argh.. legs tensing and creeping up

[arabianbaby]

i have just moved barns and find i'm a bit more tense when i'm riding as i have a new instructor who has me doing everything entirely differently. i'm finding my leg is tensing and creeping up a lot. it probably always did a bit but i'm really noticing it now. i ride bareback and with no stirrups a lot. i think my seat is secure. i am having to push smokey forward a lot more as i'm working more on getting him collected.

does anyone have any ideas/excercises to keep my leg long and relaxed? it's to the point where half way through my lessons i'm asking to take my stirrups away since it's distracting me so much from what i'm trying to accomplish.

[FreedomStar]

This is something my instructor has me do to keep my legs relaxed and my knees not gripping. She explained that if she were to slide her hand between my leg and the saddle, her hand should slip past my knee quite easily and stop/become stuck when her hand hits my calf. Sooo..think of lengthening your leg through your calf, and 'pedal' as if riding a bike. This will help your legs loosen up and not to grip with your knees. When done properly, at the trot you should feel like your legs are bouncing alternatively. At the canter your legs should 'bounce' with the motion of the canter. Remember, this is only an exercise to help you, not how you ride all the time :D

[Susara]

it's to the point where half way through my lessons i'm asking to take my stirrups away since it's distracting me so much from what i'm trying to accomplish.

Do you realise how jealous you're making me here?? My ultimate dream is to have a seat so secure that I'd prefer riding without stirrups!!! Sorry, guess this doesn't help you very much, but really yours is a problem I'd love to have ;-)

More seriously, perhaps the position where the stirrup straps are fastened to your saddle is wrong, so the stirrups pull you out of position rather than supporting the correct position. I understand it's a common problem with saddles, even from saddlers with good reputations.

[kedwards]

When you mention that this problem arises when you started needing to "push" your horse forward more, I wonder if the problem isn't related to how you are using your leg aids. Be sure that you aren't squeezing harder or longer to give the aids, as this will throw off your position and can actually create tension that makes the horse even less inclined to move forward.

[BackintheSaddle]

If you find a solution, let me know. Like you, my leg is great without stirrups. I find that the more leg aid I have to give, the more my leg positions goes to pot. I think it is partly that although my seat is secure, it is not yet independent, so I don't have the deepest seat when I'm shifting things around to give a leg aid. Must work on ud=sing multiple body parts at once.