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 IMA No Hair Style Gal
Posts: 2594
  
| I am moving forward from this issue. At first I thought shortening my stirrups would help, but I discovered that lengthening them helped much better.
These are things I have done to also help:
Tie my stirrups forward with twine
Think "FEET" in the dash
Push all my weight to my feet to keep them from going "back"
Sometimes I almost think LOCK MY KNEES to keep them forward.
So far all of these things have really really made a difference for me. |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 319
| Nevertooold - 2013-11-19 7:02 PM nance - 2013-11-19 3:15 PM So how do you decide if stirrups are at the right length? This is an honest question. Where they are now is comfortable & they stay forward when loping or even high lope. But last night he ran faster than I've ever gone heading for 3'rd and as we got there I panicked cause my legs completely out of position to brace. Sounds like you need some horsemanship lessons to teach you to put weight in your stirrups. I've seen many people that when they add speed to a run they bring their legs up and squeeze with their knees putting them into a fetal position. Your body gets tilted forward and your feet will go behind you.
That is exactly what happens Nevertoold - I end up squeezing with my knees, feet up behind me & body leaning forward. Like riding those little motorcycles, crotch rockets. Which come to think of it, felt about that fast last nite. I'm sure I would benefit from lessons. |
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  Sock eating dog owner
Posts: 4553
Location: Where the pavement ends and the West begins Utah | While practicing tie the back strap/ fender to the cinch ring, this will keep you from swinging your legs behind you. |
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 A Somebody to Everybody
Posts: 41354
 
Location: Under The Big Sky Of Texas | Nevertooold - 2013-11-19 7:02 PM nance - 2013-11-19 3:15 PM So how do you decide if stirrups are at the right length? This is an honest question. Where they are now is comfortable & they stay forward when loping or even high lope. But last night he ran faster than I've ever gone heading for 3'rd and as we got there I panicked cause my legs completely out of position to brace. Sounds like you need some horsemanship lessons to teach you to put weight in your stirrups. I've seen many people that when they add speed to a run they bring their legs up and squeeze with their knees putting them into a fetal position. Your body gets tilted forward and your feet will go behind you.
I have seen this happen quite often. |
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 More bootie than waist!
Posts: 18425
Location: Riding Crackhead. | nance - 2013-11-19 7:26 PM Nevertooold - 2013-11-19 7:02 PM nance - 2013-11-19 3:15 PM So how do you decide if stirrups are at the right length? This is an honest question. Where they are now is comfortable & they stay forward when loping or even high lope. But last night he ran faster than I've ever gone heading for 3'rd and as we got there I panicked cause my legs completely out of position to brace. Sounds like you need some horsemanship lessons to teach you to put weight in your stirrups. I've seen many people that when they add speed to a run they bring their legs up and squeeze with their knees putting them into a fetal position. Your body gets tilted forward and your feet will go behind you.
Do a lot of bareback riding. Teach yourself to use your core muscles and proper balance and IMO no better way to do that than riding bareback. |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 319
| Thanks for all the good ideas. I'll play around with stirrup length but suspect it is more of a rider issue than anything caused by my saddle.
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 Good Grief!
Posts: 6343
Location: Cap'n Joan Rotgut.....alberta | a saddle that is to small will kick your feet out behind you and tip you forward.........
m |
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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 602
| Maybe the position of your feet in the stirrup throws your balance off? If you ride on the balls of your feet, try putting your whole foot in the stirrup or vis versa. |
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 Ms Bling Bling Sleeze Kitty
Posts: 20904
Location: LouLouVille, OK | mruggles - 2013-11-20 1:14 PM a saddle that is to small will kick your feet out behind you and tip you forward.........
m Ditto... One thing I have recently learned is seat size is so important... I am not huge, but I have a few extra pounds, when I have my stirrups adjusted where I like them (I ride with alot of leg) I like a bigger seat to sit down on my pockets for a nice whoa and when Im holding on around a barrel. When I tell people I like a 15" seat they tell me I don't need a 15"... well as a matter of fact I do, because where I like my stirrups a little shorter I need the extra room to sit back.
You will be amazed at when the angle of your thigh is right and you have the right saddle seat size... the ride is awesome. As far as your feet going back, I would suggest trying someone else's saddle, in a little bigger size then your current saddle...and see what happens, cause when you are allowed to get down on your pockets your feet stay forward.
Edited by cindyt 2013-11-20 2:34 PM
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Ms Bling Bling Sleeze Kitty
Posts: 20904
Location: LouLouVille, OK | nance - 2013-11-19 7:26 PM Nevertooold - 2013-11-19 7:02 PM nance - 2013-11-19 3:15 PM So how do you decide if stirrups are at the right length? This is an honest question. Where they are now is comfortable & they stay forward when loping or even high lope. But last night he ran faster than I've ever gone heading for 3'rd and as we got there I panicked cause my legs completely out of position to brace. Sounds like you need some horsemanship lessons to teach you to put weight in your stirrups. I've seen many people that when they add speed to a run they bring their legs up and squeeze with their knees putting them into a fetal position. Your body gets tilted forward and your feet will go behind you.
Agree NTO with putting weight in your stirrups, it is why I ride with a shorter stirrup, I can't fit more then a couple fingers under me and my saddle standing up, so they aren't like a jockey, lol but I like to be able to use them stirrups! |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 319
| cindyt - 2013-11-20 2:32 PM mruggles - 2013-11-20 1:14 PM a saddle that is to small will kick your feet out behind you and tip you forward.........
m Ditto... One thing I have recently learned is seat size is so important... I am not huge, but I have a few extra pounds, when I have my stirrups adjusted where I like them (I ride with alot of leg) I like a bigger seat to sit down on my pockets for a nice whoa and when Im holding on around a barrel. When I tell people I like a 15" seat they tell me I don't need a 15"... well as a matter of fact I do, because where I like my stirrups a little shorter I need the extra room to sit back.
You will be amazed at when the angle of your thigh is right and you have the right saddle seat size... the ride is awesome. As far as your feet going back, I would suggest trying someone else's saddle, in a little bigger size then your current saddle...and see what happens, cause when you are allowed to get down on your pockets your feet stay forward.
Well I think maybe my saddle IS too small. I paid alot of attention when riding tonight and I'm sitting halfway up the cantle. When I try pushing my feet forward I run into the cantle & can't really get them out there. Also when sitting straight my feet are a little behind. This is bad. I can't afford a new saddle.
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 591
| Awhile back someone here suggested loping your horse around with your feet out of the stirrups. This helped me a lot. It shows you where your seat should be down in the saddle and where your feet should be too. |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 319
| reditorun - 2013-11-20 7:04 PM Awhile back someone here suggested loping your horse around with your feet out of the stirrups. This helped me a lot. It shows you where your seat should be down in the saddle and where your feet should be too.
I'll try that. Thanks. |
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Sock eating dog owner
Posts: 4553
Location: Where the pavement ends and the West begins Utah | If you have barrel racing stirrups as in narrow swap them out for roper stirrups. This allows you to balance on the whole ball of your foot. |
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Ms Bling Bling Sleeze Kitty
Posts: 20904
Location: LouLouVille, OK | nance - 2013-11-20 6:41 PM cindyt - 2013-11-20 2:32 PM mruggles - 2013-11-20 1:14 PM a saddle that is to small will kick your feet out behind you and tip you forward.........
m Ditto... One thing I have recently learned is seat size is so important... I am not huge, but I have a few extra pounds, when I have my stirrups adjusted where I like them (I ride with alot of leg) I like a bigger seat to sit down on my pockets for a nice whoa and when Im holding on around a barrel. When I tell people I like a 15" seat they tell me I don't need a 15"... well as a matter of fact I do, because where I like my stirrups a little shorter I need the extra room to sit back.
You will be amazed at when the angle of your thigh is right and you have the right saddle seat size... the ride is awesome. As far as your feet going back, I would suggest trying someone else's saddle, in a little bigger size then your current saddle...and see what happens, cause when you are allowed to get down on your pockets your feet stay forward.Well I think maybe my saddle IS too small. I paid alot of attention when riding tonight and I'm sitting halfway up the cantle. When I try pushing my feet forward I run into the cantle & can't really get them out there. Also when sitting straight my feet are a little behind. This is bad. I can't afford a new saddle.
Can you try someone else's saddle that is bigger? Just to try?
that always helps :)
Im fixing to list my 14.5 I just bought a few months ago... I just need a 15... sad I notice the difference in that 1/2" |
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Nut Case Expert
Posts: 9305
Location: Tulsa, Ok | cindyt - 2013-11-21 7:41 AM nance - 2013-11-20 6:41 PM cindyt - 2013-11-20 2:32 PM mruggles - 2013-11-20 1:14 PM a saddle that is to small will kick your feet out behind you and tip you forward.........
m Ditto... One thing I have recently learned is seat size is so important... I am not huge, but I have a few extra pounds, when I have my stirrups adjusted where I like them (I ride with alot of leg) I like a bigger seat to sit down on my pockets for a nice whoa and when Im holding on around a barrel. When I tell people I like a 15" seat they tell me I don't need a 15"... well as a matter of fact I do, because where I like my stirrups a little shorter I need the extra room to sit back.
You will be amazed at when the angle of your thigh is right and you have the right saddle seat size... the ride is awesome. As far as your feet going back, I would suggest trying someone else's saddle, in a little bigger size then your current saddle...and see what happens, cause when you are allowed to get down on your pockets your feet stay forward.Well I think maybe my saddle IS too small. I paid alot of attention when riding tonight and I'm sitting halfway up the cantle. When I try pushing my feet forward I run into the cantle & can't really get them out there. Also when sitting straight my feet are a little behind. This is bad. I can't afford a new saddle.
that always helps :)
Im fixing to list my 14.5 I just bought a few months ago... I just need a 15... sad I notice the difference in that 1/2"
A lot of people do not seem to realize that seat size is not just about the size of you butt. The legnth of your legs and where you ride you stirrups comes into the equation when it comes to seat and whether you are setting on your pockets or if you are rolled up on your crotch. When you are forward on your crotch, it is going to be much harder to keep you feet from getting behind.
Another factor in keeping your feet forward is your weight distribution. Is you weight all on your seat as opposed to all or some portion being on your feet/stirrups. |
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 Fact Checker
Posts: 16572
Location: Displaced Iowegian | nance - 2013-11-20 12:51 PM Thanks for all the good ideas. I'll play around with stirrup length but suspect it is more of a rider issue than anything caused by my saddle.
I agree with the horsemanship....but you can take your saddle to a saddlemaker (repair person) and have your fenders "blocked" forward. This keeps them from swinging back so easily. |
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