Help with my position

[Rarah]

Just been looking through a few pics of me and Logic and I can see that my legs are in an awful position. I've not had a decent lesson since I bought her and the few I had were months ago.

I only have pics where I'm sat posing for a photo (not ridden), but my legs always look the same in every pic so it must be how I naturally sit in the saddle.

Do I need to adjust my stirrups or just concentrate on moving my lower leg back a little or is it my body that's out of alignment with my legs :confused: :confused: HELP!!!

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d151/gokartbandit/IMG013-1.jpg

[SJ wanabe]

You are slightly leaning back which will make it hard to move your legs into the right place, as if one part of the body moves it can unbalance everywere else. Your ears shouuders hips and heels should be in line and your elbows, wrists, little fingers and bit should also be in line. Hope this helps:)

[bexj]

Hello!!

You look like you are leaning back a bit in the photo, which is probably pushing your legs forward, although when I've seen you in the flesh, so to speak, I've never noticed you doing that. What do you look like with no stirrups?

Logic's looking gorg by the way:D Loving the clip!

Bex
xx

[domane]

Logic's looking gorg by the way:D Loving the clip!

Durr! How stoopid am I.... was looking for a video attachment then realised "clip" meant her coat!!! (or lack of it) :o

Anyway.... moving on..... have you had her saddle checked? The only reason I ask is that when I finally had Norm out to check Cherry's it turned out that it tilted backwards which put me in the classic feet-first riding position. From the photo it looks as if you were taught to ride in the classic armchair position (me too, so nowt to be ashamed of :p ). What happens when you go stirrup-less? Does you leg drop with the shoulder, hip, heel alignment or do you still find yourself leaning back? I would try to shuffle a little further forward in the saddle, I was always taught that if you feel uncomfortable you are probably sitting right!!! Make sure that the front of your pelvis can feel the area towards the pommel (not right on top of it though), tilt your pelvis upwards to you are on your bum bones.... I also remember being told that I should have a hand's width on the saddle between my bum and the cantle, that's laid down, not sideways width, although that of course depends on the size of your derriere and the saddle of course!!! :D And I'm not casting aspertions or getting into THAT one.... ;)

Learn to open your hips too.... that's not swivelling them but opening them. I only learned what this meant last year.... eg, if you lay on the floor with your knees bent and let your knees swing open, that's swivelling.... if you lay on the floor with your legs straight and open into the widest "v" shape, that's "opening"....

I'm sure there are plenty of other helpful hints.... by the way, you look absolutely fine to me - comfortable and happy.... :)

[Rarah]

Hello!!

You look like you are leaning back a bit in the photo, which is probably pushing your legs forward, although when I've seen you in the flesh, so to speak, I've never noticed you doing that. What do you look like with no stirrups?

Logic's looking gorg by the way:D Loving the clip!

Bex
xx


I hope you're right Bex. Thinking about it, I do have a tendency to slouch , so whenever I'm posing for a pic I make an effort to straighten myself up and probably overcompensate be leaning back slightly.

Never seen myself with no stirrups! I really must start being nice to Steve ( ;) ) and persuade him to take some proper pics so I can see how I look riding.

[Rarah]

Learn to open your hips too.... that's not swivelling them but opening them. I only learned what this meant last year.... eg, if you lay on the floor with your knees bent and let your knees swing open, that's swivelling.... if you lay on the floor with your legs straight and open into the widest "v" shape, that's "opening"....


Ahhhh - never did quite understand what "open your hips" means. Very well explained. Thanks for that! :)

Had my saddle reflocked recently. I used to tip me forward but I think it's probably OK now.

I really must try to find out how I look when I'm riding and not posing :p

Thanks :)

[kirstie]

Agree with the others :) a little more straighter back and not so much the leaning back, i do this sometimes :D, which will then put your leg position in the wrong place, but jane has given you some great tips, would benefit from working without stirrups, definately improves your position will a little bit of ache in your thighs but that just means your doing it properly ;)

[cloang]

A tip my daughter was given, After you mount stand in the stirrups and then lower your seat very gently into the saddle without moving your legs. Take a quick photo then and compare to your normal riding position. Apparently if someone whisked the horse from under you you should land in a standing position. Chloe does this every time she rides now and her lower leg position has improved hugely:D

[horse_converted]

i have a bad position when i first start out in my saddle in my lesson so my ri now gets me to warm up with out stirips. which seems to help with everything you could try that