Stirrup Length for dressage

[Lucys]

well... some slight discussion I have been having with my friend. Basically, when it comes to doing dressage I keep coming across people who say oooh put your stirrups down and ride really long and whatever. These are people I ride with so not instructors or anything and I am guessing its my instructor I really should ask but just curious...

I am guessing that having long stirrups allows the rider to get the most control over the horse through the leg...

BUT, I just dont get this whole idea of people saying you should put your stirrups down of what seems sometimes around two or three holes...

Just wondered what people have to say on this...

 

[Parkranger]

I only ride one hole down for schooling as opposed to hacking as I like to ride quite long anyway.

For jumping, now I'm getting back into it, I really must lengthen my stirrups but don't like to feel 'perched' on top!

 

[ColleenIsh]

Think thats why i dont like dressage .... I ride in a shorter stirrup ... Although I have to say The past few times I have deliberately left them longer . I dont have the longest legs in the world you see . Infact they are quite short

 

[the watcher]

I think a lot will be influenced by your current level of training..if you have never had dressage training, and are riding in a GP saddle and are just looking to improve your flat work, it may be that you current leg length is effective..stretching down to the stirrup just for the sake of it and to 'look right' is counter productive IMO.

If you have done work without stirrups you will know that afterwards your leg feels longer and your stirrups feel too short..so you should be aiming for that longer feel, but work towards it, rather than lengthening first and possibly unbalancing yourself

 

[KatB]

Heard different opinions!! A few "dressage" instructors I have had like you to ride seriously long as allows you to sit deeper, and means you are more in contact with the horses sides.... however, I had a few lessons with an ex olympian eventer, and he said riding sooo long for relatively novice riders on novice horses was just "dressage disease" and was aload of rubbish as novice riders don't have the balance or seat established enough to be able to effectively ride this long, and therefore struggle to keep the horses forward and balanced and straight. He schooled all novice horses in a jump saddle.....

Sooo depends on personal opinions I suppose!! I ride alot longer for dressage now, but could still be a bit longer, and have 6 holes different between my jump saddle and my dressage saddle.....

 

[Imonone]

Its more so that you can open your hip, and really sit into the movement.

Ride without stirrups, it wont then feel so bad when you adjust them and you will get a feel for how long they need to be.

 

[Lucys]

Yeah I definately agree about riding without stirrups and afterwards feel the need to put them down a hole.

However, Its just was looking at photos of someone riding and someone said - "those stirrups are too short for dressage". This was just someone riding a novice test and I thought they were fine. When I asked why the person just said "because its the classical dressage position". To me that doesnt mean anything really because as other people have said it depends on your ability and your previous training.

For me, I dont consider myself to be advanced enough for it to have a significant affect. I just keep hearing a lot of the time of people riding with logn stirrups because they think that is what is right but dont actually know why...

... OK, I think I may have just rambled!

 

[huskimo12]

I ride 7 holes different when I jump to flat work but that is after a lot of not so nice time practicing without stirrups, and after my instructor decided she didnt like where my centre of gravity was!! I have to admit where she said it should be makes me feel alot safer and lets me sit better in the saddle but it was a very weird feeling for a while but was well worth it in the end (and I also jump quite short)
I would ask your instructor id you are bothered at all

 

[harrihjc]

I think its more important that you feel comfortable with the length. If you lengthen them too much and feel like you're 'reaching' for them it will unbalance you and any different feeling may transmit to your horse. I've been very gradually lengthening my stirrups when schooling, makes my legs look less like uncooked sausages I think!

 

[hatters]

For me I like to feel a difference between jumping and dressage length. Probably on average about 4 holes difference.
I tend to find with a shorter stirrup my lower leg tends to be more forwards (especially in a GP saddle), where as in the same saddle with dressage length I can stretch down and lengthen (my rather stumpy) legs. Which I have always found to be much more effective in getting your horse moving forwards and engaging its hind quarters (and hence working towards an outline) for dressage.
Saying this, I still don't ride anywhere near as long as "top" dressage riders, and but definately like to see a more lengthened leg compared to when jumping.

 

[icklechlo]

i would say if you have done lots of dressage and have an established seat then yes, longer stirrups for dressage, but i would find riding much longer for dressage terrible, iv always ridden fairly short, and although i am learning to ride a bit longer, still dont have a good enough seat!

 

[emma69]

For someone doing a dressage test, stirrup length is the least of the worries! Remembering the test, getting the horse going well etc are far more important! I have a large difference beweeen what I would ride a dressage test in, and what I would jump in, but nothing looks worse that someone who has put their stirrups too long and is reaching for them, it makes you grip in all the wrong places. I recently had a break from riding, and when I got back on a horse automatically popped my stirrups at a dressage length - ha ha, half a lap later they went up about 3 holes as I did not have the right muscles in the right places to have a secure seat that long. Once you have got a secure seat then you can worry about getting the leg longer, work without stirrups will help (I actually prefer working without to with)

 

[polyphonic]

for hacking schooling,show jumping, cross counrty or dressage comps mine are kept at 1 lenght, and thats short. i have to ride whats comfortable for me and my horse

 

[Lucys]

yeah definately about whats comfortable I agree there!

 

[teapot]

I always ride longer and normally longer in a GP saddle than in a dressage so my leg is lying in the right place to ask for more specific aids etc

Well that's what I've been told for 6 years. Regarding number of holes - I've got 4 or 5 holes difference between my flat length and jumping length & go even longer after doing no stirrups (but I have got very long legs). But after say 45mins working with no stirrups you do really notice how much you seat deepens and thus my legs tend to move into the more classical position as it were

Cant really see how say just 1 hole helps really or maybe I'm missing the point completely.