Keeping lower leg back?

H

HayleyUK

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Any advice/tips on this..obviously will bring it up in lesson when I get round to booking one!
Pony can be quite strong if she likes & looking back at some pictures I've notice my legs are creeping up her shoulder! I suspect I'm avoiding getting my leg on to counteract her being a bit fresh lol, so probably not usually this extreme!

http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v196/carcraziechick/?action=view&current=IMG_006.jpg
*No idea WTF I'm doing here but it ain't pretty!*

http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v196/carcraziechick/?action=view&current=IMG_011.jpg *No Mum.. I don't want to be a dressage pony..*

http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v196/carcraziechick/?action=view&current=IMG_030.jpg
Weeeeeee!
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I ride like a numpty at times, so be gentle!
x
 
You have hollowed your back and are tense in the shoulders. Roll your shoulders back and fill out the hollow in your back, this will sit you more centrally in the saddle.
Then soften the elbow and allow the hand to move more freely. From this more relaxed seat allow your whole leg to hang down underneath you- take your feet out the stirrups and shake your ankles out and down. When you take back your stirrups you should feel the stability in your calf muscles into a secure foot
 
Your stirrups are about three holes too short, & the forward cut saddle is not helping you. You are also hollowing your back, & sitting towards the back of the saddle but that in itself is being caused by the stirrup length.
If you look at the photos & draw a straight line shoulder/hip/heel you can see how far forward your leg is.
If you book a lesson with a good instructor it's really nothing that can't be put right quite easily - you just need some eyes on the ground to help you along a bit thats all. Don't try & make major adjustments in one go either - it may take a little while to acustom the muscles in your inner thigh to riding longer.
You don't look like a numpty to me at all - it's far better to identify a problem & do something about solving it than to pretend all is well. Please let us know how you get on when you do have some lessons. I for one will be genuinely interested.
 
You look great when you're jumping! Looks like you and horse have great potential don't be too hard on yourself. A good teacher will sort out any gremlins in no time. Good luck
 
you have what my instructer calls a 'ducks arse' (dont worry, i have been said to have one too!), you need to tuck ur hips underneath you more, this will stop you hollowing your back.
a good trick i use to get my lower leg in the right place is to do standing trot (its impossible with your lower leg at the shoulder) when u are finding your balance you will instinctivly move ur leg into the correct position to balance you. (if that makes sense :S)

i hope that helps x
 
The position of your leg starts at your pelvis - you need a middle position for riding (if you hollow and arch your back you will find your extreme positions, then find the one in between which is your middle one). Try to imagine a feeling of pulling your belly button towards your spine to reduce the hollowness of your lower back.
Once you sit evenly on your seat bones with your legs hanging loosely down take your thighs away from the saddle (as if trying to sit on a much wider horse) and turn your thighs inwards from your hip joints and let your legs lie back down against the saddle with your thighs as vertically downwards as your hip ligaments allow you (so your kneecaps are facing forwards and your thighs are flat against the saddle and your toes are also facing forwards).
To test whether your lower leg is aligned and underneath you stand up in your stirrups now and then. You should feel balanced.

Good exercise for lower leg stability and balance in trot is to play with rising trot rhythm; instead of ordinary rise and sit, ride rise-rise-sit-sit, rise-rise-rise-sit-sit etc

Most of all, find a good instructor who will help you from the ground.
Good luck
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You know what the problem is and don't worry, it is common.

I would do as many rides as possible with no stirrups and then when you take your stirrups back put them to no stirrup height (you will probably need to lengthen them loads) and then shorten by two holes this should get them to a reasonable length and if necessary shorten them further but only by a couple of holes max.

I would also do a lot of flatwork in jumping position (or light seat) and establish the lower leg position.

A combination should sort the lower leg problem.

Good luck
 
This is exactly what I do apparently. I'm so used to riding a horse that is very forward going and strong out hunting that I adopt a position very similar jamming my feet in the stirrups almost using them as brakes themselves!! Only found this out at first lesson in 15 years on Sat. What a revelation!!

I have been finding it hard to move my leg back because it feels as though I'm tipping forwards and trying to remember everything to do to ensure the right position leaves me focusing on solely that and not where I'm going!! Lots of practise I imagine!!
 
O bit old fashioned but it helped me... My instructor tied my stirrup irons to the girth until i worked up the muscles in my leg. You have to tain your leg back into the position. You are use to that position at the moment... Kinda dangerous but depends on how trustworthy the horse is! No quick release here...

I feel awful suggesting it actually but it did help me x x x
 
I'm pretty sure D would quite okay if I tied them to my girth! Not sure she'd not want to shoot forward thou!

Thanks for all the advice guys! Gonna jump on later and try sitting on my seatbones & stuff.
Might even brave no stirrups depending on how fresh little madam is this morning.

I think the main of it is, I concentrate so much on the aids to ask her to soften & then it all kinda gets a bit tense & my position falls apart!
 
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