go crooked, and since most of the horses I’ve ridden before go straight 90% of the time, once again, the mirrors are a big help, because I haven’t learned what crooked feels like yet – yes, my instructor tells me when the horse is going crooked and how to fix it, etc. but it is SO much more useful to have both someone pointing it out to me and telling me how to deal with it, AND to see it in a mirror, so I can more easily learn “Okay, when he *feels* like this, it means he *looks* like that, and I need to use *this much* pressure to correct it” rather than going by feel alone.
Yep…Pretty Amazing! It is CarMax of the horse world! Can we get the Horse Fax?Where to begin?. We will start with the Fresian Cross Part. Ummmm….looks more like TWH X Morgan to me. Of course no prices listed, no visitation to see if the thing will kick your head in and a warranty that is not as good as the paper is written on. I was upset there was no direct mailing address so I could send them a blank check.
At least a clean facility for a horse trader, nice fencing, everything clean ad the horses somewhat groomed. (In the pictures)They are doing a great job throwing the three helmetless kiddies up on everything they own, giving buyers the warm fuzzies and puppies and sunshine.
The riding on the other sale ads is really stunning, on the flat the riding was not so bad, I have seen worse on you tube. The jumping portion was horrendous. I know, I know you have a following hand but yours sucks (look at Legend’s ad on the same sight sight) grabbing mane or giving a crest release is uncool but you might find that quiet hands might help the greenie find his way a little happier over those fences. The glancing in the mirror was causing her body to twist, the horse to stiffen and lose forward motion. The main reason a lot of facilities decided that mirrors were counterproductive and went to video taping.
Cute horse, though! The sad part is that no one reasonable will buy him, because they cannot even look at him.
I have been to this farm, and I want to state right here that the people at council farm are LIARS and cheats. They may have a good horse or two come through, but the write ups they have for each horse are nothing but baloney. I went to look at a horse, they knew I was coming, and yet they’d sold him the day before and didn’t bother to tell me. I had driven three hours so I decided to look at what else they had. I recognized some of the horses from the website, ones they’d described as “safe, bombproof, anyone can ride” yadda yadda.. Nearly all the horses were visibly agitated under saddle Most of them had HORRIBLE looking feet, as in they were trimmed VERY short and upright. One of them reared straight up in the air with a girl on him several times. One of them was prancing, snorting, threatening to buck. Very safe.
The owner (the fat grandpa) told me, “Lemme show ya how to make this horse back up,” and proceeded to slap, kick and punch the horse in the face and chest to make him fly backwards in fear. If any of your friends take leave of their senses and wants to purchase from this farm, tell them to STEER CLEAR.
Knew it. I was sure they had to be hiding something with their no visits policy. Thanks for confirming that my asshat-dar is working as well as ever.
They claim it’s about people not wasting their time, but I’m sure it’s more to do with their horrible training methods.
I’d still like to get that Friesian/Morgan out of there, though. He looks like he’d easily make a second level horse, maybe even higher, if somebody took him back to basics and trained him right. He’s got nice moves.
They have alot of good testimonials on their website, though.
I am hardly the person who can go around critiquing riding. I do not have any sort of ‘eye’ unless it is blatant and I usually have to watch it a few times over to really see what others see.
Even /I/ could tell that she was a ‘noisy’ rider that was agitating her horse. A horse that is quite frankly gorgeous (especially from what we usually see from Friesian crosses). I hope the lad gets a good home that can let him go far. He looks like he would be up for just about anything right now.
Shit I now have the chick dance song stuck in my head. I’m no George Morris but holy crap batman that is some really really bad, bouncy, flapping, bobbing, flopping riding. Did I see her post the canter at the 2:30is mark? That horse is quite nice by the way and a total saint. My mare would have tossed that rider in a heartbeat.
That jumping! It was continually like that moment we’ve all had going cross country when you’ve had to push for the early take off or you feel the horse backing off. Its ugly but sometimes you just got to get after it.
Quite why you have to jump like that all the time – rather than say, training, or taking lessons yourself, I just don’t know
I thought this horse looked oddly familiar… then i heard the music. Yep, seen it a few days ago featured on bad_riding, if I’m not mistaken. I remember thinking she looks like a chickhen trying to take off. Poor horse…
What is she doing with her arms before the fence????? !!!
This is a joke right?? Please tell me this is a joke. That horse is awesome. The rider really can’t be that clueless??? Yes as someone stated she is posting a canter thats why I really hope it’s a joke.. also was she trying to get the horse to fly?? Maybe she was really filming a Red Bull commercial since Red Bull gives you wings…
I have never seen chicken arm flapping like that over SO SMALL of a fence. Yes I have seen show jumpers doing a 4ft course who get into a tight spot flap (though honestly it doesn’t do anything, I think it just makes riders feel better to think that the are) but to see someone doing it over a 2 ft jump was HILARIOUS.
I wonder if maybe the horse is prone to stopping because it seemed as if the rider really drove the horse at the fences and then relaxed a bit in between. . . or maybe she’s just watched WAAAAYYYY to much show jumping on TV and thinks she’s super special because she can do what they do (like canter posting, LOL). Yes I have done canter-posting as an exercise in lessons, but not during a jump course when a video is being shot for the purpose of selling the horse I am riding.
The rider’s job in a sale video is to show the horse off to the best of the horse’s ability and ride quietly. Don’t distract people with your riding. All I could think of the entire time was how the rider was trying to ride way above their level and use techniques they have probably seen on TV and don’t understand.
Oh, Snarky — Please someone buy this horse ! I gave up as I saw her watch herself in mirror every time and ignore horse was behind the bit. Poor horse only broadcast her more egregious errors …. Tap, tap, tap spurs ( Take them away from her!) So much head and mouth movement in response to her stiff wrists and busy elbows.
If she cannot ride horses’ movement, then press knuckles down to neck or take lessons.
Poor horsey during the jumping section. He was abandoned to try to find his own striding and tempo. God Bless him. I would have dumped her.
Snarky, this is a Fugly moment ….
If I was in the market for a horse for a child or novice, I would snap this guy up in a heartbeat. He shows me he is very tolerant of a LOT of mistakes. That makes him worth his weight in gold, IMO.
So I’m watching her trot around, and I’m thinking, not terrible- she just doesn’t know how to sit the trot. Cantering- ok, she would benefit from some no stirrup work… Jumping– HOLY HELL WHAT ARE YOU DOING?
Omg……… I dont think i have ever seen riding so hideous.
First off…. she is standing in her stirrups when she asks the horse to slow down. For all i know you are supposed to lean back to slow down, (unless on a twh). She is holding her hands out like she is supposed to be picking something up from someone else’s hands. And her position in the saddle on approach to the jumps… so wrong, not to mention flapping arms like a dying seagull.
and, she was attemting to post at the canter. Just no.
just no.
Those arms are all like “YeHaw YeHaw Jump!!!”
LMAO… Poor Pony!