Find it hard to get my leg on in dressage saddle?

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Lill

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Have started using my dressage saddle on Blue and am finding it extremely hard to get my leg on him.

The flaps are obviously longer than the WH saddle i was using and i have long legs (but am not very good a riding with long stirrups i keep losing them) and he does not have a verydeep or fat body so i find it very difficult to reach him!

I find i have absolutely no chance of riding him without spurs in a dressage saddle, am looking at possibly getting some longer ones? Or swan neck ones?
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I have tried putting my stirrups down a hole to make them longer and i can just about cope in trot but as soon as i canter i lose them completely.
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Have always been crap at riding longer
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If the saddle fits you properly, you will only put the leathers down a couple of holes from your normal GP position, you don't have to have the stirrups so long your feet are swinging in the breeze, it should feel a natural position that the saddle is putting you in.

I have long legs and I wear a slightly longer pair of spurs to reach my horse because my heels are not "on her sides".

You need to take advice from your instructor to get the stirrups right.
 
I seem to have the problem though that as soon as i go to nudge him my knees go over the front of the saddle flap?

His sides are THAT far away from my heels!!
 
Do you knees go up and over the saddle flaps? Maybe you are not pushing you weight down into you heel enough and the heel and lower leg is coming up - again this maybe why you are losing your stirrups??? When I first used a dressage saddle I had to start off with short stirrups until I got used to the cut of it and then I lengthened gradually.
 
But i cannot seem to touch Blue's sides with my leg without bending my knees that much?

I obviously need to be bow legged, would be ok then!
 
Come to think of it I dont think my actual heels touch B's sides either unless I do a huge kick. Lucklily he is forward going enough off my calfs and teaching meslef to use my seat more.
 
Well i think it would fit me on a horse with a deeper barrel or fatter belly...

Blue is neither though so that is why i find it difficult.

I will try to get a photo at the weekend to show you what i mean.

In the meantime i think i shall just go for longer spurs
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