help with my riding position and style??? **pics & vids**

BlueWicked

BlueWicked

fluff-free
Jan 13, 2008
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in the real world...
just wanted some opinions on riding position & styles.

I was always taught to ride from my knees... years ago, by a then already old instructor:rolleyes: That, combined with lack of lessons for a decade and bumping round as i please, has meant Ive found Ive ended up with my leg often too far forward. Also, I know I definately dont often actually have my lower leg 'on' the horse.OK, it goes on to ask for an upward transition or more impulsion... So when I was riding a less forward going horse it was 'leg, leg, leg, leg' infact I can clearly hear my RI of all those years ago shouting that at me, and I learned to do that rythymically with the horses stride. As a result my RI says my leg tends to swing back and forward as if Im kicking - but im not. Must be muscle memory!:eek: She says I need to wrap my lower leg round the horse and move it back , further under me. I also need to lift my hands and 'carry' them more. It often looks like i am resting them on the horse neck, but im not.

I have tried balance straps with a little success, but I find it so hard!:mad:

Then - enter Blue!

Now Blue is very forward going and my RI commented on how active his walk is and that some people spend years trying to achieve that. There is no need for me to be pushing him on as every pace is active, although I dont mean rushed or pulling. It's kinda hard to explain... does anyone know what I mean?:confused::eek:

I am trying to make him work out on our hacks and Im finding when im relaxed, mind a million miles away, and have sloped back into my own style of lower leg off- he is fine... as soon as i remember and try to move it back and wrap it round him he seems to get confused, dances sideways, snatches etc....

So it seems to me that my 'style' suits him better? Or is it more he isnt schooled to understand my leg round him doesnt mean hyper-drive:rolleyes: But then I ask myself WHY bother? If it aint broke.... Oh i am confuddled!!!!!

I guess im asking -

im pretty sure i need to sort out the swinging leg thing, and carrying my hands better, but DO i really need to get this lower leg wrapped round him or not?

here are some pics/vids of me riding in the last 6 months....

here in these vids (when i was trying Blue out) you clearly see the swingy leg thing - it looks like im legging him on and pushing him on with my seat but im not! At least i dont mean to, and I dont know how to ride any different? I guess the balance straps will help

pics of my natural postion.... ignre the hands - i know i need to carry them more, but what about leg?

Tallytrot.jpg


tallyhack008.jpg


....waiting for photobucket to upload another vid:rolleyes:
 
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hmmm i think your leg does need to come back a bit but as for the swinging thing my leg does that in trot ...:mad:
 
Looking at the photo - you should have a straight line through your shoulder and hip to your heel - you lower leg is too far forward and (at a guess) your knee is stiff and braced.

If I was standing next to you I would take your fet out of the stirrups and ask you to 'open' your hips (take you legs away from the saddle) and get the knee relaxed and flat against the saddle, which should let the lower leg hang more vertically and get that line (shoulder, hip, heel)

This will then let you lower leg hang gently against the horse's side and stop the swing.

Re-educating to his position is going to take a while - have a go with your RI or a friend - good luck
 
hmmm i think your leg does need to come back a bit ( but i suppose if he goes better with it forward it might be worth leaving it there...)but as for the swinging thing my leg does that in trot ...:mad: so any tips on how to sort that out would help me too
 
I think you look great personally but can see what your RI is picking up. :)

How your sitting in the saddle looks fine to me, however the saddle itself may not be helping with your ear, shoulder, hip, heel line - the stirrups bars may be set forwards, and by the looks of things your saddle is general purpose, yes? So your not going to get leg positon 100% correct, although while still riding in a GP saddle you can get a pretty good leg position! Aim for stirrups leathers to be vertical all the time when you ride.

In the last pic you posted, it looks like your forcing your heel down, which may just be because a picture was being took (I do it myself;):p) or may be generally how you ride. Sometimes forcing your heel down, pushes your leg forwards and breaks that line you want to acheive - and I know you had most likely gone or were just going hacking but ride with longer stirrups and that will help get your leg under.

I have no other suggestions for leg position as Im by no means experienced. Hand position will come in time, just keep reminding yourself! Just be aware of them. :)
 
happy highlande said:
If I was standing next to you I would take your fet out of the stirrups and ask you to 'open' your hips (take you legs away from the saddle) and get the knee relaxed and flat against the saddle, which should let the lower leg hang more vertically and get that line (shoulder, hip, heel)
Click to expand...

**sobs!** ( no not literally;)) that is exactly what my Ri has done -I just CANT seem to do it tho:eek:

ok, so thats the positinal thing - but what about having my lower leg wrapped round this forward going/active horsey I have?
 
vimto92 said:
I think you look great personally but can see what your RI is picking up. :)
In the last pic you posted, it looks like your forcing your heel down, which may just be because a picture was being took (I do it myself;):p) or may be generally how you ride. Sometimes forcing your heel down, pushes your leg forwards and breaks that line you want to acheive - and I know you had most likely gone or were just going hacking but ride with longer stirrups and that will help get your leg under.
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thanks. I do force my heels down, prob moreso for a pic youre right:eek: but i do it all the time as well - another drilled in thing "heels down, head up"!

here's that other vid

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yes your leg is swinging and you are slightly forward in your seat, but as you are jumping anyway this is ok.

however your position is safe and you look in balance with the horse, the horse jumps well and you give him freedom with your hands to jump.

i would say work on your leg position slowly. i was told to sit up more in canter on my youngster, but when i do he comes back to trot or canters horribly! i guess because he is used to "my way" the same as your horse. i just sit up once my horse is cantering well and then go back to trot before it goes wrong, gradually we are building it up. maybe you could try this type of thing with your horse.

good luck.
 
pineapple said:
yes your leg is swinging and you are slightly forward in your seat, but as you are jumping anyway this is ok.

QUOTE]

i disagree with this, legs have no need to swing whether jumping or not and your position in between fences should be as it is if doing flatwork or dressage. I'm not qualified to give advice on how improve this but just my opinion.
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I'd want to bring your bum forwards so that you're sitting in the deepest part of the saddle. A couple of exercises that can help:

1) Bring your knees up in front of the saddle, shuffle your bum forwards, drop your legs down but be careful not to shuffle back again :) Easier said than done!

2) On the lunge or if your horse is sensible enough on a circle ... take your feet out of the stirrups, point your toes DOWN like a ballet dancer and do a few minutes in walk initially and then trot when you feel comfortable.

You may feel that you need to drop your stirrup a hole (or even 2). Certainly in the second photo you appear to be bracing against the stirrup which is pushing your leg forwards. You don't need your heel down that far for flatwork, horizontal is fine as long as you're not gripping up and pointing your toes down.

Ideally you'd let your leg hang around the horse like a wet cloth. Touching his sides but not 'on' and not held away. This means that you can use the aid if you need to and that you can close your legs quickly if something happens and you need to hang on! Having the legs 'on' all or most of the time is only going to deaden him to the aids.

With regards to your vid the canter was a bit short but I get the feeling that you're 'polishing the saddle' a bit (probably because you're trying too hard :) ) which is why your hands are moving up and down and your lower legs aren't stable. Try and think more that you 'circle' your hips backwards in a sort of oval shape, at the same time you think of 'sucking' up which helps to get your weight off his back (as opposed to the driving seat) so allows him to lift his back and work correctly.

Maybe you have trained him to your aids but it's better for his back and your 'feel' if you can try to sit in a more correct position (if you can put your hand under the saddle when you're riding slightly back in the saddle and then when you've adjusted your position). It's also better balanced for both of you.

Having said all that, though, your position really isn't bad at all and only *needs* a couple of tweaks. I wonder if in moving your leg back you're actually taking it too far back and giving aids for lateral work?

All the best x
 
happy highlande said:
Looking at the photo - you should have a straight line through your shoulder and hip to your heel - you lower leg is too far forward and (at a guess) your knee is stiff and braced.

If I was standing next to you I would take your fet out of the stirrups and ask you to 'open' your hips (take you legs away from the saddle) and get the knee relaxed and flat against the saddle, which should let the lower leg hang more vertically and get that line (shoulder, hip, heel)

This will then let you lower leg hang gently against the horse's side and stop the swing.

Re-educating to his position is going to take a while - have a go with your RI or a friend - good luck
Click to expand...

Along the lines as what i was thinking, i've had same problem and some GP saddles can automatically throw you into that position. When you are riding you should be able to remove the horse and land balanced on your feet, looking at those pics you'd be more likely to fall back onto your bottom. I was advised to bring both knees up to reach each other in front of pommel, then open legs out as wide as possible to open up the hips, and then lower legs back down. Also if you stand on ground with knees slightly bent, about hip width apart, then tilt your pelvis so your bum sticks out, you'll find your legs naturally want to turn outwards slightly, this is more the position you should be in. This then brings the lower leg back and helps 'wrap' the legs around the horse more. Usually you'll find lengthening the legs like this will help with movement in the lower leg. Doing this and working without stirrups would probably help.
Hope this helps, it really difficult to explain. :)
 
what i ment was her slightly forward seat was ok when jumping not the swinging leg. however it doesnt seem to be bothering the horse while riding, and she doesnt look like she is about to fall off, and so its not a major major issue, just something she needs to work on and over come.
 
BlueWicked said:
**sobs!** ( no not literally;)) that is exactly what my Ri has done -I just CANT seem to do it tho:eek:
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I don't agree with this 'pulling the muscle out' and putting the thigh flat exercise that some RIs do. First of all it closes your hips and turns your knee in but secondly, what about when you go into rising trot? Are you going to pull the leg into position after every rise? ;)


but what about having my lower leg wrapped round this forward going/active horsey I have?
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You can have your leg draped around the horse without it being an aid. Whilst the horse is maintaining the speed/gait that you want then the leg is relaxed. Even when you put your leg on is should be more for impulsion than speed.

Saff used to shoot off when you put your leg on but because we wanted to do lateral work she had to learn that 'leg' doesn't have to mean 'go' :) She's still very responsive but appropriately so. It's taken a while but we're getting there :)
 
NoviceNic said:
Are you riding with a GP saddle?? GP saddles are difficult to get the right alignment down through your body and legs.
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yeah its the saddle he came with - its a wintec GP with quite big knee rolls - what would be better? I do a lot of hacking, some jumping, as much flatwork/school as i can persuade myself I need too:eek:
 
I would just say that you need to bring your bum forward and also when your cantering you are leaning forward I feel
 
he looks slightly uncomfortable..sorry but just an observation from the videos...:eek:

your postions is fine overall,in canter try and keep your leg under you and your shoulders more still and just leave you hips do the work!:)
lovely horses by the way! whos the coloured??
 
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