Is it an armchair - NO its a horse!

[vonandiz]

I've always presumed that my lower leg position is ok as my RI has never mentioned this in her usual 30 minute critque - now I just know that she's correcting a few problems at a time and when I get one thing sorted we're onto the next. My OH also took the first photos of me riding today which has just confirmed the problem.....

Walk - leg ok, sitting trot with and without stirrups leg ok, canter- leg good. Rising trot - leg bad, canter to trot transition leg appalling.:mad: I literally look like I'm sat in a chair. On the downward transition from canter to trot I seem to move my leg right forward as soon as I think about slowing down.

So has anyone got any idea why this happens and does anyone else suffer from good leg / bad leg depending on gait? Also how can I work on improving this?

Thanks (again!). Von.

[Bay Mare]

It may be that the saddle isn't helping you especially if the stirrup bars aren't in the right place to give you the correct ear/hip/heel line.

It's difficult to say for sure without seeing you but do you think that you're possibly pushing into your stirrups to rise rather than letting the horse push you up into the 'rise' (bad word!)?

Another possibility is that you're trying to keep your upper body too straight and so are 'falling' back into the saddle and behind the movement which shoots your legs forward. Your upper body needs to be inclined slightly forwards.

Have a read of the 'Kinder Way' bit on the main NR site as it explains it MUCH better than I am (sleep deprived, that's my excuse ;) ).

Another thing that could help is to have a session or two on an equisimulator. Nicola Luke has one in Wakefield (I can get her details if you're interested) and I know of people who've been to her for a session or a short course and have been very impressed with the results.

[kiwigirl]

So has anyone got any idea why this happens and does anyone else suffer from good leg / bad leg depending on gait? Also how can I work on improving this?

Thanks (again!). Von.[/QUOTE]

Oh yes! I still have lessons where I am told leg back, heels down open the knee etc etc! I definitely am at my worst at rising trot especially on one horse at this new RS I'm going to. I reckon my canter may even be slightly better!

Like you I had some photos taken and was horrified at my leg position in some of the trotting ones. Any chance I could see yours?

[vonandiz]

Thank you Kiwigirl, it is a relief to know that others also suffer from poor leg position only in certain gaits. I'll try to attach some photos shortly (need to find the camera leads first!).

BayMare - Thanks for the advice, I think I may be trying to sit too straight during the canter - trot transition which may be making my legs shoot forward, thinking back to yesterday I think I lean back when slowing down (which would make me straight - I think). I have the details for the EE in Wakefield (I'm sure you gave them to me when I was having problems with my diagonals) and hopefully will go sometime in Autumn.:)

I'm not having lessons for a few weeks now as am going out on some hacks with canter in them:D am really excited by this! Hopefully a bit of riding without critque may help.