Riding aids query

[patp]

I am a mature lady rider and have a question I need an answer to in order to win a bet! I was recently told by someone at my livery yard that it is a very old fashioned method of riding to ride with your heels down! - apparently one should ride with the heels level in the stirrups?

This the first time I have heard of this argument - when I was taught to ride one of the reasons for having your heels down was to stop your feet slipping through the stirrups.

The person who spoke to me is involved in dressage and I am not - so is this a dressage training tool (i.e to NOT have your heels down) and if so, what is the reasoning behind this method of riding?

Does anyone know please?

 

[Bionic Boy]

I'm into dressage and never heard of it. I've always been taught to ride with heels down.

 

[MrsMozart]

I'm a heels down kinda gal, not been taught to do anthing else, but I await correction

Try posting this in Comp Riders and see what they say?

 

[midnight mayhem]

I've only ever known heels down..makes more sense to me

 

[little_critter]

I believe you shouldn't *force* your heels down but they should be supple and act as shock absorbers. This means they could be level or slightly down.

 

[EquiGal92]

I believe you shouldn't *force* your heels down but they should be supple and act as shock absorbers. This means they could be level or slightly down.

^^ This

 

[YardGeek]

I'm much more of a 'have your feet level' kinda rider as find that if you try and keep your heels down you end up bracing against the movement and it pushes my lower leg fractionally forward messing with my seat.
I am a dressage rider so ride quite long which has a lot to do with it I think, the showjumpers on my yard do seem to all have ride with alot of weight through the heels so I do think it is more of a dressage thing

 

[Waltzing Matilda]

I have always been taught heels down but feel this can force my lower leg forward and prevents me keeping a constant gentle contact on my horses side so I guess now I have brought my lower leg back a bit my feet are fairly level most of tge time and the horse seems to resepobd better to this, but I guess its a bit of trial and error as to what works for u and ur horse?! X

 

[Tnavas]

So long as your heel is level with or lower than the stirrup its fine.

Some people find getting the heel down difficult - especially if you are inclined to wear heels a lot as this shortens your calf muscle.

Heels down tightens the leg - makes for a more secure position but can make the leg less effective than one with the heel level with the stirrup.

Noticed once that one of my pupils had a real problem riding one of my most free moving and easy horses, she had a lovely heel down position but it actually prevented her from making a proper contact with the horses sides. She would puff her way through lessons until I realised what was happening, lifted her heel a little and horse started to go like his normal self.

 

[mini-eventer]

Your heels should be pushed down so that they are level with your toes or just below. It will feel like they are lower than they are. If you force them down too much it will create tension and put you into a chair position.