Cramp when riding

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Patches

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Just lately I have started getting cramp in the arch of my right foot when riding. This does coincide with wearing my New Mountain Horse boots but I slung the old pair so can't go back to wearing them as a comparison (my summer High Riders are still awaiting a clean to go back to Mountain Horse to replace the faulty zip).

With having the toe stoppers on my stirrups I couldn't jam my foot in either to see if that helped as I do have some arthritis in my big toe joints, you could say that'll teach me for cracking them constantly when I was young!

Anyway. I'm ok just at walk but after a while of rising trot, I have to stop because I can't take the pain under the ball of foot, along the arch and into the heel any longer. I have a breather and start again.

I did notice on Monday when riding that I can't actually rise over the pommel anymore as I keep lengthening my stirrups. I bet I can only move out of the saddle about an inch and a half and can bash myself on the pommel if I don't think about it. (am I making sense) It got me thinking that I feel I reach for the stirrups when rising by pointing my toes perhaps which could be what's causing the problem. Not sure why it only affects the right leg, unless my left stirrup is slightly shorter (never been any good at telling if they feel bang on level).

So, yesterday I changed my stirrups from my posh ones into normal ones and run them up a hole. Still ached a bit but not half as bad as it did before. I was able to rise over the pommel better and I felt my lower leg was more secure. However, removing the toe stopper has shown me a whole new problem.

I used to get my right foot jammed, which was why I bought the toe stoppers in the first place, and yesterday I think I realised why. When I am sat on Patches I feel like I am twisted...as though my right leg and foot sits further forward than my left. As I rise the twisting feels even more awkward and I realign my feet until I feel square, which means I have my right foot further into the stirrup than my left. I had the saddle checked last month and it wasn't twisted at all so it has to be my riding.

Any tips to help me stop it?
 
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Just lately I have started getting cramp in the arch of my right foot when riding

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Always get it in the arch of my left foot - no idea why,.

Interestingly I rode in 'those' stirrups - the ones with the rubber on the irons, can't remember what they're called - all over Christmas and never had one cramp!
 
My posh stirrups as I call them are MDC Intelligent Stirrups that are flexible and I can twist the tops of the stirrups too at 45 or 90 degrees to the leather. Did you ride in those new blue Sprengers, Bow Balance?

Must admit, I did often feel as though the right stirrup was flexing more than the left. Thought it was broke, so swapped stirrups over but no different. It's definitely something I do.

However, I have noticed that my poorly ankle is sore today after riding in "normal" irons! Can't win can we?
 
Mine were £111, I'm ashamed to admit.
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Yes that sounds about right.

Anyway not sure if it was coincidence or not - but I didn't get cramp once when riding in them.
 
If your stirrups are so long that you feel you are reaching for them and you cannot rise over the pommel of your saddle then this is also probably the reason why you foot is getting jammed through your stirrups as you will be loosing your balance. I would suggest shortening you stirrups and doing some exercises standing up and finding your balance over the front of the saddle. This will get your weight down in you stirrup more (hopefully without you puuting pressure on you foot and getting cramp) and help you balance. You should always be able to get into this position, even if you are dressage length.

I had a lesson with a well known dressage trainer a few weeks ago and he said that he too many people ride with there stirrups too long and in effect loose their balance (I have the opposite problem after too many years of jumping!).

I think you were right with thinking that you were getting cramp by reaching for you stirrup. I hope the exercise I mentioned helps.

With regards for one foot hurting more than the other, you will probably find that you are unintentionally putting more weight in it than the other. We all do it because most of us are not level through our pelvis. Stand up and try and relax on the ground. You will find you probably stand on one leg a lot more comfortably than the other? Is it the same leg you get cramp? If it is then all you can do is be aware that you do it, and perhaps go and see a good chiropractor like I do!! Lol!
 
Very interesting that you mention the pelvis. I posted a while back about suffering with a severe case of Symphisi pubis dysfunction whilst pregnant with my last child which still affects me some four years later. The bones at the front of my pelvis separated and it's been a long battle to get back to "normal". I could barely walk, certainly couldn't walk up stairs, get into bed, turn over once in bed etc for many months. It was very debilitating. To that end I know I have weakness there.

I think I keep lengthening them as people, when they see pics of me ride, say I look like I ride too short. Yet if I take my foot out and stretch my leg down, the stirrup is far longer than my ankle bone (which is where I thought the ideal length should be).

My saddle is very straight cut though which doesn't help. If I were too ride very short, my knees almost look like the come over the front of the knee rolls. I can stand in the saddle and balance independantly without relying on the reins whilst I trot and walk about.

I don't look like I ride long, and it's the numerous comments over the months I've posted pics telling me to lengthen them that has possibly lead to me not being able to rise over the pommel. Gotten a bit paranoid about it.

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I just can't open my hips and lengthen my thighs any more than this as my hips lock which causes great pain. All since my pregnancy. I'd had physio for it, but this is as good as it gets. Perhaps riding such a wide horse wasn't the best idea.

Now another interesting point you make, is that maybe I put more weight on one foot that the other. I do believe you may have hit the nail on the head!!! I tore the ligaments to the outside of my left ankle in September and it's still not completely healed. Stiff, and painful and still slightly swollen. Doctor said it could take up to two years to heal. Maybe I'm more guarded with rising trot on this foot and so do take up more weight on my right foot.

Thank you for your reply. Really enlightened me.
 
I think that I probably put more weight in one foot than the other come to think of it.

Patches - in that photo can you put your foot further in to the stirrup iron? You look like you're riding on your toes, rather than on the ball of your foot.
 
I keep being told that's where my toe should be. LOL

I don't think my feet stay in that exact position when I'm actually riding, tht was just standing still for a pic...let me see if I can find more pics.

Edited to add...can't find any that show my foot that clearly. Must admit I do often feel I need to lift my right stirrup to push it onto my foot more, jam it up to the end of the toe stopper. Maybe I've altered the toe stopper and it's not letting me get foot into stirrup as I don't feel like I can't get my left foot in.

Hmm....all good points.
 
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I keep being told that's where my toe should be. LOL

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No your foot should be 'in' the stirrup with the ball of your foot resting on the iron. No wonder you'be been unconfortable and had balance issues.
 
Well I'm glad I may have said something useful, I thought I garbled on a bit!

Yes, ideally when you take your foot out the stirrup the stirrup should be level with you ankle bone.

From your photo your stirrups look dressage length, as you say you saddle is very straight cut.

I only said about standing up in you stirrups cause in your OP you said you couldn't get over the pommel. If people tell you that you stirrups are too sort but any shorter means you can't get over the pommel then just tell them you can't go longer!

With regards to your foot, the widest part of your foot should be in the stirrup, so I would also say you need to put a little bit more of you foot in, but not much.
 
Oh and with my pelvis problem I'm useless at being able to tell if my stirrups are even too!! I always have to check before I get on! LOL!
 
I also get cramp on one side, partly I think as a result of a twisted pelvis combined with damage to the tendon in one leg..so consequently I am quite lop sided.

I have to ride very long, as I cannot comfortably achieve much of an angle in my hips (broke that too) so completely agree with the likely causes of your discomfort..I don't worry about getting over the pommel though, the most movement you will see from me in rising trot is a gentle brushing backwards and forwards on the saddle..anything else is just not possible
 
Yes I do...I check before mounting. My hubby laughs at me, but I really can't tell. Until I start rising and I start thinking..."hmmmm feels weird!" lol

Now you see, I keep being told that looks more jumping length and I'm thinking there is no way I could lower them anymore, I simply can't reach down any lower and as you say, I can't rise over the pommel at trot if I ride any longer.

Here's me with my foot out and leg stretched down. You can see the stirrup is longer than my ankle bone.

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Hmm i dont see why these people you know are obsessed with you riding so long, you can easily ride a couple of holes shorter and still have a good position, I generally ride quite short as Im most comfortable that way, i would always rather be too short than too long!

Ive just ordered those BOw Balance Sprengers, they have arrived but havent used them yet, looking foward to trying them on new, very BIG moving horse!
 
I've heard some good reports about your new stirrups. Hope you are as pleased with them as others seem to be.

As for riding long. I used to ride a couple of holes shorter and every time I posted pics on here, people would say I was riding way too short and needed to lengten stirrups by 2 or 3 holes!

I don't know why it is that people think I look as though I ride short. Only conclusion I can draw is because my cob saddle was made with exceedingly straight cut flaps as Patches has HUGE shoulders to help her feel more free.
 
i get cramp in my right foot. not sure why though. just had a thought, have you tried riding with NO stirrups, like quit and cross them for about 45 minutes, and then see what length your stirrups feel most comfortable

i always find that i adjust mmy stirrups before i get on, the get on, adjust them again, during the 1st 5 mins of a warm up ride with them and for a little after that ride without them, adjust stirrups and check girth and for the rest of the lesson my stirrups feel incrediblycomfy. just a though
 
That's a very good idea and something I'd be happy to do over summer when I can ride in the field. Not so keen on hacking out without stirrups on our country lanes though.

Don't have a manège here at home.
 
oh, not good idea on the roads lol. is there anywhere near you where you can rent a menage?? or how about going to a competition and using their warm up arena
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lol

but when you can try it, makes you work!! your seat will improve in the process, your legs will stretch down and you'll feel more secure. also have a go at riding trot with no stirrups, make you work extreamly hard and i collape afterwards but it improves your balance loads lol.

good luck!
 
Well me opinion is that your first picture looks nothing lie jumping length!

I'm an instructor and if you were in front of me in your seond picture I would make you put your stirrups up!

I have one client and she really does look like she is riding very short, knees right up in the knee role of her VSD saddle, but if she puts her stirrups down she is always loosing them as she has to stretch. But when we have decided that looking at her "conformationally" (lol!) she is very short in the calf in comparison to the length of her thigh which is what we think makes her look like she is riding so short. We have done so many exercises to lenghten her leg and just can't get her to stertch any longer!

I'm not saying this is your problem by the way!
 
Sorry about my spelling in my last post! Blimey it was awful!

Just wanted to add that I always judge dressage vs jumping lenght on the angle of the knee.
 
I do remember there is something in the angle of the knee, but I forget what it "should be".

As you can see from my first picture, if I did shorten alot my knee would be over the knee roll. Patches isn't that long backed for a horse of her size 15.1, so I can't have a bigger saddle. Interesting though that I'm only 5ft 4 and yet the saddle fitter said ideal with my hip to knee measurement I could do with an 18" saddle but Patches couldn't possibly take that length of seat. I don't have long legs at all, struggle with long boots impeding the back of me knee (I wear heel wedges in them to left my knee just clear of the zippers - did I just admit to that?????)
 
Just lately I have started getting cramp in the arch of my right foot when riding
I used to get exactly the same right before a jump-off. Don't ask me how but every time I got it I went on to win the class.

I ride in flexi stirrups for everything and only get cramp now when I ride in my "Muck Boots". But I must admit I probably ride quite short.
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