# Bracing with your legs??? Help!!



## Layneywashere (Apr 6, 2018)

Hello all! Looking for any advice, tips, or tricks. 
I’m working hard to become a better rider, but I’ve become a little stuck. My trainer has pointed out I brace with my legs, mostly at the canter. I was able to correct myself from doing it at the trot and have gone a few weeks with little to no issues at the trot, but still find myself doing it at the canter and struggle to stop myself. 
I ride western, any advice would be greatly appreciated!


----------



## TXhorseman (May 29, 2014)

It is very common for many riders to brace their legs when trotting and cantering. Some even do this at the walk. This may be the result of feeling they need to push on the stirrups to keep their feet in place. Others do this in conjunction with trying to hold onto the horse’s sides with their legs.

The problem in any case is that bracing the legs causes the rider’s muscles to tense, so the rider is less able to follow the movements of the horse. An additional complication is that the horse’s muscles will usually become more tense as a result. Thus, the horse cannot move as smoothly, making the movement even more uncomfortable for the rider. This, in turn, can increase the rider’s apprehension, making the rider even more tense.

It is important for the rider to realize that gravity will do the work of keeping him on the horse as long as he remains balanced. Keeping balanced involves constant adjustments which come easier if the rider is not tense. 

Try to relax when simply sitting on the horse. Release the tension from the muscles of your upper torso and let your skeletal system support your weight. Think of balancing your head over your spine rather than holding it there rigidly. Imagine standing with your legs apart and knees slightly bent; a horse just happens to be between them. Try to sit in the center of the saddle rather than leaning against the cantle. An upright body can adjust its balance easier when a horse moves. 

Ask the horse to walk. Think of relaxing and balancing. Allow your body to move with the horse’s movements. The movement of your hips should be almost the same as if you were walking. Think of your hips being attached to your horses hind legs. Your lower spine should be moving every which way. Enjoy the movement. Think of this as getting a free massage.

When your horse trots, a relaxed body can follow the movement better than a tense body. Remember, if you are relaxed, gravity will hold your feet in the stirrups just like it holds your feet to the ground when your standing. When you feel the horse start to drop beneath your seat, think of bending your legs and going down with it. Whether you actual do this is not as important as the image.

Learning to move easily with the horse at a walk and trot will make it easier to translate this following of the horse’s movements to the canter. The canter should actually feel smoother than the trot. Allow your hips to move freely with the horses back as your head remains balanced above. Keep your back supple. This should be a flowing movement as your seat crests a wave, slides through the trough, and rises to the top of the next wave.


----------



## Boo Walker (Jul 25, 2012)

When you're on a canter, sit up, take a deep breath and as you exhale, think of softly draping your legs to the shape of the horse's barrel like a wet noodle. 
It may only be a few strides at a time but with practice you'll find that easy rhythm of a sweet canter combined with a steady but relaxed leg.


----------



## SteadyOn (Mar 5, 2017)

Are you at all nervous when you canter? I find bracing with the stirrups can happen defensively, whether we do it consciously or not. I will accidentally do it when the canter gets fast, or weird, or I get tired.

How fit are you as a rider? You might find shorter stretches of canter where you focus on sitting deep and relaaaxing might help. Don't canter long enough at a time to where you feel tense or like things might fall apart if you're not on alert.

If you have good balance, bits of canter work without stirrups would fix the bracing pretty quickly, as you can't brace if they're not there! Otherwise, no stirrups work in walk and trot with focusing on keeping a looooonnng, relaxed leg that just hangs down from the hip, will help you a lot. (Don't push your heels down when you do this. Just RELAX and let the muscles in your bum and the backs of your thighs cushion and support you.)


----------



## Layneywashere (Apr 6, 2018)

SteadyOn said:


> Are you at all nervous when you canter? I find bracing with the stirrups can happen defensively, whether we do it consciously or not. I will accidentally do it when the canter gets fast, or weird, or I get tired.
> 
> How fit are you as a rider? You might find shorter stretches of canter where you focus on sitting deep and relaaaxing might help. Don't canter long enough at a time to where you feel tense or like things might fall apart if you're not on alert.
> 
> If you have good balance, bits of canter work without stirrups would fix the bracing pretty quickly, as you can't brace if they're not there! Otherwise, no stirrups work in walk and trot with focusing on keeping a looooonnng, relaxed leg that just hangs down from the hip, will help you a lot. (Don't push your heels down when you do this. Just RELAX and let the muscles in your bum and the backs of your thighs cushion and support you.)


I’ll try some stirup less work on my broke mare. If I feel like I’m lossing control I will get a little nervous and grip more (exactly what you don’t want to do lol)


----------



## Layneywashere (Apr 6, 2018)

SteadyOn said:


> Are you at all nervous when you canter? I find bracing with the stirrups can happen defensively, whether we do it consciously or not. I will accidentally do it when the canter gets fast, or weird, or I get tired.
> 
> How fit are you as a rider? You might find shorter stretches of canter where you focus on sitting deep and relaaaxing might help. Don't canter long enough at a time to where you feel tense or like things might fall apart if you're not on alert.
> 
> If you have good balance, bits of canter work without stirrups would fix the bracing pretty quickly, as you can't brace if they're not there! Otherwise, no stirrups work in walk and trot with focusing on keeping a looooonnng, relaxed leg that just hangs down from the hip, will help you a lot. (Don't push your heels down when you do this. Just RELAX and let the muscles in your bum and the backs of your thighs cushion and support you.)


I also want to get a different saddle. My saddle has no padding in the seat, so I have a pad to make it bareable to ride in. (The saddle is also almost to right in my horse, she is packing on muscle) The pad doesn’t allow as much freedom in my hips. When I ride in my trainers saddle that has a slicker seat (with padding) it allows my hips a lot more freedom and I have less issues with bracing.


----------



## jaydee (May 10, 2012)

Its mostly tension that causes stiffness and bracing and even if you drop your stirrups you'll still be tense, the tightness will just be more evident in your knees, thighs and seat.
Focus on relaxing - as already suggested - breath in and then exhale and think about how that feels. You can still have strength but without feeling that you'd snap if somehow tried to move you


----------

