This is an archived Horseadvice.com Discussion. The parent article and menus are available on the navigation menu below:
HorseAdvice.com » Training, Behavior, & Conditioning Horses » Basic Riding Skills » Questions on Use and Position of the leg »
  Discussion on Leg position
Author Message

Posted on Monday, Mar 13, 2000 - 4:18 pm:

Hi all!

My instructor has me doing alot of standing in the stirrup and balancing at a walk and a trot in attempt to get my leg back and heel more down. It is happening slowly and is difficult as I just don't have a good balance point. I really have to fight to get my leg to stay back. My ankles are killing me by the time I'm done and I know they are not much down past neutral. I think this might be because of my seat and if that was better my leg would lengthen more but I don't know what to do about that as she never complains about my seat just my legs slipping forward. I feel that I'm sitting with all 3 seat bones incontact and a neutral pelvis soo what is my problem? Any ideas?

Thanks Kim

Posted on Monday, Mar 13, 2000 - 7:44 pm:

Hi Kim, I'm doing a lot of studying about saddles and I've learned that many "good" dressage/english saddles have the stirrups hung unnaturally forward so that it is extremely difficult to keep your legs in the proper position. So it may be the saddle you're using. I've been using a borrowed
"Synergist" saddle, and the stirrups are hung further back. I notice my legs stay in position without any effort! Also my hips don't hurt as much (I'm showing my age) after a long ride.

Pam

Posted on Monday, Mar 13, 2000 - 8:46 pm:

Kim, I have been having the same problem. I really think it has to do with flexability and strength and practise. I would love to complain that my horse is SO wide that he doesn't help the situation, but my instructor wouldn't buy that! lol.
I have noticed that when I stick my chest out and shoulders back and post with my belly button straight out it helps tremendously! I also purchased a pair of chaps. Great help too!

Posted on Tuesday, Mar 14, 2000 - 7:44 am:

Hi Kim,

it's very hard, if not impossible, to separate leg from joint angles, from seat as they are all connected. Standing in the stirrups is a good way to help find the balance point. Also, if your ankles are hurting then it could be a sign that you are too tense through that joint. How are your knees? I remember struggling through the same problem that you describe and the only answer is lots of riding with and without stirrups. A mental trick that I used (and still use when I'm tense) is to think about opening and relaxing my thighs. Not pushing down my heel or straightening my leg. For me, I was trying to hold on with my thighs which put my lower leg out of position. Checking that the saddle is the right size for you is important too. Another thing that helps is to do stretching exercises daily and before you ride to help limber up the muscles.

good luck.

TeresaA

Posted on Tuesday, Mar 14, 2000 - 3:54 pm:

Hi and thanks!

I had a lesson today and I wore my half chaps. I also had ridden 5 times in the past week at home on my pony and a friends horse (just walking to get them started again but did lots of standing and paying attention to my seat and different muscle tention in my buttocks or in my hip flexors as I changed my leg and or pelvis position.)

Today at my lesson I also rode a different horse and started with a long stirrup. My leg felt great and she commented on my heel being down more. I did notice that I felt very forward onto the pomel even though there is plenty of seat room. The stirrups are far forward but I hate to complain about that as it does sound like an excuss and I know my leg could use improvement. Maybe next week I can ask if I can try another saddle.

My knees do hurt me as well as my hips esp after riding Foxy as I use a shorter stirrup length to give me more leg on him. On a bigger horse I get sore ankles and the outside of my knees. I do have to do stretches before I leave the house to ride and find they help tremendously. I also feel riding helps my pelvis and spine stay supple. I also found some specific riding exercises that I started to do this week and they do seem to give me a feel for correct pelvic position and leg. It was from Mary Wanless's book The Natural Rider. I really like that book.

I really like hearing others ideas and ways of solving these seemingly simple riding problems. They just don't seem so simple to me. Thanks Kim

Posted on Tuesday, Mar 14, 2000 - 5:27 pm:

Hi Kim,

I was having a problem with my knees and hips hurting after some activities. I have a physical therapist because I have FMS, and she said often it's because the muscle that runs between the knee and hip is very tight after overuse, or other activities, or just because we don't stay supple ourselves. On me, I can feel the muscle ridge from the top of the knee diagonally across the top of the thigh upwards and outwards toward the hip. It's often a hard ridge of muscle with no give to it at all. Pressing in firmly with a thumb will cause pain when it's too tight. An exercise she sugggested is standing sideways an arms length from a wall with your hand on the wall for balance. Then cross your outside foot over your inside foot and set it down. Gently lean inward from the waist moving your shoulder toward the wall. To lengthen the stretch, lean forward a bit when you do it. Then reverse and do the other leg. I am amazed at how tight that muscle stays even with stretches and twice weekly massage from a knowledgeable professional. I'm not saying the other things mentioned above aren't contributing to the problem, but since I became aware of this muscle, I've also become aware of all the things that cause it to tense up. She says pain in the hips is often because of a problem in the knee.
Just thought I'd pass this on to you since the stretches before and after seem to help. Also, if you do them after a hot bath, they're more effective, at least in my opinion!

Happy Trails,
Annie

Posted on Wednesday, Mar 15, 2000 - 3:52 pm:

Hi Kim.

I've always had a tendancy to have a "chair seat." I got in the habit of checking leg position and pulling my thighs back into position if needed every time I passed a dressage letter in the ring. It was never "cured" but I got better about maintaining a proper leg position.

I found, when I changed saddles recently, the problem went away entirely. YES! So, I would suspect the saddle may be encouraging a problem with your seat.

If it is you and not the saddle, working a little without stirrups is helpful. If you don't feel secure enough for trot work without stirrups, just kicking the stirrups off and walking for 5 or 10 minutes with a long leg will help. The gentle movement of the horse and gravity are powerful correcting influences, LOL.

Cheers.

Posted on Wednesday, Mar 15, 2000 - 8:18 pm:

Hi Annie and Chris,

The stretches do help me alot but for me it is my muscle in my rump (gluteus medius) and I have some great stretches for that one also my upper back will limit my low back if it is stiff. I will check out the leg stretch you mentioned, Annie, just to see if there is any hidden stiffness.

I've ridden on 4 different horses and in 3 different saddles this week! (fun :) ) I do feel a difference in which muscles get tight while I'm riding in different saddles. Interesting enough, today, when riding a warmblood with a HUGE gait I felt the most comfortable in that saddle and the least sore when done-Maybe cause I felt airborn most of the time!! LOL Is there a way to tell what saddle will fit you best or to tell if the stirrups are farforward?

Kim

Posted on Thursday, Mar 16, 2000 - 10:16 am:

Well, saddle fit on a bum is very personal, LOL. But, if an English saddle is large enough, you should have about a handwidth between your bum and the back (cantle) of the saddle. Saddles that have deeper seats tend to put you in position and give you less personal wiggle room. If you are getting "crotch burn" from riding, it would also suggest the saddle is small and you are being pushed up on the pommel. (Sometimes this can come from wearing cotton panties, riding in jeans, etc., too, so it is variable.)

In dressage, when we say a saddle encourages a "chair seat" the stirrup bars are forward enough that it is hard for a rider to allow the leg to drape naturally in a straight line down. The hip to thigh angle is not as perpendicular to the ground as it should be. In an all purpose or jumping saddle, the stirrup bars usually are a bit more forward.

If you ride w/o stirrups, your leg naturally drapes long and straight down the horse's side. Keeping this "feel" while picking up stirrups is the challenge. If you are constantly have to lift your thigh and reposition back for correct leg position, this would suggest there is something challenging about saddle fit/stirrup bar placement.

Years ago, the horse and I took a clinic with Tad Coffin (Montreal Olympics eventing team - won gold). Tad decided to ride my horse to "set her up" and rather than deal with stirrup issues, he just folded them over the top of the horse and rode in a very correct beautiful position. I find sometimes the "image" of perfection from good videos and watching great riders really helps my "mind's eye" shape my own position, too.

Cheers.

Posted on Tuesday, Mar 21, 2000 - 7:38 am:

Hi,

Being a new rider I have found these questions and answers very interesting. I'm wondering tho, if I can apply them to western riding. I used to ride regularly as a child and never had a problem feeling right in the saddle. Now that I'm older and have finally gotten my own horses and can ride regularly, I'm finding it very difficult to get the correct leg position. Please help!

Maureen

Posted on Tuesday, Mar 21, 2000 - 9:30 am:

Again, it may be the saddle. Many western saddles
force the rider into a "chair" posiiton with their legs too far foward, because of the way the saddle is made. Look for a saddle that allows your legs to naturally fall so that you can't see the tip of your toes, or you can just barely see them, when you're sitting in a balanced position.

Posted on Tuesday, Mar 21, 2000 - 9:50 am:

I really like my Austrailian saddle for that reason. The stirups are free moving like an english saddle but you have the secure seat feel.
It is so much easier to keep my leg in the right position.
I always use this on the trails, but english for arena stuff.

Posted on Tuesday, Mar 21, 2000 - 11:05 am:

Thank you for the advice! I'm sure I've got my legs too far forward as I can see my feet easily. I could really use some help with my riding skills but I'm not sure where to start. Any suggestions?

Posted on Tuesday, Mar 21, 2000 - 11:41 am:

Hi Maureen,

begin looking around for coaches, instructors in your area. THen make contact, tell them what you are looking for. Go and watch a few lessons and then try one out yourself. Do not feel that you have to take the first one you find, this is an important relationship and you need to make sure it's good for you and your horse. Things to look for in an instructor (my own opinion)
1. check out qualifications: are they certified, what training have they had?
2. Ask around, usually the horse world is pretty small but take the info with a grain of salt.
3. watch the lessons carefully: is there a plan, does he/she give clear instructions and feedback (e.g., 'that was wrong' is not very helpful but 'you need more weight in your heels' is).
4. Does the instructor use positive or negative reinforcement? I prefer positive but there are some out there that only let you know when you're wrong.
5. Does he/she encourage questions and give good answers?
6. Can they commit to a semi-regular schedule for lessons?
7. How much do they charge and how do they want to be paid?
8. Do you two get along? Sometimes personality differences can come into play and make an interaction difficult. It's not anyone's fault, you wouldn't marry just anyone would you?


good luck
TeresaA

Posted on Tuesday, Mar 21, 2000 - 11:49 am:

Thank you for your advice! Please forgive me for getting off-topic, but where do I start looking? In the yellow-pages? I'm totally new to the horse world and I'm in the San Antonio area.

Maureen

Posted on Tuesday, Mar 21, 2000 - 12:27 pm:

Yellow pages is one way.

You can search the internet on San Antonio and horses.

Check out the newspaper classifieds for barns/stables. Saturdays and Sundays are big ad days.

Go to the local tack stores, they usually have boards.

Contact your local county extension service - they usually know the horse farms, often the show schedules, etc.

Go as a spectator to the local horse shows. Often there is advertising and listings in the show program. If you've a local fairgrounds, they typically have horse shows often by discipline and breed.

Call the local large animal vet offices - they may suggest a client that gives lessons.

Your state's Department of Agriculture may have a newsletter to subscribe to.

That's a start!

Posted on Tuesday, Mar 21, 2000 - 2:48 pm:

Thank you Thank you! You've given me much to work on.
Home Page | Top of Page | Join Us!
Horseadvice.com is a BBB Accredited Business. Click for the BBB Business Review of this Horse Training in Stokesdale NC