Is my saddle too small and other lower leg woes

[coffeehag]

I hate that I am making this post. Like, “this is a custom Devoucoux for the super special kissing spine” hate making this post, but here we are. Last July, I decided it was the time to bit the bullet get the OTTB fitted with a saddle just for him. My trainer recommended are Devoucoux rep who came out and did a fitting and we did the ordering and four months later a gorgeous, brand new saddle showed up at my door.

My horse has responded really well to the saddle. This whole time, I’ve been working hard on my own equitation as a “back in the saddle” adult ammy. And while I have made a lot of progress, I absolutely can’t get lower leg to figure it’s shit out. I definitely brace in the stirrups, and have not yet figured out the whole “posting into the thigh” thing that my trainer and everyone in the Hunter Jumper world keeps talking about. But when I’ve posted here with photos of my issue, I get comments saying my saddle is too small… so I’m coming to the notoriously kind and unbiased forums for unfiltered opinions.

Candidly, I’m not sure it’ll matter; I would have to make a solid case I think to convince my trainer/Devoucoux rep that it doesn’t fit but hey! Opinions are helpful!

[BITSA]

The flap looks a little short but not crazy small, and it looks like it fits in the knee fine, especially when you are out of the saddle. I watched this and there’s a section on riding with your thigh (I’ve been riding 10 years and still like this series). https://youtu.be/_dwhxxf4-DQ

[GreyDes]

In my non-expert opinion:) the saddle looks like a decent fit for you.

Have you tried swapping your stirrups? I also have a lot of work to do on improving my lower leg and find the jointed stirrups to be particularly challenging for that.

[coffeehag]

Phew! I haven’t – these have the MDC rotate-y tops which have been really great for my shit knees but I could def try other stirrups! I have a back up pair

[fivestrideline]

MDC makes a non-flex version of those. Highly recommend trying them (or at least trying someone else’s solid irons to see if there’s any difference). Flexible irons make my leg do crazy stuff, and my leg is pretty decent all things considered (my core, not so much ).

[silver_charm]

Agree on the saddle looking to fit, as well as the flexy stirrups can cause issues. I like a bit of flex as my ankles have been destroyed many times, but I feel like if they’re too flexible its hard to really feel like you can get your weight distributed correctly through the heel. My HS Bow Balances are a good compromise for me. (I swear someone should start a stirrup trial business if there isn’t one out there already!)

[coffeehag]

I get these secondhand (an absolute score of a deal!!); if I can find the others I’ll def try. This is so interesting, thank you!

[pepefrances]

I’m no expert, but to me the seat looks too small. It also looks like the stirrup bar is too far forward so your heels are not under your hips, but in front of you. It also looks like the flap isn’t quite forward enough. But my guess is both issues may be resolved if you had a bigger seat size- the stirrup bar would be in the correct place, the leg would naturally be placed correctly and you wouldn’t be fighting for your lower leg position.

[mika0116]

As a several time back in the saddle AA - your saddle looks to be a decent fit.

Unsolicited I know, but I’ve been there myself and am currently back in the saddle again after another 1 year hiatus.

Your hip flexors are tight. Do you have a desk job :)?

I am admitted not a hunter rider, but the closed hip angle you have on the flat video is the same angle you have over the fence. I know hunter riders fold a lot of more over small fences than a jumper or eventer (me), but your hips look “stuck” at the same angle, which cause pinching at the knee and your lower leg is sliding back over the small effort - your lower leg looks under you on the flat.

Opening your knee, opening your hip angle, and using the back edge of the calf for contact with the horse will really help you - the muscle memory is there, but you’re just getting back to that & fighting those tight hips.

Best way to do this is posting trot, but hold the UP for 2 beats then sit for one. You’ll be on fire and your lower leg will become a stronger support base allowing you to have a more flexible hip. My last hiatus a few years ago, trainer had me do this on an aging junior hunter. I was huffing and puffing in 10 mins with screaming legs.

Throw the jointed / rotating stirrups in the trash, too they make irons now with different angles to where the rotation is no longer necessary!

If it helps - my new eventing trainer JUST told me that I should be having contact with the horse from your leg via the following: inside / back of calf (2/3rds or more) then thigh (1/3 or less) then the knee should just REST on the flap with no pressure. Doing that takes a strong and flexible hip. I’m wincing my way thru Pilates these days HAHA

[luvmyhackney]

Drop your stirrups a hole or two and make sure you are riding on your seat bones. Plus work on hip flexibility.

It looks like you have a longer thigh and might want to consider a larger seat size or more forward flap if dropping your stirrup a hole or two doesn’t help.

[Words_of_Wisdom]

Saddle looks fine to me size-wise-- would echo the comments to drop your stirrup a hole or two-- the thing that stands out to me most in the video is that your lower leg is not touching your horse at all. Hard to keep it underneath you if it’s not wrapped around the horse.

[IPEsq]

I also would switch stirrups to ones that don’t flex.

[coffeehag]

WOW! This is fantastic advice. I do have a desk job, though am trying to be better about using my standing desk for, well, standing and the exercise ball. I definitely have a tough time with my hip angle, tucking my tailbone is something my trainer reiterates more than I’d care to admit.

[mika0116]

Yeah lower leg stability will allow you to stop pinching at the knee, allow you to relax the knee enough to have a engaged but not tight thigh and afford you the ability to not “scrunch into your knee pinch via tight hips”

That holding the upward post for 2 steps is NOT possible when pinching with your knee - you’ll collapse down / catch your horse in the mouth.

I was a dressage junior so your HJ instructor might not like this, but - work on stopping turning your toes out. Feet parallel to the horse makes it nearly impossible to knee pinch and take your calves off. The movement in your hip joint, your conformation, your saddle, and the conformation of your horse determines whether or not your foot will be parallel to the horse.

I’d actually see if you can get your lower leg to make actual connection consistently on the flat - the last video your leg has light shining through between it and the saddle and something tells me you’re clinging at the knee while you approach the fence.

How do you look bareback / in a dressage saddle?

FWIW - your other post from March - that saddle is indeed at least 1 size too small.

I am 5’9 - sort of long torso but rather equal in leg vs torso - a size 4 (27 waist) & I ride in a 17.5 or 18.

[Scribbler]

Feet forward not pointing out is the ideal but not everyone can get there, depending on your own hip conformation. But it’s something you can try to work towards.

[coffeehag]

Once it dries out here I’ll def work on the posting method; I’ve done it before but not habitually.

At the walk I can get my leg on, canter, too; the trot is when I really brace the hell out of it.

I am 5’5", 28" waist, world’s shortest torso lmao. I need to have our Devoucoux rep out again in a month or two and will do a full reassessment then for horse and me!

[mika0116]

trot is often everyone’s bugaboo - mine, too. Every trainer that gets me is like - your canter and sitting trot without irons is your best riding - wtf is going on at the posting trot?!

I blame being a dressage junior - you don’t post in trot 2nd level and beyond.

I also seem to only pick up the right diagonal ever, so in HJ land I always have to switch immediately when tracking left sometimes I forget and trainers are like – erm how did you miss learning diagonals?

Keep us posted! You and your horse make a nice picture together!

[MadTrotter]

I think the seat size looks fine, I agree if you had sizing issues the stirrup bar is set forward for you and a larger/forward cut flap would be ideal. But none of this is deal-breaking stuff that would prevent you from getting your leg back and secure and opening your hip.

I have had a lot of bodywork and Pilates and I suggest you have someone really dig into your psoas. It’s not a fun relaxing massage but I’ve seen this kind of stiffness resolve in a handful of treatments, as long as you keep up with stretching and posture. My favorite massage therapist of all time worked mainly for a NHL (hockey) team. I would leave massages with bruises and it was effective, I came to like the pressure but I’m weird

Additionally, your horse could muscle up in ways you don’t expect, big shoulder muscles could fill out any gap in front of your leg and push the whole fit backwards, along with your leg.

So I wouldn’t jump up and saddle shop tomorrow. I strongly believe that with a good foundational seat and the right bodywork, you should be able to sit and ride correctly on a cardboard box if you had to.

I am curious how your leg hangs and how you ride with no stirrups. Get on bareback if you can, don’t need to even trot or jump, just move around and feel how your body wants to grip and where you feel wobbly.

[mika0116]

Hockey players have EXCELLENT hip / psoas flexibility and mobility - thats a great massage therapist to have around.

I dated a few former junior hockey league players who played in men’s leagues in my early 20s (I had a type) - their lower body mobility warm ups which they typically do ON ICE & skates had me crying barefoot in the gym.

I should dig into my old gmail to post their written mobility plans that I had them send me! I bet I couldn’t do them now.

[MadTrotter]

@mika0116

I dated a few former junior hockey league players who played in men’s leagues in my early 20s (I had a type) - their lower body mobility warm ups which they typically do ON ICE & skates had me crying barefoot in the gym

I would love to see that! I am forever fascinated by kinesiology and different sports, and I just admire anyone who obtains high levels in any of them! In my 20s it was rugby players