Your Riding Positions 2

Torny

Torny

Horsin' Around
Jan 21, 2003
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West Midlands, UK
www.funridesuk.co.uk
I would like to THANK everyone for participating in the first 'Your Riding Position Thread'
I hope it has been of use to many of you. I am unable to find a recent photo of me riding, I shall hopefully be getting my boy Jack early next year and send in pictures.

The reason for this new thread is because the first is getting a wee bit crowded. So heres a new space for everyone to post to.

Look forward to talking to you all,
 

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At first, you looked to be leaning back, but then I had to rotate the picture, because it's obvious that the vertical pole wasn't vertical.

It looks perfect to me, apart from the hands as you have already said.
 

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actually my reins weren't taught...LOL... I was in dressage...that mouth opening is always how Pat has his mouth whether there is contact or no, its not open, his lips are just curled down so you can see his teeth...:p I dont' know why, but thats just how he is. He grinds his teeth too...:rolleyes:

i think it all comes from when Pat was side reined to the extreme, which was before he came to our stable, its really hard to get any relaxation in his jaw now. Although he makes a pretty picture...:)
 
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no one has figured it out. Since its just the lips that are open and not the teeth I think its just some thing that he does. We got him when he was 15 so he'd been through the works and i'm assuming something that happened before we got him caused him to start doing that. In any case it just seems to be some quirk, it doesn't effect his way of going at all.
 
I dont have a pic but I can discribe my prob and maybe you can help.

I only do this on one horse and i think its becuase he bucked my of about 6 months ago and I keep getting tense. Even though the buck was from the walk.

Anyway.

I swing my legs in the canter. I have seen myself on video and it is quite embaracing. I look like a real beginer. They swing forward and back. He has a very unbalanced canter and he realy chucks me around so I'm inclined to think thats the prob. But I would still like to improve the stillness of my leg. It is hard to do exercises to improve his balance if mine is all over the place.

I have been tryign to relax into the saddle. But I feel relaxed. I have a good amount of weight in the saddle. and my heals are down.
 
My mum took pictures of me riding Boomer today, and I really noticed how far forward my legs are.. I don't know if it's just me over analysing or what.. Also, are my feet too much out of the stirrups? Any comments/suggestions? Thanks!!

Do my stirrups looks too short?
 

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Waikato

Hmmm, sounds to me you need to improve your seat in the canter. Do you feel your seat is unbalanced / out of sync with the horse?

The only other thing I could suggest is if you do some leg strengthening excercises to improve your muscle and control of your leg.

The gait of the horse could possibly be what does not help, it can improved if it is just schooling the horse needs. But it could be his/her natural gait in which case it's the riders job to learn to sit to the movement ;)

Hope this has helped!
I know how frustrating swinging legs are because I've done it myself before! :(
 
EPCD3000

Righty ho.

I think your right in suggesting to have your stirrups longer, espcially when it looks as though your clinging on to the stirrup with the tip of your toe.
With the stirrup lengthened you will be able to lengthen your leg and bring them back, your heels will not be pointing drastically downwards and you will feel your knees will come back in.

The problem with a lot of saddles, as I have been told and completely agree with, is that the stirrup bars for the leathers are too far forwards. So it encourages riders to bring their leg forward and so adopting the 'Arm chair' Seat.

Remember, don't ram your heels down. Not only does it not look very nice but it takes your leg away from the horses side and so you can't react effectivley when 'Asking' for transitions etc...

Hope this has helped! ;)
 
Thanks. I dont do this on other horses. Just him he has a big gait.

I dont feel out of sync with him, my seat does not move just my legs. I can bring him back to a trot just by stitting deep and closing my thighs. What sort of leg exercises do you recomend.

I rode him today and yesterday and mum says my legs are staying alot stiller. But it still needs work but I wont get work becuase my horse has been sold. I will continue to work on my seat with my other horse but my legs dont swing with him.
 
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Excercises, urmmmm.

Well you can do something simple as walking & cycling which will help both your lower adn upper leg

By stnading against a wall then slowly squatting (back still against the wall) hold the position for a a few seconds then stadn up again. That will strenthen your thigh.

Just test with different things really. If you can feel a muscle being worked when you are doing soemthing then remember what it was you were doing and use it as an excercise. Thats what I do.

You say that your leg has got better, Great!! Which means practice makes perfect :D

I was just thinking, I find my legs wobbled a bit when on rather rounded horses ;)

Ohh gotta dash!
 
Thanks for the advice! I lengthend my stirrups another notch and was able to place more foot into it. When me and Boomer started trotting, there was no bounce or hurting knees! I came out of my seat a lot lower than before.

Thank-you! :D



P.S - I also noticed as I could lengthen my leg, it was able to bend back in less of an "armchair seat". :p
 
Leo's Mam

Hey, ;)

Let me think. The only thought I get is that you may be tipping forwards when jumping, and so your legs go back and bend.

Have you had anyone video you or taken photos to see if you can pin point what the cause is?? If not it would be a good idea because it helps tremendously!!
:D

I'll see if I can find a photo which I can explain things with.

Sorry I couldn't be more help, But I'll see what I can do ;)
 
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