# Tips to keep feet "planted" in the stirrups? [Beginner Rider]



## usandpets (Jan 1, 2011)

Two things would be my guesses. One, you're stirrups are too long. And second, you are "grabbing" or squeezing your heels to the horse to stay on, instead of using your thighs.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## toto (Mar 3, 2013)

C) beginner with lots to learn-- final answer.

If you got to think about stirrups more than the lesson- its the stirrups-- you should be able to stand and only fit 4 fingers (make your hand flat- thumb up) between your crotch and saddle area- if theres more room than that- the stirrups too long.

All you need to remember is keep the grips on the balls of your feet- heels pointed down (not to where it hurts your calves) enough to keep the stirrups from going anywhere and where your comfortable riding.

If that aint the problem id check the irons for the grips at the bottom (rubber piece) that can cause the irons to slip around.


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## tlkng1 (Dec 14, 2011)

A not so uncommon problem..I had the same issue and still do on occasion . Check your leather length...the bottom of the iron should be even with your ankle bone. Keeping heels down prevents that forward slip. If your heels are up your foot goes forward..at the same time if your heels are up you are most likely going to be leaning forward from your entire upper body and your legs are following..think of a teeter totter.

You want to be sitting almost vertical and think of your legs as pins squeezing toothpaste out of the tube. Use your calves and let your weight sink into your heels. The iron should be even with the girth if that gives a better picture of your leg...there should also be a straight line (hard to see when mounted) from your hip down to your heel.

In the pic it looks like you are resting your hands on the horse's neck in the post..that could also be an issue (it is anyway but for now we are looking at heels) as you are probably pushing yourself up with your hands which doesn't help you maintain contact with your calf. You want your hands up off the horse's neck and use your calf to work the post. 

Try this (On a quiet horse  )..put the reins in one and put the other one behind your back..then post. This tends to put people in the proper position just out of sheer requirement. Once you have balance like that, go back to using both hands and try to duplicate the feeling. This is a good exercise over ground poles as well and also includes holding your arms out to the sides as you post and do ground poles. In other words, your hands need to be independent of your legs.


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## Endiku (Dec 6, 2010)

Also, it looks to me like you balance a LOT on your reins, and lean forwards quite a bit because of it in most of your photos. Those two things cause your legs to tip back, your toes to go forwards, and your foot to slip into the stirrup irons. Try using your core and thighs more to post at the trot, and to move with your horse at the canter. Have you had any stirrupless lunge line lessons yet?


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## Skyseternalangel (Jul 23, 2011)

I feel you are pinching with your knee which is why you are having issues keeping weight down your leg into your stirrups.


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## MyFillyAspen (Oct 28, 2012)

I found that when learning I would tense and hold myself with my legs wrapped around the horse, which brang my legs up a bit more, and therefore I lost my stirrup - I needed to keep myself wrapped around the horse BUT lengthen and stretch my leg around not 'cling and hang on for dear life'. Also by doing this I was bringing my heels up, another thing I had to work on by lengthening my leg and stretching it down and around the horse, I found it helped me keep my heels down.

I'll post a picture of me which is a few months old to show you what I mean. Hope this helps, sorry if it is confusing.

It takes a while to practise and get it to show up but eventually it comes as easily as rise trot (something which is usually very hard for beginners but becomes second nature - I work at a riding school as Team Manager so see alot of beginners, as well as having riding lessons myself)


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## MyFillyAspen (Oct 28, 2012)

Sorry read your post wrong, thought you were reffering to loosing your stirrups caused by not enough leg extension on your behalf.

Whoops!


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## Skyseternalangel (Jul 23, 2011)

HalleysComet said:


> Sorry read your post wrong, thought you were reffering to loosing your stirrups caused by not enough leg extension on your behalf.
> 
> Whoops!


No you didn't; the same rules apply to losing stirrups as to them jamming futher down your leg.

When weight is not getting down the leg, then stirrups will move out of their -ball of foot- position.


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## bsms (Dec 31, 2010)

I'll say it isn't because your stirrups are too long, since I keep mine to where I can only get a finger (maybe 2 tops) between my crotch and the saddle. I don't jump, so I don't have the need to get as far out:









Some things to think about - or maybe ask your instructor about - 

1 - What are your stirrups/boots made of? I need rubber on at least one of them. Leather sole boots on rubber pad, or rubber soled boots on bare metal.

2 - Where exactly is your foot in the stirrup? If my foot is a little too far back, then I'll subconsciously point my toe to 'hold them' on my foot. Changing the position of the stirrup by as little as a half inch, or angling it differently, can stop me from doing this.

3 - Watch pinching with the knee. I often need to make a conscious, thought-out effort to spread my knees. As the years go by, it is becoming less of a problem for me, but pinching with my knees was a HUGE problem when I started. As a variation, I am also capable of pinching with my thighs, pushing me up out of the saddle slightly and making me point my toes to 'catch' my stirrups.

4 - Bracing with the leg will cause bouncing, and bouncing tends to make you point your toes to keep the stirrups.

Those are some of the problems I've had over the last 5 years. I'm sure there are others. Good luck, and talk to your instructor!

Edit to add 5: If my balance gets too forward, I'll also point my toes.


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## Chiilaa (Aug 12, 2010)

For someone who is used to riding, and has developed the long leg that you have BSMS, then yes, a long leg won't cause you to lose stirrup position. However, in beginners, stirrups too long is the number one thing to change when stirrup position is a problem. If your stirrups are too long for your level of riding, then you will grip with your legs instead of letting them fall without restraint, and as a result the feet won't be as "heavy" as they should be, and will move.


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## bsms (Dec 31, 2010)

Since the OP jumps (judging from the picture), I'm sure she wants shorter stirrups than I use. I only pointed it out to show that since you CAN use longer stirrups without danger of losing them, that length alone isn't the problem. I don't teach anyone, but I know that gripping and or bracing will cause me stirrup problems regardless of the stirrup length.


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## Chiilaa (Aug 12, 2010)

I get that. However, if you are not used to long stirrups, they will CAUSE the gripping and pinching, as you won't feel as secure, and so you grip.


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## rexing93 (Dec 6, 2012)

I'd like to thank you all for your comments/advice on this situation! I can actually relate to the "pinching with the knee" scenario the best, as I feel I do it occasionally and I have to remind myself to not do it during lessons, so I think I'm really going to try working on that next lesson. During my previous lesson, she did tell me to quit using my knees quite a bit (occasionally I'd hear it once or twice in a lesson but the last one it was a bit more frequent)--so I think putting the pieces together really helped.

Again, thank you all!


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