windscreen wiper legs! help!

[canna]

I had my usual weekly private lesson yesterday. My regular instructor was away, so had my next fav one teaching me. Rode my fav horse: section D welsh cob, 15.3. She's not the most forward going initially, but once given the correct aids, goes beautifully. My problem is my lower legs. I always seem to 'windscreen wipe':( It mostly happens in rising trot. My legs just seem to go back and forth. I know I should open from the thigh, keep weight down in heels etc, but its's just sooooo hard. When my instructor said I was in the correct position, and asked how i felt, I just had to reply: 'like a frog!!' Could the problem be made worse because the mare isn't giving initially, and I'm over riding? Would any one recommend the stirrup strap thingys that keep your leg in the correct place? Any help gratefully appreciated, as I'm getting quite annoyed with myself!:mad:

[EquiCrazyTn]

i have the same problem my right leg swings back and forth when i trotand it gets on my nerves b/c used to not do it so i had my instructor tie my stirups with hay string to keep it from swinging it feels sort of weird at first but it helped

[hometrotter]

I think that you are right. On a horse that is sluggish in the beginning of a lesson, you can really tire your legs out by trying to push them on and overusing your legs to squeeze, squeeze, squeeze. The exercise that worked the best for me to learn how to keep my legs quiet was alternateing between the half-seat (or balanced position or two-point position, not sure what you call it in your area) and rising trot. So we would half-seat for five strides and rise for five strides and in the process not only would the legs become quiet but the seat gets lighter too. And by the way, it doesn't happen overnight. It takes a lot of practice.

http://home.netcom.com/~tdmt/hometrotter

[galadriel]

I wouldn't recommend the stirrup straps. The swinging of the leg is a symptom, not the problem itself; strapping the stirrup in place doesn't address the real problem. It would be rather like trying to treat an allergy by gluing your nose shut ;)

A quiet leg comes with a secure seat--so do quiet hands. You may be more likely to have either hands or feet swinging around if you are fatigued, but if you are well balanced, you are riding in rhythm with the horse, and your weight is properly distributed, any movement in the hands and legs should be minimal.

If your leg swings, then it is possible that you have taken your leg off the horse. You should keep your leg softly on the horse's side at all times; keep contact with a large area on the thigh and a large area on the calf. You should be able to sit with your weight not just in your seatbones, but also down your thigh. Keeping your calf in contact with the horse's ribcage will add to the stability of your leg and also the security of your seat. More here:
http://lorienstable.com/articles/riding/300-toes/

If your leg is swinging wildly at posting trot, then it's likely you're posting from your stirrups. Rather than push yourself up out of the saddle, using your stirrups, let the horse bounce you up out of the saddle. More here:
http://lorienstable.com/articles/riding/400-trotting/