1. The horse is wearing ZERO boots. Not good. XC is very stressful on a horse's legs. This horse needs at the very least a pair of well-fitting bell boots. The best thing would be bell-boots on front and taped boots on all four legs to protect cannon bone, splint bone, fetlock, and tendons and ligaments.
2. I believe that at this level NO MATTER THE SADDLE FIT a breastplate is very important. It keeps the saddle more secure, especially when going down drops. It is true that the horse is wearing a "breastplate" but the only purpose it serves is to hold the standing martingale.
3. Standing martingales are OK for lower level eventing (just amoeba) however above that they become dangerous because they do not give if the horse falls. I have seen on two occasions (at tadpole level and training level) where a horse has fallen and the accident was made worse by the restriction of the horse's head. Only a running martingale should be used because the loops make it able to slide effortlessly around when no contact is exerted on the reins however it remains useful while the rider had contact.
4. I can't tell but the bit looks too large.
5. The rider is not holding a crop. There is no excuse not to ride with a crop on XC. (if your horse was abused, then desensitize it!) It should always be carried by the rider in case of problems (which are inevitable on XC at some point) If the rider is not experienced enough to use a whip properly then they should not be riding XC.
6. The lower leg position is good and look like she may have had a fight right before the horse leaped into the water. This is a schooling picture, and from experience, learning to do XC for either horse or rider is not always pretty. Trying to figure out the "drop" position can be tricky and scary.
7. Cute face on the horse though he looks pretty smart.
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