trotting without stirrups

[flapjacks]

To help me with posting trot, my instructor says that I have to ride a lot without stirrups and also do a lot of posting and sitting trot and cantering without stirrups.

She had me post with stirrups and then drop just one. She said that eventually I should be able to drop either stirrup and still stay balanced (no stirrup side stay the same as the other side). Of course I couldn't do it at all and I will ask her more about it at my next lesson since we did this right at the end of my last lesson.

Has anyone else ever heard this? I have not seen it mentioned here as a way to learn posting trot. She also said that the muscle used was the one at the front of the thigh, but it is the back of my leg that is sore!

[katieB]

Im not too sure what you mean, do you mean your instructor made you ride with just one stirrup? :confused:

[flapjacks]

I would be posting with both stirrups, and then, while still posting, drop one stirrup and that side should not collapse (the way it did!) Maybe this means that your weight should not be in the stirrups!?

[nutkin]

just guessing, but i think the one stirrup thing is to try to stop you collapsing to one side. I get the impression that maybe your instructor thinks that you are not sitting straight. Working with no stirrups is to improve your balance and position.

[flapjacks]

You are probably right since I started out by telling her that my right leg kept coming out of the stirrup. After I did the sitting trot without stirrups for a while, I had to lower the stirrups 2 holes!

[jUmPingIsLifE]

i have allways done a whole lot of no stirrup riding.

about the one stirrup riding, we spent a lesson practicing droping one stirrup and getting it back as fast as we could (so that if we ever droped the stirrup during a show for example we could get it back before a judge may have noticed).

[kedwards]

I've done plenty of work without stirrups (sitting, posting, jumping). It's great for building muscle and improving balance. The only downside to posting without stirrups is, that if you aren't doing it right, it can result in pinching with the knees. However, if you are working with an instructor, she can ensure that you aren't doing that.

I haven't heard of just dropping one stirrup. Perhaps she's just using it to help you build up gradually or, like Nutkin said, to keep your from collapsing or leaning into one of the stirrups.

[Claire Louise]

I agree with all previous posts, also agree that it is important that when you lose one stirrup you don't collapse to that side.

However having seen so many incedences of people falling off due to only having one stirrup I wouldn't encourage any of my pupils to ride with only one as it tends to put them in a crooked position.

When you are totally confident riding with none the one stirrup thing should come.

Personnally when I lose my stirrups esp halfway round a SJ course I tend to throw the other one to balence my self rather than try to ride round with only one.

[TBEventer2002]

My instructor from school made us drop one stirrup at a time a LOT. I think it's harder than dropping both at the same time.

Although it is harder to ride with one stirrup, it's fabulous practice. One of the hunter shows I was at had a girl lose one of her stirrups in the middle of a hunter course. She finished the course with one stirrup and pinned in the class. :D

[flapjacks]

TB, can you explain how you actually managed to do this at the trot? What did your instructor say the goal was? I will not be taking another lesson for two weeks and so can't ask my instructor yet.

[TBEventer2002]

*rolls on floor laughing hysterically*

Manage?!?!?! Yeah, right! Maybe after a million years!!! I had a terribly forgiving horse was my only saving grace! Quite honestly, I cannot say that it helped me at all personally. My only advise is to work on it privately (if possible), and start slow. Do it at the walk, then move to a slow trot or jog, then at a medium trot, etc. That helped me cope!

The goal was to be prepared for events such as losing a stirrup or having a stirrup leather break or fall off. You don't want to panic when something like that happens!

Good luck!!!!!