Stirrup length and leg position

[SugarCubes]

Hi all! I’m a short rider (5’2") and my default when I’m not super fit is to knee pinch and let my leg slide back (at the canter and o/f). I’ve gotten my butt back to the gym which will help resolve the issue, but I keep going back and forth with my stirrup length and I was wanting outside opinions.

When my leg is strong and staying put, I still feel like I’m having to reach for my stirrup a little over fences - this is magnified even more when my leg is weak. My trainer likes my stirrups this length though and thinks if I go shorter it will make my leg slide back more. http://i1373.photobucket.com/albums/ag393/leahyhm/4A139186-D343-4C26-8E25-484131E2BA65_zpsrhoflsau.jpg
Thoughts?

Recently, as an experiment, I went up a hole. I noticed my leg felt like it wanted to slip back more, but when I concentrated on keeping my leg under me, I felt much more secure than when they are a hole longer.

So now I’m just confused. I know this stems from not being in shape right now, but in the meantime, which length would be better overall for my position and muscle memory? I always thought if your leg was weak you should go up a hole, but not if it’s going to make my leg slide back worse.

[mmeqcenter]

I’ve always followed the 90° rule. While seated, your knee angle should be right around 90° for proper jumping stirrup length. Yours look to long in your shared photo.
You should never feel like you have to reach/search for your stirrups, especially when jumping. Your leg sliding back is likely just from your decreased strength. For me, shorter stirrups have only ever helped stabilize my leg, not make it slide back further.

[Madison]

Based on the picture, I definitely think you could go up a hole for jumping and it would give you a better base of support.

[SugarCubes]

mmeqcenter - Yes, my leg stays put when I’m fit, so I know this is a strength issue at the moment but you just verified my suspicion that they need to go up a hole from that photo!

Madison - Thanks! That’s what I thought too, but wanted outside opinions

Anyone else care to weigh in? I’m thinking I’ll keep them a hole shorter than they are in the linked picture.

[LawsofMurph]

Back in my Hunter days, if I had shown up with that stirrup length my instructor would have given me a long lecture about how wrong I was and might have put it up extra holes just for funsies so that I would never forget. That picture shows a length that’s near what I use for Dressage.

I can see how your leg could easily slide back with that length primarily because you can’t get the same support for jumping with a longer, more open leg.

But most importantly: if going up a hole feels more secure then it probably is! You can reevaluate again after hitting the gym for a while and see where you’re at.

[Lusoluv]

When in doubt, go up a hole or 2. Definitely too long in the photo. Might want to re-visit who you train with as well.

[jen-s]

I’d also agree that it’s too long. But a couple of holes probably.

[skip99]

Do you ride that horse in a riser pad usually? It looks like the cantle is way lower than the pommel and it’s encouraging a chair seat regardless of stirrup length. I personally ride longer than most, so the length itself doesn’t bother me too much, but it’d be easier to assess with the saddle level rather than dropped behind.

[Training_Cupid]

I’m 5’2" as well. My trainer prefers I ride with shorter stirrups, which luckily is my preference as well. I think I would go up one hole for flat work, and 2 for jumping.
My trainer is 5’10" and all legs, it is almost comical how much I have to raise my stirrups after she’s ridden in it!

[Skydknee]

I agree with skip99. The stirrup length in this photo is not the problem it is the saddle, or the way the saddle sits on that particular horse. Get a bounce pad ASAP. And more importantly ALL stirrup and fitness problems are resolved by training without stirrups. So pull those stirrups off the saddle and do posting trot A LOT and start adding in small fences. After 100 hours put your stirrups back on and punch the correct hole.

[SugarCubes]

Thanks for weighing in guys! Good point about the half pad, yes, he normally goes in a half pad and saddle has been checked by saddle fitter and sits level with the half pad. He currently shows in an Ogilvy memory foam shaped pad which is MUCH better than the plain old shaped pad he’s wearing in that picture…and ironically enough, my trainer had me throw a riser pad on him the next day at that show, which led to me buying him the Ogilvy

So back to stirrup length, general consensus is too long, which was my suspicion! So thank you all for your opinions, I’ll keep them up a hole!