Confused..mixed advice on position..

[aimeejay]

Hello all,

I just would like to ask a question...
I have always ridden with my legs underneath my body, i.e shoulder, hip, heel, meaning I wasn't sat so much on my bum. I had a lesson with another instructor who told me I need to put my legs forward and sit more on my bum, and I have to admit found this miles easier when sitting trot on a 17.2hh lassie! However, feel like I'm riding slightly in the armchair postition, leaning slightly too far back.

What position is your lower body/legs?

 

[Tnavas]

Your description is correct - shoulder, hip heel - positioning the lower leg under you.

It may be that you have placed your lower leg too far back under you - hard to know if you don't have mirrors and the riding instructor is correcting this by telling you to bring your lower leg forward.

 

[Louby]

I never really thought of the logistics before as Im told to get off my fork, sit on my bum but still bring my lower leg back

 

[Tnavas]

I never really thought of the logistics before as Im told to get off my fork, sit on my bum but still bring my lower leg back

Louby you are probebly arching your back too much which will pitch you onto your fork and because of the angle of your pelvis it will cause your lower leg to be too far back. Rocking back onto your butt corrects the fork position but can cause the rider to bring the leg forward. Hence why you are told to bring your lower leg back.

 

[intouch]

Stand up in the saddle and get comfortably balanced. When you sit down, don't allow your lower legs to move, and you should be in the correct, classical position.

 

[Box_Of_Frogs]

The text book position is ear, shoulder, hip, heel all in vertical alignment. An easy way to think of it - especially if you have mirrors in your arena - is that if your horse was suddenly magically whisked away from underneath you, you should land squarely in your feet, standing perfectly upright. If your leg is too far forward you'd land on your bum and fall over backwards. If your leg is too far back, you'd land on your knees and topple forwards, nose first. If you don't have mirrors, practice at home in front of a full length mirror so that you know what a correct ear, shoulder, hip, heel feels like.