painfull feet after riding??

[PURPLE_TYGER]

these last couple of lessons the outsides of the soles are sore, when i trot
i feel it the pressure i pyt on them, does any body else experienced this?
what am i doing wrong, and how can i correct it? i used to lose my stirrips
and i have been concentrating to keep my feet still and in the stirrips.
any help apreciated:o

[Bay Mare]

Maybe you're putting too much pressure into your stirrups when you trot and are trying to 'rise' up and down rather than using your hips to forwards and backwards in an arc. It could also be that you're using your stirrups to 'rise'.

Another thing to think about is that your stirrups could be a little long, you haven't got the 'stretch' in your hips and your feet are tipping to the outside of the iron to compensate.

[PURPLE_TYGER]

thanks Bay Mare, i don't think my stirrips is too long, i think i have been concentrating so hard to keep my feet in the stirrips i started rising up, instead of using my hips, i'll try relaxing at the trot, thanx

[Trewsers]

Do you know, my OH used to suffer with his feet - I think possibly as Baymare says, his stirrups were too long. He doesn't seem to complain much now (new instructor put things right). Hope you find out whats causing it!

[Skib]

How your feet rest in the stirrups is influenced not just by the length of stirrups but by the clothes, chaps and boots you are wearing.

I have just been riding for the first time in long boots and breeches. And looking at how my legs hang down the horse one can see what my teacher said, that when you wear long supple boots, there is a tendency for the weight to fall on the outside of the foot. Because one's leg is wrapping the horse more closely. And you picture your lower leg curving in under the horse? That would tip your feet to the outside edge.

The first thing my RI had me do to allow for my new boots was shorten my stirrups one hole. When you adjust your stirrups you need to be flexible, it may depend on the saddle and the thickness of the soles of the boots you are wearing. So I would agree with Bay Mare and say shorten your stirrups just to see what happens. It needn't be permanent but if your feet are hurting, that is a sure signal you are not sitting relaxed and easy on the horse.

Like you, I've been taught not to put too much weight onto my feet when I rise. But you do need to allow gravity to lower your leg and bring your foot flat in the stirrup. Loosen your knee and allow it to drop. And spread out your toes inside your boots which will relax your ankles. All the joints need to stay supple.

The reason lots of people lose their stirrups, as you did, is that they feel insecure (either because they are bouncing or because they are slipping to one side. So unconsciously they raise their knee (or both knees) to grip and gain security. If you keep your knees loose and low, and let your legs hang by gravity into the heels, then the stirrups should stay in place on your feet.

The other thing I notice is that you told bay mare your stirrups were fine. When you are learning to ride all sort of people will suggest all sorts of things. It is worth experimenting and trying all of them. It is easy to type that you will try relaxing. Correct, relaxing is the answer to many riding problems. But when you are learning to canter or trot or when the horse seems to have a mind of its own, relaxing is easier said than done. And small technical alterations like spreading your toes out inside your boots or keeping your knees low may give you more reliable results.

And I hope you can understand that all these things are relative to each other.
Lowering your knee will have the same effect as shortening your stirrups? Shortening your stirrups may make you more secure and thus make it easier to lower your knee.

[PURPLE_TYGER]

thanx everybody, i cant try ** advise until 3rd jan, tuesday we had so much rain, that on wednesday the school was flooded and was too dangerous for a lesson, and next week the rs is closed:rolleyes:
but thanx and enjoy ** christmas:D