stirrupless question

[Tommy Matterson]

In my last lesson I found 20m circles and trot-canter transitions were all much easier stirrupless. I could actually feel the result of using my seat and legs. It was great being able to look where I wanted to go and for things to just kind of follow on, even on fairly tight turns. Very satisfying.

However (there always has to be one of them doesn't there?) when I took the stirrups back it all went to uh, feces... I felt like I was doing the same thing but I'd start sliding off the saddle. In fact I almost came off but managed to get both arms around my horses neck and drag myself back on. I couldn't stop myself leaning forward all the time either.

Can anyone tell me why I found this stuff easier stirrupless? I'd be greatful for any enlightenment.

Cheers then!

[FreedomStar]

i'm no expert, but i'd say you had depended too much on the stirrups up until that point. Maybe you were unconciously bracing yourself on the stirrups, or something. Check or ask someone to watch you ride w/ stirrups and see if your leg is on the vertical. Most likely, the reason you were falling forward was because your leg was behind the vertical. Without stirrups, your legs just naturally hang loose and it is easier to sit up straight when in action, and you can concentrate on asking your horse to move correctly, instead of wondering all the time how you look. People might not know it, but if we were to take away the stirrups, then everyone would be in a hard fix! I know from experience, 2 weeks ago my instructor made us do trotting and cantering for half our lesson w/o stirrups, she made us do a little bit each lesson, but not for half an hour! It was painful and hard, but position improved much. You should just keep working hard at it. The whole stirrup issue will come together sooner or later.

[Tommy Matterson]

Thanks Freedomstar. I'm not sure what you mean about my leg being 'behind the vertical' though. However, I do know what you mean about wondering what you look like. I often wish there was a big mirror or something, not for some narcissistic reason, but so that I could see what I was doing wrong.

Anyway I'll take it up with my instructor next time. I also should point out that this was the first lesson in a while as the last few times I have been riding I opted to go on hacks... much easier!

Tara and thanks again for your words of wisdom.

[galadriel]

If you let your leg stretch out...relax it, let it hang straight...then it can "stretch" (not really, but effectively). As a result, after relaxing your legs and riding stirrupless, you may need to lengthen your stirrups. It's an interesting effect :)

It's also possible that the stirrups were too short in the first place, so that when you went to take them back you were pushed out of place.

[virtuallyhorses]

Tommy the idea about the mirror is a good one and more and more arenas are getting them for just this purpose. There's nothing like seeing yourself to get the ultimate feedback on position (we all know those instructors lie ;) ) However, since you don't have one - how about taking a video camera along to your next session - you can set it up on the sidelines somewhere and then review the action afterwards.

Failing that try a little disposable camera and ask your instructor to just snap a few shots during proceedings - good and bad bits. Its good for you to see and your instructor will find it interesting too as it suddenly focuses attention on you more acutely than before.

and as for why - its the bracing thing. With stirrups it can be much harder to stay in the saddle because any stiffness in the joints or bracing of the muscles will be ricocheted off the stirrup and back up your leg forcing you up off the saddle - without stirrups this same stiffness can be 'released' downwards, out the bottom of the foot so isn't noticed.

[SwiftwindSpirit]

Originally posted by Tommy Matterson
I often wish there was a big mirror or something, not for some narcissistic reason, but so that I could see what I was doing wrong.

Lol, there are big mirrors in both the arenas at my stable, although the mirror in the big stable is on the side where people ride if they have their own horse.

I would agree that maybe you have been depending on your stirrups a bit for balance. Also, when you ride stirrupless your legs goes longer (because it's streched out), and you sit deeper in the saddle, but when you take back your stirrups the length of your leg shortens (possibly because you've previously been riding with shorter stirrups as a result of not having your legs stretched out) and you need to find a new point of balance.

[whoa]

I'm glad you asked the question Tommy, I find riding without stirrups easier too. The other week I did my first canter without them and instead of falling straight off as I expected I was OK!

It's a weird feeling when you put the stirrups back - my legs always feel about 2 foot longer (I wish:rolleyes: )

[ojoisland]

I must agree, stirrupless seem to be easier in a sense that you stay in position, etc. In my case, as previously mentioned the stirrups were somewhat pushing my stiffness up and instead of focusing on riding I was too caught up in my stirrups. But once I've tired myself I start to lean either forwards or sideways. I believe it was my 4th lesson when my instructor introduced stirrupless trotting and with my 1st canter. Although, that first stirrupless experience made me sore for 2 days but as always the sore factor got better!:D

[Kit Kat]

Yeah its much easier isn't it! I took lessons for three months with stirrups, now I've changed schools and haven't used stirrups for two months and my riding is so much better. Once they're gone, you're not pushing against gravity anymore, you can stay naturally down in the saddle and your body can then balance naturally. As my first teacher mentioned once, in the beginning there were no stirrups, they were invented later to give trail riders something to rest their feet in on long journeys. But now we're all oh so dependent on them!

[tillynz]

After riding without stirrups you need to lengthen you stirrups a hole or 3 because without them, your hips can more freely roll, therefore lengthening your leg. I ride stirrupless for the first 10mins of my warmup for this reason.
Because you are falling all over the place, it tells me that your stirrups are to long possibly as someone already mentioned but also that you are not taking advantage of your lowered centre of gravity after stirrupless work. You sound as if you are putting all your weight on you stirrup again, instead of using it as a place to guide your leg and help distrubute your weight. Lengthen you stirrups and you'll see what I mean, then gradually they can get shorter and you can still effectivly use your legs.
Also remember that you legs don't just hang off the horse, they wrap around the horses barrel, starting from the hip joint.
Sorry if this confuses you, but it's really hard to explain something that you automactically do now so if you don't understand anything, sing out or PM me and I'll try to explain again.
Good Luck!

[flapjacks]

Leg behind the vertical means that your leg was too far back, causing you to lean too far forward and lose your balance. The vertical line from your ear, shoulder, hip, and heel is the line referred to. If your leg is behind the vertical, it is too far back.

[Tommy Matterson]

Wow. Thanks everyone. Great advice as always. I'll try to bear it in mind during next weeks lesson. Oh and for anyone who was wondering I have lovely long legs.

Not sure why that's relevant though.