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Post Info TOPIC: Foot problems


Well Schooled

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Posts: 61
Date: Apr 28, 2011
Foot problems
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I really need help with this!  My feet have always been a bit of a problem with going home in the stirrups but now it has become much worse!  Either they go home all the way or bounce out of the stirrups altogether!  I spend so much effort concentrating on my darn feet that it interferes with my riding! I have tried thinking "toe up".."heels back to the hocks"...stretching my legs down.  My trainer is not so worried about it, he says it will come with time but I know that all of my moving my feet around to get them back into place confuses my horse.  Any thoughts as to why this is happening and a way to fix it? 



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Advanced

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Posts: 223
Date: Apr 28, 2011
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Basically riders lose their strirrups because the leathers are too long,, the foot is not against the side of the stirrup iron (inside for jumping/outside for dressage riders), or they are not open from hip to heel (more parallel) and need more stretch from hip to heel.  The heels must be lower than the toes, not by stressed action, but 'elastically' lowered.  If the thighs are too high there is no stretch into heel, no sustaining the foot in the iron (another problematic result of exceeding padded saddles with massive thigh blocks which not allow the rider to find their seat/balance properly).


The best way to do this is spend time (LOTS of time) in two point, to have the stirrups shorter, keeping the leathers vertical, keeping the hip open, the thigh lowered, the knee lowered, all w/o pushing.  IF you can do this is w/t/c, then you can do the same thing seated.  It will NOT work if you turn your toes out.  Also, the use of irons with 90 offset eye ( http://www.doversaddlery.com/herm-sprenger-offset-eye-stirrup-irons/p/X1-0708/cn/97/ ) will help the leather be flat on the saddle, and keep the iron straight across the foot.

 




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Grand Prix

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Posts: 532
Date: Apr 28, 2011
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Great advice, Barnfrog (love your username : )!

The purpose of a stirrup is to aid in maintaining equal angles of ankle, knee and hip, suitable and adjustable for each discipline's needs, each rider's own comformation...somewhere in the middle range of completely extended and totally folded : )

Be sure you can feel your weight in each seatbone, strive to feel at all times. Note where your balance is based (seat) and let the legs drape around the horse's barrel, into the stirrups. Sit INTO the saddle, not stand ON the stirrups : )

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Advanced

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Posts: 355
Date: Apr 28, 2011
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You MIGHT be unconsciously gripping with your knees.  This effectively shortens the leg, leading to floating stirrups, this has been long a problem for me!

For me ANY strong grip with my legs, knee or upper calf (though I do better w/ upper calf) leads to my stirrups sliding home.  I noticed this just yesterday during my lesson.  Definitely shorten your stirrups, this is just admitting reality--gripping leads to a shorter leg.

You might also want to think about relaxing your leg after giving a leg aid so your leg will stretch out. 



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Grand Prix

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Posts: 630
Date: Apr 28, 2011
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Great advice from everybody! No stirrups work can also help you learn to sit in the saddle vs. stand in the stirrups aww



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Courage is being scared to death but saddling up anyway. - John Wayne



Grand Prix

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Posts: 831
Date: Apr 28, 2011
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Read this. ;)

The Incredible Shrinking Leg



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