# riding with one stirrup?



## Jubilee Rose (May 28, 2008)

Someone posted on here something about riding with only one stirrup. Has anyone tried this? Does it help improve muscling for completely stirrup less? Or does it make you off-balanced?


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## sempre_cantando (May 9, 2008)

hmmm I don't know that I'd suggest it. It would put you off balance. I think that if someone wanted to practice no stirrup work, they'd do this with both stirrups off lol. I haven't heard of anyone doing this before and I don't really know why anyone would try it :???: I'd just go no stirrups but perhaps that's just me...


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## Jubilee Rose (May 28, 2008)

I agree, I think it would make you off-balanced too.


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## kickshaw (May 7, 2008)

definitely makes you off balanced. you are better off dropping them both


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## PoptartShop (Jul 25, 2010)

Yeah, that could do more harm than good lol...you might even fall off!  I think you'd be pretty unbalanced, leaning to one side.


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## Supermane (Sep 23, 2007)

I've done it before. I ride unbalanced so taking one stirrup away forces me to redistribute my weight.


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## Vidaloco (Sep 14, 2007)

I ride without stirrups when I feel I have lost my seat or balance and need to retrain my butt a little :lol: Going with only one stirrup? hmmm maybe to train one cheek? :wink:


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## wild_spot (Jan 30, 2008)

Hmmm. I wouldn't think it would be much good for the horses back... wieght in the one stirrup would pull the saddle over on their spine...


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## Duskylove (Jul 3, 2007)

I'm not quite strong enough to post without both of my stirrups yet so I have been working on dropping one at a time. I think it helps because you can gain strength and work up to dropping both. Just make sure you do it equally on each side.
Good luck :]


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## Spyder (Jul 27, 2008)

Vidaloco said:


> I ride without stirrups when I feel I have lost my seat or balance and need to retrain my butt a little :lol: Going with only one stirrup? hmmm maybe to train one cheek? :wink:


So are you a left cheek sneak or a right cheek sneak ?


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## GypsyNymph (Feb 23, 2008)

An old riding instructor had me drop one stirrup and post for a couple seconds and switch, I believe she had me do that so if your foot comes out of the stirrup while riding or at a show to keep posting and put my foot back in the stirrup without stopping the horse and putting my foot back in the stirrup.


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## creepalurkin (Oct 8, 2008)

Well, I mean, think about it, stirrups are for your feet to rest in, not to put a bunch of weight on. So if the saddle goes off balance if you take one foot out... then you aren't riding correctly anyway. It might help you focus on one leg at a time, I really don't think it'd hurt. My riding instructor used to make me do it all the time.


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## creepalurkin (Oct 8, 2008)

It might also help you practice leg position because it's supposed to be the same with and without stirrups... good practice to drop it and pick it back up after a few seconds too. And it has to do something for your balance weather it's one stirrup or two. That's just my opinion though =P


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## my2geldings (Feb 18, 2008)

I would suggest to use both or none, not just one. I think I just read recently someone on here was told by a trainer to use just one during a lesson. I wouldn't having someone explain to me how that would work. Never heard, seen or asked by a trainer to do that. Maybe it's a Canadian thing:roll:


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## VanillaBean (Oct 19, 2008)

Never tried it but i also think it would throw you off balance...


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## horsegirl123 (Jan 7, 2009)

I think one stirrup would make you unbalanced. My riding instructor has me take out both at the beginning of each lesson to build muscle in my legs.


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## SaddleUp158 (Dec 26, 2008)

My first instructor used to have us drop one stirrup to get used to riding without and then to pick them back up. I always found dropping both was easier than just dropping one.


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