Lower leg position and exercises to improve

[Walrus]

We have recently become the proud owners of our first dressage saddle (seriously, it's beautiful! ). Now my lower leg wasn't great before but as we are now making a concerted effort in the dressage diva stakes (albeit small and hairy) I really need to learn to ride properly!

I must have the waggliest lower leg ever, plus toes that turn out so I look like a penguin. I've worked out that much of this comes from very weak legs and not actually having much weight in the stirrups (constantly draw my heels up).

Any exercises on or off the horse to help me become more serene dressage rider and less flailing thellwell in the leg department would be much appreciated!?

Thanks

 

[Smurf's Gran]

Hello Walrus, We do small and hairy also

Heels drawing up usually come from gripping with the knee for security and balance rather than being relaxed, balanced and supple in the seat, and toes turning out is usually from trying to force weight down into the stirrups,sometimes caused by gripping with calves. You don't necessarily need a lot of weight in the stirrups so much as having your legs long and relaxed around the horse with weight sinking into them rather than pushing down hard.

From your post (and I know its easier said than done!) it sounds as though you need to work on your seat and balance to lessen your reliance on gripping with legs. Do you have an instructor who can lunge you on something that is very reliable with very even paces? Some exercises concentrating on seat and balance might really help you. Good Luck

 

[eahotson]

Try riding in a jumping or light seat,bum JUST off the saddle.Do this in walk until you can do it for a while in walk and then try circling in walk (legs to turn).When you can do that move on to trot.Takes a while but does work.Small and hairy rules!

 

[soulfull]

All of the above. BUT also make sure your hips aren't too tight. To check sit in the saddle and move your thigh away from the saddle. If you find this hard then you need to fix it

I recently had an injection into my right hip and oh my god when I next rode I suddenly felt all if my seat bones (I thought I did before)

It's made my leg much more stable too

 

[NikNak1]

I have recently started pilates and my position and stability of lower legs (which wasn't great!) has improved enormously! I would definitely recommend it. It is worth going to a class to make sure you are doing it right as it is easy to cheat and use the wrong muscles but there are some good books if that's not possible

 

[Bernster]

Like SF says, I wonder if it's something going on with your hips being too tight, or it could be gripping with the knee/calf as the others have said. Def one for an instructor with a good eye who can help you identify what's going on, and advise you on exercises on and off saddle to help.

If it's just the one waggly leg (which I have too), then try feeling like you're about to dismount from that side, it tends to get you to put more weight in the whole leg, rather than just thinking 'heel down' (which in my case just makes me push that foot forward). And helps me as I tend to lean the other way so it corrects my crookedness.

 

[Walrus]

Thanks all, some good ideas. Instructor is on the case and spent last lesson getting me to open my hips and doing some exercises to open my thigh and relax the leg.

I think a lot of it comes from having long legs on a little pony so i tend to draw my heel up to use it and tap tap (nag nag) with my heels.

I might need to investigate lunge lessons - don't think my instructor would have anything suitable but may investigate what's on offer at the local equine college.

 

[wench]

Pilates...

 

[LizzieRC1313]

Sorry to hijack, I have these issues too, but get confused cause I think I draw my heel up and stick my toes out when I put my leg on, what am I doing wrong?? Comp photos are embarrassing due to my fabulous penguin/ballet dancer impressions :/

 

[Elbie]

Sorry to hijack, I have these issues too, but get confused cause I think I draw my heel up and stick my toes out when I put my leg on, what am I doing wrong?? Comp photos are embarrassing due to my fabulous penguin/ballet dancer impressions :/

I have this problem. Its a long slow slog! My legs still aren't 100% and do turn toe out if putting leg on but problem essentially comes from many many years of riding short and having pinchy hip bones and grippy knee and calf.

Had a long time working with stirrups long enough to just rest my foot in then slowly shortened them to a more desirable length once my muscles had started to stretch out and relax.

 

[Mike007]

There are two positions for the lower leg : Position 1 .is where the leg is unaffected by any constraints that the stirrup position may put on it . Such as when riding without stirrups. Position 2 ,is where the foot is applying load to the stirrup (which is effectively a pendulum ,and will move till all the forces applied to it are equal and opposite. Basicly position 1 needs to be the same as position 2. If they are not ,the leg will tend to wander between the two. You can do all the exercises you like but if your saddle doesnt fit you (even if it fits the horse) then basicly you are P+++++G in the wind.

 

[soulfull]

Sorry to hijack, I have these issues too, but get confused cause I think I draw my heel up and stick my toes out when I put my leg on, what am I doing wrong?? Comp photos are embarrassing due to my fabulous penguin/ballet dancer impressions :/

this for me was also massively improved once I had the injection and my hip was free

 

[Tnavas]

Standing trot is the exercise from hell but one of the best for developing strenght.

Lots of great tips - one extra - make sure that you rise from your knees not your feet. Think of how you get up off a chair - youo just open your knees, swing your hips forward and open till you are upright - this is the same in rising trot. If you rise from your feet they will flick with each step.

PS - Congratulations on the new saddle

 

[RAF Rider]

+1 for standing trot exercise - also a good one to do whilst having an amble outside of the school so you can have a change of scene. A Sprenger style flexi stirrup (they don't have to be Sprenger specifically) can help you maintain/feel the right position as well if really struggling - horses and courses on that front though just worth mentioning what helped in my experience rather than gospel. Also found it good to train legs with calf raises so your muscles can develop that bit more.

 

[Walrus]

Thanks all - will have to perfect my sanding trot! Have also started warming up in walk with no stirrups and stretching / pulling thighs out and back which seems to be helping. Have also bitten the bullet and signed up for gym membership for 2015!!

 

[flirtygerty]

Confused now, neither my OH or I have heard of a standing trot, from the description, it sounds like a rising trot.

 

[Walrus]

Confused now, neither my OH or I have heard of a standing trot, from the description, it sounds like a rising trot.

It's an exercise, so not something you do all this time. It's trotting basically in jumping position, not going up-down but staying stood in the stirrups. It's a killer, makes my ankles scream after about 1 circuit!

 

[Elbie]

It's an exercise, so not something you do all this time. It's trotting basically in jumping position, not going up-down but staying stood in the stirrups. It's a killer, makes my ankles scream after about 1 circuit!

Following on from this I would also recommend standing as if you were standing to do rising trot. Basically the opposite of sitting trot!

I only say this as I have quite a bad posture and my rising trot was quite unbalanced. Instead of pushing the hips forward when rising, I was standing up and down and so any movement from horse (sudden burst forward, sudden decrease in speed) put my off balance. Also meant I was riding with my bum poking out behind me.

To get me in balance I was walking and trotting around the arena in a standing position but being upright, not leaning forwards as if in a jumping position. Making sure hips are pushed forwards, I'm moving my hips towards the pommel, not standing straight up and thighs & calves are rotating outwards. I can still remember my instructor yelling "put your bum away! I don't want to see it!"

 

[Tnavas]

This may help

 

[Walrus]

Oh gosh, that sounds even more painful!

 

[Elbie]

This may help

Thanks Tnavas. That's what I was trying to explain!

 

[Scarlett]

My jumping instructor made me do standing walk and trot exercises. I couldn't walk for about a week. Sorted my legs out though!

 

[Jenni&Ditty]

My lower legs tend to go backwards, so my instructor has made my tie my stirrups to my girth with bailer twine (Velcro would be a safer option). Although it is to stop my lower legs slipping back, it has made me a lot more aware of when I am moving them, and as I tie the string to the inside of the stirrup it stops me turning them put and flapping them, maybe this would help you?