Are gadgets appropriate for riders?

X

x.fat-pony.x

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Sep 9, 2006
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Following on from another thread I read regarding Flexi Reins, I thought I would ask your opinions.
Last year I bought Symmetery leg training straps. I have a problem with one of my knees and as a result my lower leg is horrible *shudders* and I can't shift this feeling that the horse isn't going as well as a result. I can't afford to have lessons at the minute, and due to no menage, well, there is one but it's grassy and boggy atm, I can't get proper instuction.
However, I find these straps help my muscle memory, and after 30 mins or so with them on my legs are drastically improved.

What do you lot think? I know people are against gadgets for the horse but are ones for the rider just as bad?

x
 
i have (as well as bad hands!!!!!:eek:) a leg that will not stay back. It is something to do with being old and having a bit of a gammy hip - it only effects me when trying to ride in the correct position!!!:eek: my right leg is fine but my left leg is always too far forward - i have amongst my many horsey posessions some of those straps you mention - but have never tried them - interesting that you recomend them so i may have a go with them - i am now gonna be in danger of being 'gageted' up to the eyeballs!!!!!!!!!!!!:eek:
a 'all the gear = no idea' rider :eek:;):eek:
 
I suppose it depends on how effective you feel you are without them.

I have a horrible time with my lower leg. Poor proprioception means that while I *feel* my leg is in the correct position, if I am not looking at it, it is actually a long way from it! I'm the same with my arms - if I close my eyes and pretend I have a clock-face around me with 12 dead ahead, and then try to put my arms to a particular time, I'm always out by a fair amount. If I'm looking, then I can do it.

I borrowed a set of symmetry straps for a few sessions and hated them. I have a lot of pain in my hips, knees and ankles when I ride anyway, and trying to force my leg into the "correct" position was agonising, and completely removed the pleasure from my hobby. I felt that my legs were even less effective, and decided not to bother with them.
I may never have a perfect position, but I am at least safe and fairly effective as I am and generally the pleasure outweighs the pain - it works for us.

I think, as with any gadget, so long as it is used as a short term measure (i.e. while you retrain your muscles to get used to a different position), then there's no harm. It's when you find you are relying on the gadget that I feel they cease to be a "useful tool".
 
If these "gadgets" help improve a riders performance and reduce any discomfort or confusion felt by the horse then IMO they can only be a good thing.

Not everyone is physically able to hold their legs or hands in certain position - so if these aids help a rider to improve in that area then I'm all for them. Even if they don't lead to long term improvement i.e. you leg will never stay in position without them I still have no problem with them.

I don't think I've ever used any myself - I've got he leg strap things and I really like the sound of the flexi reins and will be looking in to them too as I'm just not a good enough rider to be able to say that I don't need these artificial aids - I wouldn't want my horse to suffer due to my lack of skill and my unreasonable refusal to buy into articial aids.
 
*Sez* said:
I suppose it depends on how effective you feel you are without them.

(....)I think, as with any gadget, so long as it is used as a short term measure (i.e. while you retrain your muscles to get used to a different position), then there's no harm. It's when you find you are relying on the gadget that I feel they cease to be a "useful tool".
Click to expand...

I agreed with you , then thought again... and realised that for me personally the saddle (amongst lots of other things) would fall outside the criteria for the "useful tool" .. I DO rely on that, there's absolutely no way I'd do any more than walk in the school without my saddles. So should I ride bareback until I feel I don't "need" a saddle any more? If I stuck with the above definition, yes.. but I'd probably not survive the test... so I've decided the definition doesn't work for me anymore :p


Maybe anything that makes you a more effective rider and that does NOT interfere with your horse in any way is a positive addition and therefore not only acceptable but possibly even recommended???
 
Dooley said:
I agreed with you , then thought again... and realised that for me personally the saddle (amongst lots of other things) would fall outside the criteria for the "useful tool" .. I DO rely on that, there's absolutely no way I'd do any more than walk in the school without my saddles. So should I ride bareback until I feel I don't "need" a saddle any more? If I stuck with the above definition, yes.. but I'd probably not survive the test... so I've decided the definition doesn't work for me anymore :p


Maybe anything that makes you a more effective rider and that does NOT interfere with your horse in any way is a positive addition and therefore not only acceptable but possibly even recommended???
Click to expand...
I think I see where you're coming from, and I agree to a point, but I think I would define gadget as things aside from "normal" tack (i.e. saddle and bridle) that are not required for you to ride safely. E.g., in the case of RDA pupils, some additional bits of tack are definitely required to allow them to ride without significant risk.
However, I feel that things like leg training straps are not exactly "necessary" pieces of equipment for most people, and therefore gadgets. The same as we recommend schooling rather than gadgets for our horses, there are other ways to train your leg muscles, rather than using a "gadget" to achieve it.
So, essentially, I don't think there's anything "wrong" with it, but such tools (and I don't just mean things like training staps) sometimes mask an issue that needs to be addressed on the ground before you get in the saddle.

I don't think I'm explaining my thoughts very well! :eek:
 
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I have used those symmetry leg straps too FP, I think there fab(my leg position is horrendous!!)

I also use them on my OH to train his legs, he thinks they are fab cos it stops him flapping all the time :D
 
wildponies said:
If you need gadgets then there is obviously something wrong. Have you had your back and teeth checked? ;)
Click to expand...

Yup, and I've recently had a custom made saddle arrive to, so my MOT has passed. I do sometimes like an occasional strop, in which my mother beats me with a whip and lunges me in draw reins - I often settle down after a while as it kinda hurts!

:D:D:D
 
Ah you see that is where i like to take the alternative method. Have you tried circles? You can do little ones, big ones, tight ones, oval shaped ones, quick ones, slow ones pink ones and blue ones. :D
 
I think if you have tried via lessons and instruction with no results then the gadgets can be good :D

As long as someone doesnt use them due to lazy. Dont they they should be used as a way out of hard work :)
 
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