look at the legs!!!!! AHHHHHHH!!!!!!

[NuttyMare]

just as i rise...look what happens to my legs!!

http://img46.photobucket.com/albums/v140/ladyinred/CNV00015.jpg

when i sit they are fine...

http://img46.photobucket.com/albums/v140/ladyinred/CNV00014.jpg

can anybody help? im going riding very soon and non-stirrup is not an option due to the spookability of the horse, and she's very young...

it does it on every horse im on and its driving me nuts


maybe im using my butt too much?

[shandy84]

The only thing I can think of is that firstly as she is still very green you aren't balanced together or that your stirrups are a touch too long

[NuttyMare]

Originally posted by shandy84
The only thing I can think of is that firstly as she is still very green you aren't balanced together or that your stirrups are a touch too long

maybe...although i ride quite short for my length of leg and it happens with any horse...

thanks for your help anyway :)

[Kat20]

Either that or you are using your stirrups to rise from, rather than your knee. If that makes any sense?!
xx:D xx

[cvb]

mmmm - I think you might be trying too hard - and are then creating the movement (as suggested previously) by having all the weight in your feet, and bracing from there.

Try doing less (less is more ;) )

Just let the horse move you, and all you do is control the movement (not create it).

Think of the weight being carried throughout the whole of your leg. A firm and stable leg will be supportive and reassuring to the horse. Yes your upper thigh will move as you rise - but its actually not an enormous movement.

The side view makes it look like you may have your lower leg a little ahead - so your heel is not in line with hip and shoulder ? Its an odd angle to judge from so this may not be true. But then your hip joint looks slightly closed and you are slightly forward - this may be because you are just about to rise again ? So it may just be the photo. But think about whether you would be standing if we whipped the horse out from under you ?

If you are a little behind the balance, this will mean you have to make more effort to rise, making it more likely that you will brace against the stirrup.

[NuttyMare]

Originally posted by Kat20
Either that or you are using your stirrups to rise from, rather than your knee. If that makes any sense?!
xx:D xx


yeah it does...lol how can i change it?

[NuttyMare]

Originally posted by cvb
mmmm - I think you might be trying too hard - and are then creating the movement (as suggested previously) by having all the weight in your feet, and bracing from there.

Try doing less (less is more ;) )

Just let the horse move you, and all you do is control the movement (not create it).

Think of the weight being carried throughout the whole of your leg. A firm and stable leg will be supportive and reassuring to the horse. Yes your upper thigh will move as you rise - but its actually not an enormous movement.

The side view makes it look like you may have your lower leg a little ahead - so your heel is not in line with hip and shoulder ? Its an odd angle to judge from so this may not be true. But then your hip joint looks slightly closed and you are slightly forward - this may be because you are just about to rise again ? So it may just be the photo. But think about whether you would be standing if we whipped the horse out from under you ?

If you are a little behind the balance, this will mean you have to make more effort to rise, making it more likely that you will brace against the stirrup.

right, ill try that, thanks!

[RachelEvent]

As CVB mentioned.. you can change it, by doing less! Brilliant news!

The horses movement should be projecting you slightly from the saddle - you just have to allow this to happen and not try to create the movement so much yourself.

It should be relaxed and easy as cvb so neatly said,

Just let the horse move you, and all you do is control the movement (not create it).

Rachel xx

[cvb]

here's a thought for you - something you do every day.

When you stand up - getting out of a chair - how much effort is it and how much do you have the think about it ? Are you conscious of leaning forward to do it, or does it just kind of 'happen' ?

And when you sit down - do you just collapse into the seat ? (lots of us do :p ) If someone whipped the chair out as you sat down, would you just collapse in a heap ?

Working on your posture off the horse will help you on it. Of course the chair doesn't tend to be moving underneath in - unless you've drunk more than you should ! :eek:

Rising/posting needs to be the same kind of thing - minimal effort, and just enough tone and control.

If you're lucky enough to have access to a physio ball, you can have great fun using it to work on your rising trot. Cos if you get it wrong, the ball will move from underneath you :p

[Jay.o]

Sorry, I am not going to be of any help whatsoever here, but if you aren't balanced in a trot, riding a youngster may not be the best thing for you.

For thw life of me, I cannot understand what a four year old is doing in a riding school and being used for lessons :(

[drookitsheep]

I'm just wondering if you're having to put extra effort into your rising, causing your lower leg to move, because it looks like your feet have slipped a little too far through the stirrups?

You might find you have to make less effort to rise if you bring your foot back a little in the stirrup, with the ball of your foot resting in the stirrup. To me it looks like having your foot so far through the stirrup is causing your lower leg to come forward, and might also be why you're slightly tipping forward - to help get yourself out of the saddle to rise.

I like cvb's idea with the gym ball! Sounds like a bit of a poncy thing to suggest, but how about trying it with the gym ball side ways to a mirror? That way you could keep an eye on the old "shoulder, hip, heel" line as you rise too?

Best wishes,

Sarah

[FreedomStar]

It looks in the first picture as if you're bracing on the stirrups, and because it seems as if your toes point out naturally, your whole leg kind of locks and your legs swing outwards. It's kinda like those 'dolls' where you pull on the string and the legs and arms straighten out to the sides. You need to think about rising using your muscles and not rising off of the stirrup. If you're wondering, "how do I ride w/o putting my weight into the stirrup" well the answer is easy. Ask someone to put their hand under your stirrup, and then stand up but try not to crush their hand. Feel how you're using your muscles instead of bracing the stirrup. Also, how do you post w/o stirrups?? If you've never tried it, now is a good time to practice! It will help very much with your leg position.

[hometrotter]

Yes, instead of rising by pressing into the stirrups, keep your legs more relaxed and let the horse push you up through your pelvis. Just kind of rock your pelvis up and forward instead of forcing your heels down and/or pressing on the stirrups. Of course, then you should be able to keep your lower leg tucked in along the girth better too. That steadyness of the lower leg seems to calm a horse down too so you will have a win/win situation - less spooking.

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

[Nutty Pony]

Try RELAXING little bit. You should look like this:
Trot (http://www.poniesrus.ca/Delta%20trot.JPG)