I’m just getting back into jumping after a year off from surgery and I videoed my ride yesterday. In warmup with a longer stirrup I’m lined up properly. When I shorten my stirrups four holes I was horrified to see myself in a chair seat! Gasp!!! I haven’t done much jumping in this saddle and I’ve never seen a picture of myself in it before so I have no idea if it’s always been this way or if this is new. I got it just before surgery and only had a few rides in it. In canter/2-point it’s not too bad but in walk/trot I’m a hideous chairseating monster!! Any ideas?? Is it me or could the saddle be the wrong fit for me? It fits pony beautifully and isn’t uphill or tipping me back.
Could you post the video? It will give people a better idea of whether it’s the saddle, if your stirrups are too short, or if it’s just a weakness that gets exacerbated by a shorter stirrup.
Jumping saddles have a forward placed stirrup bar (and flaps) to allow the rider to stay over the horse’s center of gravity during a jump. The more the stirrup leathers are shortened, the more likely your position will be forced toward the dreaded “chair seat”. GM and other top riders always stress flat work and warm up work before jumping should be done in a longer stirrup. Getting good at raising and lowering your stirrups while mounted is helpful 
Not sure why you shortened your stirrups 4 holes for jump work - I’m assuming you’re not jumping over 3’ 6" if you’ve recently come back to riding. Unless your stirrup leathers have half holes, perhaps you should try jumping/flatting with a 2 hole difference? Or perhaps your saddle isn’t the best fit for your body type?
The video is too long to upload but I snagged some still shots of the ride at the walk, trot and canter (Viewer Beware! A hideous chairseating monster follows!!)
https://www.flickr.com/photos/84642517@N08/sets/72157647632865698/
I had my stirrups more of a dressage length when warming up so I had to go up 4 holes. The length in the photos is my jumping length. My stirrup leathers are 3/4 holes. I’m usually 2-3 lower for flat work but went a bit lower for warmup this time for a little extra leg for lateral work. Do you see anything??? I’m trying to resist calling my saddle fitter in a late night panic! LOL I didn’t feel terribly insecure but I was cantering for the most part. Is it me?! I’ve never had a chair seat and do primarily dressage. I do need a set back stirrup bar on my dressage saddles. Thanks for helping!!
I can’t see the link, it says I have to log in on a Yahoo site.
4 holes sounds like a lot, even if your stirrups were long on the flat… I ride with long stirrups on the flat, but I only put them up 3 holes to jump (and I have half holes!) 1.45m +. Maybe your stirrups were too short?
Trying link again! I changed the privacy settings! Sorry I hope this works! Are they too short?
https://www.flickr.com/photos/84642517@N08/sets/72157647632865698/
I’m no hunter diva, nor do I have the eye of one, but if that’s a chair seat…
Anyways, you NEED to be able to stick your bottom in the deepest part of the saddle. If the stirrup bars are hung so far forward, no matter what, you’re going to “look” like you have a chair seat (really, other than actually sitting IN the saddle, what’s wrong with it?), but it still shouldn’t impair your effectiveness. I’d rather be effective than textbook pretty!
Now, if you’re comfying back in the ol’ easy chair… that’s a lot different.
Well, your foot is too far through the iron and you heels are up. You are probably just weaker then you were after the layoff. Once you get stronger you’ll be able to position the lower leg properly to support your body.
What kind of saddle is this?
Doesn’t look like a chair seat, but you do need to position your foot in the stirrup better.
Thanks! I’m so used to shoulder-hip-heel and I saw the photos my heel is well in front of the line so I assumed that meant chair seat! I’ll slide my foot back in the stirrups a bit and see if that helps. I can post without falling backwards and I didn’t feel horribly off but when viewing the video I was shocked to see my leg up so far. I’m primarily a dressage rider dabbling over fences so I’m not used to having my heels down and wondered if I’m jamming my leg forward. So it’s not a horrible chair seat and it’s ok my heel isn’t underneath me? The saddle is a custom from SOS Saddlery in England but it wasn’t made for me. I bought it from the lady it was made for. My fitter hasn’t seen me in this one and I’m not too educated on hunter saddle fit. I just saw my leg was not underneath me and assumed either I was doing something wrong or this saddle isn’t the best for me.
I don’t think that saddle can accomodate the length of your thigh with your stirrups at the shorter length. It looks like your knee is in the right place on the flap, but that your bum is being pushed to the back of the seat…because the flap isn’t forward enough for you.
If it were stirrup bar placement, you’d be struggling to keep your balance in two point, and you are not.
Interesting!! I do have a long femur and shorter lower leg. In a more forward flap would that help keep my alignment a little more visually desirable? I’m going to be getting into hunters more and don’t want to be in a saddle that makes me lose form and I’m assuming could harm in potentially placing?
I don’t think that your saddle fit is so poor that it’s worth buying something different just to dabble in the hunters.
I agree with the above poster who mentioned that it’s most likely a weakness issue. It looks to me like you probably have more difficulty keeping your leg steady and and it slides forward a bit. Think about stretching down into your heel, don’t jam them down, that will make the chair seat worse. Lots of no stirrup work and two-point will teach you to keep your lower leg still and under you. You won’t be able to maintain a true two-point in a chair seat.
