Getting legs relaxed during riding

M

Monkerhostin

Active Member
Joined
17 July 2010
Messages
46
Visit site
I had a lesson yesterday and my RI picked up on that i seem to be really tight and tense in my legs and i dont seem to have the weight in my heels.

Can someone give me some tips/advice on how to bring that right please, thank you.
 
I second that, ride without stirrups. :)
I tend to grip with my knees meaning that I can't relax my legs. (don't know if thats the same as what you do) I find it helps if I just concentrate on not gripping with my knees. Everytime I feel them tense, if I just push my knee off the saddle it relaxes the rest of my leg.
I tend to do it in my canter transitions worst and if I feel myself do it, I push my leg as long as I can, that helps me too
 
I did a lot of work without stirrups and that did help - i just cant seem to make the transition back to stirrups and keeping legs relaxed.

The other thing is i used to be a racehorse rider and i always bring my heel up asking for leg which is another bad habit - which may have something to do with it.
 
I'd say stitting trot in that case then. Similar to riding without stirrups. Could you ride with your stirrups any longer to help you stretch your legs out?
 
absolute diva said:
I'd say stitting trot in that case then. Similar to riding without stirrups. Could you ride with your stirrups any longer to help you stretch your legs out?
Click to expand...

I will try lengthening the stirrups - i did that last night but when i went into rising trot i couldnt feel the bottom of one of my stirrups :D
 
That means your holding your weight to one side more then the other.
I watched someone have a lesson the other day, and the instructor told the rider to rise from the stirrup she couldn't 'feel'.
The leg that you can feel the stirrup for, will continue to keep the right amount of weight in it automatically. And as you are thinking of rising from the one you can't feel, it puts more pressure on that side to even you out.
 
All very good suggestions - i did a lot of work with no stirrups yesterday - i enjoyed it - it is just a bit difficult coming from a racing yard with little prior experience of riding horses - and trying to pick it all up and get out of old habits.

Thank you all for your suggestions so far - i did a lot of sitting trot work without stirrups too so i could feel the seatbones when turning and so on.
 
Thee is no point doing sitting trot unless you are doing it properly its a waste of time. I would advise exercises:

1) Ride like a jockey and then move your legs down wards keep doing this about 6 times and with that hitiching them as high as you can and then really push down.

2) Move your thighs away from the saddle and hold them. This is hard but it will stretch your insides of your thighs and you should be able to feel your seat sitting squarely and evenly. Hold for about 5 secs or as long as comfortable and do this 5 times. I do this everytime I am sat on a horse and it has really loosened my hips up.

3) Move you legs back as far as you can push then move them forwards. Again make sure you can feel the stretch.

4) Sit and rotate your arms round. This will keep your upper body loose.

Take back the stirrups and see how everything looks.
Work hard on moving your thighs further back they should be no where near the knee blocks. One leg normally works forwards more but watch it and work hard. Make sure the weight is evenly distributed in both stirrups. This should hopefully help loosen you legs and get you sitting sqaurely and putting even pressure down the stirrups.
 
Lunge lessons and work without stirrups are both good ideas. One thing to add - especially if you are riding a horse who is not forward then it is easy to have your legs 'on' all the time (as in constantly applying pressure rather than wrapped around the horse). Make sure that when you give an aid you take the pressure off again.

Lots instructors will shout 'leg!' but not say what kind of aid is needed. Remember that a pulse and release will get a better reaction than continual pressure.
 
My new RI has had me working in a light seat for a few strides of trot to stretch the backs of my legs and encourage my heels down. Has also worked well for my friend who is very tight in her hamstrings and glutes.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top