Help explaining position (pic)?

LexxLizz

LexxLizz

New Member
Dec 11, 2011
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I have just returned from a lovely hack out with Boxer - the Welsh Sec D I now loan :dance:
On returning to the yard my friend took a picture of me just before I dismounted.

Now, I cannot understand what's going on with my lower leg... From the pic it looks as if it is too far forward, yet, whilst I don't get complimented on many things, I am always told my posture and position is good :redface:

Can the saddle have an affect on lower leg position does anyone know? -- the saddle is an old-battered treeless and I do not get on with it at all, :banghead: it's so padded I feel like I'm cradled, it's made of an odd grippy material, it has massive knee rolls and it gives me the sorest bum ever :( :(
Or could it just be the angle the photo was taken do you think?

Not looking for excuses mind, if my seat is :poop: then my seat is :poop: and it's something I will work on. Just shocked from this pic as I'm rarely pulled up on my lower leg. What a mess...

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you look a bit unbalanced eg. hands are too high up, arms straight and in a bit of a 'chairseat' from what I can see - treeless saddles can put you into a bit of a chairseat if you're not used to them! i had this problem when i first got my treeless many moons back. i removed the stirrups for two weeks to re-gain my balance 'the hard way' - it worked! not sure i'd advise this if you're generally a bit unsteady still though ...

Julia
x
,
PS: though it's hard to tell from the angel, but saddle looks a bit too far forward to me?
 
notpoodle said:
you look a bit unbalanced eg. hands are too high up, arms straight and in a bit of a 'chairseat' from what I can see - treeless saddles can put you into a bit of a chairseat if you're not used to them! i had this problem when i first got my treeless many moons back. i removed the stirrups for two weeks to re-gain my balance 'the hard way' - it worked! not sure i'd advise this if you're generally a bit unsteady still though ...

Julia
x
,
PS: though it's hard to tell from the angel, but saddle looks a bit too far forward to me?
Click to expand...

Lol, hands are high up as I was gathering my reins to dismount, but you're right :giggle:
Hmmmn, I don't FEEL unballanced when riding, I don't know... Pehaps I should do how you did and take the stirrups away?? Could get someone to whip the lunge line out for a few hours each time...

And boy you're right!!! The saddle looks massively forward in the pic -- I hadn't noticed that :frown: WEIRD!
 
Saddles make an enormous difference, it is impossible to sit well in one that either tips you forward or (as I suspect from your description of how this one makes you feel), backwards. Even poorly placed stirrup bars will alter your position as will a too small or too large saddle.
 
eml said:
Saddles make an enormous difference, it is impossible to sit well in one that either tips you forward or (as I suspect from your description of how this one makes you feel), backwards. Even poorly placed stirrup bars will alter your position as will a too small or too large saddle.
Click to expand...

Okay, so then my next question, is it my job to buy a saddle for him?
I only have him on part loan and the owner is more than aware of my hate for his saddle (pmsl! :giggle:) mainly because it gives me a sore bum, but now I've seen this pic it's added to it.
Or is it cheeky for me to offer to put some towards?
 
Just found this... A pic of his old loaner riding him, and it looks as if she might be having a similar problem...?? Do you think?
 
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I think you need to post a better pic, clearly side on; in the one you've posted it does look as if the saddle is rather far forward, and you are in a chair seat, but that could be exaggerated - or even created - by the angle of the pic.

As for buying a new saddle, well that's up to you - but if you do buy it it's yours - you're not obliged to hand it over when the loan ends. On the other hand, you might try a Heather Moffett seat saver - I don't know how good they are with treeless saddless (you did say this one is treeless, didn't you?), but they can do wonders for your position.
 
Of course I would ask the loaner... And she never rides him, ever. But agrees the saddle is a nightmare (she knows this from showing me how he tides when I first came to see him).
 
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Agree on the saddle effecting the position we sit in.. my last saddle kept sending my lower legs forward, my current one keeps them in a good position :smile:
 
To be honest when some one takes a picture of us sitting on a horse we all 'force' a position. This is probably not what you ride like and a picture of you in motion will tell a lot more. The angle as already said is not helping.

My old loan went half with me for a new saddle but I had her on full loan for 3e years so she was pretty much mine and retired when I gave her back. Talk to the owner see if she suggests anything.
 
If you ride a lot on a horse belonging to some else, and the saddle provided is uncomfortable, and you have the money to buy one of your own, I would suggest that. It is what I decided to do.
My fav. RS mare broke the tree of her saddle which I liked, and was given instead the spare RS saddle that was the best fit. It doesnt have room for my bum. Tips me forward in canter.
I resolved that, if I were ever offered a share of the mare with the uncomfy saddle, I would ask permission to use my own saddle and then buy her one - using the owner's saddler.
I thought the saddler might be able to sell me something second hand and if not, that I could always re-sell a good saddle when I didnt need it any more.
 
I think it could just be the pic. I have a pic on my FB and I look like I'm sitting all squinty. I got my friend to come and see me ride today and she said I was fine. I also took a pic of her that is less than flattering and she is a great rider!

I bought my horse a new saddle last year. His original one fitted but did nothing for my position. It tipped me forwards. I cant tell you the relief I felt when I tried saddles that fitted me and Caymen. I used to part loan and would never have bought a saddle for any of the horses I loaned.

If you are concerned, get a better pic or get someone experienced to check your position when you are on him. :biggrin:
 
Thanks for all of the replies everyone. I am going to work more on ballance incase it is that with Boxer... And keep a close eye on my position the rest of the time. I will also speak to his owner about saddles, as that treeless really, really isn't for me :devil: haha!


Also, I am going to remove the picture of his old loaner now I have shown it as I don't know her and it isn't my property. Wouldn't want to inadvertently upset anyone.
 
Oh yes, agree with EML, the saddle can definitely have an effect on your position! Sometimes it's just not a very good cut in general, other times it's just that the cut doesn't suit you personally. At 5'6'' I'm not exactly tall, but I'm quite long in the thigh - so a forward-cut saddle usually puts my thigh in the wrong position which in turn puts my lower leg too far forwards. I've encountered countless saddles which bring my leg forwards and I am constantly fighting against it to maintain a good leg position and not be behind the horse's movement.

As has been said about your photo, it's not the best angle to judge from. However it does *appear* that the saddle's making you "sit back" a bit with your leg forwards - if this is the case then it may affect your balance on the horse and therefore how correctly and/or effectively you can ride. A simple thing you can try is to stand up in the stirrups and hold your arms out to the sides - if your leg is beneath you as it should be, you should find it pretty easy to stay up, whereas if your leg is too far forwards you will struggle to find your balance and stay up there!
 
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