Frustrated with my riding position!

[Lunabear1988]

I just can’t get my position under control right now. I’ve always had to work hard at it, but it feels impossible right now. I feel like I’m doing a lot of things right to improve but maybe just not enough? I’m really starting to think I need physical therapy or something.

Backstory: I’m in my 30’s and have been riding since I was a kid. But there have been intermittent breaks, a few years off here and there. I also have Elher Delanos Syndrome (hypermobility in joints but it manifest in tightness for me.) I own a coming 5-year-old horse. I would say a ride between 3 to 4 days a week.

My biggest problems is my leg just wants to be shortened and drawn up. I’ve never been one to ride with an extreme heels down position but lately it seems I can’t keep my heel even level. I also used to fight with having straight elbows but that is improving a lot. I just feel like there’s a lot of tension in my seat. I also always want to sit towards the back of the saddle.

I do Pilates and core work every week. I also stretch as much as I’m able to every week. I have to be careful with the stretching of course. But I also feel like it’s needed with as tight as I can feel.

I just got a new jump saddle and have a dressage saddle. I’m hoping to dedicate a lot of time to two point and I’m hoping that might actually help my leg, length a bit. I also think that doing a bit of no stirrup work could help but unfortunately I have a green horse that is kind of going through a really fun stage right now. Which getting him in front of the leg is a big thing and probably part of it…

At what point do you decide that you need physical therapy or something? I’ve been riding long enough and worked hard enough then frustrated but I still look so cruddy in the saddle.

[Night_Flight]

When you think about lengthening your leg, which part are you focusing on? For me, I find it very helpful to think about pushing my knee downwards. If my knee creeps up, that will push my seat to the back of the saddle, too. I find it less helpful to think of pushing my lower leg down since that doesn’t solve the problem if my knee has come up too much.

Not a big help on most of your questions, I know, but sometimes a different way of thinking about moving your body can make a difference!

[Lunabear1988]

Yes I do think my knee is a big part of the issue. Because even in my dressage saddle, I have too much angle and tension in my knee. I have been thinking more toes up to kind of get my heel down but that’s not really working so I will think more about pushing my knee down. I’m hoping that I can start incorporating more no stirrup work, even at the walk.

[Lunabear1988]

Ugh!!

[Lunabear1988]

[Lunabear1988]

[punchy]

It looks to me like your foot is too far in the stirrup in the top 2 pics. Try to have it more on the ball of your foot towards your toes and see if that helps.

It could be the stirrup bars on your saddle are too far forward.

Cute pony.

[Lunabear1988]

Yes but I think that’s because I have no weight in my heel. I unfortunately have had the issue in other saddles too.
We are in this saddle (and the new jump saddle) for at least the next year.

[skip99]

The quality of the pictures makes it a little hard to tell for sure, but it looks like your whole leg rotates out from your hip? Have you tried several different saddles to see if there is any difference?

Edit, I see you posted above you’ve tried other saddles - just curious if you’ve tried saddles with very different twists?

[Alex_and_Bodie_s_Mom]

What I see in these photos (the angles aren’t great, but this is what I see in them) is that the saddle doesn’t fit YOU.

I don’t think you’re finding the center of the seat; instead, you’re hitting the back/cantle and it’s throwing you off balance. It’s possible that the saddle isn’t quite level on your horse, too, but I think you could go up a half size easily (maybe a whole size) and you might find it more comfortable. When you sit in the saddle without stirrups, your heels should fall in alignment with your shoulder, and you should be sitting on your seat bones, feeling no tilt either forwards or backwards.

It might also be the twist of the saddle.

Do you have a tack shop nearby with a selection of saddles you can sit in, just to get a feel for the different seat sizes and how they fit you?

[Lunabear1988]

[Lunabear1988]

I am in a weird half seat but here are different angles.

Unfortunately a new saddle is not an option currently. He’s a 5 year old horse so I bought what was reasonably affordable/adjustable/fit my horse. It was sold to us by an experienced independent saddle fitter. Her quick take was that it’s a physical issue with my body. If anything this saddle causes a lot less position issues than my last one ha ha!

I do find I have an easier time in many jump saddles. I do think part of it is because thigh is rotating outwards right now.

[FjordBCRF]

@Lunabear1988

I also have Elher Delanos Syndrome (hypermobility in joints but it manifest in tightness for me.) I own a coming 5-year-old horse. I would say a ride between 3 to 4 days a week.

Are you me? Late 30’s, EDS, and my gelding will be 5 next month; ride 3-5 days a week weather permitting.

I don’t have any great advice. I’ve not yet found that my EDS has gotten in my way of being effective and my trainer hasn’t tried to reposition me much. I don’t feel like I look like other riders though in the saddle. I have to pay a lot of attention to my wrists as they like to collapse and I also tend to feel more secure with a shorter vs a longer stirrup.

[Sdel]

Have you looked at nutritional deficiencies or diet? Several deficiencies can exacerbate muscle tightness.

[Lunabear1988]

Apparently we are twins! This bothers me more than my trainers. But gosh it’s frustrating sometimes. Although I’m glad I’m not in any pain in the saddle though.

I do wonder about using a shorter stirrup even just temporarily.

[Lunabear1988]

I’ve gotten blood work but my doctors say it’s not out of the norm for someone with EDS.

[Sdel]

Yeah…the bloodwork doesn’t say crap. If you aren’t already, try cutting out wheat and limiting other sources of synthetic b-vitamins and take bio active B and magnesium for a month or two and see if it helps.

If I miss a day of supplements my muscles get tight enough that I can no longer close my fist where I broke my hand. My family has a MS history…

[FjordBCRF]

EDS is wretched regarding muscle tightness from my experience. It’s a connective tissue disease which causes hypermobility among other complications; where and to what degree varies from person to person. I don’t think I’ve experienced a day in my life where something/s haven’t been tight due to how my body is put together. I also have to be cautious with yoga/stretching too much, because it can cause damage.

Thankfully my rheumatologist actually recommended horse riding as a good sport/activity! Low impact provided you stay on

[FjordBCRF]

@Lunabear1988 if you can get your hands on a food sensitivity test, that’s a good idea. Wheat is one I am reactive to. Cutting that out made a big difference with fatigue/brain fog. I didn’t notice anything muscle related, but you never know! The less inflammation the better!

SO and I did the Everlywell one and were both really happy with it and glad we checked it out.

[Lunabear1988]

I will look into diet stuff. I’m hoping that some two point/no stirrup work will help. Years ago I did that and it helped a ton. Fingers crossed that it might help again. Of course, I’m a little older now lol. We will see.

I also I’m going to try and get some photos or video of me without stirrups.