My dressage coach wants a neutral foot, with the heel neither deep or up. It takes conscious effort for me to do it. It sounds like the lesson you saw was an overcorrection to break a bad habit.
7 Likes
She related it to something with the seat and inner thighs, canāt remember exactly. I do remember thinking I could do what she wanted if sheād just be quiet about āheels upā because that was throwing the other riderās, and then my, position all out of whack. I asked if I could just drop my stirrups instead so I could focus on what she wantedānope. She never even saw how I actually rode because she immediately went to that before my fanny had even contacted the saddle! 
1 Like
Interesting. Does sound like this:
Although sometimes a tactic to fix something can be misinterpreted.
Many years ago (probably late 70ās?) I rode OTTBs for a local trainer. She also went to a lot of clinics, and paid for me to go. Back then, clinics were just becoming popular on the west coast.
One particular clinician (Iāll call him āGeorgeā 
) introduced an exercise in his clinic where we were supposed to ride on a soft rein, with our hands unusually elevated above the withers. This was because too many were riding with their hands below the withers, so that they had a broken line from bit to elbow. They were doing that see-saw thing, making the horses drop their heads and go behind the vertical, etc. I recall āGeorgeā having us do this raised hands thing for maybe 10 minutes and that was it.
Skip forward to lessons at that trainer for at least the next several months. Iād be out in the far arena, watching the goings on and pondering what objective she had in mind. Everyone in her lessons was made to ride around like they were mocking saddleseat riders. Their hands were way up the entire time they were riding, not for just a short exercise. Thank God their reins were rather loose and the school horses patient saints. All this time later, I still think about how the point of that exercise was misinterpreted.
6 Likes
That makes sense. In dressage you do tend to ride off your thigh more, and your thigh is considered part of your seat. No calf gripping!! That was a hard one for me!
2 Likes
Same, girl, same.
For me to truly have my heels very down, my legs would need to be up on the dashboard or my stirrups very short. Iāve always been a bit more up on my toe rather than the balls of my feet and more of an almost even heel that super dropped heel.
It doesnāt always work out and Iām probably not as secure in the tack as some of my 5ā8-5ā10 long-legged Amazon peers, but thatās just science unfortunately.
1 Like
Yep!
I said the knee rolls these days are a problem.
Yep
1 Like
So funny. I though the same about the saddle flap. Do you remember how the hunter riders would put their outside hand way out and low (fingers open, of course)?
I found this very old photo, me with my OTTB (chestnut mare) - I bought her as a project and did some hunters with her back in the day ā this was around 1977 I think?
(Forgive the āfreshman 15ā 
)
I definitely rode with my toe in the stirrup back then! I evented as well and didnāt do it in that discipline, but it was all the rage back then.
9 Likes
OOOF, and another picture of me around the same time showcasing that same horrible habit you just described! 
Obviously, I didnāt always ride that way
7 Likes
out of curiosity, what was your right hand doing? Just a normal automatic release?
No clue!! LOL - dang - I canāt see it, so it must be next to his neck.
He was a phenomenal little horse: 15ā1", and like a bouncy ball - SO elastic and powerful. Those KNEES! His owner was a timid amateur who didnāt jump (and I was a stupid teenager with no fear), so I started working him over fences; he wound up being incredibly talented, willing, and brave - I once jumped him over a 4ā6" square oxer (he just cantered up to it in nice balance and easily popped over - thrilling! 
)
He was a typical Appy - great, hard, bare feet (toes are very long here!), thin rat tail, and a bit of a ānobleā head - but was smart, willing, rideable, and the polar opposite of the stubborn Appy reputation. I really loved him (as you can see, I had a SEG on my face - which was pretty much any time I rode him!)
The fact that I remember this clearly fifty years later shows how memorable he was. A super little guy.
ETA - riding in tennis shoes! And full seat brick full chaps! Oh the good old daysā¦
13 Likes
My first pair of full chaps (early 1970s) were the same color. Iād forgotten them until I saw your photo.
You do look like you were having a blast. It was so much fun to be young and fearless. I had a ball too!
5 Likes
Yeah - they were the rage!!
It WAS so much fun! This getting old?..well it really blows. Iām still eventing, though!, so I havenāt given up the ghost/thrown in the towel/hung up my spurs quite yet
4 Likes
I had a similar pair of full chaps in that era too. And a similar hunt cap. And probably did something similar with my hands, although no pictures survive to prove it 
I think your leg position was better than mine. I have always had stiff ankles, even when I was a teen.
4 Likes
I have one of these, too!! Heās VERY retired now at 31, but he was a trierā¦and my 
horse.
I wish I had your form, though!
9 Likes
OOOO, so handsome! He has an intelligent head, with character 
Obviously he could jump a little bit too
I donāt know about my form in the shot with Jake ā not something anyone would want to emulate! 
But I guess it was okay in the previous shot on my chestnut mare ā so in any case, thank you! Another thing about Appies is their longevity, they are tough horses.
Yes, this boy is crooked (neurological), but he marches to and from his paddock with more gusto than my other four!
You normally have very nice form!
2 Likes
3 Likes
