Help, how to trot without the leg being flying

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Lam

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Hello, I am a novice rider, and learning to trot, there are something I am struggling with. please kindly advice.
I found myself don't know how to use leg muscles to hold horse's belly ( my leg is mostly hanging/ flying when trotting ), what sort of exercises that I need to practice at home? Or what can I do about it?
Secondly, I found difficulties to keep my stirrup at the right place, especially when i was doing trotting it my boots tried to slip off.
Thank you for your time!
 
This can be caused by trying to reach for the stirrup, if you shorten them a hole, you will find stability easier whilst your learning, once you're secure with them shorter you can lengthen them :)
 
Thank you Jade&Syrah for your advice, and I will try for my next riding. Do you reckon any exercise that I can/ need to practice without being on horse to keep my legs still on the belly?
 
Perhaps you are trying to use your legs a bit too much? Are you trying to force yourself up in rising trot?.The legs should (sort of) hang there under you and be used to nudge the horse along and giude it . I'd concentrate on improving your upper body position and getting some more flexibility into your back and shoulders. Dunno if sit ups might help with this? If you sort this your legs should end up in the right place and it will help with keeping your stirrups.

Oh and practice. More practice. Stick at it - it's worth it :D

Above all, don't stress and have fun.
 
Thank you all lovely people for the generous advice, will definitely to make sure the stirrup in a right length to keep my legs as still as possible.
Re:Xander, I was trying to "push myself up" when doing trotting but wasn't quite successful as I can't find the point of supporting n was experience with landing on too front of saddle. Also, I cant keep my legs close to the belly, it was more alike hanging on the stirrup.
 
Lam said:
Thank you all lovely people for the generous advice, will definitely to make sure the stirrup in a right length to keep my legs as still as possible.
Re:Xander, I was trying to "push myself up" when doing trotting but wasn't quite successful as I can't find the point of supporting n was experience with landing on too front of saddle. Also, I cant keep my legs close to the belly, it was more alike hanging on the stirrup.
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Ah well, that's just practice. You'll end up using the motion of the horse to lift yourself up rather than make a conscous effort to force it. You'll be back here in a few weeks telling us how you've cracked it! As your whole body gets stronger you'll find it easier. Also you don't need to rise too much, just enough to make it comfortable for you and the horse.
 
Xander said:
Ah well, that's just practice. You'll end up using the motion of the horse to lift yourself up rather than make a conscous effort to force it. You'll be back here in a few weeks telling us how you've cracked it! As your whole body gets stronger you'll find it easier. Also you don't need to rise too much, just enough to make it comfortable for you and the horse.
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Re: Xander, smile. It seems that u could image how did I ride, laugh. I will keep practicing n relax... N try to coordinate with the horse's rhythm. Thank you for your encouragement. Smile
 
One exercise to do at home is to "squat" with both feet flat on floor, lift your body up and down with the thigh muscles, this will emulate the need to use stirrups for support, and strengthen the correct muscles,at no time when riding should you feel you are on "tiptoes", your weight should sink in to the stirrup, through your heels, and the horse should be pushing you upwards, all a bit tricky at first, but it will come.
tbh you may need to use a neck rein to help lift your body if you are finding it difficult to keep in rhythm and maintain balance without hanging on to the reins. Maybe you need a private lesson for half an hour just to help you through this stage.
 
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MrsD123 said:
One exercise to do at home is to "squat" with both feet flat on floor, lift your body up and down with the thigh muscles, this will emulate the need to use stirrups for support, and strengthen the correct muscles,at no time when riding should you feel you are on "tiptoes", your weight should sink in to the stirrup, through your heels, and the horse should be pushing you upwards, all a bit tricky at first, but it will come.
tbh you may need to use a neck rein to help lift your body if you are finding it difficult to keep in rhythm and maintain balance without hanging on to the reins. Maybe you need a private lesson for half an hour just to help you through this stage.
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Re:MrsD123, thank you for your suggestion and would like to ask when doing the exercise that you advices, am I keep the position still or doing it in " up, down, up, down" to mimic the movement on horse back?
The recent lesson I did was quite different than before.. Was using both hands rather than one hand holding the rein n other one holding on the saddle. So I can't use my arm/hand to lift up. N no idea why my legs were mostly flying though all the lesson. ( other people are suggested the stirrup length was not suitable)
 
Yes you should bob up and down, but slowish so it takes a bit of effort, it is so difficult to give advice without seeing you , possibly you are feeling that you are being asked to do something different every time, but the instructor is just trying to find the best way for you. Speak to your instructor before you ride out, she may give you a pony which is easier for you, some are short and choppy, so you feel in a rush, They all vary, and at this stage, you can't really adapt to one pony then another so maybe you need to ask for your favourite pony, this will help your confidence as well as letting you enjoy your lesson more.
 
What I found helped with my lower leg was standing in trot. It makes you put your heels down and keep your leg still because if your leg wobbles you end up sitting back down! I would reccoment a neck strap to hold onto so you don't go thumping down onto the horses back.
Also how about lunging lessons without stirrups? This will help you keep your legs nice and long and get you sitting on your bum alot more :)
Ditto the above too, try popping your stirrups up a hole!
 
Re: MrsD123, yes, I am having different horse and pony in different lesson, I thought it was a normal thing when rider should be adapt to different horse, but now it seems doesn't for this moment.

Re: Damnation, I was tried to trot without the stirrup but I found it is slightly difficult when I don't have a support from the stirrup. It maybe I am not used to used those leg muscles to hold my body.

Smiling face
 
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