Can't keep my feet in the stirrup!

[Tootsie4U]

Hello,

It doesnt matter whether Im trotting or cantering, I cant manage to keep my feet in the stirrups! Of course this causes problems with balance and mostly everything else, so Im really searching for some pointers.

Stirrup length is good
Stirrups have rubber
Im using riding boots
I'm relaxed (not nervous and stiff)
I have stiff ankles, but am able to get my heels down a bit

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks

[Shmon]

Do you pinch with your knees?

When I started riding, I tended to pinch at the knees. This causes your lower leg to come up, pull your heel up, which obviously will pull your foot out of the stirrup. If you have an instructor, ask him/her if this is your problem - my trainer said this is the #1 cause (for her students) of losing a stirrup.

[Sarah]

hello!

I've you try to think of pushing your weight down into your little toe, that shoudl wrap your legs round your horse and help you keep your stirrups a bit more. This should also help you stop pinching with your knees (if that is a problem).

If you push more weight into your heels to try to keep your stirrups, you just push your leg forwards, unbalance yourself and are more likely to lose your stirrups (I know that sounds mad!).

bye!

[maverick927]

I found that my feet stayed in the stirrups better when I got rid of my rubber riding boots and changed to leather jodhpur boots.

[CityGirl]

Hmmm....Have you tried working w/out your stirrups & doing lunging exercises? Sometimes that will work out all of the balance problems. That way when you go back to stirrups, you just use them as a foot rest instead of working off of them.
Just thoughts.....

[Serita]

City Girl is quite right- have a lunge lesson for half an hour. That will give you the feel of riding without having to rely on stirrups. I've always found that riding on the lunge with your hands on your head quite useful (but not for the half hour!!).....

[Miriam]

And if any of this advice doesn't work you cuold always try flexi stirrups as this worked a treat for me. I never realised until using them just how I did tip my foot forward and down.

[floppy]

i have the same problem but funnily enough only when i wear my leather joddie boots and my long rubber riding boots. when i ride in my muckers my balance is perfect and i cant do everything without my foot moving a millimetre..but as soon as i have to wear smarter boots there goes my balance out the window.
(my secret is thicker soled riding shoes!)

[cvb]

are you forward in the seat at all ? Often if you tip forward slightly, you pivot on your bum or knees and your lower leg swings back.

Then your toe is pointing down and the stirrup just 'falls' off.

So another thing to check is that you are sitting rather than perching and that you do not have your shoulders tipped forward.

[FreedomStar]

your stirrups should always be on the vertical, not behind you, not in front of you.

[DebO]

Your seat is not as secure as it should be, and maybe you are not as relaxed as you think and therefore gripping up. Try shortening your stirrups.

Its all too easy to jump on the horse and go. I think everyone should take a few minutes to think about their position and get the feel right first before starting work.

Maybe you could try doing lots of exercises to lengthen your leg and help with your seat. Work without stirrups, usual exercises such as rotating feet, lifting knees up to pommel and holding for a few secs before gently lowering the leg, lift the legs out sideways, walking the legs etc. Working in trot and canter without stirrups and sing a song or rhyme in your head as this will help you relax more.