Feet slip around in strirrups.....
- Thread starter nikkilab
- Start date
Maybe your stirrups are too long.
Try to shorten them a hole and then make sure you are putting the ball of your foot on the stirrup and keep your heel down. This pressure should steady your feet.
Good Luck!
Try to shorten them a hole and then make sure you are putting the ball of your foot on the stirrup and keep your heel down. This pressure should steady your feet.
Good Luck!
Hi
I always loose my stirrups when I get tense and my heels come up. The trick is definatly to keep them heels down - try some no stirrup work to stretch your legs - I find that really helps.
I always loose my stirrups when I get tense and my heels come up. The trick is definatly to keep them heels down - try some no stirrup work to stretch your legs - I find that really helps.
For the first year or so that I started riding, this ALWAYS happened to me. But eventually it stopped happening and my feet now keep their place in the stirrups. I suppose when your leg position becomes more stable and you remember to keep your heels down, it gets easier.
P
Pink's lady
Guest
It can sometimes be becuase you're stirrups are too long/short but is generally to do with problems with your seat and gripping. If you grip with your legs they become shorter, so no matter how short your stirrups are, you loose them.
Only thing that really helps is practiseing your balance and seat, so you don't need to grip anymore. Lots and lots of no stirrup work helps, as does concentrating on sitting correctly.
Only thing that really helps is practiseing your balance and seat, so you don't need to grip anymore. Lots and lots of no stirrup work helps, as does concentrating on sitting correctly.
I continually had this problem riding RS horses - now I have Scully the problem has gone away! Why? Well I think it is because I have new stirrups with nice soft treads and they seem to stay in place easily.
Perhaps it is worth getting some new treads and fitting them to the irons when you ride?
Perhaps it is worth getting some new treads and fitting them to the irons when you ride?
Gripping too tightly will make you tense and your leg may rise up a bit. It is difficult, but try to relax a bit and remember to breathe!
Also, try putting your stirrup just behind the ball of the foot instead of actually on the ball.
Don't try to hard to push your heels down, just think 'weight down' into the heel.
I wear Equitector boots and I find that my feet don't slip at all.
Hope this helps.
Also, try putting your stirrup just behind the ball of the foot instead of actually on the ball.
Don't try to hard to push your heels down, just think 'weight down' into the heel.
I wear Equitector boots and I find that my feet don't slip at all.
Hope this helps.
This used to happen to me a lot too. Sometimes, my foot would even slip right out of the stirrup. My problem, which may be yours as well, was that I wasn't keeping my heels down. To fix this, I suggest stretching your ankles and calves. There's a few ways I stretch.
The first is to stand on the edge of a step. Make sure your feet are about shoulder length apart. Put the balls of your feet (the part that touches the stirrup) on the edge of the step. Now bend your knees (holding onto the railing with your hand so you don't fall over) as if you're about to sit on the toilet and push your heels down as far as you can. It feels a bit funny, but you really get a good stretch.
The second way I stretch I just made up a few days ago. Go find a counter, like in the kitchen, or preferably in the bathroom. Again, put the ball of one of your feet on the edge of the counter, lean over your leg, and push down. Depending on how high the counter is, the better stretch you'll get.
I really hope these make sense to you! Try to stretch as often as you can. Also keep in mind that the pressure of your feet in the stirrups should be about the same as when you're standing on the ground. Good luck!
The first is to stand on the edge of a step. Make sure your feet are about shoulder length apart. Put the balls of your feet (the part that touches the stirrup) on the edge of the step. Now bend your knees (holding onto the railing with your hand so you don't fall over) as if you're about to sit on the toilet and push your heels down as far as you can. It feels a bit funny, but you really get a good stretch.
The second way I stretch I just made up a few days ago. Go find a counter, like in the kitchen, or preferably in the bathroom. Again, put the ball of one of your feet on the edge of the counter, lean over your leg, and push down. Depending on how high the counter is, the better stretch you'll get.
I really hope these make sense to you! Try to stretch as often as you can. Also keep in mind that the pressure of your feet in the stirrups should be about the same as when you're standing on the ground. Good luck!
I'll go with the heels down explaination too.
But something I thought I would share with you is how I combat this.
For me I try to concentrate on always having the right part of my leg against the horse to be ready at all times to apply an aid.
If my heals came up it meant that when I applied an aid it would be with my heel rather than my calf.
By thinking about being ready to and how I was applying my aids meant that my lower leg position stayed steadier and I was concious that it was the process of applying the aid that bought me heal up in the first place.
But something I thought I would share with you is how I combat this.
For me I try to concentrate on always having the right part of my leg against the horse to be ready at all times to apply an aid.
If my heals came up it meant that when I applied an aid it would be with my heel rather than my calf.
By thinking about being ready to and how I was applying my aids meant that my lower leg position stayed steadier and I was concious that it was the process of applying the aid that bought me heal up in the first place.
unicornleather
Working Saddler
Check that your stirrup irons themselves aren't too big, there should be no more than 1/2" space either side of your boot that you wear for riding when you have them in the irons. The fact that you say your feet slip around in them suggests that there is room either side of your foot surplus to requirements!
Anymore than 1/2" means that your foot can slide through them and get caught up if you happen to take a tumble and the stirrup leather doesn't pull cleanly out of the stirrup bar, you could be dragged by your foot, unlikely but it can happen.
Oz
Anymore than 1/2" means that your foot can slide through them and get caught up if you happen to take a tumble and the stirrup leather doesn't pull cleanly out of the stirrup bar, you could be dragged by your foot, unlikely but it can happen.
Oz
There are three reasons why it happens to me.
1. Like Joyscarer, giving leg aids with my heel makes my feet go into the stirrups. My horse tends to be dead to my leg, so as a result, I try to press harder.
Solution, squeeze with calves, then follow up with the whip if I don't get the reaction I require. This is working great so far.
2. Gripping. I am only just now being able to let go and stop gripping in canter, and I've been riding for a few years ! I see many other people with the same issue.
Solution: Try and sit up really straight, relax my legs and think about heavy legs.
3. Standing in the stirrups when trotting.
Solution: Rise from the knees, not by pushing down on the stirrups.
Fortunately I've managed to work out what I was doing to cause the problem, and Its going a long way towards fixing it. (Had a compliment from my old instructor when he saw me riding last week !!!)
Next problem I need to conquer is getting the "toes in" !
1. Like Joyscarer, giving leg aids with my heel makes my feet go into the stirrups. My horse tends to be dead to my leg, so as a result, I try to press harder.
Solution, squeeze with calves, then follow up with the whip if I don't get the reaction I require. This is working great so far.
2. Gripping. I am only just now being able to let go and stop gripping in canter, and I've been riding for a few years ! I see many other people with the same issue.
Solution: Try and sit up really straight, relax my legs and think about heavy legs.
3. Standing in the stirrups when trotting.
Solution: Rise from the knees, not by pushing down on the stirrups.
Fortunately I've managed to work out what I was doing to cause the problem, and Its going a long way towards fixing it. (Had a compliment from my old instructor when he saw me riding last week !!!)
Next problem I need to conquer is getting the "toes in" !
if your stirrups are not too long it sound like you are gripping up you need to relax you legs letting them hang down also relax your bum cheeks not tighten them, habits are hard to get rid of i have one when i walk i nod my head from side to side as if i am counting every stride, tried hard last night not to do and i did so it keep trying
I am encountering the same problems and I would just like to say how useful all the replies have been for me. It has also made me feel better that it isn't just me and that it is a common problem.Thank you!
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