Riding Again

[Silver1]

hey everyone, I'm gonna go riding again in a week or so. I'm only going to getan hour or two, and I want to pack all the practice I can into it. So I'm sort of trying to figure out everything I want to practice.

I want to work on my leg possition and get them correct. Mmain problem is keeping my feet in the stirrups. When ever I put my heels down and try to put weight in them, they slid right out.

I remember vagely awhile back I had been bouncing on Missy's back for quite awhile and felt really bad cause, though she wasn't "Saying" anything I knew it hurt. So I tried to lift my weight out of the saddle a little and go "With" her trot, if that makes sense.

I didn't really use the stirrups but my lower legs, but I remember pulling my legs back helped. I only achieved going with the trot 'smoothly' for one stride, but I knew Miss was pleased about it.

Sorry if it sounds crazy that the horses I ride 'talk' but they do. When Missy is pleased her whole back relaxes and sort of lifts up and her head goes down and one ear might twist back. Not an annoyed twist but a "I'm listening" twist.

and when she's hurting her back will hollow and both ears will be slightly back and her head will be up and her trot mincy...what I mean by not saying anything is she was holding herself together despite me ;)

Anyway, I also want to work on my hand possition. Unless I literally rest my hands on the saddle, they're always "To high" anyway I can stop this?

[FreedomStar]

First off, don't press your heels down, sink your weight down through your body, and let all that weight fall into the balls of your feet and let it slip into your heels. Or you could think toes up, instead of heels down. And for your hands, keep them level with the pommel of the saddle. Check often that they are not too high, or resting on the saddle or neck.

[Shiny McShine]

If your feet are slipping out of the stirrups when you push your heels down it usually means your legs aren't underneath you enough, either you legs are out a bit in front or you are sitting too far back in the saddle - or your saddle isn't balanced correctly, ie. the stirrup bar is too far in front of the deepest part of the saddle.

As for you hands, has someone told you they are too high or is this just a feeling you get - if so you should get someone elses opinion. Anyhow the high position of your hands could be related to your problem with the stirrups. If the basis of your seat and position is out, ie. where you are sitting in the saddle, your leg alignment and so forth then this could very probably be affecting your hand position.

[Silver1]

thanks, I think it might be both. All the saddles I've had the opportunity to use were designed to fit the worlds biggest butts. I couldn't stop sliding back unless I hung on the reins and I wouldn't do that to the horse.