strange post but can i have pictures of your stirrup lengths??

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My goodness those socks!!!! They are fabulous (they are socks aren't they) I actually had to look away from the screen for a moment to let my eyes adjust!).
 
There are several ways to check your stirrup length, bearing in mind that it will also depend on the shape of the horse too - a wider horse will take up[ more leg. One way is the way that has been mentioned (fingertips to armpit) another is to let your leg hang down the saddle and the bottom of the stirrup iron should reach just below your ankle bone, and another is to stand in your stirrups and you should be able to get a hands width between the saddle and your crotch (never been comfortable with that method personally!) You might often find that if you are wanting to lengthen the leg and deepen the seat then working without stirrups for a while will make the longer length comfy. No point in reaching for stirrups either though!
 
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SJ
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Hacking (excuse attire it was -7 degrees that day on the beach, brrr!)
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Dressage (I'm not reaching for my stirrups, usually they would be a little longer-just giving him a quick boot! ;) just noticed those dreadful low hands as well)
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From looking at pics with stirrups as theu are feet n legs.are.forward and very very ver little bend in the leg.

Im a hacker and i school so sod it i am having them how im comfy lol.
 
I was also taught the fingertip to armpit method.
It rarely gives the perfect length for people,but is a very good starting point leaving minimum fiddling later.
My ideal for flatwork is fingers to armpit and down one- I know thats a comfy length and can transfer that to any horse I ride.
 
For flatwork i adjust the stirrups so they hang by my ankles when my legs are hanging long as possible out of the stirrups, then use that length- i am a bit of a long stirrup person though and i hate jumping length as i feel perched and like I could be unseated far too easily if pony did a motorbike turn!
 
Don't know if this will work! It's ages since I added a photo and I've forgotten how! I just realised, too that I have hundreds of pictures of Hugo, but very few of me on him! This is probably the only one where you can see the stirrup length at all! I do have them a couple of holes longer for flatwork and I think they might be longer than this now that I've got used to going out on him (this was the first hack out on him - seems like YEARS ago; was sort of Easter time, I think)

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Just a strange little update....

Having ridden at length that is fingertip to armpit, my riding and my mares way of going has improved significantly.

I feel more secure and in control, yet wince when i look at pics as they do look short! but it is working! cant argue with results!
 
I usually have mine a little too long, but as an excuse, I had a nasty fall and my ankle now aches untill I can't put weight on it if I had them at the 'proper' length.

Actually, looking at pictures, they look an alright length! I'm told it's too long though, haha!

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I've always been told I ride short for my leg length. I have long upper legs, and long legs in general. But I much prefer my stirrups a bit shorter. Especially on my previous previous share horse who had a proper jumping saddle, locking my knees into the flaps and getting out of the saddle was great for a gallop. But he had a dressage saddle too and even with that I had trouble lengthening my stirrup length, I have very unflexible legs and short tendons I think so I can't actually straighten my leg when standing!

This was on my previous share with a GP saddle. I get a terrible chair seat. :(
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Previous previous share in the dressage saddle.
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And jumping. He was a bit keen!
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Drerssage (PPFFT!)
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Normal schooling
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'In Case of Naughty Stallion - Light Seat' length - aka short! But not my shortest
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schooling youngsters / jumping length.
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I ride alot shorter at times and it's the bane of ANY instructors life trying to teach me! I like my stirrups REALLY High!
 
I think you all look fine, because you're riding in a way that suits you. However I don't think there are many photos of people riding long. Compared to the photos on the EE homepage most look quite short. I can't find any pics of me riding taken side-on but I know I ride a lot longer than most shown here. :-)
 
I think it is also important to remember that the saddle may well make quite a big difference to your stirrup length, if it is straight cut you might not want to hoik them up that much for jumping and if it is more forwards you loose all support (if you want it) if you let them too long.

Robyn in your pics you wouldn't want to hoik them up much more, they could be longer for flatwork but you would then have no knee roll so perhaps everyone should just be comfortable.

this is flat in my vsd
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jumping in the same saddle
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I ride fairly long, longer than many who have posted on here. I'm more comfy that way.
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I will hack with them this length. Sometimes take them up a hole or two if I think the hack will be a bit 'exciting'. When I was jumping at college I hoiked my stirrups up 5 holes from flat length to jumping length. Would probably only be 4 holes though these days, knees and ankles protest too much.
 
Shandys_mum said:
I was taught by my father (ex household cavalry) that for flat work before mounting you pull down your stirrups and they should be the same length as your fingertips to arm pit.

Jumping a few holes shorter than flat work.
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I was always taught this but when I try it nowadays my stirrups come up way too short.

Maybe I've got stumps for arms!!
 
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