I'm a definate knee gripper!

Me too - it was how I was taught to ride! Having said that, has got me out of some sticky situations in the past!
Lots of work on the lunge, without stirrups could help.
 
I'm a knee gripper too because when I was taught to ride I was taught to grip (and rise etc) with my KNEE! GRRRR! Lol.

No idea on exercises but just wanted to share your pain LOL! My riding instructor tells me that if you think about wrapping your legs around your horses belly, almost as if you're trying to touch your ankles under the tummy! There shouldnt be daylight between the saddle and your knees but there shouldnt be any pressure =]
 
Me too! I was taught to ride by being told to imagine I was trying to grip a £5 note between my knee and the saddle flap!

(Also - try not to fall off - it hurts...) :D
 
Iv been taught, lower leg and don't think I could sit half off what I do by griping with my knees, don't you find if a horse messes about if your gripping with your knees you are perched in the saddle and feel insercure? Just out off interest.
I got made to do a lot off lunge work, jumping with no stirrups and streach my legs right down to get deep into the saddle. Iv got the lower leg but my top half tends to tip forward a little which seems to be a bad habbit which has stuck.
 
It's quite scary that people were taught to ride gripping with the knees, it is the most insecure way to ride and so easy to be thrown out of the saddle. I would be really interested to know what the difference is to you if you get used to NOT doing it, whether you feel more secure, balanced etc
 
hch4971 said:
It's quite scary that people were taught to ride gripping with the knees, it is the most insecure way to ride and so easy to be thrown out of the saddle. I would be really interested to know what the difference is to you if you get used to NOT doing it, whether you feel more secure, balanced etc
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Works both ways cause tomoz when I ride I'm gona grip with my knees to see how it feels. My gelding can be quite sharp so will be interesting to see how secure I feel.
 
OP, i wouldn't try to strengthen your lower leg, just concentrate on keeping your knees totally off the saddle for a while (maybe a month or two till it's habit) and weight down in your heels and knees and toes pointing out (like a frog) until your knees no long want to grip. when this is a habit, close knees back against saddle but keeping weight in heels. easy actually, just takes a while to make a new habit... lots of hacking for a month maybe!
 
Monsters said:
Works both ways cause tomoz when I ride I'm gona grip with my knees to see how it feels. My gelding can be quite sharp so will be interesting to see how secure I feel.
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LOL, hope he doesn't spook!! Watch out for the side door! Let me know how you get on but I bet you can't do it, just remember that the people who learn like that will stay that way through everything they do so you've got to do it 'proper'! I would imagine it will feel as alien to you as it will to them to not do it!
 
Wow, thanks for all the replies! Nice to know I'm not alone!

I personally find gripping with knees is actually quite stable...I only fall off when I'm thumb up bum, mind in neutral, letting my legs blow in the wind. :P

So for the next few months I'll be riding like a frog then! Thanks Kerilli.

Thanks everyone! You're all fab.
 
I was taught by a RS to keep knees on, we had to keep an old penny between our knee and the saddle! Still do it unfortunately but can see how when you take knees off your lower leg goes round. makes sense but hard to change even after all this time
 
Yup,that`s the one,my pocket money inside my knee..if you lost it,tough.It is so automatic,so could not imagine without my limpet like grip.Did loads of bareback as a child and teenager,mostly on hogged ponies and horses..so knee grip was fairly essential..no neck strap by the way either.
 
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