Legs different lengths - wonky stirrup leathers or wonky legs?? (was in NL.. gave up)

woodlandswow

woodlandswow

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didnt get many responses in NL.. how about you more educated lot?;)

My legs are different lengths - i have had so much contradicting advice i thought i would ask for some more!

How shall i deal with this with my horses back being of upmost importance - do i have my stirrup leathers the same lengths and wonky legs
or wonky lethers and same length legs??

your thoughts
 
Most importantly, you must be in balance. So have your stirrups different lengths if necessary. Otherwise your shift in weight and imbalance will affect your horse, and also in time will change the shape of your saddle.
Both will cause problems in the long run.
I know this because our saddle fitter who is very well respected has told me. My daughter has this problem and since she has ridden with one stirrup longer things have got much better. :)
 
Ive got the same problem with one leg an inch shorter. I keep my stirrups one hole shorter and my horses have never suffered :)
 
are the bones actually different lengths, or is your pelvis twisting which is making your legs seem different lengths?
my pelvis drops/twists and when it does, my legs seem like different lengths... my McTimoney Chiro evens things out gently and then they're the same length again. I always have my stirrups exactly the same length, and if they feel a bit wrong, I know I'm not sitting central.
I'd say get yourself checked asap by a good McTimoney Chiro. Good luck!
 
I have the same as kerilli. Twisted pelvis causes one leg to feel longer than the other. If its not that and your legs are different lengths I would alter your stirrups to compensate.
 
echo kerilli - see a good chiro/ osteopath first - ideally one that does both humans and horses, and get their thoughts.

For my two pennies worth, and knowing a friend of mine with a similar issue, the point is that your weight must be distributed evenly on each side of the horse.... so you need to do whatever you need to do to ensure that happens, and that may vary depending upon exactly where your unevenness lays, but certainly I'd consider having "uneven" stirrup lengths to be a possible corrective solution.
 
My legs are different lengths following a bone gaft to mend a broken leg.
The diffenence is over a cm .
I lengthen the stirrup I am much more comfortable when I do.
 
I have the same problem and always put it down to different length legs, so i ride with one stirrup longer than the other. It's the same in both my DR saddle and my jumping saddle.

About a year ago i bought bonded leather stirrup leathers as i thought the problem was old stretched leathers, but the problem persisted so i ruled that out. Maybe my saddles had both changed shape already???

When other people ride in my saddles they change the lenth back to the same each side and dont have a problem, so i am convinced its my wonky legs?

My horse also seems better on one rein than on the other so prehaps this could be connected?

Whenever i get someone to stand in front and look at my stirrup lengths they always say one looks longer than the other, even though they feel the same to me.

I've got so confused over time that i've just got used to it and put up with it, however the more i think about my horse being better on one rein than the other, the more worried i get that i could be causing this by being wonky on top or off balance, even though to me i feel ok.

Monitoring this thread with intruige!!
 
Im another with a wonky pelvis. At its worst I'm over an inch out!! I keep my stirrups the same but concentrate on keeping my weight balanced as I have a tendency to collapse through my left hip and put more weight in my left leg so causing my horse to fall in through her left shoulder.

Perhaps oddly at my worst I actually shorten my left stirrup to discourage me from dropping my left hip. Alternatively I take it away full stop as if I don't balance quickly I would fall off to the left ;)

Best advice though is see a osteo or chiro and check you are not out of alignment :)
 
I was measured and mine is my thigh bone that's longer :( It's a pain.

I would recommend seeing a mctimony and getting a proper assessment as mine make me completely out if I'm not careful.
 
I gained the distance below the knee , it has made a big difference to me accepting that I need the stirrups different.
I also visit a podiaist who has made insoles for my shoes and boots which I need to use a few hours a day this builds up my short side and gives my pelvis and knee time moving without having to adjust for the difference this keeps me straighter .
My dressage trainer knows someone who has had their riding boots made with a built up shoe on one side to make her level when riding this sounds perfect.
The podiaist ( think that's right!) sorts out my feet as I get a lot of trouble with skin building up as my feet bear the wieght unlevely as I tip my feet when I walk to adjust the difference in length I would recommend a visit it anyone suffering feet pain as a result of this sort of thing.
 
I agree with Kerilli. Had similar issues from pelvis dropping back and down on one side, mctimoney has helped me so much :). Its also done wonders for my comfort as my back was always aching just from mucking out etc, now its perfect :D...of course if I overwork it more than its used to it twinges like any other muscle, but day to day pain free :D. I also really like mctimoney as its a gentle treatment and because I couldnt cope with somebody trying to 'crack' my back! *cringe* I know theres supposed to be nothing wrong with it but it just seems and sounds so wrong :o. I would definitely recommend getting checked out by a mctimoney chiro :).
 
I have a twisted pelvis and have to ride with one stirrup quite a bit longer than the other. I frequently see a Chiro but the pelvis never straightens out completely.

I hope I am not hurting my boy at all but there is no way I could ride with level stirrups as it hurts like buggery
 
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