Why is riding without stirrups easier than with stirrups!?

[anon55755751]

Having some of the same issues myself, I’ve come to the conclusion that my saddle is simply too large. It’s difficult to see that it’s too big, so the default advice I’ve always received has been to just shorten my stirrups, which has been pretty counterproductive, to say the least.

So how do I know my saddle is too large? When my legs are in the correct position, namely, when I’m able to keep my weight balanced over my legs, there’s a good 1" gap between the block and my leg. Not to mention how I have to fight to keep my legs in that position in the first place. I’ve done plenty of good work in saddles that were too large for me (since I’m pretty sure I’ve always been in too-large saddles), but they were flatter or plainer or had stirrup bars further back or something that made it easier to stay balanced.

Not sure what size saddle you’re looking for, but it might be worth trying something smaller than you think you need. Of course, if you’re already looking for a 16", this could make life worse…

[lorilu]

I have been fighting to sit my horse’s trot for a while now. (See my threads…) I have begun taking lunge lessons as well as riding entirely without stirrups. Here is the rundown:
Before: Chair seat. left leg floats forward, can’t sit the trot, struggle to stay in the front of the saddle. Shortened stirrups on trainer advice - made things worse IMO. I borrowed saddles with BIG thigh blocks - made no difference.
After: leg hangs behind thigh roll. Pelvis is upright in front area of saddle where it belongs. I lengthened the stirrups and now my leg stays where it belongs. In fact, the left leg HAD been a hole shorter than the right in an effort to “keep my leg back”. SO, it went down TWO holes - leathers are now even. I find I am “gripping” with the top of my calf not my thigh.

SO_ suck it up, take lots of lunge lessons and ride without stirrups.

Oh, as a side benefit - while on the lunge I FINALLY discovered that it wasn’t just my left leg riding forward and me sitting heavy to the right back. In fact, my pelvis was angled in the saddle - left hip towards the front, right hip back. It was so slight no one ever saw it (and I have been riding with consistent lessons for a long time, with well respected trainers…). Going left I twisted hard left and… boom… everything was better! Now will be trying some different saddles, as saddle fitter suggested the twist might be too wide on my saddle causing my pelvis to twist…)

[mydogs]

Thanks everyone. While I’m sure I will get back to where I used to be, I was hoping to understand the biomechanics (what the body is doing) that is different between riding with and without stirrups.

[LarkspurCO]

I see one simple explanation: Riding without stirrups encourages you to relax your thighs and not grip (if you grip you come out of the tack). Keeping your thigh relaxed and legs loose allows you to sit deeper and helps you remain “plugged in.” Sounds like that’s where lorilu ended up. Stirrups enable you to grip, and nothing good can come of that.