Question on Pictures C&C

[AQHAWP]

These two images are right out of the camera, I would like to know what I could do to make these better. I don't like how the second picture looks hazy to me and not sharp when I make it bigger. I use a Canon 50D with a 70-200mm f/2.8 IS.

 

[Gavjenks]

Picture 1:
-Pretty decent overall
-would be nice to have more empty space ahead of the direction of travel, to help imply motion
-power lines are super distracting and have got to go. Good photoshop skills could remove them in this case. Otherwise, positioning and possibly luck on site.
-horsies in the background also need editing or composing out of the image.
-even aside from the motion implying thing, perfectly centered image not always terribly exciting. It's okay here, but when you have a perfectly good excuse to do something else (the motion), take it, at the least.
-good background other than the distractors. the dirt and treeline and everything line up well to frame her.
-good focus
-Color looks good, a bit drab in contrast for my taste. I'd probably add a very subtle vignette since you already went with the centering (barely enough to notice), more contrast, tiny bit more vibrance.

Picture 2)
-This one has a horrendous background. The first photo is infinitely better and looks quite intentional, so I am guessing you know what I mean already. Random people milling around next to the horse's face, the rider looks like she is tied to that roof, distracting advertising (unless that's on purpose), two contrasting types of fences in a row, some sort of pop machine, blah blah. Not getting an elegant and noble beast vibe here. Not much else really matters because of the background being unfixable.
-Still technically well focused, etc.
-Same centering issue, feels weird with a moving animal, i want more room to the left.
-Mainly that background.

I know that your movement may be restricted at such an event, or that there may be distractions in every direction, but if so, that just makes it all the more important. if you're the one that can figure out the clean angle, then youll be the only one with pro looking horse shots. This might involve some light climbing on top of boxes. It might involve inquiring about whether such and such location is okay to go or not. Or maybe waiting a really long time somewhere until people happen to walk out of the way behind at the right moment (or asking them to nicely).

In this case though I know there's at least one very decent line of sight, because you have it in your first snap. I'm guessing you probably just need to make it a little more conscious of a decision or something. Or else just stay there and hang on like a bulldog when you do get the money shot.