Saddle sizes and riding position

[Berry]

I went to a lesson last night on an RS horse which I hadn't ridden before. No problems apart from my feet kept slipping through the stirrups (which they do sometimes but a lot more than normal!) I have been concentrating on trying to keep my weight down into my heels especially for jumping and was starting to feel a lot more secure, but last night... felt quite unbalanced.

Looked at myself in the mirror in the school and realised my legs were sticking out in front of me and there was no way my heel was under my hip - more in line with my knee! No matter what I did and shuffled in the saddle I could just not get my lower leg any further back or my heels lower than my toes - felt like the stirrup leathers were far too far forward or something. Looked like I was in a 'chair seat' and my knees were also sticking over the knee rolls at the front of the saddle.

I thought maybe the saddle was too small for my bum or something but the horse is one that is ridden by adults so I thought it should be ok? Do some saddles put you in a really bad riding position? Feel that I don't want to ride this horse again just because of the saddle - anyone got any experience of this kind of problem?

 

[eventerbabe]

I guess it may depend on what type of saddle you were riding in. I had a Grandee (cross between GP and jumping) and i rode like i was sat on a chair with ear/hip/ankle line majorly skewed! At a recent heather moffat demo, she pointed out just how much 'conventional' saddles can muck up your position because the stirrup bars are a good few inches too far forward.

 

[Nazdaq]

yeah, that happens with certain saddles at my RS as well. The stirrup bars are too far forward and I literally have to be sitting on the pommel (ouch!) of the saddle in order to not have a chair seat. Hope that helps.

 

[Joyscarer]

yeah, that happens with certain saddles at my RS as well. The stirrup bars are too far forward and I literally have to be sitting on the pommel (ouch!) of the saddle in order to not have a chair seat. Hope that helps.

Yep, I agree with that. The wintec gp I used to gave did that. The wintec VSD didn't.

The way to check is to pop your feet out of the stirups, without looking down then get your leg into the correct position and then see where the ball of your foot is in comparison to the stirup iron.