Can't keep my heels down!

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thorney84

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I actually find it almost impossible to keep my heels DOWN!

After a year back in the saddle i have finally managed to keep them flat instead of heels up but cant get them down! Anyone else have this problem? And for those that dont how do you do it? Thanks
 
I don't think they are meant to be down anymore? Mine still are though, being taught to ride in the 70s!
Shorten your stirrups perhaps? And ride without stirrups sometimes as that will stretch and lengthen you leg. Are you having lessons?
 
try thinking about toes up rather than heels down as that ends up fixing you through your legs rather than them absorbing the movement. How flexible are you through your joints, do you spend a lot of time in high heels when not riding? it could be that your achilles tendon is actually too solid so you need to do some stretching to make the tendons looser. Standing with your toes and teh balls of your feet on the edge of a step and bouncing gently will help loosen your tendons then you may find it easier to lift your toes.
 
I finally have a horse share now so will be able to ride more and there are two instructors at the yard to give me lessions.

Im constantley stretching and do yoga, and i take magnesium suppliments to relax my muscles. I probabley could do more of the step stretch thing! Have'nt thought about toes up....i will try that later!
 
i find my heels creep up when i start gripping with my knees, so i have to make a conscious effort to 'release' my knees and drop my heels. i also find that i nag with my feet, instead of my legs, which makes my heels creep up. so i try to use my calves more than my heels...
 
1 .... Think knees down, toes up.
2 .... Is your bottom leg far enough back - Head Hip Heel line? If your heels are acutally down it probably means that your leg is too far forward to make it physically possible.

Good luck!!
 
A particularly naughty pony taught me to keep my heels down or I would fall off when he spooked, spin and bolted. My current horse has also regularly reminds me of the importance of heels down, as he likes to buck occasionally. And so, for me 'heels down' prevents bruising and embarrassment. Not that I would recommend bruising and embarrassment as a good way of teaching you to keep your heels down, but it worked for me!!!!!!!
 
Let your knee all floppy, never squeeze with knees. In halt, put your weight onto your feet and push your heels down. Try and maintain this position in walk, and once you can try trot and then canter. You dont need them so far that it is hurting-trust me I know people who do this but try to keep them down a bit. It is safer aswell.
Hope this helps :)
 
I think once you have cracked it it becomes habit. I only notice my heels arent down when i lose my stirrups in canter, usually when my stirrups are too long. Check the length of your stirrups till you find a length you're comfortable with by that you can put the pressure on the balls of your feet then your heels will come down. works for me anyway!
 
girlmoose said:
I always think 'release knees and weight down heel'
You just have to find what works for you!
Good luck
Click to expand...

When I was riding I rethought this. This is what I do but you have to make you don't inadvertantly push lower leg too far forward, so don't force it too much. If you stand up in your stirrups and let weight drop through heel that should help!
 
I did loads and loads of lunge lessons to release my knee (I gripped) which relaxed my leg back and down, kept my heel partly down and then I worked on turning my toe in. From this I progressed to doing light seat work with SHORT stirrups (it hurts a lot at first) and now I can more or less keep my heels down most of the time on the flat and getting towards keeping them down over fences. I just have to learn to do this even when nervous!
Found that by doing out back and down with your hips helps too! :D
 
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