Stirrup length - Help?

muddygreymare

muddygreymare

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Well, when I ride my mare I have my stirrups relatively short (Hole 11 - 2nd from top hole) but I find this is a bit long and I usually end up losing my stirrups quite a bit. When I put them up to the next hole they feel too short and I find it harder to rise in trot etc. What would you suggest? Should I just stick with the shorter ones and try to get used to it and improve my balance etc or go back to the slightly longer hole. Also, does anybody have any tips to keep my heels down and toes in as I suffer badly from 'penguin feet syndrome' when i ride and it's very irritating as when I try to correct them I focus so hard on that I usually end up mucking up what I'm actually meant to be doing :o Any tips?
Cake for anyone who can help :) Thanks :)
 
Instructor required by sounds of it! Otherwise, ditch the stirrups altogether and ride free! Get a neck strap (old stirrup leather) and let your leg hang down to loosen hip and knee. Get an experienced person to put you on the lunge! Are you young or older? It makes a difference. Are you fit, taller and slim or shorter and round, also makes a difference. Does your saddle sit level in the centre? Riding longer and looser will make your horse happier and you a better rider, once you have cracked it. Good luck.
 
Yep haha. Am going to book a lesson for when the lady is next coming to the yard. I am 15, kind of tall (5ft 7 - with very long legs) and am skinny *7st and a bit :(* I have ridden my mare on the lunge but it was more about her as it was her first time on the lunge with us, with a rider on top. Will try tomorrow letting my legs hang down more and relaxing (i'm quite bad at that haha), apart from with my mare if you don't keep your leg on she gets worried and either stops or goes slowly as she doesn't really know what to do. Saddle sits well in the centre although I find it quite uncomfortable and hard to ride in as it is made to fit my sister more (she rides once/twice a week and I ride her most days) as she is quite a lot larger than me and it is an 18" Thorowgood Cob T6*i think* saddle, and I find it hard to ride in because it is quite large (although my mare is quite cobby she would be better in 17.5 (has been before). Can't really do much about that issue though unfortunately as the 18" is still a bit small for my sister but it swallows me up a bit! Any suggestions about what I could do in the mean time before I have a lesson as I doubt i'll be able to have one for a month as the lady came the other week and she doesn't come that often.
Thank you for your help :)
 
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