[Moostang]

It was suggested that we have a sticky with tips on what type of pictures to post to help with critiquing with sounds like a great idea.

So experts can you post on here your tips on what helps when taking pictures for providing information for critiquing a horse and even riders.

Please only post tips to keep this thread informative and easy to read for the newbie or forgetful old timers

[Chester]

For conformation critiques
Horse standing square on FLAT ground, photos from front, back, both sides.

For jumping critiques
Photo's that are not hindered by things such as a jump standard hiding your leg position.
Photo's that show you jumping more than a pole laying flat on the ground. (that is really a trotting pole, not a jump )

[MyBelgianAzzy]

Beyond the actual photos, I think it's important for the individual creating the thread to expect an actual critique, including the bad and the ugly. Also, because riding is a partnership of thehorse AND rider, not to ask for a critique of the horse only, when the rider's equitation directly relates back to the horse.

We love to see new horses and the like- if you want to share without a critique, post in Chat and mention "No critiquing please".

[kellidahorsegirl]

I like to have a basic background on the rider for the jumping/riding critiques. I want to know how long they've been under a trainer's instruction or if they're self taught, what their experience with horses is and where they plan to go with it.

If someone plans to just do cross rails the rest of their life, my critique will be a lot more simple and easy on them. But if someone wants to get over 3'...I'll be more hard on them so they can really work on things that will get them that far.

So, BACKGROUNDS please

[lilrider]

I love doing confo critiques for people but I can not do them if you do not give me proper pictures to work with.

So this is what I want....

~Squared Up (or as close as possible)
~On Solid Ground (not sloping)
~Looking straight ahead
~Braid up the tail for shots from behind
~If your horse has a thick/long mane braid it up to show off the neck properly
~At least one shot from the side
~One directly from the front
~One from the back

If all you can get is a side shot that will be good enough for basic confo. I would much rather have a decent side shot than a bunch of shots from the front and back.

Most importantly...

It is very very hard to critique a horse with a saddle on and impossible to critique a horse with a blanket on. So NO saddles NO blankets.

Thanks!

Here are some examples from some HGS members of proper pictures

this picture is courtesy of Buckshot


photo courtesy of luckydragon


photo courtesy of SKiptheodds


photo courtesy of LilEquineLuva

[idlewild]

When asking for a critique of a jumping photo it is VERY HARD to critique a picture that is taken front on. If you want us to properly be able to critique your jumping position then take the picture from the side.

Same goes for any riding critique. It is very hard to accurately critique a rider's position from the front (or from the back for that matter).

Also, adding to what Kelli said, a little history of the training the horse has had would be helpful. If you post some pictures of you riding your horse and ask "is he collected enough" and don't give me any background info that's going to be very hard! The picture may show a horse who is only slightly collected, for a green horse that would be above average, but for a older trained horse that would be sub par. So, the level of training of the horse in question can be helpful.

[HoofPrints11]

For a proper equitation or hunter critique there needs to be a walk, trot, canter, and jump picture taken at the "correct" point in the stride (i.e trot - as two feet hit the ground, canter - as the leading foot is stretched out)

[ARMwins]

i think also the attire for riding critiques should not be loose and flappy, so we can see what you are really doing, so we can better critique you

[cheval_charme]

You should mention something about doing critiques on horses under 2 - they change so much and generally don't look very good at all until they 'even' out and get older.