Help! I'm a penguin!

[Jinx94]

On Friday I had a private lesson (first in a long while!) and it became embarrassingly obvious that I have real issues with my toes...

They stick out so badly! My friend found it hilarious, and loved shouting "toes!" at me as I rode past - instructor joined in too! She got tonnes of pictures for me (unfortunately they're all on her phone and haven't been sent to me yet) most of which are lovely as long as you cut them off at my ankles

Has anyone got any advice or any (off horse) exercises that I might be able to do to keep them in? My friend jokingly suggested tying my feet to the girth (was done to her when she was learning to ride).. And its sounding like it could be the most successful option, albeit a painful one!

 

[Elbie]

Hmmm I don't really have any off-horse exercises.

My toes do poke out slightly. My teacher calls them taxi door toes. However, apparently it isn't just a case of pointing them forwards, tight hip flexors can also contribute.

I'm supposed to try and get my thigh flat against the saddle before I ride. So this can be done by physically pulling the thigh away by hand. However, becomes a bit pointless if you are doing riding trot as thigh will move back to where it was.

Have also been told that pressing down with the little toe helps navigate the foot forwards.

I literally have a make a conscious effort on every other stride to think "toes" (or "hands", or "shoulders", whichever part of me is being rubbish!)

 

[sandi_84]

Don't tie your feet to the girth! Accident waiting to happen!

Sitting on your couch/ lying in bed rotate your ankles and make your feet do circular movements inwards/ towards each other. Keep doing these excercises, it really helped with my toes pointing outwards problem and now my feet face forwards like they are supposed to

 

[Jinx94]

Thanks for the responses guys!

Hmmm I don't really have any off-horse exercises.

My toes do poke out slightly. My teacher calls them taxi door toes. However, apparently it isn't just a case of pointing them forwards, tight hip flexors can also contribute.

I'm supposed to try and get my thigh flat against the saddle before I ride. So this can be done by physically pulling the thigh away by hand. However, becomes a bit pointless if you are doing riding trot as thigh will move back to where it was.

Have also been told that pressing down with the little toe helps navigate the foot forwards.

I literally have a make a conscious effort on every other stride to think "toes" (or "hands", or "shoulders", whichever part of me is being rubbish!)

We did discover that I'm also ridiculously tight in my hips - was in agony when the instructor got me to lift my legs outwards away from the saddle, couldn't even manage half an inch! Think I'll start doing some hip flexor exercises He did say that I really shouldn't be in that much pain, so I might go to a physio - see if that helps.

Sitting on your couch/ lying in bed rotate your ankles and make your feet do circular movements inwards/ towards each other.

Will definitely be trying this!! thank you!

 

[Dumbo]

I used to be the same until a lady aggressively shouted at me for it... Feet and position in general has been near enough perfect since then! (Don't mean that to sound boastful - i'm just always conscious of my position these days!) Think it's just practice!

 

[ShadowFlame]

As strange as it sounds, I found that having someone on the ground (instructor) force my ankle into the correct position when I was struggling helped. It allowed me to realise what it should feel like when they're in the right place, i.e. ankle bone out, toes inward and up, and weight pressed to the outside of the foot.

It worked, though my ankles seem to be more painful when toes are in than they are when they're not... and I can't seem to ride with toes out anymore!