Lower Leg and foot feeling jostled and out of control.

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whoopsy

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Beginner level rider here, Ive been riding about 6 years on and off and seem to be really good and confident in something specific one moment and the next i’ve gotten real bad in it.

My current concern is my feet.
I take group lessons with 2 other riders and my trainer hasn’t said much to me about my lower leg and foot jostling around but it always feels insecure compared to how it felt when I rode say two years ago.
I’m not sure if it’s a confidence thing or a physical muscular loss? or am i just making it up?
I know that the heel should absorb some bounce, but it’s not my heel really it’s my whole lower leg. My feet feel like the toss side to side with each step of the horse, especially in sitting trot with stirrups.

My right foot has got an odd sensation thqt feels like it’s rolling to the outside, but it isn’t— i’m not sure why. Both of my feet tend to be on the outside of the stirrup as well, and i’m always obsessing over their position— case in point this post.
I used to be able to keep my foot and lower leg so still and i’m control but I feel like I’m not even trying to anymore— but I want to if that makes sense.
I’ve gotten new boots recently and they’re all broken in now and they’ve helped this issue a little bit but the issue still prevents me from feeling confident and I’m always reaching down to adjust my feet.
 
I wondered if stirrup length was an issue— Ive not played around with it as I’m a bit nervous to, but I will now. It feels as if my stirrup length feels longer or shorter depending on the gait, like in posting trot they’re perfect, sitting they’re way too short, walk they’re great, and canter they’re a little long.

I don’t have pain in my back, hips or knees but definitely in my ankles especially the right one. Not sure if it’s because I sprained it a while back? or lack of muscle?
I do walk odd with that foot my friends say that I roll out a bit when I walk.

And yes this issue persists no matter which horse I ride.
 
I struggle with short stirrups as I then tend to get hip pain which makes me grip with my knees and consequently my feet come out of the stirrups. Longer stirrups are definitely better for me so I'd recommend starting with stirrup length before exploring much further. Try taking your feet out of the stirrups, lifting your knees together above the pommel then dropping your feet back down and stretching your toes to the ground. Then adjust your stirrups so they're level with your ankle. If that feels horribly long, shorten a bit and see how you go.

It might take a bit of trial and error but you'll soon be a dab hand at adjusting stirrups and if this doesn't help, at least you've eliminated something and can try something different.
 
I agree about lengthening your stirrups although you do need to be abe to lift your seat out of the saddle ready for trot or canter. I ride with my stirrups longer than most people.
However, I dont agree that your legs need to be still. They need to be relaxed and to move with the horse.
In walk and trot the body of the horse swings from side to side to allow its hind leg space to step forward underneath its body.
You should be able to feel this in walk. Your right hip should fall slightly when that hind leg comes off the ground and then your left hip falls when the left hind leg takes a step.
The rider's hip falls when the horse lifts its hind leg on that side which sounds wrong . But picture the horse like a table with a leg at each corner. If you remove the support of one table leg, the table will dip towards that corner.
So your legs need to be relaxed to allow that movement, both the side to side and the up and down.
You may need to close your eyes to feel it.
Once you have felt it, you will understand that your legs are sending all sorts of messages to the horse. Not just the cues you learn in early lessons, but how tightly or loosely you allow them to hang down.
 
Having slept on it and realised that the three posts I replied to last night were all yours, I think you'll notice a massive difference with your leg security and the bounciness of the canter by putting the saddle on in the correct place. Where it is sat at the moment it is on top of her shoulder and tipping back massively which means your position will naturally be less secure and she'll find it hard to move correctly. Hopefully you'll see a dramatic difference the next time you ride simply by tacking up in a different way.
 
Take along some duct tape and two 5mm yoga mat squares approximately 5cm wide and as deep as the treads on the stirrups. Attach them to the treads on the inside so they sit behind your big toe. It should help.

Can you add the photos to this thread too?
 
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