[QUOTE=Carried Away;7391827]
I may be incorrect but I remember hearing on the clinic video that Boyd said “Scotty” told him about this method of stirrup use. I interpreted Scotty to mean Ian Stark…[/QUOTE]
No. Scotty would probably be Scott Keach. Australian rider (very very good). 4* eventer and GP jumper and a good friend of Boyd’s. I think he is based in Florida right now. Very good trainer…and often has some pretty nice horses for sale.
Some people try to re invent the wheel.
Ah so.
Hunter seat equitation classic principles. Let’s see. I think when I won my ASPCA Maclay Horsemanship class in the (gulp) early 70’s, heels down to achieve a steady and sympathetic leg was certainly being taught.
Yes bfne, but you probably had more than just your toes in the stirrup. Several people have made the point that the wide stirrups with cheese graters are required to be able to achieve what Boyd is teaching re foot position. I think George requires riders to have fillis irons in his clinics. Recently, I’ve been rereading “Learning to Ride, Show and Hunt” by Gordon Wright as well as watching some of the sessions of the George Morris young rider clinics at WEF. I actually rode in one of his clinics in the mid-sixties as well as at the AHSA Medal Finals at Madison Square Garden. So the ball of the foot in the stirrup is pretty ingrained in me. I hadn’t realized that any other technique was even taught until I read the clinic report.
When I was a junior, my trainer (who is now a Hall of Famer) told us one day to draw a line in our mind’s eye in the sand in front of the jump where we wanted the horse to leave the ground and ride to that. That didn’t work out for me one little bit and I couldn’t find a jump to save my life. Up to that point I’d been pretty accurate but I didn’t know what to do to regain my accuracy. Eventually it just came back. Several years ago, I did a clinic with a big name eventing professional who told us to ride to the front rail of an oxer. I had always ridden to the back rail so as to get to the base and on XC, I translated this to riding to the back of a table. Since this has always worked out for me, I didn’t say anything, of course, to the clinician, but I didn’t change how I ride to an oxer on the basis of “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it!”
I am always interested to read the clinic write-ups and I enjoy this type of discussion.
Also, just for the record, I’m not actually new to COTH. For some reason, my log-in quit working awhile back and I finally just created a new one. I used to be Shortstroke.
i’ve always ridden with my toes being the only thing in the stirrups and gotten told by several different instructors that I was wrong…but it feels much more comfortable for me and I feel secure, so what’s the issue? I agree with boyd. Plus, it allows me to stretch my shortish legs down further and really sink into the saddle. When there is too much foot in the stirrup it can cause your whole leg and foot to jam up.
This is the most comfortable way to ride for me, and I just love how much it helps me to drop my leg. Granted, I could see it not being the best XC, but I have no issues losing my stirrups. It was how I was taught growing up.
I think it all depends on your anatomy, and flexibility of your ankle. Granted, I am not at all built like Boyd (oh 4’10 ish, and all torso) but I have found this to be very comfortable for me.
I was always someone who rode with the irons just ahead of the ball of my foot. It was what naturally what felt right to me. Recently my trainer had me put the stirrups across the ball of my foot in the more traditional approach. She said the less foot in the irons was causing me to push the iron forward into more of a chair seat. It took a bit to get used to but now it is the norm for me.
I don’t think Boyd was advocating jamming your heal down (a common problem on a lot of riders). I did lessons with Sharon White years ago and she always talked about feeling every stride in your ankles.
[QUOTE=magicteetango;7392825]
This is the most comfortable way to ride for me, and I just love how much it helps me to drop my leg. Granted, I could see it not being the best XC, but I have no issues losing my stirrups. It was how I was taught growing up.
I think it all depends on your anatomy, and flexibility of your ankle. Granted, I am not at all built like Boyd (oh 4’10 ish, and all torso) but I have found this to be very comfortable for me.[/QUOTE]
I have the same experience. I was taught toes in stirrups years and years ago. In more recent jumping lessons my instructor kept telling me ball of feet in stirrups and it feels wrong to me, I lose all flexibility when doing that. I had an issue with my legs flying backwards over fences but it was the saddle not fitting me very well and my horse’s green and exuberant jumping style. Toes in stirrups in my current saddle, horse more seasoned now, and I’m fine.
I’m also only 5’3 with 5.5 shoe size…maybe that is a factor!
I believe Boyd is simply reiterating the classical position in the ring. I have always been taught (and always do in the ring), pinky toe touching the outside branch of the stirrup. My heels are always down, and leg steady. I normally ride in regular, heavy duty fillis irons.
When I ride in the wide base ones, I definitely feel like just my toes are in the iron in order to find that sweet spot where the heel becomes more flexible.
On the xc field, I always have my foot SLIGHTLY more “in” the stirrup than in the ring because at a gallop over terrain you need a little bit more security. I don’t know about you, but I’ve been riding in my 2 point with my foot in the proper closer to the toes position, and had my foot abruptly slide out of the iron (it was a muddy day that day). You do NOT want that to happen as you’re galloping between fences!
In short, I believe many eventers need help with their stadium jumping. Too many riders try to ride the stadium jumping like it’s the xc course; it requires a little more finesse and tact than that! I believe the “toes in the iron” is simply helping riders to gain a little more fine control over the leg.
[QUOTE=FitToBeTied;7392900]
I was always someone who rode with the irons just ahead of the ball of my foot… Recently my trainer had me put the stirrups across the ball of my foot in the more traditional approach. She said the less foot in the irons was causing me to push the iron forward into more of a chair seat.[/QUOTE]
And that is EXACTLY why I is a good exercise for those of us with the opposite problem - legs that swing back.
For me it isn’t an issue of leg swinging. I actually have a very good lower leg. It was purely an issue of having more flex in my ankle. I didn’t feel it make any massive change for me…perhaps because my leg position is pretty good…but it did let me have my heel down slightly more and more flexibility in my ankle (which is good).
eta: Jimmy had me do it more because of my wide stirrups were blocking the flexibility of my ankle just as if would in regular fillis stirrups if they were a bit more home on my foot. Just something to think about if you use the wide stirrups.
[QUOTE=FitToBeTied;7392900]
I did lessons with Sharon White years ago and she always talked about feeling every stride in your ankles.[/QUOTE]
This is correct. This obsession with heels down is a very American thing. “Heels down” should be nothing more that allowing the weight of the leg to drop down through the knee and ankle unhindered, unblocked in so far as the weight takes it down. For some that can be quite an angle, for some very little. Fixed heels causes rigidity and pushes the lower leg forward causing the rider to be behind the motion. Form over function!
As said, “heels down” to the point of braced ankle causes stiffness, and the weight can not drop down through your knees, and down through the heel. It is blocked in the ankle.
I was also told that anatomically those with a high instep can not get their heel down unless they stiffen and lock.
The tip of the toe on the irons sounds as though it is another “ride cross country with your foot home” sort of thing. Ok ! give it a try, but remember a little moderation in anything doesn’t hurt.
Having read the quotes of the article-I saw no references to getting a deep heel but I did see a laudable one to a tighter leg. 
[QUOTE=judybigredpony;7392284]
Some people try to re invent the wheel.[/QUOTE]
While other (poorer, shorter, less famous, more female people) already invented that wheel…. and got yelled at for riding on their toes. Heck, I’ve been yelled at for riding this way since your man Boyd Martin was in short pants.
I can’t believe you people over here outside of Hunter World. This is not “a Thing!”
PS. The reason I think you get more flexibility in your heels with just your toes in the stirrups is that it lets more of your plantar fascia (and muscles?) stretch. In other words, you can allow the bottom of your foot to stretch along with your achilles tendon and calf.
By submitting your email, you agree to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. You may also receive promotional emails from The Chronicle of the Horse. You can opt out at any time.
For Customers
Company
Terms of Use
