I know, I know, everyone says they ride better without their stirrups and it's normal, but it's driving me insane. Ok, now, to back up a bit ;).
Pro got an unscheduled vacation (hadn't been ridden since Saturday) but he'd been out for about 48 hours thanks to the nice weather so I wasn't expecting any real problems with him. He was somewhat passive aggressive during his grooming so I lowered my expectations for the ride before I even got on. On the plus side, he didn't really care about the bench from hell. He didn't even pitch a real fit about the bunny tree. Instead he was just apathetic about everything (while sticking his nose in the air). I tried walk-halt-walk transitions, walk-almosthalt-walk, leg yields, serpentines, serpentines with halts, small circles... NOTHING made a dent in his head-up, hollowed-back disconnectedness. I was about to just give up on the ride, but I decided to make one last effort and ditched my stirrups.
Poof, instant dressage pony. Want to trot around soft and connected with a swinging back? No problem. Leg yields? Just hold your position and look (seriously, I just looked and he went straight and laterally across the arena). Extended trot to collected trot? Ok. Extended canter down the long side and come back with just an ab tightening for the turn? Sure (well, the coming back wasn't super fast, but he did shorten some...). So, how do I ride with stirrups like I ride without them? One of my trainers back when I was like 12 or 13 told me I rode better without stirrups than with them (this was huntseat) and I said "thanks" and she gave me this dirty look and said "That's not a good thing" so it's always been a problem for me. But how do I fix it? Am I deluding myself that it could be a saddle fitting issue? I feel like Kate's is a little big for me so I end up with my feet about 2-3" further forward if I pick up my stirrups, but that just feels like making excuses.
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8 comments:
Hahahaha - are you trying to say that I have a big butt???? ;)
Passive aggressive with grooming...hmmmm, that's not like him! What was going on?
Ahhh - go back and read my lesson post, the part where Gayle said stirrups are a reference point, not a resting point. :) It was a huge epiphany for me. It COULD be that your stirrups are too short, or that you're somehow bracing your leg...do you try to put your heels down? That might be it. Or maybe you ride with your lower leg more off without stirrups, which is what gives him that full, "poofy", wonderful feeling. Leg clamping makes him ignore the rider.
Unfortunately you do still NEED the stirrups ;) like for example, in the beginning of the ride with posting trot so he can stretch and warm up his back. But since you have to get special permission to show without stirrups...your best bet is to play around with stirrup length and get that same "feel" with stirrups. Try the reference point analogy!
I, too have this problem. I dont stretch my leg down as far when Im in my stirrups. Im working on it, but I find that when Im squeezing him to do forward, my leg comes up.
Maybe someone can video you riding both ways and you can see the change in your position.
Does he do better once you pick the stirrups back up, or does he go back to how he was before?
I ride english SO much better without stirrups and I can post too Kate. ;)
Hahaha I know it's POSSIBLE to post without stirrups, I just wasn't sure if Andrea would hate me if I suggested that. ;) It is quite painful if you haven't done it in awhile!
I, too, ride better without stirrups. They just contribute to blocking the horse through my thighs. No stirrups - softly draped legs, following seat.
:)
Posting the trot with no stirrups is easier on certain horses! Some horses naturally pop you out of the saddle, but others, phew, you gotta work hard.
Is the saddle causing you to get in a bit of a chair seat? I find that I don't get as deep around the horse with stirrups. I think doing the video both ways is a good idea, to help you see what you are feeling. Yeah, and then post it for us, too! :)
Well, I'm meeting Kate out at the barn tomorrow to watch her ride, then have her examine my stirrup issues. I'll try to remember my camera to a) get pics/videos of her and b) get pics/videos of me if Pro doesn't object. So, pictures tomorrow!
I feel your pain -- I feel like I ride a thousand times better without stirrups -- and I've had plenty of time to evaluate this recently as my trainer has taken away my stirrups for the past 2 weeks :P
One thing I've found helps is to lengthen my stirrups and concentrate on keeping only my toes in the stirrup (otherwords, much less of my foot than jumping) and i feel like I get more of the no stirrups feel.
I like what gail said to kate re: stirrups being a reference point not a resting point!
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