# Riding with no stirrups. Help!



## longrunnerbeauty (29 May 2016)

So there I am completely comfortable transitioning from walk to trot, rising trot and then into canter on my 6th lesson when my RI turns around and says we're going to do most of the lesson without stirrups. The reason being I need to learn to sit in the saddle when cantering.

It has completely thrown me (not the horse ). I feel like I'm beginning all over again. One lap of the school without stirrups in trot left me clinging to the saddle for dear life :eek3:. I struggled to even take one hand off to steer round the corner and then my RI started to get me doing lots of turning in trot which was a disaster. My bum was sliding all over the place, and the more I tried to grip with my lower leg the worse it got! I begged for long stirrups when we started cantering again as I just didn't feel balanced.

So any advice in practicing without stirrups and strengthening my seat? (It will be much appreciated!)


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## rachk89 (29 May 2016)

Try to relax as much as possible and sit deep in the saddle. Dont grip with your legs, as you have found out that wont help. Sit up tall and if you need to, hold the front of the saddle with one hand to get your balance. If it helps, slow the horses trot down so its less bouncy.


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## PorkChop (29 May 2016)

To be fair, cantering is easier than trot with no stirrups!

Make sure you have a neck strap, as you can hold and bounce along easier than holding the front of the saddle.  Think of having no legs from the knee down  so you want your thighs to stretch down - do not grip with your knees 

Concentrate on your seat bones being in contact with the saddle and start by doing a small trot before progressing to a normal working trot.

It will be worth it in the end


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## be positive (29 May 2016)

Goodness that would be a big ask on your 6th lesson, I think your instructor is a) expecting far too much b) should be concentrating on your balance in walk and trot with and without stirrups before progressing to cantering c) explaining how and helping you to remain in a balanced position, gripping with your lower leg is not going to help. 

I would be lunging you if I wanted to work without stirrups at this stage, it is not beneficial for any rider to be hanging onto the saddle in order to stay on, my advice would be to either have private lunge lessons or to look elsewhere, you may not make progress so quickly but you will be able to develop a secure seat which in turn will allow you to progress faster once you can sit securely and in balance, I don't understand the rush, in many places after just 6 lessons you would still be walking and trotting, learning the basics correctly.


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## cootuk (30 May 2016)

6th lesson and already on canter?  Im on about my 15th, trotting, and just started on a light seat to improve balance. My RI isnt looking to canter for another few lessons yet.


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## Shay (30 May 2016)

Echo Be positive.  I think you are possibly moving along too fast.  Working without stirrups is a really important part of developing a good independent seat.  But not at canter on your 6th lesson.  It is a difficult balance for riding schools as clients demand to be making progress rather than appreciating the progress in getting the basics down really well.  But there is also a safety element in not getting them along so fast that they get hurt or loose confidence.


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## Pearlsasinger (1 June 2016)

be positive said:



			Goodness that would be a big ask on your 6th lesson, I think your instructor is a) expecting far too much b) should be concentrating on your balance in walk and trot with and without stirrups before progressing to cantering c) explaining how and helping you to remain in a balanced position, gripping with your lower leg is not going to help. 

I would be lunging you if I wanted to work without stirrups at this stage, it is not beneficial for any rider to be hanging onto the saddle in order to stay on, my advice would be to either have private lunge lessons or to look elsewhere, you may not make progress so quickly but you will be able to develop a secure seat which in turn will allow you to progress faster once you can sit securely and in balance, I don't understand the rush, in many places after just 6 lessons you would still be walking and trotting, learning the basics correctly.
		
Click to expand...

I agree! A whole lesson without stirrups is far too much at this stage. I think I would be asking around for recommendations for a better instructor.


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## Mahoganybay (1 June 2016)

My word, I have been riding for years and at the moment addressing some balance issues with my instructor with about 10-15 mins of my lesson on the lunge working in trot only without stirrups. 

My instructor said there is no way she would work me for anymore than that at present.

I do think your riding school is rushing.


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## HunkyDory (2 June 2016)

I've been back riding for about 10 weeks after a break of more years than I can count and never having had a formal lesson, and I'm not yet at canter.  I've done a couple of no stirrup sessions - walk, trot and pole work but certainly not the whole lesson.  Just think of yourself as sinking down into the horse - that is the point where you join and you are working together.  Sounds bonkers but try it.  Relax down through your hips and seat and move your hips with the horse.  Personally, slight lower leg grip I find helpful, more for corners than on the straight.  Relax and try not to panic.  If you panic you tense up and if you tense up you will bounce even more.  Look up, not down.  If you look down...down is where you are going.  No stirrup work really is needed because it is part of developing your balance.  I think you can ask to slow down your milestones, though.


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## horsesense (11 June 2016)

Riding without stirrups is the best way to develop a deep seat. You should be doing a little of it every lesson, gradually increasing the amount. I would argue that you will not be safe learning to canter until you have developed some depth of seat by working without stirrups, and it is not good for the horse to be cantered by a rider who lacks some depth of seat and who consequently may be using their reins for stability. So definitely work without stirrups should precede learning to canter.


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## jnorman (11 June 2016)

When you have a lesson with normal stirrups or ride with out your RI, make the stirrups really long so they give you a bit of support but not loads and you are having to push down to reach them. This really improved mine and my friends seat and within a few weeks we were going on 1-2 hour hacks with no stirrups, including walk, trot, canter (and we couldn't resist a gallop too!!) Surprising that your RI made you do that so quickly though!


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## Irishdiamond (21 June 2016)

I know some riding schools are quite tough and push you to go without stirrups sooner which will make your seat better but not enjoyable I'm sure!! Even after learning to ride, years away & then returning to it, I'm wary of cantering without stirrups because the transition! Well done you for staying on, sometimes holding onto the neck strap is the best thing (I still do it until I feel more relaxed) I find after a few laps it gets easier but even turning for me its hard not to feel like you're slipping. Hold onto the neck strap and practice either leaning back and pushing your heels down until you find the right position that makes it a little easier. Also Try not to tense and constantly think (sit sit sit) i know once i stop thinking about staying on, It gets so much easier!! good luck  Im worrying about no stirrups too even though Its the best way to develop a deep seat


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## maximoo (1 July 2016)

Six weeks is a it early for this your RI if asking you to do this try to open your hips, think sit deep don't grip with your calves as this will have an effect of squeezing a cork out of a bottle & make you bounce in the saddle relax your legs & grip slightly with your thigh & knee so the lower leg is loose this works for me & I've been riding 45 yrs


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## Booboos (2 July 2016)

Riding without stirrups is a brilliant exercise but it must be done in a way that supports the rider. Some riding systems start riders with no stirrups and keep them like this for a while until they develop an independent seat, however (and this is a huge however) they are on the lunge, with no reins to start off with so they can't wack the horse in the mouth, and they ride well balanced advanced horses because it is much easier to sit to a horse with a rounded back. I suspect that slipping and sliding all over the saddle while trying to steer a, presumably, flat horse won't do you any favours as your body will contract in all sorts of undesirable ways, like trying to grip with your lower leg. For many of us finding our balance on a horse does not come naturally, I.e. naturally we want to grip with legs, hunch over the back, etc., whereas we need to train our bodies to mound into the right position for balance.


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