Having a position crisis!

[Pidge]

Ok am having a crisis with my lower leg position. I know its not secure and need some advice on how to improve it. I have come off Pidge 3 times now when cantering on a hack where he leaps to the side at whatever he spots and then he slams the breaks on

Last time was last Sunday and we nearlly took out sis and Sunny when we leapt to the side

Would appreciate some sensible tips on how to help make me more secure as the stickability I had in my youth seems to have well and truly worn off!
Have got a small video of me jumping, you can see my lower leg goes back when going over the jump for example, apologies for the quality it was from my mobile.

 

[henryhorn]

Sorry can't really help as the vid quality is terrible, and just shows a blurred horse cantering!
OH is really hard to dislodge from a spooking horse and he sort of wraps his legs round with his weight well back in those situations, you need to forget the dressage lessons and keep your legs slightly forward with the heel down as a brace incase of a swerve. keep the contact too, if necessary lift your hands so the horse is sort of up in front of you rather than pulling down against you.
Don't know if that makes sense reading it, but he only comes off after eight or ten bucks as a rule...

 

[Judie]

Agree the video is too poor quality to see in detail, so I'm not being rude here but I just can't see, is your saddle big enough, some times riders find it hard to stay put if there isn't enough saddle to sit in. You may also find wearing chap/gaiters or long boots help. With regard to actually improving your lower leg do lots of trot work standing up then sit for a few strides and stand again, you'll soon know whether your balance and lower leg needs improving if you find you're wobbling with that exercise, just keep practising if do.

 

[monica123]

i cant really see, but maybe have lunge lessons, if you can to sort out you position with legs, and what everyone else has said

 

[Happy Bird]

My instructor always teaches me to have my legs further forward when jumping (with much shorter stirrups), heels so far down that you can see the soles of my boots if watching me head on. It feels very secure and stops your leg flying back over jumps too.

 

[Pidge]

I know sorry, my lower leg seems to have a mind of its own and swings back. I struggle to keep the heel right down as I have been taught to keep it slightly down, does that make sense? Would riding without stirrups in the school help?

 

[Pidge]

Sorry about the vid! Saddle is big enough, should I wear my half chaps all the time as I have been lazy and only tend to wear them when at a comp? Have tried the standing up at trot before and really didn't feel very secure, I guess my lower leg is really bad then

 

[Happy Bird]

It would help to develop your seat. What does your instructor say ?? Maybe your stirrups are too long ..... I find it easier to keep lower leg still when I shorten mine.

 

[Pidge]

Just organising another instructor at the mo as last one doesn't come to the yard anymore. I think perhaps I am riding too long, will try putting them up to what I jump with and see how it goes.

 

[eohippus]

Wearing gaiters ect will give you more support through the ankle. you could try to relax more through the ankle so that you can feel more bounce through them. Some people brace through the ankle to keep them in position instead of relaxing them and letting take the bounce, when bracing your leg cannot lengthen enough to stay with the action and this will either force them back or too forward or force you seat back and cause you too collapse through your stomach.
Taking a light seat through trot is always a help and although you do not feel secure now it is a way to get your balance with a deeper and more secure leg position, but do this with stirrups at dressage length and not jumping length as this may tip the balance to much. Doing lots of exercises in walk or halt to aid balance will help deepen the seat and encourage the leg to stay in position.
Keep up with the lessons but concentrate in doing things that will build the balance and position through the lower leg.
hope this helps
Dawn

 

[teapot]

Only thing I can suggest to work on lower leg especially for jumping is LOTS of work in jump length stirrups, ideal for out hacking - and once you're trotting (trot's the worst to do it but no pain, no gain) - go into a light seat and don't rise, just hover.

I used to do it at everyone opportunity whilst I was the hack escort and it really made a difference to how secure my leg was - you'll find you will soon find your natural balance otherwise you'll be moving around the place.

And it also helps loosen up the ankle muscles

 

[Pidge]

Thanks Dawn, just so hard when as years ago it was easy to stick on, now it just seems so much harder, especially with the leaping and then grinding to a halt, if it was or the other not a problem but one followed by the other is a disaster for me, then only good thing is when I am on the floor Pidge is stood there looking down at me going "what are you doing on the floor mummy?" so at least he doesn't pee off after I come off! I have even tried sitting upright when cantering out hacking to see if that helps rather than coming out of the seat and leaning forwards but it doesn't hence it must be my lower leg! Will have a go on Monday night when I can ride him again. Thanks

 

[Pidge]

Thanks, that sounds like a good idea so will have a play with that one as well.

 

[eohippus]

Well after all the falls you will feel a bit aprehensive in relaxing more and will probably be bracing yourself for self preservation, take one step at a time and keep the pace slow. Raise your stirrups when you feel ready. YOu can easily do trotting poles and trotting movements with a light seat and this will help you to find a good balance and an independant leg and hand aid, You do not need to be so forward as you feel you are tipping over but just a light hovering seat that will allow your ankles to take the bounce rather than aiming for rising through your seat in an upright position. It is hard to explain without showing or directing you face to face. I am sure your instructor will have some good balancing and relaxing exersices for you to do if you explained that you only want to work on this until you feel secure enough to move on.
Best of luck
Dawn

 

[RubyR]

I agree with teapot. I did a lot or riding with my stirrups at jumping length and trotting round hovering in the saddle. It really stretches that calf muscle down and helps your lower leg become really strong. That will definetly help. Riding without stirrups whilst being lunged on a safe steady horse is a brilliant exercise as well

 

[Pidge]

Was very aprehensive as after last Sundays fall we had 2 short canters where I held on to the breastplate with both hands

god I felt so much like a numpty! Just want to be able to have a canter out hacking without coming off! It's ok in the schools as he doesn't spook at anything, but on a hack he can be ok or like bambi on ice! Have decided to really work on this before going out again as at my age you don't exactly bounce anymore and my hand is still sore from last week and don't want to destroy my confidence out hacking.

 

[KatB]

Shorter stirrups i think from what I could see, and work alot on you forward position, so trot and canter with lower leg on and heel down. know it sounds funny, but have you got large knee rolls on your saddle?

 

[Zebedee]

Looking at the little piccy under your name (avatar?) it would seem that your upper body is pitched forward which would put you in front of the movement.
As others have already suggested you need to take a more defensive position. Get your a*se firmly in the saddle & get your lower leg forward & braced against any sudden stops or swerves. You may need to take your stirrups up a hole to help you with this.
Another thing which may help is if you have a friend who is a strong rider & can send him forward VERY firmly through all his nonsense? It's so hard to tell long distance, but could this be a naughty habit that he's got in to with you? By all means hang on to the breastplate or anything else handy to stay on, but what he really needs is for someone to keep hold of the front end & send him forwards into the bridle.
Good Luck - I hope that it won't be too long before you're enjoying hacking him again.

 

[Pidge]

Got a sort of event saddle to jump in which I hack out in, plenty of support up front, think its just me being crap riding at the mo

 

[Pidge]

Thanks for the advice, I think when he spooks and unseats me a bit he worries so slams the brakes on as he's not sure what is happening, he's very much in tune with me, which isn't always a good thing

for example if I'm not sure about something then neither is he but if I'm 110% confident then there's no stopping him! Think some of it could be then, but am having a lesson on Wednesday so will see how that goes. I WILL crack this problem, it is just a temporary blip - hopefully