I have been pouring over the video and still shots from my last two clinic rides and recent lessons. I am wondering if I should be thinking about a saddle that supports a longer leg with straighter knee?thigh rolls. My current saddle is a Custom Icon Flight and the rolls are angled with the end more forward. I hope that make sense.
I am wondering if a straighter knee/thigh roll would help support a longer, straighter roll?
Sheilah
It really depends on your body. I do not like using blocks to force a rider’s position. I think in the long run it is very bad both for your riding and your body. It teaches the rider to brace instead of learning how to use your body. I also think it will cause back issues among other physical problems. In my opinion the blocks should follow the natural angle of the rider’s leg.
The example I like to use is Edward Gal. If you actually look at his saddle, his blocks are very forward and at a forward angle. It is because of the length of the leg.
There are a lot of other reason why your legs would forward including the balance of the saddle. Feel free to PM with more question.
I would say the saddle seat is small.for you and you are being forced a bit into a chair seat. You may need a different saddle but not to force your leg straighter.
That said, I don’t know how to give advice about being a para rider, and it sounds like you are doing amazingly with that.
That picture is taken from slightly behind you which will increase the impression of a forward leg/chair seat.
Your thigh is your base of support. The more vertical it gets the smaller your base gets. Which will make you tip your body forward or back more easily. Only you can judge if that’s going to be too risky with your lack of feeling in your legs.
Is there a reason why you wouldn’t just drop your stirrups a hole and see how you feel?
I also think that saddle might be one size small for you. With a slightly larger seat-size, you might find it easier to put your leg underneath you more without necessarily having to lengthen the stirrup leathers.
It would be worthwhile to try the same or a similar saddle in a slightly larger seat-size to see if it helps.
I’m no expert but I think your leg actually looks fine in the picture. I worry that lengthening your stirrup more would weaken your base of support and cause balance issues. You might find working on opening up your hip angle and increasing hip flexibility will give you the desired result without compromising your balance
Thanks guys. I am going to drop my stirrups by a hole and see how that works. This mare is a saint and makes me look better than I really am.
Sheilah
The seat size looks fine to me. She is bundled up which give the illusion of being too small. If you are in a saddle that is too big, you actually get more of a chair seat because your hips get farther away from the stirrup bars. Also I would be afraid of a bigger saddle sitting on the lumber area of the horse causing her issues.
Yes, it was below freezing and snowing at the time. I had two thinner vests on under this blue one. I wanted to wear a jacket with sleeves, too, but I am working hard on keeping my elbows where they belong and my instructor thought my jacket sleeves would make it hard to see where my elbows actually where.
This seat size is at the limit of fit for this horse. She does have a shorter back. She isn’t that tall, just 15.2
Sheilah
I agree with @BigMama1, Sheilah. I think your leg is fine but it is always a work in progress to sit a little more up to the pommel and let the leg drape, which takes quite a bit of flexibility in the hip and all the muscles surrounding that. If you’re able, what I like to do in warmup is do a free walk with the stirrups dropped, and really feel the seat bones and make sure they’re in the “pocket” of the saddle’s seat, and think a bit of kneeling in the saddle, so the knee caps are pointed more towards the ground. If my hips are tight, I’ll alternate bringing one thigh back and then the other, letting the movement of the horse’s walk soften up my tight parts. Once the hips are loosened up, the leg can drape more; however, the more your seat bones are “plugged in” to that sweet spot in the seat, with a draped, straighter leg below, the more the core needs to be engaged to keep the integrity of the whole seat (by which I mean everything from the knee up to the rib cage).
I have trouble with my hips getting tight. I will try that exercise. This mare is so tolerant I could easily do that safely. She really is the perfect para horse. Just perfect. She hadn’t been ridden in a week before the clinic and it was freezing cold and she was a little fresh. But she listened and gave me a great ride.
Sheilah
Some saddles are built for shorter backed horses. They typically have a curved panel in the back, not the big built-up panels. Perhaps you could try one of those, if you feel cramped in your saddle. As for your elbows, try holding a small squishy ball either under your armpit or between elbow and hip bone. You will know if you loosened the connection if it falls out… Kind of the elbow version of the “dollar under the knee” trick some trainers use (I fine that makes me grip with my knee, but you get the idea)
Although this saddle does not have upswept, “pony panels” it does fit her. But the seat size is about as big as he can handle, given her short back.
I was thinking about asking my instructor if I can ride in her Trilogy for a comparison. Or have the Custom fitter out and try some different saddles. This is an Icon Flight, and there is a decent trade in value with the Custom lady.
Sheilah
I’ll start off with I’m no saddle expert! Your leg looks fine to me. But the flap and block of that saddle are too long for your leg. As is the pad, your spur looks like it could catch the bottom of the pad. Compare the fit to these photos, or the one posted above. Also compare the angle of your leg, it looks fine.
https://dressage-news.com/2011/09/12/custom-saddlery-riders-ilse-schwarz-and-steffen-peters-offer-clinics-expertise/
I never looked at the flap length before. I might have to go saddle shopping. But first I am going to drop my stirrups down a hole and see if that helps.
It is funny. As a para rider who can’t feel my legs, I have spent so many hours (hundreds maybe) working on stabilizing my leg and seat. My instructor has been telling me for a while now that my leg is good and my seat is stable. But it is so hard to get it out of my head.
And now to think I can move on and work on other positional stuff, like my poor hands and elbows? It feels kind of cool. So thank you to everyone who said my leg looks good.
Sheilah
Agreed. This saddle is too small.
I would go the opposite direction and shorten your stirrups. If you are concerned about stability, having your thighs so straight down lessens it. Your legs are already super straight.
OP - As owner of two Custom saddles - one like yours and one Wolfgang Constanz - here are my thoughts. The Icon Flight seemed to put me IN the saddle, nice and secure, no where to go even if you aren’t quite correct. It fit my mare fine. It was however too long for my short backed Lusitano. So I got the Wolfgang; it comes with short panels and (even shorter) pony panels, so a good option from the horse perspective. It will allow a bigger size seat. It is a bit more open seat IMO and I prefer the ability to be able move a bit.
Fast forward: two weeks ago I had a remarkable experience with saddle shopping. Young horse, short Lusi/warmblood cross. Debbie Witty of Trilogy saddles came to see what she could do. For the first time ever someone spent a lot of time figuring out what was right for ME. Sat me in a bunch of different models on a plastic horse, several more than once but not telling me what they were. We did the “which is better - this or that” and why. Now,f or the first time ever I can truly feel that I have 3 points of contact with my saddle. The point of this story is that if you can find someone who really understands fitting the rider, not just the horse it may be helpful for you. Good luck!
I attended a saddle fitting clinic with Debbie Witty a couple of years ago and learned so much. She even took the time to put her hands on my mare after the clinic and talk about what she was seeing and feeling.
I can try a Trilogy that my instructor rides in and we are built the same.
Sheilah
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