Schooling without your Stirrups

[XxTraceyxX]

Hey Guys me again :D I am wonering if anyone ever schools without their stirrups??? I'm wondering about having a try without stirrups as i think it might help me work on my overall body position and my legs :rolleyes: and help me sit deeper in the saddle. I was wondering what you guys think?? Should i give it a go? anyone got any tips too.

Thanks

XxTJxX

[Marusenka]

Hiya

I often school without stirrups and often bareback- i find it really helps you get a good feel of horses movement and helps a lot with balance. I often get rid of my stirrups for the last part of a schooling session as it really helps me relax and stretch muscles properly!!!!
Best tip if not very stable without stirrups or bareback or if you don't do it very often is to use a neckstrap until you feel more confident- also try to make sure you grip with the lower part of your leg and relax the rest of your leg as gripping with your knees doesn't help your position much and also actually slows your horse down!!!!

[Crazyhorse]

I think it really helps. Canter is great, but the downward transition to trot on a bouncy horse can be far from comfy! I did a lot of canter work without stirrups yesterday and find it so much easier to sit into the horses movement, probably because I am stretching my leg down, whereas if I try to really stretch my leg down whilst cantering with stirrups I end up forcing my leg down instead of stretching which has the opposite effect.

[XxTraceyxX]

Hey guys thaks for your repiles' i have done trot without stirrups and im slowly starting to relax and im not bouncing around alot but i need to stop gripping with my knees so much! :o. i've never actually cantered without stirrups before. I also sometimes ride with long stirrups and i know its not the same as doing it without but i can start to feel more secure in the saddle.

XxTJxX

[LMayhewtx]

Hi, I am new to this message board and pretty new to riding, but have been enjoying reading all the messages. My instructor is a big fan of riding without stirrups. I was allowed to canter only after I could ride confidently at a sitting trot without stirrups. I think if you can trot without stirrups, cantering without them will be a breeze. Actually, my first canter was accidentally without stirrups - we were trotting without stirrups, and my lesson horse was really in a mood that day and decided to canter. Lucky for me, she has the most smooth, rocking horse canter.

[iloveshearer]

If you can trot without stirrups you'll be able to canter no problem :D canter is so comfy compared to trot!!!

[PaulaqhMax]

I had my knee operated on 13 weeks ago and I am finally back on a horse and I find no stirrups is making my muscles work better, I can now do rising trot without them I have also managed to put my stirrups down 3 holes, I find my balance has improved and I don't rely on my stirrups for balance or control. Once you get the hang of it you will like it.

[BeachRiding]

I used to, but I am riding western now... but I love it and bareback!

[teapot]

My 1hr lesson last week was spent with no stirrups - does you the world of good. Really helps to deepen the seat

[mogadoga]

I often take my stirrups away, especially if i am tense (body pain or mind tense) as it makes me sit to the horse better and relax properly.
Its awful at first, but when you get the feel it is extremly comfortable, and you will put your stirrups down a few holes and realise how short youve rode!! lol.

[Lou!]

I ride without stirrups when I'm wearing my jeans because the leathers nip like mad. I think riding without stirrups, or even better bareback because then you can't rely on your saddle, helps alot with overall balance etc, it strengthens seat muscles, lengthens your leg etc. However for improving lower leg position I tend to ride with short stirrups and stay out of the saddle while I'm warming up or whatever, really makes your lower leg more secure and stronger. It really helps for your jumping etc as you can sit really light in the saddle.
Good luck with your riding.

Lou.x

[XxTraceyxX]

hey Guys1
Im might be riding my mates horse bare back or maybe with the saddle but without the stirrups. I will tell you how it goes!

Thanks for the replies everyone! :)

XxTJxX

[SupaTania]

"drop your irons" the most dreaded phrase to any equestrian.

Hehe, my instructor is an avid fan of making me drop my stirrups, and post to the trot. Certainly helps to develop your leg! I now occasionally do it myself, when I feel my leg wobblying while I ride. Serves as a reminder that i don't need my stirrups, or my feet technically, and 5 minutes later, when i pick my stirrups back up, I can see and feel the difference.

[Wally]

and 5 minutes later, when i pick my stirrups back up, I can see and feel the difference.


That's the nail on the head, an hour without stirrups makes for tired muscles which are hard to control, 5 minutes at a time with a break is far, far better for you than an hour without.

[SupaTania]

Yes Wally! My old instructor made me do a whole lesson w/o stirrups and all that resulted in was fatigue and alot of huffing and puffing. By the middle of the lesson, I couldn't even properly steer, because my muscles were too tired to be applied correctly.

My new instructor lets us warm up with stirrups, to get all the jitterness out of our mounts if they are silly, and then has us drop our irons and walk/trot/canter depending on how advanced we are. After 5 or so minutes like that, we are allowed to regain our irons and carry on with them. Farther into the lesson, if she see our leg is wiggling, we'll drop them again, and do several more exercises before picking them up again. Its done my leg much more good then the whole lesson without!