Do you ride XC with short or long stirrups?

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kit279

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I'm just wondering whether people prefer to ride XC with short or long stirrups and if so how tall are you and what sort of build are you?

I am small, short and weedy so I ride very short, which I like because I have a biggish horse and can go with him and stay balanced, but do look a bit perched on like a jockey! My OH is 6ft and quite long legged and slim so he has been riding quite long but I made him put his stirrups up and it seems to have improved his balance a fair bit.

Read in a magazine that Sharon Hunt has been making an effort to ride longer and I basically wondered why? Is it safer? Have been going through my XC books and notice that Mark Todd and WFP both ride quite short for their size.

Any thoughts as to which is more preferable and why?
 
Personally I ride longer but I am quite tall and I just feel more secure and balanced with longer stirrups. For quite some time I rode short as that was the way everyone said it should be done but I prefer to be able to wrap my legs round my horse. For some reason I slip out the side door much easier with shorter stirrups I think it makes me grip with my knee whereas when my stirrups are slightly longer my leg is straighter and more relaxed.
 
I am 5ft 7 and ride slightly longer than when I learnt but like BID I like to be able to wrap my legs around my horse (which is 16.2) and it makes me feel more balanced. However, it is all down to preference and what you feel happiest with. There are no rights or wrongs.
 
My knees are in the right place on the knee rolls (I think!) I know the saddle has saved me on a few occasions from exiting from the front and side doors.

I ride 4 holes shorter for sj and xc than my normal hacking/schooling length, although would like to ride shorter xc really as I feel I could do with it. Although need to put soe more holes in my leathers first
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I ride 3 holes shorter for SJ and XC than I do hacking and schooling.

My saddle has amazing knee rolls and I like to feel secure
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Depends on the horse. I ride longer the greener they are as they need the extra leg to help balance, send them forwards when they are not sure and keep them straight. Once they know their job I can pull my stirrups up a couple more holes as they do not rely on it quite so much.

I am 5'9 and ride in 48 inch leathers for jumping on about hole 9. I ride in 52 inch leathers for dressage near the bottom about hole 4.
 
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I ride short, i have my knees as far up as my saddle will allow, i am about 5 7

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Me too im 5ft 8" and ride as short as my saddles will allow, which at the mo is over the knee roles
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but should soon in my new saddle be ok!
 
I've just started to win the battle of getting my 6'2 husband to shorten up his stirrups. He's all leg, lucky boy, and used to moan that he felt like he was cooped up on an aeroplane when riding short. His current horses are both pretty sharp and bold as brass and, having now given in and riding several holes shorter than he used to, his balance is so much better and he's more able to go with the horse. Before that he found that if they pecked on landing in heavy going after a big hedge, he'd topple out and land running along side them.
 
I am 5ft11 with long legs. I ride quite short xc - my stirrups are 8 holes shorter than my dressage length, an I don't ride particularly long in my dressage saddle.

I feel much more secure with them shorter - they seem to go a hole or 2 shorter every year!
 
I ride 6 holes shorter for SJ and 8 holes shorter for XC than I do for stressage. I've found its the only way I can keep my weight in my heels, stop my lower leg slipping back and keep my upper body soft and forward over jumps (as opposed to slumping forward when my lower leg support goes).

I saw that Sharon Hunt had said that....funny because I had a XC clinic with her in February and the first thing she said was shorten your stirrups
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My saddle is quite small for my leg length (long legs) but my bum (small bum :P) fits perfectly in the saddle and I feel really secure. I don't really change the length of my stirrups alot. I ride on hole 9 for dressage, hole 10 for everyday hack ect and hole 11 for showjumping and XC although I'm thinking about moving up to hole 12 for showjumping and XC but whenever I have I feel really unstable, maybe I just need to practise!
 
i ride quite short just because i am comfortable like that although i do actually tend to get on better with slightly longer stirrups because i can use more leg and also it sit you deeper in to the saddle but if you are used to riding short then stick with it i would say
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Quite short, but reckon I could be shorter...
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SHorter is better as you can keep your lower leg on as your knee is off the saddle... in theory!!
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from a safety point of view short as possible is best as if your horse has a fall you are more likely to be thrown clear, whereas if your legs are wrapped round your horse you may stay with it. Just another point to add to the mix.
 
I ride very short - am 5'8 and think ride 11 holes shorter jumping than I would dressage. Personally find I'm more in balance but it's taken time to get my legs strong enough.

If you're going to ride very short then you need a super strong lower leg or you'll be all over the place. Lots of interval training sorted mine out!

Heard Lucinda Green say once that is safer to ride shorter, not because you're more likely to stay on but if the horse should fall you'll be catapaulted off and it's less likely the horse will land on you. she knows several jockeys who if they're not confident of their mounts jumping ability put their stirrups even shorter so if they get into trouble will be catapualted out the way.
 
for me, it depends on the horse's way of going more than anything.
i'm 5'10" with long legs, esp long from knee to hip.
on a green wobbly youngster, or one prone to stopping, i ride longish, only about 2-3 holes shorter than dressage length, so that i can really use my full length of leg to straighten a wiggle, and drive the horse forward. i hate feeling perched on this kind of horse.
on a straight, experienced horse, or one who is very bold and pulls, i will ride pretty short (maybe 4 holes shorter or so), so i can use my weight a bit more upwards and backwards against the horse, if necessary. (i used to ride point-to-pointers for canter work and was taught this then.)
i ride quite forward in my position (not defensively), and don't shove my feet home in the stirrups, so if the horse hits the deck i'm thrown very well clear. *touch wood* has only happened to me once or twice though.
 
I guess you could say I ride slightly long but that is preference - I like to wrap my legs round the horse - I am 5"11

I ride same SJ and XC
 
I have mine very short... my aunt said I looked like I was about to go arond the 3.30 at haydock when she saw me,and i am 5ft7 with a 16.3 tb!
 
Short on one - but on the other the leathers are a different length (need to get it sorted.. I know!) so not as short as I would like to.

Friend tends to get on my horses and say how on earth can you jump in stirrups this short - no wonder you always fall off! (I don't actually fall off that often, she just likes to wind me up!)
 
I ride short, I go 6 holes between dressage and cross country! (thats 6 holes up the leathers not a quick round of golf!)
 
i ride short enough to have my knee over the front of my pessoa saddle!
i am 5'10 and have ridiculously long legs though- i don't particularly fold over xc fences until they get a bit bigger, i like to stay slightly behind the horse which is easier to do in balance with short stirrups
 
Actually looking at my signature and the awful position in that particular pic... I might shorten mine even more henceforth lol!
 
Short (although bit too long atm as current leathers haven'y got enough holes
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) I'm going to be a bit controversial here and say I don't believe it is down to personal preference, I think to stay stable and balanced with your lower leg strong at the girth for security you should have short stirrups. I go along with Kerilli, if I'm on a green youngster where anything can happen I will ride longer xc schooling, but once they are at the stage when they are doing a course in a competitive situation I will always jack them up. A pet hate of mine is seeing riders with too-long stirrups bumping up and down on their horses round a xc course
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*Runs for cover*
 
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