Swinging lower leg...

[CLAUDIA]

My instructor told me that my position is great except I need to work on keeping my calf on the horse. I really try to keep it there, but I can't for the life of me! :(

My legs are also far from being muscular. I drives me bananas to know what it is that I need to fix, but not be able to do it. Any suggestions? :)

[Medalia]

Oh, the bain of my existance! Oh, sorry, quoting from my stories again :o

Anyway, I think that you'll really have to make a conscience effort and think really hard about keeping them there. And practice practice PRACTICE!! :) Hope that helps a little.

[Horselover2]

Claudia, as Medalia said, PRACTICE is the answer...good solid leg position will only come with time. Also, your legs may not be flapping as much as it seems to you!!

[Medalia]

Yes, Horselover2 has the right idea. I'm continually asking everyone if my legs move, and they all pretty much say "no" or "a little bit". I think it's the line of vision. When you look at your feet and you see moving ground under them, it gives the illusion of a moving foot. :) I think that you should be able to feel if your legs are moving a lot when you're riding. :D :cool:

[Laya]

I believe that as long as you keep trying, with time, you'll be able to keep your legs firmly to the side of your horse. When I had that problem, I mentally pictured my legs while I was riding. While you picture it in your mind, be doing what you're willing your legs to actually do. Good luck.

[Horselover2]

Laya, you know you can also use visualization (sp?) to "picture" yourself on the other side of that oxer! (or whatever you're attempting to do) ;) HL2

[Laya]

Horselover2,

Yeah, I know. HAHA. That didn't even cross my mind.

Laya

[cynthia]

oh, yeah, i must say that visualization technique really does work! i use it to picture myself riding the perfect piaffe in a Grand Prix dressage test. and boy, lemme tell ya - it works every time! :rolleyes:

heehee. sorry; i'm being frisky again. Gayle, it's all your fault. yup. ;)

-cyn

[cynthia]

oh, and Claudia, by the way... i do have a solution for you too!

i've heard tale that Krazy Glue or some strategically-placed velcro works *wonders* for sticking your legs to that saddle! really, i swear! :D

and when that fails, there's always duct tape. the tool of a thousand uses, i tell you. heehee.

my, am i wicked. causing trouble all over the place. jeeez. i still say it's Gayle's fault. ;)

[Horselover2]

Well, I just spent some time on another post, and lo and behold, I come back here just to find my name used in vain! Well I swear!!

Ok you guys, here's something that'll crack you up...once in a great while, I'll get the urge to put my field boots on, (while I'm riding of course!!!!) and just like that bad ole Cynthia, I imagine myself riding in a Grand Prix, or somewhere REALLY BIG! Ha!!

But for some crazy reason, the boots help while I'm visualizing...hmmmhhh.....

[cynthia]

hey, i ride in my field boots all the time! what does this say about me, i wonder?! see, i just ride in them because they make me look much more fancy-prancy-rider-like than my paddocks. no, really! :rolleyes:

heehee.

-cyn [visualizing her way to FEI in no time!]

[olympicprincess]

Claudia- do you often feel fatigued by attempting to control your leg? If so, do some excercises outside of riding. Then, have a longe lesson without stirrups. I ride quite often without stirrups and I feel my riding has benefited from it. It sounds to me as though you are relying too much on your stirrups for your position.

[bettina]

Make sure you're not accidentally gripping with your knees! This will cause your lower leg to pivot and it'll be reeeeaaally hard to keep your calf on the horse. And are you sure your heels are down and your weight is in your heels? Because if you're gripping with your knees chances are they aren't. And if your heels are down with all your weight in them, your leg will stay in one place because of your weight pulling it down and straight.

Hope I helped ya!! And if your calf is really flapping because of your weak legs and not because of position flaws, then riding with no stirrups will be the perfect solution for strengthening them up! Good luck! ;)

Bettina

[Ta]

Working wothout sturrips forces you to use leg so you stay on... It really helped me.

Gppd Luck :D

[CLAUDIA]

Thanks everyone :D

I haven't been able to ride in over a week due to illness and the stables where I ride have moved. They're still not ready for those of us with no horse to come and ride. :(

[cynthia]

they *moved*?! what'd they do, pick up the barn and air-drop it someplace else? gee, i hope the horses are okay! :D

seriously, though... best wishes for getting better soon! :)

-cyn

[CLAUDIA]

Actually, we lost one during the move. :( :( :(

There was an accident on the way from one stable to the next, and one of the horses ended up being injured badly. :(

[cynthia]

oh my goodness, that's horrible! i'm so sorry, Claudia. :( i didn't mean to make light of the situation... i was just being a bit silly.

again, so sorry. :( that's just a shame.

-cyn

[CLAUDIA]

That's all right Cynthia...I'm still a little in shock about the whole issue myself. All of the other 25 horses were moved safely and without harm, so that's a good thing.

I hope I get better soon, too! :)

[~alison~*]

Claudia,
I have been having the exact same problem! It's nice to know that I'm not the only one! ;)
What has helped me is to try and eliminate the use of your knee (to some extent). That way, you are getting more use out of the calf.

[sugaree]

Hello Claudia,
Try riding without your stirups for awhile,in all three gaits.Mostly in sitting trot,that way you can really get those legs in the postion you need them without support from the stirups.It will take effort to keep the heels down and not let your foot go out in front of you.so you consciously have to put it down and back so its under you.This gives you good control of your legs in the long run.I still battle with my right leg being weaker than my left and have to remeber to use that leg just as much as the other while I am riding ,and working on sitting trot with out the use of stirups gives good balance and leg postion.

[Mel]

As excruciating as it is, my instructor makes me post without stirrups for part of every lesson when he sees my leg moving too much. He says, "your posting off your foot not your leg!" Then I have to drop my stirrups for a while. The first few times I couldn't make it around the arena once, now I can do it for about 10 laps before I am totally zonked!! When you do that then put your foot back in the stirrup, it's a totally different feeling--it's like you know which muscles to use, and your lower leg doesn't seem to move so much because you're not relying on your stirrup. Don't know if this helps? You're definately not the only one with this problem, but I think it just boils down to strengthening the proper muscles! :)

[cynthia]

ugh. unfortunately for my legs, Mel's right. and also unfortunately for my legs, Mel has also made me feel guilty for being a big wuss and not riding without stirrups as often as i should! darnit, Mel, see what you did?! now i have to go to the barn tomorrow and look forward to riding Raven's bouncy trot without stirrups! :rolleyes:

aggh, it's so easy to slack off now that i lease my horse, ride all the time by myself, and don't always have the extra money for a lesson! and i've been noticing that my lower legs are beginning to be a tad lazier than i'd like. that's it, i'm leaving my stirrups in the tack room! :eek:

[Mel]

Cynthia--
Sorry to be the bummer! The first time I dismounted after doing this excercise, I actually almost fell to my knees because my legs were like rubber bands!! :D