Help with my leg + stirrup loss? Exercises out of the saddle?

[fivestrideline]

I’m hoping y’all will have some insight or way of thinking that will help me keep my dang stirrup at the canter!

I’m supremely out of shape, riding in an H/J program 1x a week but trying to get back to riding regularly. I rarely get comments from anyone on my position except for my low right hand and my right leg. Specifically, I lose my right stirrup at the canter; I can feel my right leg ‘crawling up his side’ and it gets loose and out of place. I don’t lose it until I start trying to reposition it on my foot. My heel doesn’t really come up, my whole leg just shortens. It’s only ever the right one, while sitting the canter for longer than a short turn of the ring, and worse when going right lead on a circle. I’m pretty sure I’d lose it at the sitting trot too (I don’t do that much at all though). No issues in half seat or ‘light’ seat, or short stints of sitting like approaching a jump, as well as fewer problems in a dressage saddle.

My thinking is that my hips are uneven and I’m using the wrong muscles/have weak muscles. FWIW, my right ankle is fused and cannot flex as far, my right knee is my “bad” knee, and I DEFINITELY tend to stand on the ground with my weight on my left leg if I don’t pay attention.

The more I ride the less of an issue it is, but I’m wondering if someone has had the same problem and has exercises or stretches I could do at home? Working in two point or no stirrups isn’t an easy option as I’m only riding 1x a week. I also have decent body awareness and a good grasp on muscle anatomy (hello biology degree), so visualization of “use this and loosen that” works really well for me.

I am working with a trainer, but sometimes a different phrase or new idea can be the key. Any ideas?

[LCDR]

Just for added info, what specific stirrups do you have on the saddle? And while I’m at it, what type of sole do you have on your boots?

[fivestrideline]

Cheese grater pads on old school solid, non flexing, regular width heavy irons. And whatever Ariat puts on their paddock boots for soles - this happens in my Vibram outsole tall boots too though.

[IPEsq]

My first thought is you are probably trying to use your back muscles and abductors when you should be using your glutes. You can also think about sitting over your inside sit home more. You may be leaning out too much.

[fivestrideline]

Oh yeah that’s probably true about the glutes. I definitely can get lower back soreness but I’d attributed that to saddles that don’t really fit me perfectly.

Left is my easier direction, and I always feel like my right stirrup is shorter - even when my trainer says it’s a hole longer. Maybe I’m really sitting that crooked?

[GreyDes]

It might be worth an appointment with a good chiropractor to see if your pelvis is out of alignment. That will make you sit crooked and fight to stay in balance.

[StormyDay]

Squatting in the two point position at home. Hold for 2 minutes or so, then give a break, then go again. Once this feels easier put something under the ball of your foot to put you back on your heels more. A rolled up shirt works well at first. Then find something bigger, like a roller foam pad. While you do this, keep your hands in front of you just like you have reins, and think about your back; don’t curl forward.

Also, you may just want to shorten that stirrup leather. My right leg is shorter than my left due to injury. I keep it a hole shorter.

[Jackie_Cochran]

This is a more expensive solution.

Buy a Home Horse (https://www.homehorse.com Get a bubble balance, put it on the platform and use someone else to keep an eye on the bubbles or figure out some way to keep track of the bubbles yourself (and looking down at the bubbles WILL put weight on the “forehand”.)

I have MS, horrible balance, and one leg 1/2" shorter than my other leg. After several months of using my HH once a week using my old Crosby PDN Wide Front saddle on it (I try for 10 minutes), that my balance in the saddle on the HH is better. I am also finding it easier to keep my balance on live horses and on my own two feet.

I start off each session with my feet flat on the platform, then when I get my balance there I pick up the stirrups. Then the platform swings forward and I have to establish a new balance.
My spotter keeps track of the side-to-side and the front-to-back bubbles on the bubble balance.

Nothing else had worked for me for improving my balance, or for keeping track of my feet. On the HH if my feet are wrong the bubble balance shows it clearly. I have taught my body to keep track of how much weight I have on each foot while I use the stirrups.

[Impractical_Horsewoman]

A quick “dirty” fix; If you’re riding in a lesson saddle with lesson leathers, one side may be stretched out too much. Even if it’s slight, because of your issue with your right ankle, it might be possible to ask to bring your own and totally even leathers can be easier!

Off-saddle, doing one-legged glute bridges, one-legged squats (doesn’t have to be full depth), or one-legged deadlifts can be helpful to strengthen a weak leg, although with me, they weren’t a 100% fix. (You can find tutorials on YouTube).

Also posting with only one stirrup (alternating between good and bad legs) can be an even better way to get more balanced in the saddle than none!

[fivestrideline]

I am using my own leathers, but they’re definitely stretched I try to switch them and keep them level, but when they’re visually even I still feel like my right one is wayyyy shorter. Funnily enough, it’s worse on certain horses than it is on others. I think in relation to barrel shape.

I’ll definitely try some exercises at home like bridges and stuff! Also the 2 point with toes elevated sounds like a great idea.

[danhelm441]

It helps me to visualize keeping my knees off the saddle flap, even if that means letting my toes turn out slightly. I can be a pigeon-toed knee pincher at times. Sometimes I randomly feel during rides like my stirrups are SO long and I am struggling to reach for them, and it’s really just that I’ve allowed my knees to creep up the saddle flap and I’m pinching.

The other thing that helps is to remember you can literally stand in one stirrup if you feel yourself getting crooked. This is helpful for turning too (standing in your outside stirrup so you don’t collapse to the inside), and also if you feel your saddle slipping to one side or the other. It’s possible you are leaning left without even realizing it, and it’s making your foot a lot lighter and less secure in your right stirrup. So if you consciously remind yourself to stand in your right stirrup from time to time—and especially through left turns—you can help correct yourself.

[fivestrideline]

@danhelm441

So if you consciously remind yourself to stand in your right stirrup from time to time—and especially through left turns—you can help correct yourself.

I’m going to try this next time! I’m riding some horses that need a lot of inside leg support so I can see where I may be stepping out in an attempt to get “more” inside leg on, rather than using my leg correctly. I’m also tall, and some I’ve been on lately are smaller/slab sided so they have me legging UP into their sides in an attempt to make contact.

[dmveventer]

If you’re already using your own leathers, have you tried switching up your stirrups? I used to get the feeling that one side was shorter than the other even though the leathers were even, but it’s mostly caused by stiffness in my ankle on that side. I found irons that provide better support and it helps a lot. It may take some experimenting to find what works but worth a try on top of all the other great exercises people have recommended here!

[ghst13]

If you can find someone who has them, doing a brief ride in the elastic rider bands can be really enlightening. They are basically large resistance bands that go from under each foot across to the opposite shoulder. I was amazed how much more I had to “push” against my right foot when wearing them to get my foot to the stirrup. Now I try and remember that feeling when I’m riding without them and push through my right foot when I’m feeling uneven.

[fivestrideline]

@dmveventer

If you’re already using your own leathers, have you tried switching up your stirrups? I used to get the feeling that one side was shorter than the other even though the leathers were even, but it’s mostly caused by stiffness in my ankle on that side. I found irons that provide better support and it helps a lot. It may take some experimenting to find what works but worth a try on top of all the other great exercises people have recommended here!

May I ask what irons you like? I have a stiff fused ankle so I’m sure it’s contributing. I’d like to fix my physical issues too, but I’m not against looking at good equipment if it’ll help!

[alar24]

Omg, I have this same issue!! My right foot has been “bad” ever since a break 5-6 years ago which made my ankle and achilles tendon weak. I struggle to load properly into my right stirrup + it’s always the one I lose. I’m weaker up the whole right side.

While I’ve tried strengthening (been doing a lot of yoga since I’m not riding consistently which has really helped), I’ve found that horses with a narrower barrel make this SIGNIFICANTLY better. Something about the knee angles, probably.

the best fix I’ve found is using my old trainer’s Flex-on stirrups. I think the change in angle of the foot bed was the big difference. (Name was Flex-On Aluminum w/Incline Ultra Grip Stirrups)

[Willesdon]

Gripping up in the saddle is usually the cause of lost stirrups. It isn’t leg position but rather a weak seat. You grip to hang on. Work to improve your seat by working on your hips. Swimming can be useful, including doing hip opening movements in the deep end. Yoga will really help balance and flexibility. Pilates can help you loosen up tight places and allow you to discover where in particular you are stiff. Walking can assist in the development of good posture and body awareness - walking with purpose, not just strolling. A Mctimony chiropractor may help correct the imbalances that are the inevitable consequence of life.

[alar24]

I totally agree on improving seat (in my case, via yoga. balancing positions on the right side were so helpful!) I can only speak for myself, but I found that my weakness wasn’t necessarily weakness, but pain. (i.e., my body subconsciously didn’t let me sink into my right side in the proper way because of a fear it’d hurt, so I gripped). Not sure if that speaks to you OP, but sometimes bodies just aren’t symmetrical anymore and we have to deal!

[dmveventer]

I think it’s a really individual thing from talking to other riders and reading reviews of different stirrups. I landed on the American Equus stirrups with the wide footbed and love them. Before that I tried the LeMieux Vector Balance stirrups that came highly recommended for people with ankle and knee pain, but my ankle hated them. They had the slanted footbed that @alar24 likes and I thought they’d be perfect, but for whatever reason that’s just not for me. I’ve also used jointed stirrups before which I don’t mind on the flat but they’re a little too unstable for me - the extra movement makes things worse, especially when jumping.

There’s sooooo many types of stirrups available now, it’s worth playing around a bit and trying different things. I agree with others that equipment may not fix everything, but it’s much easier to focus on correct position when you aren’t actively trying to avoid something uncomfortable.

[HipNo34]

Just today my trainer said she had some Instagram posts to send me about being uneven (after chiro, shoe lifts and a brand new set of leathers to start from ground zero with). When she doe send it along, I’ll share.

So I do use my own leathers along with MDC Hunter Classic irons (wide bed). MDC promotes them as aiding leg position and also helpful if you’ve got pain. I want to say they help but I’m not entirely sure it’s not wishful thinking on my part and I’m just simply used to them by now. Maybe I’m bound and determined to love them, by god, because of their cost, lol.

This might be a bridge too far and not entirely safe if you’ve got a wonky knee and ankle, but your post reminds me I’ve been meaning to do the trashcan challenge since last winter. I just never seem to get around to locating an appropriately sized trashcan or barrel.

https://www.tiktok.com/@gods_country_peach/video/7109107863032728875