3rd lesson tomorrow, I love reading everyones advice. It really helps me analyze....

[tnawarriorprincess]

what I am doing & should be doing through the week when I have no contact with horses (for now I can only afford weekly lessons, boo hoo). I am taking private lessons so it is really reassuring to hear someone else say what my instructor is teaching (she is really great!). Last week I was allowed to ride my favorite horse! She even said that I would be riding him for a while because he fits me leg better than her "beginner" horse, Peachy (He is close to 17 h. & I am 6'). I even managed to make 3 circles in perfect sitting trot by the end of my lesson! & I was not nearly as sore as I was after the first lesson. Well I think I sound like a little kid here but I guess you all understand my enthuisiasm. Thanks for listening. By the way any advice for keeping my stirrups during sitting trot, that is my biggest challenge right now. Tina

[Maisie]

Good for you! I used to get really excited at sitting to the trot when my instructor first introduced it to me - ha ha!

Okay, one thing you should do is NOT to jam your foot down in the stirrups because your backside will lift up out of the saddle and you don't want that to happen.

You should (I don't rightly know) be able to keep your feet in the stirrups if you have a stable lower leg and body. To get a good, steady lower leg, think of two holes in your ankles and an iron bar connecting them to each other, through the horse's belly. You'll find some tendons sticking out if you try it. (I did!)

That's all I can help you about now, but hope it works!

[Mivs]

Hello there tnawarriorprincess! You are Like me in that, I have a weekly lesson. I too have the problem of jamming down my feet into stirrups which results in loosing them thus my resoultion is to get myself to relax my legs.

I also love reading the messages here as they give you tips on how to do different paces before you have the lesson!!

[Sonia]

Rather than jam your foot down in your stirrup iron, just think of it as a foot rest with very little weight on it and relax into the trot - letting your back and seat absorb the movement (easy in theory )

:-) Sonia

[Kristy]

Instead of thinking "jam your heels down" think "knees to hock".
It'll keep your heels down and in the right "shape" as you call it!
Kristy