Horse Riding: How to keep your legs still

Perhaps you've seen yourself on video, or in the mirror, and your legs go 'in & out' in rising trot?

Or perhaps your legs swing 'forward & back' in canter, or go 'round & round" in circles? Are your pupil's heels up, or do their lower legs just simply wobble everywhere?

To stop the legs moving and gain the stillness of the master is not just elegant, it's safer! A lower leg that is wobbling, bumping & flapping isn't just ugly, it's more unstable, and the rider therefore less confident.

If the rider's leg moves everywhere, bumping & flopping, then it's hard for the horse to distinguish what is an "aid" and what is just "flapping & bumping" with the leg just moving everywhere.

Judges & audiences are becoming more and more educated in what to look for in the rider mark.

Top 10 tips to improve flapping legs:

Stirrup placement & correct foot support.   You've probably heard "stirrup on the ball of the foot"...that's the big knobble behind the second toe. Well, you actually have 5 big knobbles, one behind each toe.

In our photos here at the right, the top photo shows the foot correctly supported, and the bottom photo shows the outside of the stirrup (pink line) too far forward. You can also see in the red circle how the "5th ball" behind the little toe is sagging below the stirrup. This "sagging" allows the ankle to twist, the knee to turn out, and the leg to become less stable.

Heels down. Not only is it an official rule that the heel must be down, it's also a safety issue!
See getting your heels down.

Check your stirrup length.
a) Take your feet out of the stirrups
b) Look up - don't look down
c)   The stirrup should sit just underneath the ankle knobble for flat work.   If the stirrup is level with the bottom of your foot, it's too long, and everything will wobble everywhere.   That's why jumpers have shorter stirrups!
See: Stirrup Length

Saddle fit. It's very difficult for the horse rider to keep their leg still if the knee is over the front of the saddle, or is too flat to support the leg, or just doesn't fit them.
OK, it might have been fitted to the HORSE, but has it been fitted to the RIDER?

Learn to stand. The no. 1 exercise I can give you (with correct stirrup length) to improve heels, feet, ankles, and to stop the rider's legs flapping and kicking unintentionally is here: Improve Your Balance

Test it out.    Instead of listening to varying people's opinions on your leg position...test it out for yourself!

Stand up in your stirrups safely at halt, have someone put their hand gently behind your heel, where the spur would be, and push your leg forward.   Can you keep your balance & stay standing? Or, do you lose your balance & fall back into the saddle.

Then... test out these different positions for yourself. Have your person try to tip you forward when you have:
         a) long straight legs,
         b) "gripping" knees
         c) knees off
         d) toes turned out
         e) heels up
         f) finally, with correct stirrup length & slightly bent knees.
See also rising trot

Be careful on the lunge.    We obviously lunge riders here more than most - because of our vaulting team. However, if you just let legs flop and flap everywhere, it's not doing as much good as if you hold your legs in position.   You should hold your heels down, and your toes pointing forward, not out.
Careful that holding onto the front of the saddle doesn't arch your back, and make you sit heavier on your pubic bone than the tail bone.

Doubling.    Yes, doubling. It's just AMAZING how INSTANT this fix is!   Be careful your horse doesn't mind, so check with your instructor first!

When you sit behind someone you can put your toes on their heels...Instant fix.

When you're in front you can match your heels with the person's toes behind. It's lots of fun and INSTANT fix!

Get a mirror.    No, it doesn't have to cost a lot of money.   Look in the 2nd hand trading post newspapers and find some 2nd hand mirrored sliding wardrobe doors you find in bedrooms. They're brilliant, and for $50 or $100 you can get a whole set.   There is nothing that will create better riding faster than a mirror! NOTHING!

As you're riding towards the mirror (or video):

► Which stirrup is closer to the ground - left or right?
► Which foot is turned out the most?
► Which stirrup moves more - left or right?
► In trot...rise from the knee, and compare it to when you rise from the foot.   Which has the most movement?
► Turn your toes out and check out the speed.   Turn them forward (checking in the mirror) and notice how the horse goes slower.

Give it a genuine try!
I promise you, if you give all of these things a genuine try, your legs will get stiller and stiller, and more under control for the higher level movements, and more balanced for the beginner's confidence.

However, if you really don't practice, and really don't "give it a genuine go", especially checking your stirrups and learning to stand....then your results will speak for themselves.

You really can make your leg stiller, just takes a little practice!