Sharpening/Increasing leg aids??

[WishfulThinker]

Ok, now I know that it will need practise etc, but what can be done to sharpen up leg aids? We are doing lots of transitions, but he seems to need to be wound up quite a lot to have sharp aids, and then he sometimes has a tizzy.

I have a weak left leg due to various falls etc and so find it really hard to get him to move over to the right, so have to rely on the stick to back it up, but I wanted to be able to do this more effectively without it. I had a lesson last night where reins and stick were taken away and on the left rein I am useless - we bend to the right and cut corners, even though I was pushing so hard I almost slipped over to the left. My instructor said he can see when I put my left leg on as the whole left side of my body tenses up.
It took me 45 mins to get an ok but still squint leg yeild out of him and even then I could hardly walk when I got off. If my instructor pushed on my leg to he goes over brilliantly, but I cant seem to put my leg on without bringing it up

.

 

[Blizzard]

spurs?

Impulse ones if you want something gentle?

 

[jumpthemoon]

Maybe you would be better off looking at ways to strengthen your own leg muscles up if you think this hinders your riding. I ride much better when I do other forms of exercise as well as riding. Swimming is very good - breast stroke - or cycling is also a good exercise for riding. Or you could get a vid and do that at home 3-4 times a week. You'd be amazed how much difference it makes.

 

[WishfulThinker]

I already do xc mountain biking a few times a week. No time for swimming unfortunately due ti travel times and other commitments. I have been doing calf raises, although I only do as many as my bad ankle can take.

I should say that I broke my 5th metatarsal in 2000 in my left foot and the cast lasted about a week before I just took it off and I never went back for the final xray

. My mum thinks that it could be having an effect on my leg as if I put my leg on it feels like one of the muscles is getting twisted behind the other and so when I feel that and the pain I cant push any harder - I have actually gotten my leg stuck and been stuck on him before as it went into spasm.

I tried spurs, but then he was even more dead without them. If I use my voice and say over he will do it as I have worked on it from the ground and he is very good with voice aids.

It's just soo frustrating as I know that before I used to do all this really easily.

 

[traceyell]

i had the same problem with my five year old so i used small spurs for a few schooling sessions now i dont need them anymore and he is going lovely off my leg

 

[vhf]

Go and see a good sports physiotherapist - the type who patches up the rugby players at your local club, they're used to that sort of thing!
No point wearing yourself thin exercising or poking poor horse with spurs if there's something else that when fixed would give a permanent solution!

 

[jumpthemoon]

[ QUOTE ]
I should say that I broke my 5th metatarsal in 2000 in my left foot and the cast lasted about a week before I just took it off and I never went back for the final xray

. My mum thinks that it could be having an effect on my leg as if I put my leg on it feels like one of the muscles is getting twisted behind the other and so when I feel that and the pain I cant push any harder - I have actually gotten my leg stuck and been stuck on him before as it went into spasm.

[/ QUOTE ]

Erm...I'd be getting back to the docs and asking for an x-ray! If you really want to be able to ride like you used to, anyway