Post by sojourner_stable on Dec 3, 2005 13:19:30 GMT -5
All right -basically I just critiqued pictures this time around since there weren't enough for an actual class. Here's a little tip: In general, a short, one line description of what the horse is doing can sometimes help your placings. For example: a model is entered into the hunter under saddle class. Instead of being calm and nicely collected, the horse's head is a bit high and his hind legs are kind of trailing out behind. If there were no explanations, I would personally mark the model down for not showing 'proper hunter behavior'. But, if there was an explanation stating that the horse was in a baby or green hunter under saddle class, I wouldn't count things like that as harshly as I would otherwise. That won't help if the model is ridiculously far outside the expected range of behaviors, (i.e. entering a rearing model in a dressage class) but if the horse is slightly off, it can really improve placings.
Rhapsody's Song, owned by Bre
Good things: The mare shown is in good condition, the picture is clear and has good lighting. The carpet footing was a nice touch and if the little brown thing by the mare's nose was cropped out, it was be a very nice picture.
Things to Improve: Some of this is the tack that comes with GC horses, I know, but draft mares are not shown with a surcingle like stallions are. If you were showing her in-hand, a well-fitting halter and lead would be all you need. If you're showing her in harness, you'd need to make/obtain a harness instead of using a show surcingle. If you added a collar and shafts/traces to the circingle you could modify it to a harness. Also, a surcingle rests in the same spot a girth does, so if it could be moved close up to her girth area, that would improve things alot. Not a bad picture though!
Nosferatu, owned by Jennifer
Good Things: I like the rectangular shape of the picture that keeps the main focus on the horse but lets you see the jumps too. The horse is in focus, the lighting is good and the neutal background helps keep your eyes on Nosferatu instead of being distracted. The jumps are in perfect scale and are excellent choices for representing jumps on a cross country course. It also makes an attractive winter liberty photo.
Things To Improve: The biggest thing is that without tack you're very limited in what you can show your horse in. Showmanship takes place in an arena and demonstrates what a well trained horse you have for being handled on the ground. Each horse/person pair goes individually and demonstrates certain requirements in a certain order. Horses typically have to walk, trot (or jog), go around obstacles (like maneuvering around cones, going over a bridge, etc) halt, turn and back all in-hand. For that kind of class, you just need a well-fitting halter and lead. In endurance, it's just basically a long trail ride. So, the horse needs to have a clean, well-fitting bridle/saddle and be in a trail like setting. Since endurance rides can be up to 100+ miles long, horses usually don't do any galloping. Trot is the favored gait, but sometimes they do canter or walk. Either endurance saddles or an all-purpose English saddle would be used. Cross country would also need a saddle/bride, but a jumping saddle or all-purpose English saddle would be best. Some protective equipment can be used, along with certain kinds of martingales and breast collars. If this were a jumping photo, moving the jumps a little bit further away from the horse would be a good idea. A real horse wouldn't have the space to land, take a stride then jump the second fence.
Marengo, owned by Jennifer
I've never been to a live show, but I'll do my best to critique the costume for you! The bridle looks like it would be all right -from the picture I can't see whether the bit is in his mouth or not, but that should be a simple thing to fix if it's not. The thing I know about most Arabian costume classes at live shows is that it usually helps to have documentation. So, if you can find a picture of a real life horse wearing a costume like the one you've got, that would help your placings. For my part, I haven't ever seen an Arabian costume in one solid color, which would make me discount the realism of the costume. (which isn't a guarantee of that, I'll be the first to say I haven't seen a fraction of the styles in Arabian costumes!) If you're given the chance, I'd put a note somewhere that it's meant to be a modern costume, as opposed to an authentic one. That gives you more freedom in the colors, the cut of the costume, tassels and fringe.
Kalinda, owned by Jennifer
Good Things: This is a cute model -I'm guessing from the previous picture it's about Stablemate size? Black or darkly painted models are always difficult to get details on in pictures and being small makes everything more challenging! This would definately make a nice Halloween picture, maybe it could be used in an "other" class?
Things To Improve: More lights used would be helpful, since it would bring out the details of the model more and keep the shadows from taking over. With an all-purpose saddle and snaffle bridle, this model might do well as a lower level dressage horse, but her nose is tipped back behind the vertical, which in a real horse would be penalized. She also looks like she's carrying herself with more weight on her forehand, instead of tucking her hindquarters underneath herself and using her hind legs for propulsion. That's a big part of collection and dressage makes huge use of collection. Because of those things I don't think she'd do well as an upper-level dressage horse, but showing her as a training or first level might work.
CS Just For Show, owned by Abbey
Good Things: He's a cute pony! The pinked nose and blue eye look great. The sand footing is really nice and the neutral background is good. From this angle the saddle and bridle fit and he looks like a nice, refined paint pony. Yes, they lope in western classes, but the lope is basically the western term for a canter. A western pleasure lope will be slower and smoother than your typical english canter however, and the horse's head carriage is lower.
Things To Improve: Bright orange reins are distracting since the saddle and bridle are both dark colors. Having dark brown or black reins would make it look much more polished and realistic. In performance classes, part of what I personally judge on is the horse's gait, whether it's suitable for what it's supposed to be doing or not. If this were a Paint in a Western Pleasure class, the head carriage would be a bit higher than the ideal and his action would also be a bit flashy. But, if he were shown as a half-Arab, half-Morgan or a flat-shod Tenessee Walker pony, the higher action and head carriage would be perfectly acceptable in a Western Pleasure class. Personally, I'd like for the horse to be more broad-side to the camera so I could see more of the horse. Taking a picture at too steep of an angle cuts down on how much horse can be seen and judged. Here, the angle makes the pony's hindquarters look very weak and underdeveloped, which would be a strong negative point.
CS Mr. Chips, owned by Abbey
Good Things: Nice looking horse! He looks like he might be one of the nicer GCs that has come out.
He's performing an extended trot, wearing a dressage style saddle and it looks like a double bridle. The sand footing is again, good lighting and focus.
Things To Improve: Mainly I'd like to see the horse more from the side instead of from the front. It's very difficult to decide good or bad points when it's hard to see the horse. Also, if you're wanting him to be showing a higher level of dessage, it might be a good idea to paint over the silver flowers on the saddle so it's all black. That would make it look much more like a real dessage saddle and help with the realism.
CS Kiss Me Killer, owned by Abbey
I can't see the picture! Sorry!
Thanks for entering everyone! I hope some of this stuff has been helpful for someone!
Erin
Rhapsody's Song, owned by Bre
Good things: The mare shown is in good condition, the picture is clear and has good lighting. The carpet footing was a nice touch and if the little brown thing by the mare's nose was cropped out, it was be a very nice picture.
Things to Improve: Some of this is the tack that comes with GC horses, I know, but draft mares are not shown with a surcingle like stallions are. If you were showing her in-hand, a well-fitting halter and lead would be all you need. If you're showing her in harness, you'd need to make/obtain a harness instead of using a show surcingle. If you added a collar and shafts/traces to the circingle you could modify it to a harness. Also, a surcingle rests in the same spot a girth does, so if it could be moved close up to her girth area, that would improve things alot. Not a bad picture though!
Nosferatu, owned by Jennifer
Good Things: I like the rectangular shape of the picture that keeps the main focus on the horse but lets you see the jumps too. The horse is in focus, the lighting is good and the neutal background helps keep your eyes on Nosferatu instead of being distracted. The jumps are in perfect scale and are excellent choices for representing jumps on a cross country course. It also makes an attractive winter liberty photo.
Things To Improve: The biggest thing is that without tack you're very limited in what you can show your horse in. Showmanship takes place in an arena and demonstrates what a well trained horse you have for being handled on the ground. Each horse/person pair goes individually and demonstrates certain requirements in a certain order. Horses typically have to walk, trot (or jog), go around obstacles (like maneuvering around cones, going over a bridge, etc) halt, turn and back all in-hand. For that kind of class, you just need a well-fitting halter and lead. In endurance, it's just basically a long trail ride. So, the horse needs to have a clean, well-fitting bridle/saddle and be in a trail like setting. Since endurance rides can be up to 100+ miles long, horses usually don't do any galloping. Trot is the favored gait, but sometimes they do canter or walk. Either endurance saddles or an all-purpose English saddle would be used. Cross country would also need a saddle/bride, but a jumping saddle or all-purpose English saddle would be best. Some protective equipment can be used, along with certain kinds of martingales and breast collars. If this were a jumping photo, moving the jumps a little bit further away from the horse would be a good idea. A real horse wouldn't have the space to land, take a stride then jump the second fence.
Marengo, owned by Jennifer
I've never been to a live show, but I'll do my best to critique the costume for you! The bridle looks like it would be all right -from the picture I can't see whether the bit is in his mouth or not, but that should be a simple thing to fix if it's not. The thing I know about most Arabian costume classes at live shows is that it usually helps to have documentation. So, if you can find a picture of a real life horse wearing a costume like the one you've got, that would help your placings. For my part, I haven't ever seen an Arabian costume in one solid color, which would make me discount the realism of the costume. (which isn't a guarantee of that, I'll be the first to say I haven't seen a fraction of the styles in Arabian costumes!) If you're given the chance, I'd put a note somewhere that it's meant to be a modern costume, as opposed to an authentic one. That gives you more freedom in the colors, the cut of the costume, tassels and fringe.
Kalinda, owned by Jennifer
Good Things: This is a cute model -I'm guessing from the previous picture it's about Stablemate size? Black or darkly painted models are always difficult to get details on in pictures and being small makes everything more challenging! This would definately make a nice Halloween picture, maybe it could be used in an "other" class?
Things To Improve: More lights used would be helpful, since it would bring out the details of the model more and keep the shadows from taking over. With an all-purpose saddle and snaffle bridle, this model might do well as a lower level dressage horse, but her nose is tipped back behind the vertical, which in a real horse would be penalized. She also looks like she's carrying herself with more weight on her forehand, instead of tucking her hindquarters underneath herself and using her hind legs for propulsion. That's a big part of collection and dressage makes huge use of collection. Because of those things I don't think she'd do well as an upper-level dressage horse, but showing her as a training or first level might work.
CS Just For Show, owned by Abbey
Good Things: He's a cute pony! The pinked nose and blue eye look great. The sand footing is really nice and the neutral background is good. From this angle the saddle and bridle fit and he looks like a nice, refined paint pony. Yes, they lope in western classes, but the lope is basically the western term for a canter. A western pleasure lope will be slower and smoother than your typical english canter however, and the horse's head carriage is lower.
Things To Improve: Bright orange reins are distracting since the saddle and bridle are both dark colors. Having dark brown or black reins would make it look much more polished and realistic. In performance classes, part of what I personally judge on is the horse's gait, whether it's suitable for what it's supposed to be doing or not. If this were a Paint in a Western Pleasure class, the head carriage would be a bit higher than the ideal and his action would also be a bit flashy. But, if he were shown as a half-Arab, half-Morgan or a flat-shod Tenessee Walker pony, the higher action and head carriage would be perfectly acceptable in a Western Pleasure class. Personally, I'd like for the horse to be more broad-side to the camera so I could see more of the horse. Taking a picture at too steep of an angle cuts down on how much horse can be seen and judged. Here, the angle makes the pony's hindquarters look very weak and underdeveloped, which would be a strong negative point.
CS Mr. Chips, owned by Abbey
Good Things: Nice looking horse! He looks like he might be one of the nicer GCs that has come out.
He's performing an extended trot, wearing a dressage style saddle and it looks like a double bridle. The sand footing is again, good lighting and focus. Things To Improve: Mainly I'd like to see the horse more from the side instead of from the front. It's very difficult to decide good or bad points when it's hard to see the horse. Also, if you're wanting him to be showing a higher level of dessage, it might be a good idea to paint over the silver flowers on the saddle so it's all black. That would make it look much more like a real dessage saddle and help with the realism.
CS Kiss Me Killer, owned by Abbey
I can't see the picture! Sorry!
Thanks for entering everyone! I hope some of this stuff has been helpful for someone!
Erin
