better without stirrups ...

[Sooty]

In my lesson today my RI said that my riding at walk trot and canter was much better without stirrups than with. I absorb the movement more fluidly, my arms and legs are still, my upper body position is better and the horse is far more responsive. I feel much more comfortable too ... everything is just much easier ....

What is wrong with me? I seem to lose it as soon as a put a bit of a bend in my knees by putting my feet back in the stirrups :o

I can't really just not use them any more.... can I?

[ILurfSmurf]

dont worry - im the same!!!!

I wrap my leg round stopp gripping with my knees and drop my weight down into my heels with no stirrups and it all goes to pot when i take them back again. Murph is incredibly bouncy which doesnt really help when i have stirrups - without i kind of have to ride properly or i'll fall off him!

Have you tried dropping your stirrups down a few holes so they're too long - then you've got a bit of a bend but its sort of like not having them as well :confused:

it worked for me, but i still deffinately ride better without them!

[laura jeanne]

I'm the same. I think it is gripping with the knees and tightening the muscle on top of the thighs.

[Sooty]

Phew! not just me then! :p

The trouble with dropping my stirrups is that *everyone* then says 'oooh, your stirrups are a bit long, aren't they?' I just don't seem to be able to cope with them at 'normal' length at all, wondered whether I was just doing something wrong

(* for example riding school grooms, who then offer to put them up for me :p, fellow liveries when I ride my own horse, etc)

[Jumperbabe]

Most people I know ride better without stirrups (besides posting ;) ) as long as they have a "comfortable" horse that is easy to balance on. I think it's because you can wrap your entire leg around your horse w/o stirrups.

[martingale1]

i think you maybe a dressage rider....lenghthen your stirups and off you go...lol...i went throu this. i have a good position and seat without stirrups and my flat work is good...i rode longer than the norm but all of a sudden i had to jump in a lesson in front of clients and shorten my stirrups up 6 holes! and omg balance went to pot...i could only jump without stirrups or i was out of balance...now i can do both...throu varying my stirrup lenghth..and practice.. i put it down to a learning curve. xx

[martingale1]

p.s in classical riding stirrups are longer and the seat is deeper....u may have moved on a level from the basic position.x take a pic of yourself and compare it to the dressage riders and the everyday riders...are you more developed than you think?

[Bay Mare]

In my lesson today my RI said that my riding at walk trot and canter was much better without stirrups than with. I absorb the movement more fluidly, my arms and legs are still, my upper body position is better and the horse is far more responsive. I feel much more comfortable too ... everything is just much easier ....

What is wrong with me? I seem to lose it as soon as a put a bit of a bend in my knees by putting my feet back in the stirrups :o

I can't really just not use them any more.... can I?


Probably nothing at all wrong with you. It's more than likely to be the saddle that doesn't have set back stirrup bars so once you put your feet back in the stirrups you have to fight to get a correct position which affects you absorbing the movement. Unfortunately this is a problem with a lot of saddles :(

There is something coming onto the market that helps with this but it's not out just yet.

Have you got one of the Heather Moffett seat bone savers? They can help a bit as they enable you to sit closer to the pommel and, therefore, in a better position with regards to the stirrup bars.

[loziasa]

good on you! its no mean feat riding without stirrups and many find it a difficult thing to master!

There is a Grand Prix dressage rider who competes at top level without stirrups. Can't remember her name but there was an interview with her and she was saying her coach said she should try without stirrups to try and get the feel for her horse, so she did and he said she rode better without, and they never put them back on! It was on Horse and Country TV, and the dressage test she did was more or less flawless, so keep up the good work!!

[domane]

You always look fine to me ;) And what a lovely compliment from your RI.

Gonna hold you to the no stirrups though the next time we take Z & B down the lane..... :p

*cough* :D

[Joyscarer]

Ditto the saddle comment from Bay Mare. :)

[Packhorse12]

I would say it is probably your seat position which alters very slightly when you stick your feet back in the stirrups. Nearly all problems like this stem from a slightly off balance seat or pelvis and or tension in the leg somewhere.

Ride without stirrups to get yourself deep and relaxed in the saddle (which is obviously what happens normally to you when riding without) and remember VERY clearly how this feels too, think about how your seat is positioned and how your leg are hanging.

Then think very very carefully as you take the stirrups back, making sure you don't change or alter your weight on your seat bones in any way shape or form, not even a tiny weeny bit.

Make sure you don't push down on your stirrups when you put your feet back in because that will just make you take the weight off your seat bones. Just allow your legs to hang down and your feet to drop onto the stirrups - dont push down though.


Get your riding instructor to have a close look at how you sit when without your stirrups and then again when you take them back.