My leg keeps coming forward and my heels rise up, making it harder to stand. Do i have to train some muscles in my thigh or leg in order to accomplish this? Please recommend exercise if so.
I had the same problem as you. Here is what I did to fix it:
-I took a lunge lesson, where I could concentrate on keeping my legs under me
-It also turns out that my stirrups were WAY to long for my legs. Shorten your stirrups next time, it could help you post and stand better.
-As you stand up, instead of pushing your weight into your stirrups, you are going to put them into your heels. This really helped me a lot!
-Stand with the balls of your feet on the edge of a step. Now stand on your toes and drop down pushing all your weight into your heels and flexing your calves. Hold it for 30 second-1 minute, then try and touch your toes . Do this anytime possible and AT LEAST 5 times a day.
-Stand with your heels against the wall. Push up your toes as high as you can and hold it for 10-20 seconds. Do this AT LEAST 5 times a day and whenever possible as well.
pets question and answers,www.5d2d.com Hope I helped, and Good Luck!
What you need are a couple of lunge lessons to sort your seat out which will cause your legs to lengthen and keep more still in rising trot.
Excersises would include getting you to ride the horse without stirrups. You would put your knees up in front of the saddle until they are touching. You would soon start to feel your seat bones which should have even weight put on them and are situated at the back of your pelvis. If you are experiencing pain or discomfort in your pubic area you will be in the wrong position.
Then you would take your legs apart as far as possible, still sitting up straight and feeling those seat bones, then let them hang low as possible. Then you would grasp one or both of your ankles and bring your foot (feet) up to touch your seat bones. This will stretch the thigh muscles and bring your knees back. When you let go (still feeling those seat bones) and let your legs hang long then your legs will be "longer" than ever. You would then move up to trot - without stirrups and practise changes of pace without falling back or forward.
pets question and answers,www.5d2d.com You will finally take back your stirrups - you will find you need to lengthen these! Ankle turning exercises are also good, on and off the horse, circle the ankles inwards. You do not need to strengthen leg or thigh muscles. This will just cause tension and make things worse. Rising to the trot should be effortless and you need to allow the horse to throw you up and catch you on the way down. You do not go up and down but forward and up - imagine trying to get your hips and pelvis between your hands as your rise.
My mantra as a riding instructor has always been "heels down and back". It's great that you are focusing on trying to correct this ... once you figure it out, your position will really improve! Ride more into your thigh. Your knee should rest gently against the flap of the saddle, but should not pinch. Same with your calf. As you post up, thinking of sinking your heel down. Do lots two point ( can you hold your two point comfortably with your hands off the horse's neck at the walk and trot? If not, practice until you can!) and remember: if you can look straight down and see your foot, it is too far in front of you. Good luck!
pets question and answers,www.5d2d.com
PS - Any exercise that helps strengthen your thigh and calf will really help. If you find that your heels are tight, do calf and heel stretches on the mounting block before you get on (keep your toes on the tip of the mounting block and sink your heels down, hold for 5-10 seconds, come back up, and then again).
i ride hunter under saddle and my coach has me start with 5 minutes a day for a week then slowly go up by 5's to 30 . is standing on the bottom step or stair with my heels hanging off the back. this will strengthen ur calves and thighs so this will be made easier.
Practice two point alot. It will help you put weight in your heels. Developing your muscles may help but putting your weight down through your leg will help more.
maybe try other saddles and see if the problem persists some saddles are cut funny and can make your leg slide forward, mine did all the time before I got my dressage saddle.
try shifting the stirrups more to the balls of your feet.
