Any advice on leg position?

babs2507

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I have been riding for about 10 years now, and I currently ride a 13.2hh pony for someone. I am about 5ft 6, so quite tall for him, although he is capable of taking my weight.

I have been having difficulty lately with my right leg, as soon as I put my feet in the stirrups, my right leg feels like it is much longer. I have tried putting the length up, but then it feels incredibly short. Who I ride for says that my stirrups are even but Its me that doesnt feel it.

I want to feel even again as I know it cant be comfortable for the pony.... I rode my friends horse who is 17hh and didnt feel too uneven but it was still there a little bit.

I have been told that it may be my hips that are uneven.... Anyone have any ideas with regard to any exercises that may help??
 

FubsyMog

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No advice I'm afraid but will be watching this post with interest as I have a similar problem - one of my legs is slightly longer than the other and my hips are not entirely level.
 

babs2507

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I have been told that Pilates may help, although I think it would be more beneficial to try to do it while riding. One thing that did help when I first got him was to ride him while someone was lunging him. I took my feet out of the stirrups and walk, trot and cantered while on the lunge. It helped for about a week then returned back to uneven again.
 

Tammytoo

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I had this problem for years and eventually went to a chiropractor who told me my hips were uneven. I had 3 treatments and she gave me excercises to do and I've never looked back. Wish I'd gone years ago!
 

roosa93

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I have fixed this with Pilates! My legs didn't match up, and it ended up being the result of my hip flexors (iliacus and psoas muscles) being incredibly tight as well some muscles in my other (shorter) leg being tight as well. Once I got them to stretch properly I evened up! :)
 

Echo24

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It sounds like one of your legs might be more supple than the other, so although your stirrups are even, it feels like one leg is shorter than the other! I would suggest Pilates or maybe yoga to help with stretching your muscles and improving your flexibility.
 

TrasaM

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Same problem here. I've done Alexander technique lessons which help by making me more aware of I'm doing and posture. Mine stems from my right hip being very tight.
 

Rhodders

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sounds like you pelvis might be out, try going to a chiropractor when I start to feel wonky thats my first port of call and fixes it every time
 

sl114

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I have exactly the same problem with my left leg. It seems that i am stronger in my right leg, therefore my left leg seems to flap around a bit, comes out of my stirrups at times and appear a lot longer as it is not positioned in the stirrup properly, the left rein is clearly my weaker rein.

I am doing a lot of no stirrup work now, which appears to be helping as i relax both legs, lengthen them as well as keep the correct position. If you have lessons, as your instructor to do this. I also do certain warm up exercises while on the horse, which tends to help.

In the mean time, while i am correcting this problem, i make sure that i put a little more weight into my right stirrup to ensure that i am equal. Mirrors in your school will help you see your position.
 

viola

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I've worked with many riders with this problem as it's very common. The uneven "stretch" of psoas muscles is often the case but as you say you were able to achieve fairly quick correction simply by short sessions without stirrups I would look at your whole seat. You might be habitually sitting more on one side of the saddle/collapse through your waist or one hip/be strongly dominant with one part of your body etc It might seem normal to you through habit and you only feel the uneven stirrups as you change saddles/horses; some other issues might need sorting first.

Get someone to video you and then try playing it in slow-motion - you can see many issues 100 times better like this :)

If the problem is only on one horse then I would have a good look at the way he/she is put together and how his/her muscles are developed. It might be as much the horse's schooling/movement issue as the rider's. Some very one-sided horses are barrel like on one side, but ribcage slants much more on the other. This makes one leg open more in the hip and fall higher up the horse's side then the leg on the "flat" side (where your hip doesn't have to open so much).

Regardless of the reason, a good chiropractor, although might be expensive at first glance, is always a great choice IMO.
Such unbalance in the rider has grand effect on the horse so long term the back man and vets fees might be much higher than a biomechanics assessment and some chiro exercises ;)

P.S. I am not a chiropractor ;) However, I do work with one with many of my riders hence above recommendation :)
 
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