# Losing stirrups!



## Yem (13 August 2013)

Hi All, 

New rider and first post ! 

I have been riding once a week for about 2 months now. I have cantered twice but I am still working on my sitting and rising trot. 

When I first started riding I was given an old horse named Bonnie who was "comfy" and I was told that I had an excellent seat. 

Since moving onto a considerably more bouncy horse named Herbie, whenever I sit/rising trot I seem to lose my stirrups. They either slide right out from under my foot or slip back to my heel. 

Any tips on how to remedy this? I have tried longer stirrups and this seemed to help a bit...

-Yem


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## Micky (13 August 2013)

My old instructor used to get us to ride with no stirrups to help with the 'losing stirrups' scenario. You are probably gripping with your legs, hence drawing them up, and losing stirrups  Its very common when first riding. Try 'leaning' back with your upper body, chin up looking where you are going, hands holding a tray ( your reins) and pretend your legs and feet can reach the ground, your hips are swaying in a backward motion ( as if you are cycling backwards) in time to the horses footfalls...longer stirrups will help but try none ( if you are happy/confident with the horse you are riding). You'll get there, don't give up or stress about it.. I've seen 'top' dressage riders still going around an arena with their heads nodding like a nodding dog..tut tut


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## erminex (13 August 2013)

Doing sitting trot without stirrups is great for developing a good position and not bracing against the irons (this is how I was managing to lose my stirrups- I had this misconceived notion that the stirrups were helping me stay secure ). It quickly teaches you to sit straight with your weight in your backside. I find that the better my sitting trot gets, the better my canter also gets, so stirrup-less trotting hits a load of birds with one stone for me. With rising trot, my more experienced friend told me not to think of rising, but of thrusting at the pommel. Taking on this rather less dignified image meant I stopped pushing as hard against the stirrup in an attempt to stand/rise (which is when the stirrup would be more likely to slip) and focused more on moving my hips instead. Keep reminding yourself not to grip with your knees and to push your heels down- a lot of the time heels can drift upwards and knees can start gripping without you being entirely aware you're doing it.

A good lot of getting used to a more bouncy horse is perseverance and developing a stronger core. I moved from a very smooth armchair-like pony to a small horse that felt like riding a jackhammer at the time, got used to him, then got put on a taller horse who has huge paces in comparison and felt like riding a jackhammer again the first few lessons. You'll know you're getting there as Herbie will become easier and more comfortable for you to ride over time, and the stirrups and the balls of your feet will part ways less often :3


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## Yem (14 August 2013)

Wow, both amazing replies, thanks!


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## TrasaM (14 August 2013)

Hello and welcome..waves..

Great advice already given  also make sure that you are not rising from the top down..ie shoulders pulling you up rather than energy coming upwards from foot. You can experiment with getting up from a seated position from a kitchen chair and concentrating on keeping shoulders relaxed whilst your legs, starting from your feet, do the pushing upwards. I'm still in the learning process too and this used to be a problem but riding without stirrups really helped me too.


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## oldie48 (14 August 2013)

Wow, I'm really impressed you are doing sitting trot, I still can't do it very well. I'm a little surprised folks are suggesting longer stirrups. Generally, you are less likely to lose your stirrup if it is shorter rather than longer. The main reason that we lose our stirrup (I think) is that we grip with the knee and upper thigh, this pulls our leg up (also tends to stop the horse going forward) so we have to work harder to get the horse going forward and this in turn makes us grip harder. I'm now a great believer in "floppy" and letting the weight of the leg hang down into the stirrup. Riding without stirrups is great but is of no value if you are keeping your balance by gripping up, it's all about keeping the legs (and the rest of the body) relaxed. Yes it's hard. Have youthought about finding a "centered riding" instructor? I had 6 months with one and it completely changed the way I ride


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## Yem (14 August 2013)

oldie48 said:



			Wow, I'm really impressed you are doing sitting trot, I still can't do it very well. I'm a little surprised folks are suggesting longer stirrups. Generally, you are less likely to lose your stirrup if it is shorter rather than longer. The main reason that we lose our stirrup (I think) is that we grip with the knee and upper thigh, this pulls our leg up (also tends to stop the horse going forward) so we have to work harder to get the horse going forward and this in turn makes us grip harder. I'm now a great believer in "floppy" and letting the weight of the leg hang down into the stirrup. Riding without stirrups is great but is of no value if you are keeping your balance by gripping up, it's all about keeping the legs (and the rest of the body) relaxed. Yes it's hard. Have you thought about finding a "centered riding" instructor? I had 6 months with one and it completely changed the way I ride
		
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Don't worry oldie48, I'm no expert at the sitting trot. I still need to put in a lot of practice too. 

On the stirrup issue - I have tried both short and long, I personally find that shorter stirrups makes me take more of a seat position and I tend to put a lot more emphasis on the stirrups over my core/seat bones. Longer stirrups help me keep my lower body relaxed, though this could just be me and my long legs!

What is a "centered riding" instructor? Sounds interesting!


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## oldie48 (15 August 2013)

Yem said:



			Don't worry oldie48, I'm no expert at the sitting trot. I still need to put in a lot of practice too. 

On the stirrup issue - I have tried both short and long, I personally find that shorter stirrups makes me take more of a seat position and I tend to put a lot more emphasis on the stirrups over my core/seat bones. Longer stirrups help me keep my lower body relaxed, though this could just be me and my long legs!

What is a "centered riding" instructor? Sounds interesting!
		
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Hi, I've also got a very bouncey dressagfe horse! If you google Centred riding you'll get some instructors, it's based on classical priciples but is absolutley focused on the rider rather than the horse.


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## Emmac82 (15 August 2013)

Hi I had exactly the same problem when I started riding again earlier this year especially in sitting trot. 

As Micky says, I was gripping with my legs and not pushing the weight down into my feet so was losing my stirrups....not good when you want to canter!! 

I've learnt to push from my thighs rather then my feet and its really helping. My sitting trot has imporved alot so I feel better going into canter and when rising I feel like I'm doing less of the work and pushing the horse forward better because my calves/feet are in the correct position. It simply takes practise and i'm sure you'll soon get there. Something my instrcutor said to do tho and really helped is say in your mind what you want.....so in this case when I'm in raising trot I think 'thighs, thighs, thighs'. Sounds a bit daft but really helps me.


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## Cortez (15 August 2013)

Can you get a good (I emphasise this!) instructor to lunge you, both with and without stirrups? As everyone has said, you are undoubtedly gripping with the upper thigh and knee and need to relax the whole upper leg in order to learn to just sit on your seat bones (easier typed than done!).


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## Kathyt (15 August 2013)

Why is your instructor not explaining how to stop this?  Might be worth having lessons elsewhere, even if you do this occasionally.


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## Yem (16 August 2013)

Kathyt said:



			Why is your instructor not explaining how to stop this?  Might be worth having lessons elsewhere, even if you do this occasionally.
		
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Hi Kathyt, 

This is only my 7th lesson remember I'm bound to be doing something wrong at some point! The instructors are doing their best to help me and everyone else, I just thought it would be good to get a second opinion...


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## Embo (16 August 2013)

Some good advice on this thread.

Just out of curiosity, are you riding at Mottingham Farm? I only ask as I used to ride there in my teens and they had two big horses called Bonnie and Herbie who were used for beginners  was a lot of fun there.


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## Yem (16 August 2013)

Yes it's Mottingham Farm, i thought someone might get it from the horses names. How did you find it when you was there?


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## Embo (19 August 2013)

Yem said:



			Yes it's Mottingham Farm, i thought someone might get it from the horses names. How did you find it when you was there?
		
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I always loved it there, but it was totally different for me as I was already able to ride quite well when I started going there. I would spend the whole weekend there working for free rides lol. 

To be honest, if you really want to work on your seat, you need to find a riding school that will give you lessons on a lunge line so you can concentrate on your seat without worrying about steering the horse. It might be different now, but Mottingham didn't do this when I was there. When you feel more confident and secure then you can go back. I always enjoyed the hack-style lessons, felt much more relaxed.


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## JillA (19 August 2013)

http://www.centeredriding.org/instructors-list.asp I don't know if the one in your area works with a stables where you can use a horse - most teach you on your own horse. It's worth asking though - they are very good on posture and seat.
Lisa Pritchard who is accessible for us has a simulator which is really useful to establish your seat without worrying about controlling a horse.


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## Yem (29 August 2013)

Hi All, 

Thanks for all your help. I took it all on board and I am doing a lot better (at least I think so). No more stirrups flapping about my ankles!


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