those of us with long legs!

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clairefeekerry1

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i have quite long legs.....my boy goes v nicely when you apply lots of leg but i feel my long legs stop me doing this so well and i cant help my legs creeping up and back and using my heels! cant seem to leave my legs long long and still apply effectively-any ideas?
 
I di exactly the same! Was jumping a very lazy 15.2hh at the weekend and kept losing my stirrup in canter, it was v embarrassing...

Would love any suggestions! Sorry to jump on your post with no useful tips ;-)
 
being 5'10 myself I always tend to ride short...i dont feel compfy riding long...i've tried, although I do tend to lengthen when doing more advanced schooling work...but just feels uncomfortable!
 
Im 5'11 and have found that if you stop trying to actually use your heel and just go for a squeeze with the calves (or what ever actually touches the horse) it works just as well. And that way you can ride long (if you like), and still stretch your heel down and have a 'nice' leg position.
Does that make sense?

Justaj1ffy - The jumping problem I think stems from the fact you are not pushing your heel down into the stirrups enough in the first place, and a lazy horse just highlights the problem. I don't mean to be rude about your riding, this is just a comment from past experience...

If I was to use my heels on anything under 15.3 I would need to develop a joint half way down my shin.
As you can see from the pic below there is no way I could have used my heels with out kicking him behind the second girth...
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Most of the time taller people push their heel down too far because they feel they have to as they have a longer leg. This can result in gripping at the knee, and the leg twisting which results in the leg coming up and using your heel. You almost need to lift your heel slightly to stop your leg twisting and gripping at the knee which results in your lower leg staying near the girth area and you'll find as a consequence you won't be using your heel and more of your lower leg because it'll be in more of a secure position and will alreayd be closed around the horses sides.

My instructor found this problem with me - I'm 6foot and have a 16.1hh horse so I find I often use my heel as i'm not yet strong enough and comfortable in my lower leg. We did some lunge lessons to see where the problem stemmed from and it wasn't from my seat or body, so after taking my stirrups back we found I almost twisted my leg as my heel was too far down. So we did a lot of work of my leg position in canter, I had to lift my heel slightly, and found my leg stopped twisting from the knee, my lower leg was wrapped around him and I could apply pressure much easily than before when I was twisting, lifting my heel and using that to apply aids!

Might work for you, but it definitely has for me
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Ride for a while without stirrups!

that way you have to be able to keep your legs long and down and kick or squeeze at the same time and if you cant do it all at once you will rock/roll or just fall off!
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(not saying you do the last bit!)

Im 5ft 11 and most of it is leg! so I have the same prob! and its annoying as it often makes me look too big on some horses!
 
???
I am 6 ft with quite long legs and they have never got in the way ... I actually find them quite helpful for steering etc
The fact that you are using your heels would indicate that you are not quite centered in an "ears, shoulders, elbows, hips, heels" kind of way. So yes, working with no stirrups in all three gaits whilst aiming for a correct position should help.
 
I know what you mean. It usually stems from a lazy horse where you feel you need to use your heels to keep them going. My leg position is fine on forwards, sensitive horses but on fat round lazy cobby types it's all over the place. I generally have a very secure and stable leg position but there was one horse I used to ride that I felt like a total beginner on, due to his size (little!) shape (round!) and insensitiveness and therefore required me to bring my heels up to nudge.

I now have a VERY sharp, sensitive horse who's only little at 15hh. Depsite the fact I ride really long I NEVER have to use my heels - just the slightest touch with the calves makes him shot forwards. And therefore my leg positon's great and I look like I can ride
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Ride with a stick and teach the horse to go off the leg at the slightest touch and the problem will go away
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My 6'2" lanky husband often rides a rather lazy 15.1hh, he finds lots of work without stirrups, a long schooling whip and a pair of swan neck spurs work a treat.

The work without stirrups improves your lower leg position and helps steady it, the whip helps you to send the horse forward if it drops behind the leg (lots of people nag with the heels when a tap with the whip would be more effective) the swan neck spurs mean that he can give a firm and precise aid with his heel when in fact his heels are hanging too low to touch the horse's side. Mark Todd used to use this type of spur on Charisma, (if ever there is a long legged rider on a small horse this is a good example!) they sort of curve upwards so they are applied about an inch higher than normal spurs enabling you to go a hole longer with your stirrups.

With a lazy horse it is important not to get sucked into nagging with your heels, ask with a small polite squeeze once, if this is ignored try a sharp tap with your heel, if still ignored flick with your schooling whip. Expect the horse to keep moving forward when you aren't using your leg, if it drops off a tap with the schooling whip will remind it. Be disciplined and soon you won't have to nudge with your heels every stride.

The 15.1hh that my husband rides is a great one for showing up riders. He is a school horse that is often used for exams. When not ridden properly he does a great impression of the worst kind of dobbin, loads of stage two students come out of lessons on him red in the face and out of puff having been barely able to keep him moving, but ridden properly (and especially if you put a double bridle on) he is a super dresage horse/show cob, with stunning lateral work. He is a school master worth his weight in gold because he assesses the rider so well, and once you start to ride him properly he has bags of ability.
 
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