Beginner Rider - Home Saddle? Good, bad, or crazy idea?

H

Hiernst

New Member
Jan 15, 2022
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New York
Hello all,

I am a new rider (middle-aged) and a new member of this forum. I just started riding about two months ago and it has not been easy progressing since I've only been able to take one lesson a week (with some unfortunate, but unavoidable cancellations from the stable due to cold weather). I'm determined to improve myself as much as possible outside of my time there and was wondering if it was a good idea to buy even an old used English saddle with irons to set up at home - just to practice perfecting my seat, two point, leg/heel positions, etc. - when I can't be on a horse. I can't seem to find any advice for or against this idea, so I'm curious to know if anyone else has done this or has advice for/against. I don't own a horse, so it really would just be to use at home. Many thanks in advance for your thoughts or ideas.
 
I can't see it's going to do any harm, but I doubt it'll do much good either. Have you considered Pilates to improve your core strength and stability? That may be more useful.

A point to consider is that many cheap or old saddles have badly positioned stirrup bars which will be detrimental to a rider's position since they put you in a chair seat.
 
Thanks so much, carthorse. I think I'm rather OK on the core strength and stability exercise side --- I already do a bunch of bridges, planks, side planks, squats, dead bugs with weights, etc. I just feel like I don't have enough time to assess/adjust my own seat/leg placement on horseback, which is of course a very unique position and not easy to replicate at home. So, that's why I thought, perhaps with a saddle it might help. I'm particularly wanting to get correct leg placement and heels down (without getting pushed into the chair seat - so perhaps an old saddle is not a good idea), and I'm certainly working on calf stretches, ankle mobility, but again, on the ground is nothing like being on a horse. :)
 
It sounds like you're doing a lot! Is there an equine simulator within travelling distance? Maybe you'd find some sessions on one interesting and useful.
 
Thanks, I never thought about an equine simulator. I did a preliminary search and it doesn't appear there are any close to NY. I'll keep looking though as it does sound like an interesting and helpful addition to time at the stable. Fingers crossed and thanks again.
 
Mary Wanless suggests using an inflatable exercise ball. I bought one. Never used But I learned to ride fine 20 years ago without much physical fitness. Though I have always watched my weight.
 
Thanks Skib. I thought about those exercise balls, but I don't think that would help me replicate my feet in the stirrups and getting weight into my heels. I had thought about maybe taking up bike riding too, maybe off the seat and trying to position my feet on the pedals like a stirrup iron. Just trying to be as productive as possible in the many many hours a week I can't be on a horse. :)
 
A simulator lesson with a good instructor i believe can be very beneficial.
A friend of mine said she was told to practice sitting on her exercise ball with her feet crossed. If she could do that it would improve her core strength and teach her the correct body position and balance in the saddle. I know she said it took her a while.
 
Unfortunately I would tend to agree a saddle at home won’t really help, without the saddle fitted to you and the horse it will be out of balance and put you in a bad position, and without the curve of the horses rib cage it wouldn’t help leg placement.
Pilates is good as it also helps mobility, it is considered one of the most beneficial exercises for riders.
You can try getting into a riding position just standing with your toes on a curb, feet wide, drop through heels and drop hips until your knee is appropriately bent. It can be good for stretching rider muscles, but without dynamic movement it’s really only a stretch.
 
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Bike riding won't help, it's toe down - a fact I only realised after years of riding meant I automatically tried to cycle heels down to y husband's amusement! Believe me, it isn't an effective way to pedal lol. And riding don't get obsessed with forcing your heels down, if you do you create a lot of tension in your legs which will make you stiff and rigid in your seat. Keep your legs soft and relaxed, draped against the horse's side, as long as the heel isn't above the toe you're fine.
 
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Thanks all! I'm taking a one hour private lesson a week right now (trying to see if I can work in a second one on occasional weeks) and so we've definitely been working on the lunge line as I'm working on my rising trot and two-point, etc. There have been a couple sessions where "heels down" has been a very common comment from the instructor and at those times I noticed that I really had to force things to get my heels down and the days following those sessions, my ankles and outside calves were incredibly sore. It's hard for me to gauge just by feel right now how deep my heels are in the stirrup (above level, level, just below level, etc) and I'd love to be able to see the angle of my feet when I'm being told "heels down" but there aren't any mirrors in the indoor ring. Some visual feedback would probably help me very much and I really need to remember it's not so much "heels down" but more like "lengthening the legs" from the hips to sink weight into the heels. I know I've got a ton to learn on the horse and off, so I was really hoping there might be a way to sit on a saddle in front of a mirror at home and try to work on building that bodily awareness with visual feedback that I don't have in the ring. I guess I'll keep working on home exercises and stretches and just see if I can try to sneak in some extra lessons here and there. Many thanks again to everyone's helpful comments and suggestions.
 
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Visual feedback is certainly very valuable. Would your instructor be able to video you on your phone when you are in the wrong position and when you are in the right one? I have been taking lessons for 10 years and still find this helpful when I'm working on one of my seemingly permanent bad habits :rolleyes:
 
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Thanks Jane. I've been thinking about a way to get video of my riding. I always forget to bring it up during the sessions cause there's a million things to talk about while on the horse learning to ride. I'll try to message my instructor in advance of the next session and see if something would be possible. I'm certain there are way more faults in form that I'm guilty of and just don't know it! :)
 
The heels down is a very classic rider error for beginners. You will eventually improve. Some of that improvement is just spending time in the saddle. Dont get too stressed out about it. Just try to remember as you are riding round heels down, sit up, chest out. You will then naturally improve your position.

If you have a phone with a video facility. Give it to your instructor. The issue is though if you know your being videoed at that moment you will naturally tense up trying to hard. So better to have a friend with you so you can be videod when your relaxed and not worrying your on camera.
 
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I second the taking a friend, when I am chatting to my instructor and trying to do what she says I'm too absorbed to be awkward and the film is true to life.

As I said I've been having lessons with the same RI for more than 10 years. In that time my 2 main faults (hollow back, leaning forward unnecessarily) have got less severe, but they're still there. I used to worry about the heels down thing and mentioned it to my RI in a lesson not long ago. She laughed and said "I think you've dealt with that one" and showed me a clip of me sitting some of Sid's (very small) bucks. Above the hips I was awful, but from the hips down, solid as a rock! We're our own worst judges sometimes.
 
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