Calling all showjumpers! Stirrup length help

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spacefaer

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Now I am the first to admit my first love is eventing - well, xc - and like most eventers, sj comes a distant 2nd to those lovely brown fences.

I will also admit that I haven't had a pure sj lesson in about 20 years, but have been eventing and hunting (a lot) in the last 10.

I had a sj lesson last week (bit of a scary one, where I wasn't allowed to see a hunting stride to the coloured poles). All went well, however, until the trainer said I had an "old fashioned" seat, and that I rode very short.

I have noticed that modern sjers seem to ride at dressage length, compared to the olden times. If I ride that long, I feel I am forcing my bum in the air, and standing on my toes, over the fence. I've also noticed that it's now de rigeur for lower legs to be back round the horse's stifles.

If I am to come into the 21st century with my sj, can someone please explain how the modern jumping seat works??
 
Tbh I don't think showjumpers jump with dressage length stirrups, certainly not the decent ones!

I do like to ride with short stirrups, just look at jump jockeys, its all about balance.

The comment "old fashioned seat" for me does not necessarily mean short stirrups, more that your lower leg is excessively forward. So maybe keep your stirrup length the same and work on keeping your lower leg a bit more underneath you.
 
I ride very short jumping too. Always have done.

I think some SJ-ers don't have quite the leg forward "safety seat" of some eventers, maybe that's what you are seeing?
 
I nearly always want people to get their stirrups shorter for jumping, reaching for stirrups too long is a pet hate of mine in all spheres, a secure lower leg and remaining in balance close to the horse will give it confidence and allow the rider to be relatively still.
Seeing long ones is not so good but will have nothing to do with your stirrup length and everything to do with the training you do, shortening the canter slightly by keeping your weight back can be done however long or short the stirrups, jockeys can see deep strides with the shortest of stirrups.

Some top SJ's do ride comparatively long but their horses will be trained just for that phase and the riders will rarely be jumping fixed fences so do not require the lower leg to be as secure as an eventer will, Nick Skelton seems to have done ok with a slightly old fashioned style!!
 
I jump ten holes shorter than I do flatwork, I feel much safer that way.



I know what your instructor means though, both eventers and showjumpers are riding longer than in the old days. I asked one at a demo once and the reply was that it made them less likely to fall off if the horse got it wrong to have their leg wrapped round the horse.
 
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The classic BHS / PC answer is that you SJ two holes shorter than flatwork, and XC 1 or 2 holes shorter than that. But in practice this can be limited by the design of your saddle and the placement of knee blocks. You may struggle to get your stirrups that much shorter in some GP's for example. (That is also why XC saddles are more forward cut than SJ saddles.)
 
I noticed newer trainers tend to favour slightly longer stirrup levels than the older school ones do. I learnt decades ago and we were always taught with super short stirrups and i prefer it. It does depend on your body shape and saddle cut though a bit. Some kneeblocks don't let you get them up high enough without the knee slipping over the block.
 
ycbm said:
I know what your instructor means though, both eventers and showjumpers are riding longer than in the old days. I asked one at a demo once and the reply was that it made them less likely to fall off if the horse got it wrong to have their leg wrapped round the horse.
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The flip side though is that riding shorter makes you more likely to be ejected clear if things go really pear shaped and you are therefore less likely to end up underneath the horse in the case of a rotational/horse coming down. I know what I would prefer, although I guess as in most things in life, there is a happy medium.
 
gunnergundog said:
The flip side though is that riding shorter makes you more likely to be ejected clear if things go really pear shaped and you are therefore less likely to end up underneath the horse in the case of a rotational/horse coming down. I know what I would prefer, although I guess as in most things in life, there is a happy medium.
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Yes, that's a bonus. I always feel more stable riding very short to jump, but it also helps to know you'll be thrown clear and not rolled on. I had to have my jumping flaps custom made to allow for my length of thigh!

I used to watch a pro event rider train their own horses and other people with longer stirrups and a more show jumping style. They said it was for accuracy on the technical cross country fences. I thought it was a recipe for disaster, and sadly that was right and they are no longer with us.
 
i also find that newer dressage trainers favour shorter stirrup length for dressage over the older school instructors.

A bit of me does wonder if its because the riders will find it 'easier' and feel like they had a more successful lesson? and get more short term goals done

My dressage instructor is old school and requires very long stirrup lengths, i hated it at first and almost felt like i couldn't ride at all, or achieve anything in the lesson, because the balance was so strange to me. But her attitude was, develop the muscles to ride properly and push through this horrible stage till you get your balance. I can see why dressage instructors, say at a clinic. wouldn't have the long term plan with a rider, so they work with where the rider is comfortable and make other less fundamental changes.
 
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