Lotsoflemons
Well-Known Member
Hi my new loan pony has a show saddle and its massive I'm only little so I keep bouncing out of it in canter ?? anyone got any tips
Show Saddle
- Thread starter Lotsoflemons
- Start date
holeymoley
Well-Known Member
No stirrup work. You shouldn’t really bounce around in any saddle regardless of the size, sounds like you’re gripping somewhere.
Lotsoflemons
Well-Known Member
Its not just that my foot is going through the stirrup lol
Lotsoflemons
Well-Known Member
Thanks guys it's not just that my foot goes all the way in the stirrup when i canter
conniegirl
Well-Known Member
You need to do lots and lots of no stirrup work.
the issue is not the size of the saddle it is the fact it is a show saddle, show saddles offer no support for your seat or leg as they have no kneeroll and very shallow seats, so you need to be very very stable in the saddle and have a very good seat/leg to ride in one properly. The only way to do that is lots and lots of work without stirrups and work to strengthen your core!
if your seat is good enough you can ride in a show saddle no problem. I used to do a bit of ride judging and had to sit on unfamiliar horses in a variety of sizes of show saddle. I’m 5ft4 and the saddles could be anything between 17” and 19.5”.
the issue is not the size of the saddle it is the fact it is a show saddle, show saddles offer no support for your seat or leg as they have no kneeroll and very shallow seats, so you need to be very very stable in the saddle and have a very good seat/leg to ride in one properly. The only way to do that is lots and lots of work without stirrups and work to strengthen your core!
if your seat is good enough you can ride in a show saddle no problem. I used to do a bit of ride judging and had to sit on unfamiliar horses in a variety of sizes of show saddle. I’m 5ft4 and the saddles could be anything between 17” and 19.5”.
Lotsoflemons
Well-Known Member
Thank you my seat is pretty good its just my stirrups i need to work on
Lotsoflemons
Well-Known Member
Its only in the canter im having problems as he's such a big horse but i should improve over time
conniegirl
Well-Known Member
if you are losing your stirrups or your foot is sliding through your stirrups then it means your heel is rising, that will stem from gripping somewhere (probably your knee in a show saddle), gripping is caused by an instability in your seat and the only cure for that is work without stirrups
Lotsoflemons
Well-Known Member
Yeah thats what's happening my stirrups are just sliding through lol
Cortez
Tough but Fair
You could also get the correct size of stirrup iron......and if this is happening then your seat is not "pretty good".
Lotsoflemons
Well-Known Member
It was my first time riding hin jeez
Cortez
Tough but Fair
conniegirl
Well-Known Member
When ride judging i am literally presented with a horse I have never ridden before, in a show saddle that is most likely far too big for me (most are bought so that a 6ft judge can ride the horse), stirrups that in all likelyhood will be a bit too long as most don’t go short enough for me, and in a show atmosphere. Because my seat is “very good” i can get on these horses and give them a good ride, no slipping round, no feet going through stirrups etc
you need to do lots of no stirrup work! Its not fun but it really is the only way to sort the issue out. Ideally you want to be doing the no stirrup work on the lunge with no reins so that you don’t become dependent on the reins for balance. You need a strong independent seat to ride well inna show saddle
show saddles really highlight any weakness in your seat
little_critter
Well-Known Member
1. If your feet are sliding through the stirrups are they the correct size for you?
2. I’ve heard it suggested in the past that a seat saver can help to make a saddle feel more snug.
3. is your horse in front of the leg? I find when mine is being lazy I do too much work which puts tension in my hips which causes my stirrups to rattle on my feet. When he is taking me forward nicely I can sit and drop my legs and keep my stirrups.
2. I’ve heard it suggested in the past that a seat saver can help to make a saddle feel more snug.
3. is your horse in front of the leg? I find when mine is being lazy I do too much work which puts tension in my hips which causes my stirrups to rattle on my feet. When he is taking me forward nicely I can sit and drop my legs and keep my stirrups.
Elf On A Shelf
...
It's not the show saddle that is the problem it's you. If your bouncing and loosing your stirrups you clearly have no balance, seat or core strength.
holeymoley
Well-Known Member
I'm glad some others have more or less responded the same.
If you're bouncing in the saddle during canter AND losing your stirrups you are gripping with a part of your leg that you shouldn't be. I'm trying to imagine which part and I'm assuming it's the knee. You most definitely need to do without stirrup work and get some kind of core stability and security in your lower leg. The saddle nor the stirrups are not to blame.
If you're bouncing in the saddle during canter AND losing your stirrups you are gripping with a part of your leg that you shouldn't be. I'm trying to imagine which part and I'm assuming it's the knee. You most definitely need to do without stirrup work and get some kind of core stability and security in your lower leg. The saddle nor the stirrups are not to blame.
Lotsoflemons
Well-Known Member
Ok thanks it was my first time riding him and ive never ridden in a show saddle before
conniegirl
Well-Known Member
As i said show saddles highlight all the flaws in your riding, they are designed to show off the horses shoulder and be low profile/discreet on the horses back, they offer no support or help whatsoever to the rider.
It was a favourite trick of one of my previous instructors for riders who were getting too cocky about thier ability, take away the props and leg support of a deSsage saddle or a GP saddle and see how they cope then!
It was a favourite trick of one of my previous instructors for riders who were getting too cocky about thier ability, take away the props and leg support of a deSsage saddle or a GP saddle and see how they cope then!
Lotsoflemons
Well-Known Member
So does it just help you improve more idk ?
conniegirl
Well-Known Member
No, it highlights flaws in your riding, you then need to go away and work on them (lots and lots of no stirrup work). A show saddle will not help you improve, if anything they can make your riding worse if the root cause of the faults is not addressed, they can also cause confidence issues as falls can be quite common if you don’t have a good lower leg, core stability and independent seat.
Big spooks in show saddles can cause you to hit the deck hard when you would have sat it in any other saddle. today i was riding in high winds, i chose my lovely VSD instead of my show saddle despite the fact i have a show tomorrow and havnt sat in the show saddle since august last year. Im very glad i was in the VSD as pony spooked at something and went from canter to reverse in one stride. I don’t think i would have sat it in the show saddle and it was a close enough thing in the VSD!
Lotsoflemons
Well-Known Member
Thanks im scared now
Lotsoflemons
Well-Known Member
I think i might order a seat saver and see if that helps