I never used to have this problem but now that I am riding english I seem to be losing my stirrups whether in sitting/posting trot and canter. What can I do?
Losing stirrups suddenly?
- Thread starter BeachRiding
- Start date
I would check your leg position and also the length of your stirrups. If they are too long your foot does not sit in them properly sort of like you are standing on tip toes to reach, if that makes sense finding it really hard to explain that one
Which, would suggest to me that your stirrups are too short - your weight is pulling them off center as you try and put weight into them and balance on them. It's the tension on the leather, working against your muscles - the preasure you put on them.
I would strongly suggest stirrupless work to help correct this problem. It's often a dependance on them that causes their loss, throws you off balance or will cause you to grip too much with your knees rather than actually ridding in balance over the horse - and sending your energy down through your legs as you should be.
It was epiphany moment for me when I changed instructors..and went thru my first lesson with her. She asked me what the hay I was doing shoving my heels down - which was inevitably ending up in me putting too much weight onto the balls of my feet to put my body up into the post- and actually causing my silly heels to come up in the long run.
For 45 looooong minutes a road a jaunty Tb around and around and around at a trot - with no stirrups at all.. I thought this woman was a psycho out to kill me or turn me into a milk shake. But it started to get easier and easier she reminded me to keep my legs loose and not grip, so I could apply them to improve his bend. At then end she dropped them 2 holes and gave em back. She said remember how your drove your ENERGY down, not your heels - you sent your energy down and out through your feet to maintain balance.. Remember that feeling and away you go.
It was like the blinkers were off and I FELT it. You know.. IT that elusive moment where I KNEW I looked good, and I KNEW my horse knew I "got it" I had been having lessons about a year at that point and this was the first time I was RIDDING a horse. That was about 16 years ago - Too this day I ride more without stirrups than with. And all of my students were put through the same experience and a carefully chosen mount with an equaly miserable trot.. (it's important to pass on the rights of passage along with the info.. sadly your to far away I have the perfect horse...)
HA that ended up being a novel.. sorry
Have your stirrups as near as possible to the Western length you are used to.
Let your legs hang down using gravity to weight them and the usual rule for English is the bottom of the stirrup should be level with your ankle bone. But that doesnt take into account the thickness of the soles of your boots.
If you are rising in trot and using forward seat in canter you need to be clear of the saddle (or you'll rub yourself sore) but since you already have riding skills, I would suggest that you build on what you already have.
Ride easy like in Western, without using your knees to hold on with. Unless you are race riding or jumping there is no particular reason to make enormous changes between English and Western riding.
Let your legs hang down using gravity to weight them and the usual rule for English is the bottom of the stirrup should be level with your ankle bone. But that doesnt take into account the thickness of the soles of your boots.
If you are rising in trot and using forward seat in canter you need to be clear of the saddle (or you'll rub yourself sore) but since you already have riding skills, I would suggest that you build on what you already have.
Ride easy like in Western, without using your knees to hold on with. Unless you are race riding or jumping there is no particular reason to make enormous changes between English and Western riding.
Shadowlark hit it on the head there totally.
It does sound like your stirrups are too short. I have the same problem as I am naturally more of a short stirruped rider and not a long stirruped rider (shorter stirrups used to make me feel more secure in the saddle). However shorter stirrups usually cause your leg to move behind or infront of the imaginary straight line running from your shoulder hip to heal which therefore causes you to have an insecure seat.
However, with shorter stirrups I found I never actually lost my stirrups but this is personal experience. I would go with Shadowlark's idea of no stirrup work, I did pleanty of this and I found that I dropped 2 holes in stirrup leangth. Also try exersises in the saddle such as streaching of your legs. Try reaching your left toe with your right hand it'll improve sercurity in the seat and therefore cause you to not grip with your knees (which is a process that losses stirrups). Also, try bringing both your legs up to the top of the saddle and pull them apart (so your knees are trying to point to the side and not straight ahead) keep this position for about 10 seconds. A final exercise you could do is to stand out of your saddle for a whole lap or two of the areana. It hurts but it really really pushes your heals down and streaches the back of your legs.
Again, no-stirrups work is always a plus nomatter how good your position is. It'll fill in any cracks (no matter how small) in your position.
I hope I've helped and good luck to you!
xxxKellyxxx
It does sound like your stirrups are too short. I have the same problem as I am naturally more of a short stirruped rider and not a long stirruped rider (shorter stirrups used to make me feel more secure in the saddle). However shorter stirrups usually cause your leg to move behind or infront of the imaginary straight line running from your shoulder hip to heal which therefore causes you to have an insecure seat.
However, with shorter stirrups I found I never actually lost my stirrups but this is personal experience. I would go with Shadowlark's idea of no stirrup work, I did pleanty of this and I found that I dropped 2 holes in stirrup leangth. Also try exersises in the saddle such as streaching of your legs. Try reaching your left toe with your right hand it'll improve sercurity in the seat and therefore cause you to not grip with your knees (which is a process that losses stirrups). Also, try bringing both your legs up to the top of the saddle and pull them apart (so your knees are trying to point to the side and not straight ahead) keep this position for about 10 seconds. A final exercise you could do is to stand out of your saddle for a whole lap or two of the areana. It hurts but it really really pushes your heals down and streaches the back of your legs.
Again, no-stirrups work is always a plus nomatter how good your position is. It'll fill in any cracks (no matter how small) in your position.
I hope I've helped and good luck to you!
xxxKellyxxx
If you are used to riding western do not start with stirrups on ankle bone, that is in fact too short for a true schooling length but about right for riding out. I usually find the stirrup in the heel seam of the boot when your legs are hanging naturally is best.
Shadowlark is right pushing heel down is the key to many leg problems ( I can lecture on this for 10 minutes
) I love her description of energy down the leg. My favourite is Sally Swifts 'melted icecream in your boot dripping out of your heel', descibes the sort foot feeling you are seeking, wriggling toes will also help your knees relax and so not rise!
Shadowlark is right pushing heel down is the key to many leg problems ( I can lecture on this for 10 minutes
) I love her description of energy down the leg. My favourite is Sally Swifts 'melted icecream in your boot dripping out of your heel', descibes the sort foot feeling you are seeking, wriggling toes will also help your knees relax and so not rise!
C
Colzy
Guest
Hi,
What are some of you on about! The main reasons why people lose thier sturrips (Especially in sitting trot and canter) are:
Your stirrups are to long!! and you are reaching for them.Stiffness through your body causing you to grip with your legs, try to relax your lower back move with the horse and abosorb the movement rather that stiffening against it. Relax your legs and let tham hang putting all your weight on your seat bones. Work with out sturrips will help also lunge lesson but never ride without sturrips for to long do a little and often.
What are some of you on about! The main reasons why people lose thier sturrips (Especially in sitting trot and canter) are:
Your stirrups are to long!! and you are reaching for them.Stiffness through your body causing you to grip with your legs, try to relax your lower back move with the horse and abosorb the movement rather that stiffening against it. Relax your legs and let tham hang putting all your weight on your seat bones. Work with out sturrips will help also lunge lesson but never ride without sturrips for to long do a little and often.
Hi WL,
I went back to look at the pics you posted on your other thread just to give an idea of your leg position & stirrup length.
I was wondering: do you find you grip with your thighs? Or are you tense anywhere when in an english saddle?
I would suggest exercises to open up your hip angle a bit more. So like others have mentioned: no stirrups but also stretching exercises and 2pt to sitting exercises.
I found when I switched to english, it was more difficult to keep my feet where they belonged: nicely stabled in the stirrups. Though had no problems what-so-ever in a western saddle. But when you look at both saddles & compare: the western saddle has a sirrup leather which is wider & the fender is affixed on top of it. Now look at the english stirrup: it's half the width & the saddle flap (which can be seen as the fender) is under & not affixed at all to the stirrup leather, henceforth not as much rigidity to offer stability.
I can very easily ride with no stirrups in a western saddle no problem there but in an english saddle... that's different story. They are just not built the same therefore one will find some hicups along the way when introduced to the other style.
When I ride in an english saddle I find thinking: "melt from the hips down" helps. I think of relaxing and breathing as I do this. That's when I find my heels lowering & my overall leg becomes more stable because it now hugs the horse.
Don't worry you'll get there.
I went back to look at the pics you posted on your other thread just to give an idea of your leg position & stirrup length.
I was wondering: do you find you grip with your thighs? Or are you tense anywhere when in an english saddle?
I would suggest exercises to open up your hip angle a bit more. So like others have mentioned: no stirrups but also stretching exercises and 2pt to sitting exercises.
I found when I switched to english, it was more difficult to keep my feet where they belonged: nicely stabled in the stirrups. Though had no problems what-so-ever in a western saddle. But when you look at both saddles & compare: the western saddle has a sirrup leather which is wider & the fender is affixed on top of it. Now look at the english stirrup: it's half the width & the saddle flap (which can be seen as the fender) is under & not affixed at all to the stirrup leather, henceforth not as much rigidity to offer stability.
I can very easily ride with no stirrups in a western saddle no problem there but in an english saddle... that's different story. They are just not built the same therefore one will find some hicups along the way when introduced to the other style.
When I ride in an english saddle I find thinking: "melt from the hips down" helps. I think of relaxing and breathing as I do this. That's when I find my heels lowering & my overall leg becomes more stable because it now hugs the horse.
Don't worry you'll get there.
Do you usually ride in the Western style?
The stirrups in Western riding are longer, so pehaps you need to shoten yours a hole or two?
The stirrups in Western riding are longer, so pehaps you need to shoten yours a hole or two?
I keep hearing about western stirrups being longer..
Frankly gang it's a misnomer.
I ride the same length to rein as I would to do dressage - Correct position and balance is correct position and balance, no matter how much/little leather and wood there is under your postierier. It's easier to cheat in western because the fender keeps your leg in place (for worse not better in most cheap saddles) and the english leather requires your co-operation.
True I would raise them to jump - but ridden correctly with my energy going down the heel - my shoulder, hip and leg aligned as is correct equitation in both saddles requires the same length of stirrup, because my leg doesn't change length
Frankly gang it's a misnomer.
I ride the same length to rein as I would to do dressage - Correct position and balance is correct position and balance, no matter how much/little leather and wood there is under your postierier. It's easier to cheat in western because the fender keeps your leg in place (for worse not better in most cheap saddles) and the english leather requires your co-operation.
True I would raise them to jump - but ridden correctly with my energy going down the heel - my shoulder, hip and leg aligned as is correct equitation in both saddles requires the same length of stirrup, because my leg doesn't change length
Ooh ..... what you lot all on about ? Your so called advice stinks, especially Shadowlark - she's not even in the BHS you know, and she smells funny.
You can't lose your stirrups if you tie them to your ankle. All the best Hunter trainers do that and they've all had horses for a hundred years and win at all the big shows so they must be right.
(ok, you can delete this one, sorry WL for abusing your thread like that, I've gotten way too silly, but I just love that phrase 'what are you on about?' - it's really hardly patronising at all is it
.)
You can't lose your stirrups if you tie them to your ankle. All the best Hunter trainers do that and they've all had horses for a hundred years and win at all the big shows so they must be right.
(ok, you can delete this one, sorry WL for abusing your thread like that, I've gotten way too silly, but I just love that phrase 'what are you on about?' - it's really hardly patronising at all is it
.)
Kate you have just made me laugh like a mad woman !
OK,Colzy (welcome to NR ), your people skills are a tad forthwright, aren't they ?
OK,Colzy (welcome to NR ), your people skills are a tad forthwright, aren't they ?
You can't lose your stirrups if you tie them to your ankle. All the best Hunter trainers do that and they've all had horses for a hundred years and win at all the big shows so they must be right.
(ok, you can delete this one, sorry WL for abusing your thread like that, I've gotten way too silly, but I just love that phrase 'what are you on about?' - it's really hardly patronising at all is it
Well you know duck tape does come in a variety of colours!
Hey we need sillyness sometimes
heheBut Shadowlark is correct; the leg/stirrup length when riding in a western saddle, shouldn't be any longer as you do when riding in a dressage saddle. We still look for the same key alignement points. Chair seat is not acceptable just as much in western as in english. It's pretty much an illusion because of the long chaps that are worn in showing. I mean... if your stirrup is assumed to be longer than when your in a dressage saddle, how does the rider still achieve a lower heel? Hhhhmmm aaahhhhh, something to ponder on...
So WL how's your stirrup situation now?
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Well,LMS, I would have to say its gotten better in all honesty its much better. I'm lsoing my stirrups a lot less and my chair seat is starting to improve a bit. Thanks for asking!
How's it going?
I had that problem for a very long time, I was just too lazy to fix it. By dropping my stirrups by 2 holes (I'd had them at the same length for 3 year..ooops) I had such a better seat.
I have a dressage saddle, so your rely very heavily on just your legs, you have no other support. What kind of saddle are you using?
The ducktape and tying the stirrups to your legs are great ideas though
I had that problem for a very long time, I was just too lazy to fix it. By dropping my stirrups by 2 holes (I'd had them at the same length for 3 year..ooops) I had such a better seat.
I have a dressage saddle, so your rely very heavily on just your legs, you have no other support. What kind of saddle are you using?
The ducktape and tying the stirrups to your legs are great ideas though
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