# bad leg position!!! Need help please



## Angel_Leaguer (Jun 13, 2008)

So when I am riding English I am constantly struggling with my leg position and where it should be. I know the shoulder, hip, and heel should be in line but then when I start to post it feels like I am going to tip forward and I mindlessly move my heel forward and my lower leg moves to much. I recently moved to a new barn which has an indoor and mirrors (YAY!) So I can watch my legs but I am still struggling and I am working on strengthen my legs through exercise (I have welcomed the Insanity program into my life!) and riding without my irons. I have mostly ridden western growing up with riding English to earn highpoints at open shows but now I have a horse that prefers English and I want to get more serious. I have attached a picture of my latest equitation ride-this was at the end of the pattern when I fall apart (ya a bit embarrassed in seeing my position). I guess Im looking for some tips in how to have the nice look.









The things I notice are:
-Back a bit slouched 
-legs too far forward 
-never sure in what to do with the dang arms/hands! 

Feel free to add in… I am not going to take anything personal just looking to improve. 

Thanks!


----------



## Regan7312 (Jul 5, 2010)

I cant help to much because i am still such a greenie, but i have the same problem with my legs being too far foward. my trainer makes me stretch in two point for what seems like forever, and also do tons of no stirrup work. she says that you just have to build the legs muscles up and all and it just takes time. 

it just takes time, i think, to achieve the correct leg position, for some of us at least. 

so just keep praceticing!


----------



## ErikaLynn (Aug 3, 2010)

I have the same leg problem, I was told to ride with my stirrups a hole shorter which should help with your position. ANd riding with no stirrups is going to help you. Your hands look like you are sitting with them folded in your lap. Shorten up your reins a little bit and just bring your hands up off the horses neck and bend your elbow, and open your shoulders. 

Practice makes perfect. Good luck.


----------



## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)

*leg position and saddle angle*

HI,

That is really a smart looking horse, (QH, no?). 
It's cool that you are embarking on riding English. Your leg position will get better in time. One thing, though, if you have to work hard to keep you leg in a correct alingment, then it might be that the sadde angle is contributing to that . You see, if the saddle is sitting correctly on the horse's back, the stirrup leathers should hang perfectly vertically, no "list" either way. Also, when you look at the saddle placed in the correct locationon the horse's back, the cantle (next to your "can") should be just about an inch higher than the pommen (closer to your "palm"). If the front is higher than the rear (reverse of correct) then it will through your butt backward and believe it or not, this can result in you counter balancing by putting your legs forward, and usually the upper body ends up beiing forward, too. 
Make sure you English saddle is placed correctly on his back (not too far forward) and that the front to back angle is correct. If you see that the front angle is noticeabley too high, you might have to use a riser pad in the rear. However, just from what I can see in the photo, it isn't obviously upward sloping. Hard to tell from such a distance and with a rider aboard.

Other than that, when you ride think of riding more on your thighs with the weight going down the whole leg into the ankle/heel.


----------



## Angel_Leaguer (Jun 13, 2008)

Thanks everyone for the advice!

April is a QH and she is a smart horse (sometimes to smart...lol). I am going out riding in the morning and will look at how the saddle fits. I do have a riser pad already that I used on a different horse. I will be working on my legs this winter to get them to were they dont fatige out on me so bad- squats and lunges


----------



## VelvetsAB (Aug 11, 2010)

_Pick your hands up a few inches....You want them above your horses withers. If you wear dark gloves, then it is harder to see what your hand is doing as it blends in a bit more with your jacket, compared to a bare hand or light coloured glove._

_Any chance you could get a video of your posting? It would be easier to see why you think you are going to tip forward. First thing that pops into mind is that you are putting too much tip into your posting....?_

_I actually am not a big fan of arenas with mirrors. Why? Because as soon as I look into the mirror, my position changes, and I am doing something I shouldnt be doing. Maybe you are a better multitasker?!_


----------



## Angel_Leaguer (Jun 13, 2008)

Velvet- I dont have a good video on hand but hopefully I can drag my BF to the barn and get a current one. 

I see what you are saying about my hands I will try to be more aware of where they are at. 

Thanks for the advice!


----------



## WildSenses (Oct 20, 2010)

Bring up your hands a bit and when you post at the trot, let your elbows bend up and down with your post. Also push your shoulders back a bit and when you post, use your tummy muscles and not your back. I had a bad habit of doing that and once I used my tummy, my back stoped hurting!

Personally I think your leg position is pretty good! I always have my legs a bit forward, but it's easier for my jumping position.


----------



## wild_spot (Jan 30, 2008)

It is really, really hard to get a correct, classical alignment in a jumping saddle or forward cut saddle like yours.


----------



## Tymer (Dec 28, 2009)

wild_spot said:


> It is really, really hard to get a correct, classical alignment in a jumping saddle or forward cut saddle like yours.


This. I have found personally the only way for me to get that perfect shoulder-hip-heel alignment in a jumping saddle is to shorten my stirrups WAY up and have really strong legs (my leg muscles, weirdly, go back and forth between being strong and not strong.)


----------



## WildSenses (Oct 20, 2010)

Jumper saddles are made for you to be forward. You could try an all purpose if your position doesn't improve. I know when I ride in my all purpose, my leg is more underneith me and then when I ride in my jumper saddle, my leg is slightly more forwards like yours.


----------



## Angel_Leaguer (Jun 13, 2008)

wild_spot said:


> It is really, really hard to get a correct, classical alignment in a jumping saddle or forward cut saddle like yours.


I never thought of my saddle pushing me forward 

I may have to try to get a hold of an all purpose like wildsense suggested and see if that helps. I am also going to work on strengthing my body which should help too. 

Thanks everyone for your help!


----------



## wild_spot (Jan 30, 2008)

All purpose are better than a jump saddle, but still promote a chair seat vest thing to do would be have a ride in a dressage saddle as they are designed to help you into the more classically correct position.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


----------



## GCSM16 (Feb 6, 2010)

> Originally Posted by *wildsenses*
> 
> Personally I think your leg position is pretty good! I always have my legs a bit forward, but it's easier for my jumping position.


oh dear, easier = not proper. You are certainly not jumping properly if your legs are out in front of you. It will promote getting left behind, not releasing and jabbing your horse in the mouth because you are not truely in balance. It is certainly possible to have your heel under your hip in a c/c. However, not all saddles suit all body types and some saddles you will have to fight for the proper position.


----------



## dance21 (Oct 28, 2010)

Maybe you should try a different brand or style of saddle. It also looks like you need to sit a bit further forward in the saddle, in the deepest part. Another thing you could try is lengthening your stirrups, your knees sit too high and by lengthening your stirrups you might also be able to sit up straighter because you are stretching further.
Though really, you need to do lots of experimenting with different techniques to work out which works best for you.


----------



## Alwaysbehind (Jul 10, 2009)

I do not disagree that your leg position might be your saddle. But before you run out and buy a new saddle (unless you want to, who am I to suggest not buying new tack, new tack is wonderful) you might want look to see if there are other factors making you feel like you are tipping.

I wonder if you are pinching with your knee when you post? That could be making a pivot point at your knee, which makes your lower leg slide back and your upper body feel like it is tipping forward, you compensate by shoving your leg forward.


----------



## stormyweather101 (Nov 9, 2009)

this is *not* a fix to your problem, but tie your stirrups to your girth one day so you can get a feel of the muscles you use when you have the correct position with your legs and that will help you muscle memory so you can know and feel when you have the right leg position when you untie the stirrups. its really helped me keep a good leg position while riding.


----------



## Alwaysbehind (Jul 10, 2009)

Stormy, I did that more than once in life. It is very helpful. 

Just not the safest thing to do.


----------



## stormyweather101 (Nov 9, 2009)

that you always its a lifesaver for me right before shows!


----------



## Angel_Leaguer (Jun 13, 2008)

So when you tie them are you saying not use them? I have been throwing the irons up over her neck to learn to balance without irons and to post and strengthen my legs. Bareback riding has been helpful too 

Thanks everyone for the help!


----------



## stormyweather101 (Nov 9, 2009)

The best part about this exercise is you get to keep them! You tie the part that usually lies against the horses stomach to the girth and just put your footin it like normal and ride! simple as that! then once you think you have a feel for it, you take em off and see how it goes!


----------



## Angel_Leaguer (Jun 13, 2008)

stormyweather101 said:


> The best part about this exercise is you get to keep them! You tie the part that usually lies against the horses stomach to the girth and just put your footin it like normal and ride! simple as that! then once you think you have a feel for it, you take em off and see how it goes!



Cool, I am going to have to try that. Thanks


----------



## wild_spot (Jan 30, 2008)

Just be wary - I have a friend who's intructor did this with her, but did it to excess. She now has trouble finding a natural leg position - Her legs gravitate to far in toward the girth.


----------



## Alwaysbehind (Jul 10, 2009)

I agree, wild_spot. It is not something to do time and time again. It is just something to do to get a feel for where your legs should be. Some people need to know what the right spot feels like.


----------



## sandsarita (Jan 20, 2008)

Angel Leaguer - I know this post is a little old, but thought I might help. And I'm not trying to be rude, but this is all coming from an former wester rider who is now riding H/J/HUS/HSE, so hopefully I can relate a bit. 

Mainly, you are riding like a western pleasure rider in an english saddle. The style of the saddle is fine. For HUS and HSE, you do not want a all-purpose saddle or a dressage saddle, you want a close contact or jumping style. I have been showing in a collegiate that I won years ago. My trainer and I have been trying out saddles for me, trying to figure out what fits me best. Brands we have tried have included Antares, Hermes, and luckily the one that puts me in the best postion is the crosby prix de nations. All more forward seat jumping saddles.

Now for your position - If you look at your spine, your lower spine is curved under, allowing your sacrum to tilt. First sit up, stretch up through your abs, trying to increse your height by about two inches. The think about taking the curve out of your lower back and putting the natural curvature back into in. If you are standing on the ground, kinda rotate your pelvis forward and back, making your back really arch then really round and find the natural spot in between that allows you to be most comfortable. There will be a very slight arch/curve that should be maintained. Not exaggerated, but maintained. Now close your hip angle a bit. Right now you perfectly straight up and down. In Hunt Seat, you never should be except for maybe at the walk. At the trot, you need to be at about a 10 degree angle (can't remember the exact number). This will roll you slightly forward onto your thighs.

Hopefully by fixing your pelvis position, this will help bring your legs underneath you. Think long, with your calf in contact with the horse, your toe turned out about 25 to 30 degrees, and the heel slightly down (yes, it can be too down - just ask my trainer!). Maintain a bend in your knee, but keep that knee soft and just barely touching, but not squeezing, the saddle.

For your hands, shorten the reins about 3". You need to keep light contact with the bit and get your hands out of your lap. Keep your elbows slightly bent but in front of your body.

I hope that makes snse and wasn't too tough. It wasn't meant to be, just to help switch you over from a WP seat to a hunt seat. Here are a couple of photos of me riding at the posting trot that show some of the changes that I'm talking about to help you compare. And no, they aren't perfect and I promise I can tear them apart as well. And I'm sorry this is so long. Best of luck to you!!!


----------

