Wonky stirrup people

[poiuytrewq]

Q to anyone else who feels or has felt like one stirrup is always longer than the other!

I know why in my case and am aware of it, but if you feel like one is longer than the other do you alter them so you feel straight/ comfy even though you know that's incorrect or would you make sure both are completely level and ride like that even though it feels awful?
I do the second, whilst being very mindful, or as mindful as i can be, of sitting straight and where my weight is. I used to shorten the "longer" side and vaguely remember it still not feeling great hence having forced myself not to for so long.

Which is best or more worryingly is one more or less damaging in the long run to me or my horse?

 

[Skib]

I was repeatedly advised to ride with unequal stirrup leathers by RIs and careful staff mounting me on the yard. I bought my own leathers and did as you do, ride with equal length leathers and adjust my centre over the centre of the horse.
I know my right hip doesnt open out as much as the left and that I need to pay attention and sit straight and central on the horse. But 100 yards out from the yard, I would have loosened up and be sitting central.

 

[Titchy Pony]

I always feel like my left stirrup is longer than the right on different horses, with different saddles, after switching the leathers sides without changing the holes...
Apparently, I'm not majorly wonky according to the osteopath, so now I try to ride with the stirrups level and when my left ankle starts to fail, I ditch the stirrups altogether. It's worse at the minute because I'm putting more weight in my heals with Enormosaurus than I would with Little Madam.

 

[Skib]

The wider the horse, the harder it is.

 

[IrishMilo]

I'll ride with uneven leathers. I think it's more detrimental to try to ride correctly, even if it's making you wonky/making things more difficult, than being balanced, and feeling comfortable!

Most of us will be wonky, have one leg slightly longer than the other, so trying to ride with the same length just won't work!

 

[Skib]

It works for me. I need my feet level for trot and canter. I ride alone and on a bumpy horse so it is harder if I am sitting on her, and so far, so good.

 

[Birker2020]

I always felt like my nearside stirrup was shorter than the right but I think it was because I was twisted in the body and Bailey was twisted with the way she walked! No matter how often you put a rug on her straight, it would be skewered by the time she got down the field due to the way she walked.

 

[Meredith]

My leathers looked unlevel but were equal length. My saddle slipped one way. Chiro says I am wonky. RI says I sit wonky. Horse has unlevel scapula and muscles. Horse always crabbed across from the straight.
Numnah has ‘shims’ stitched to it to balance saddle better. I have multiple instructions on how to sit level. Horse is elderly so reschooling is minimal. Horse now travels more often in a straight direction.
It’s not perfect but horse goes forward willingly and I am more comfortable.
Not sure what that shows really!

 

[Marigold4]

I always feel one leather is shorter than the other. Have you checked that one leather hasn't stretched though? I took mine off and carefully measured them. I found one leather to be half a hole longer than the other! I think this is maybe because I know I put more weight into one foot than the other. But maybe they just came like that?! I have changed my leathers and keep reminding myself to weight both feet evenly.

 

[Skib]

. I found one leather to be half a hole longer than the other! I

The left leather will stretch as you use it to mount. I take my own stirrups and leathers to the yard and put them on the saddle at random. I think mine have stayed pretty even over about 18 years.

 

[sbloom]

Ultimately the best way, unless you have an actual structural leg length discrepancy (ie the bones, usually the femur, are different lengths, which is very rare) then working towards riding with the same length stirrups is always the best approach. Unless you're getting really good help it may not be clear why they feel different - the cause should be addressed rather than the symptom wherever possible, ie horse and/or rider. So many horses are rotated more one way than the other in their ribcage so one side is more curved outwards, the other more straight - this will make stirrups feel different, fix the rotation not the stirrups.

For some riders, on some horses, riding asymmetrically will be okay, but it's not something that most of us in the saddle fit/biomechs coaching would generally recommend. There are all sorts of other issues it can cause, so you need to know what you're dealing with.

Always swap stirrup leathers when you clean the saddle, if you have L-R stirrups, rather than them being identical, then you must take them off the leathers and swap over.

 

[HannahB]

The left leather will stretch as you use it to mount. I take my own stirrups and leathers to the yard and put them on the saddle at random. I think mine have stayed pretty even over about 18 years.

Does everyone mount on the left though? Most things are done on one side only, because its always been done like that. But my first instructor told me it was worth doing things on alternate sides to be more balanced. I don't use a mounting block, can mount Bumbles (14hh) from either side with no issues and have always done so. Headcollar put on from left or right? Leading on left or right?
My leathers are slightly wonky and are now on the list for replacement, I suppose that may be coz they're old and I do an awful lot of hill work? Not sure really, but I ride them a bit wonky

 

[Skib]

I dont own the horses I ride. So I mount from the left .

 

[Equi]

I used to feel like this before I had chiropractor and physio. I had some issue with my right hip which I no longer seem to have.

 

[Apercrumbie]

My view is that it's better to have the body straight and in balance, and if shortening one stirrup helps with that then go for it. I persevered for years until an instructor (with good biomechanical training too) lengthened a stirrup for me and it just felt so much better. I was no longer hitching one hip or twisting to accommodate, and both my horses stopped falling out on one shoulder and in general moved better once I wasn't getting in their way.

That said, I would want regular eyes on me to make sure that my body isn't crooked and would revisit the topic periodically to make sure it's still the right thing.

 

[moosea]

If your weight is even in your seat bones, then try to ride with level stirrups and check your shoulders are level. Ofter this feeling is caused by collapsing through one hip / side.

When you next ride in the arena, while warming up just check through your position from the feet up. I used to have the same feeling for a long time. Until I realised that I collapse to the left at my hip. I found checking my position from the feet up made it easier to identify where I was wonky!

 

[poiuytrewq]

For me it a hip problem, it’s very long term, getting worse. Riding is probably my least painful thing. Sitting, driving (the worst) standing still, lying in bed, It’s effecting everything I do now. I’ve seen countless people, done Pilates etc.

I do always get on from the left
I never ever mount with my foot in the stirrup and both leathers are equal.
I rode a different horse recently for the first time in ages and actually felt better on her weirdly as she’s far wider and her saddle is 19” so way too big for me really.

 

[Skib]

One mounts and dismounts from the left because your sword hangs on your left hip.

 

[MuddyMonster]

I used to ride slightly different lengths for my asymmetry.

But since working with a really good riding specific pilates and strength teacher & a biomechsnics instructor, I'm much less asymmetrical so can ride the same length now.

I get on & off both sides regularly as we need to for TREC so I like to keep that muscle memory alive and well!

 

[Snowfilly]

I was taught to rotate leathers left to right once a fortnight to prevent unequal stretching in the leather, and still do if I’m not using synthetic ones.

I normal adjust so my stirrups are level, I’m wonky in my spine thanks to a fall so I try and keep everything below that balanced and work upwards.

But I did have an old horse who was crooked in his last years and needed hacking for soundness, and I rode him without stirrups because my crookedness and his together were too much!

 

[Goldenstar]

I Have a 2cm difference in length in my legs the one that was rebuild is longer ,its longer below the knee .
I when I was riding a lot I allowed for it in different ways doing different things
With short stirrups I rode quite short for choice I had to spilt the difference left leg a bit short right leg a bit long .
At dressage length it was easier to be level in the stirrup.
I also adjusted according to how much pain I had and where the pain was .

 

[sbloom]

For me it a hip problem, it’s very long term, getting worse. Riding is probably my least painful thing. Sitting, driving (the worst) standing still, lying in bed, It’s effecting everything I do now. I’ve seen countless people, done Pilates etc.

I do always get on from the left
I never ever mount with my foot in the stirrup and both leathers are equal.
I rode a different horse recently for the first time in ages and actually felt better on her weirdly as she’s far wider and her saddle is 19” so way too big for me really.

That huge seat size is likely giving you a narrow area for your pelvis than your own saddles, plus it plays some part in letting the knee drop (not for all riders where the construction of the saddle and bulk directly under the leg is the only thing that matters) so helping deal with the width of the ribcage. I need the opposite, short, wide seat for a short wide pelvis, and a skinnier flap for a narrower hip.