# Feet Slipping Through Stirrups?



## BigDreamer

I've only taken 2 lessons so far, so I'm sure this is something that I will fix with time, but thought I'd ask if there is any advice anyway. 

When I trot and try to post, my feet end up just falling through the stirrups and I have to stop my trot and fix them. Do you have any tips on keeping them in place? 

I wear paddock boots, and haven't gotten chaps yet. Would chaps help my leg grip a little better?


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## horselovinguy

No....paddock boots are great. 
Chaps only give you "grip" so to speak but they don't quiet your leg which is why you are losing your stirrup. Your leg actually needs to learn muscle memory to become quiet and work in partnership with the up, down, up, down of posting...
Glad to see you write of wearing a safe proper shoe with a dedicated heel to ride in...:smile:

I wonder if your stirrup is a tad to long. 
2 lessons is not much "seat" time to feel and get any kind of leg or understanding of how to post if I remember correctly...
I kind of remember bouncing when learning to post till :idea: made the connection..
_It was a very, very long time ago when I started to ride_ :redface:
:runninghorse2:...


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## PoptartShop

It sounds like your stirrups may be too long?
Did you try shortening them a hole or two? Make sure you stretch your legs, and try to keep your heels down. Since you've only had two lessons, try not to stress over it and I'm surprised you are posting with only two lessons, but I would try to shorten them.
The half chaps help if you are experiencing pinching. I wear them because the stirrup leathers will pinch me if I don't.


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## evilgreen1

I have some fantastic suede stirrup grip pads that Velcro onto the pad of the stirrup. They offer a little more grip and might help until you get your muscle memory firmed up.


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## mmshiro

It might be that you are taking weight off your feet on the "down" by literally sitting down in the saddle. Try to sit as lightly as you can, almost floating a hair's breadth over the saddle until the horse's movement bounces you "up" again. That'll keep enough weight on your stirrups so they don't start swinging freely, at which point it's a crap shoot where you'll land on the next "up". Something to consider in addition to all the other advise, which seems sound to me as well.


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## Yogiwick

Do get half chaps, I rode without them for years and now that I have them won't go back.

Agree they won't magically fix the problem though, the problem is simply that you're inexperienced.

Are they slipping forward or slipping back (so your foot falls out)?

Either way make sure the boots are appropriate (most likely are) and keep in mind that sometimes boots and stirrups are just SLIPPERY so it may not be just you. My mother has an older pair of riding boots that literally do not have grip, it's a plain piece of leather as the sole.

But it will mostly just come back to you not having the physical strength and muscle memory as well as the skill yet, trust me we have ALL been there and I would be shocked if you could post 2 lessons in without losing your stirrups! Heck the best riders drop their stirrups sometimes and I was trotting along the straightaway and has to adjust the stirrup a little as it had slid slightly and wasn't where it should have been. (Oh and part two- as you get better you won't need to stop, even if you lose it completely).

But really, riding is HARD. Anyone can sit on a horse but to actually ride is incredibly difficult in all sorts of different ways. Don't think this is anything other than completely normal, or anything that won't go away on it's own as you ride more and more.


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## Chasin Ponies

OP, you are not going to perfect posting after only 2 lessons so relax and stop worrying. Chances are that you are using too much muscle power to try and throw yourself out of the saddle and eventually you will relax and learn to let the horse do most of the work. Get the rhythm down first and worry about form later. Your feet are moving in the stirrup because you are using them to push yourself out of the saddle.

Get a nice balanced light grip from your hips to your knees, disengage your feet from the whole equation,_ (my instructor loved to make us post bareback!!)_ keep your back straight, bend slightly forward and feel for the horse's push "up" motion from behind. Pivot off your knees and let the horse push you up. You do not want to rise very high in the saddle, just enough to come slightly up. Sing a song in your head that goes along with the rhythm of the trot. All of this takes time and practice. Don't worry, you will get there.


One thing I used to do with my show tack is get some "Anti Slip" pads (from the shoe department at WalMart). I'd glue one pad on the stirrup and glue the other one on my boot right where my foot should be when correctly in the stirrup. Put your foot in the stirrup in exactly the correct place, match up the pads and the light sandpaper surfaces provide some friction and keep your foot firmly in place.


Not a substitute for good equitation but when I used to show, I wanted every edge I could think of!


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## tinyliny

I've never heard of using no slip pads for such as has been suggested. as long as it doesn't actually make the stirrup stick so well that if yiu raise your foot, the stirrup comes with it. the stirrup should always 'fall away' from your foot, if you raise your foot. that way, if you fall or are thrown, your foot will come free of the stirrup, just like that!.

but, try shortening stirrup, and try really thinking about 'lifting" your toes. this will help your heels stay dropped.

you'll get it!


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## Yogiwick

tinyliny said:


> I've never heard of using no slip pads for such as has been suggested. as long as it doesn't actually make the stirrup stick so well that if yiu raise your foot, the stirrup comes with it. the stirrup should always 'fall away' from your foot, if you raise your foot. that way, if you fall or are thrown, your foot will come free of the stirrup, just like that!.
> 
> but, try shortening stirrup, and try really thinking about 'lifting" your toes. this will help your heels stay dropped.
> 
> you'll get it!



Agree, though unsure if gluing stuff to the stirrups would be ok as it's not the OPs saddle. But she can at least try her shoes if needed.

I do disagree with "lifting the toes" while the same style as "relaxing your heel" it is a more forced position. But pushing down into the stirrups is the right thing to do, just don't force it, just relax as if you were standing on the ground- let it happen.


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## tinyliny

I have found many people who are learning "get" the position of foot on stirrup much better with trying the toes up, versus heels down. It us one thing to try to help stop the habit of pointing toes, and thus either losing stirrup or having toe go too far into stirrup.


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## BigDreamer

Thanks for the advice, guys! Since I posted this, I had my third lesson and my feet/legs behaved a bit better. I didn't fall completely through the stirrups at all, although still had issues going in too far or loosing them completely. Once of the times my foot got out of place, I was able to fix it without stopping my trot. Sounds like a little thing, but I was proud of it! LOL. 

On a side note, I am absolutely loving my lessons! I enjoy every minute I have at the barn. I know learning will take awhile, especially since I am not in shape, but it is fun! I am so happy when I am there.


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## tinyliny

isn't it fun???!! taking lessons is the best!


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## beau159

OP, I would advised you to get half chaps to wear with your paddock boots. When I ride English, I do not like riding without my half chaps. I think you would see benefit with them. 

I agree with the others -- keep practicing! It sounds like your stirrups might be too long OR you just have to learn how to keep weight in your feet. Think "toes up and heels down". Make sure not to grip or tense up with your lower leg. Let your thighs and butt do the work! You'll get it.


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## Horsef

If OP, wouldn't mind, may I ask a related question? My inside leg in canter will sometimes be a bit loose in the stirrup. I don't want to jam it down because it causes tension but I can't figure out what's happening. Any ideas?


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## beau159

Horsef said:


> If OP, wouldn't mind, may I ask a related question? My inside leg in canter will sometimes be a bit loose in the stirrup. I don't want to jam it down because it causes tension but I can't figure out what's happening. Any ideas?


Are you accidentally leaning (with your body) too much to the outside, which would make your leg "shorter" on the inside?


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## Horsef

beau159 said:


> Are you accidentally leaning (with your body) too much to the outside, which would make your leg "shorter" on the inside?


Could well be, I will pay attention. My mare is a "leaner" and I try to stay upright (on my instructor's orders), could that have the same effect? I suppose so. Thanks.


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## BitOfJumping

BigDreamer said:


> I've only taken 2 lessons so far, so I'm sure this is something that I will fix with time, but thought I'd ask if there is any advice anyway.
> 
> When I trot and try to post, my feet end up just falling through the stirrups and I have to stop my trot and fix them. Do you have any tips on keeping them in place?
> 
> I wear paddock boots, and haven't gotten chaps yet. Would chaps help my leg grip a little better?



do your boots have a line going across where your toes go? thats roughly where your stirrup iron should be


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## ongket31

I had the same problem before but that's because of my rubber boots, now that I've changed to leather tall boots I can keep my heels down and not losing the stirrups. I'm on my second lesson and my instructor gave me a dressage whip, she said I have to learn how to hold it well even if I won't be using it. I'm doing rising trot and she took off the lunge line so I have to get all my position correct, just that the riding school horse is lazy and I found that the whip is very effective (natural aid first). Is it normal for beginners to use a whip at this stage?


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## Acadianartist

OP, I also like half chaps. I like the feeling of support on my lower leg and feel it helps steady my leg. So I do recommend them. I always wear tall boots or half chaps, never just paddock boots. But that's just me.

But you're doing great for 3 lessons! It will come.


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## Acadianartist

ongket31 said:


> I had the same problem before but that's because of my rubber boots, now that I've changed to leather tall boots I can keep my heels down and not losing the stirrups. I'm on my second lesson and my instructor gave me a dressage whip, she said I have to learn how to hold it well even if I won't be using it. I'm doing rising trot and she took off the lunge line so I have to get all my position correct, just that the riding school horse is lazy and I found that the whip is very effective (natural aid first). Is it normal for beginners to use a whip at this stage?


It's not about the level of the rider, but about the horse! With some lesson horses, if you're not holding the crop, the horse won't budge (I assume you mean a crop, not a whip - the crop is shorter, a whip is very long and would be extremely awkward for riding). I know horses like that! It's not ideal, and more advanced riders are actually more successful at getting the horse to be more forward, so yes, in my experience, with certain horses, beginners need to have a crop.


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## Horsef

I started my first lesson with a crop because my instructor thought it best to get used to it straight away. She was right, it doesn't take a long time to get used to holding it. I now don't ride with a crop because my mare doesn't require it but when I do get on a lazy horse, I don't even realize it's there and use it correctly without thinking about it.

Also, most school horses are on a lazy side and they will respect a crop even if you aren't using it - it's enough that it's there.


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## ongket31

Acadianartist said:


> It's not about the level of the rider, but about the horse! With some lesson horses, if you're not holding the crop, the horse won't budge (I assume you mean a crop, not a whip - the crop is shorter, a whip is very long and would be extremely awkward for riding). I know horses like that! It's not ideal, and more advanced riders are actually more successful at getting the horse to be more forward, so yes, in my experience, with certain horses, beginners need to have a crop.


I think it's not a crop, the ones she gave me is the dressage whip which is way longer than crop. Didn't really use it until my instructor asked me to tap it, but it seems quite effective when the horse doesn't want to respond when I squeeze or kick.


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## Jan1975

I struggle w/ my feet sliding in sometimes, but focusing on long legs and heels down helps. Also, I tend to want to clench with my knees, and that makes my lower legs swing/come up and I often lose my stirrups. In my head, I try to visualize dressage riders with those long legs behind the girth.


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