Adopting a classical seat with short legs

[3DE]

Does anyone have any tips?

Historically, as I have short legs (and short other bits), I have always struggled to maintain the traditional classic seat. My body composition tends to push me into more of a chair seat, prevents me opening my hips, and thus turns my toes out, preventing me from using my legs as effectively as I would like.

I have always ridden ponies or horses under 16h that are narrower as I find with less horse I can wrap what little legs I do have, round them easier. Also a 15 inch saddle has less leather to get in the way of my wee legs  

Now I have a problem, a big one. Actually a 16h3, shire cross, rising 4 sized problem...

I am currently riding my friend/instructor's newly broken mare and struggling rather a lot. I'm fine with hacking - we've done quite a bit of that (including in the snow) and she will do transitions in the school by voice (6 months of long lining paid off) but I just don't feel like I am riding her in a manner that will help her.

Exercises I do already are taking my feet out of the stirrups and lifting my legs out sideways to open my hip. I also try and pull the back of my thigh to bring my leg round into a more correct position.

It really doesn't help with the horse having an 18 inch saddle   it means much of my leg is in contact with leather rather than the horse - think 3 year old on their first pony type look  

So does anyone have any tips? Changing the saddle isn't an option as the horse isn't mine...

Here's a rather pants pic of me riding my old loan horse - he's the biggest I have felt comfortable on at 15h1

Edit - can't find any flat pics so here's a jumping one for now...



Off to find a flat photo...

Edit 2 - as this is a 3 (nearly 4) yo that has only been broken for 8 weeks please don't suggest stirrupless riding - I value my life

[Heather]

You must be psychic, I am revising my book and had just written a bit about short extremities this afternoon! If you can find a pic of you on the flat, that would be helpful 

[3DE]

Spooky!!

I never have photos of me - I'm normally behind the camera :(

This probably isn't the best as I'm at a standstill and the horse is in a false 'outline'



Found a couple more equally awful ones...





I think I need to get some more photos of me riding lol

[Heather]

Saddle/stirrup bar position is 90% of the cause! I could change your position in seconds! I suppose none of the saddles you ride in has velcroed on knee rolls? This can be a big help if so.

[3DE]

Unfortunately they don't :(

I'm currently saddleless and riding in saddles belonging to other people and on other peoples' horses

When I back my youngster in the spring I will be in the market for a new saddle so any advice is appreciated (I'm in the far north of Scotland though and we don't even have a farrier within 120 miles let alone a saddler lol).

This is the saddle I have ridden in that I have found the comfiest/least affecting my position



I also quite like the Patriot close contact too. I guess I'm a close contact rather than GP fan

[crdodgeon]

I'm short legged with tight hips, too (so you have my sympathies!) I've found the exercises Lee introduced me to to warm me up really helpful and are certainly helping with my ability to get my legs down and round and to have more openness through the hips.  The exercises (in no particular order) are the knees up, out to the side (as close to 90 degrees  as you can)  and gently down one it sounds as if you're doing.

Then there's lifting both legs off the saddle without compromising your seat position, before bringing them back to starting position. Doesn't matter if it's only a miniscule amount.

Windmill one arm at a time. As your arm goes past your ears, point your toes down so's you get the stretch all the way through.

Swing your legs slowly back and forth, from the hips.

Finally (unless more come to me) doing one leg at a time, turn your leg in so that your knees and toes are pointing inwards - without poking the horse!  .

Good luck!

[Bradders]

I too am blessed with short legs and narrow hips

I have found the combination of a Vogue and Heather's stirrups make a heck of a difference.

The stirrups on their own may be worth a look - you could then attach your own stirrups to other people's saddles

[Trudi]

  I'm another short armed/legged one  lots of stretching (pilates style) helps me but I have to do them very regularly. Coupled with the hip opening type ridden exercises that crdogdeon mentions  also Heather's trick of rolling the little toe outwards is a good one  but there's no getting away from it the saddle is a huge part of the equation.

[Woody]

I look at the guy who heads up the portuguese royal school and I live in hope - ok different pelvis maybe but definately not long thin legs. boo haa to all the dressage diva shapes is all I say if he can do it then there is hope that in another 10 decades so might I 

but seriously I too really relate to being challenged in the arm and leg department
if I hang my arms vertically by my sides and bend my arms I can just about touch my knuckles at my navel at navel height - is this normal???

[crdodgeon]

if I hang my arms vertically by my sides and bend my arms I can just about touch my knuckles at my navel at navel height - is this normal???

As in if you bend your arms the knuckles just about meet, or the meeting at navel height bit??

Interesting about the stirrups - I've been thinking of getting some as I don't have the option on saddles, and wondered if they would be worth getting anyway.

Yes, the rolling the little toe is useful.  Find it really helps to get my leg round.
But it only goes so far...

[Candypony]

another short person here... if you didn't want to ride without stirrups could you get someone to hold neddies head while you did a little stretching without them - pointing toes down, moving bottom forwards and keeping legs back etc? 

Personally I don't always trust Candy enough to ride without stirrups - so will instead ride with VERY long ones - for some reason this gives the effect of riding without but because you have to reach for the stirrups a little, you can't grip and end up lifting your legs - plus if neddy does up and spin, you weight does actually reach a stirrup quickly so you have a better chance of staying put!

I can ride big horses, but I don't feel that I RIDE big horses - does that make sense? I stick to 15hh or less!

[Heather]

Saddle looks very nicely finished, 3DE, but look at the position of the stirrup bar in relation to the deepest part of the seat! If you were to sit in the ear/shoulder/hip/heel line, I can almost guarantee that your thigh would be off the back of the saddle flap, if that ruddy great thigh block wasnt in the way! It would actually prevent the classical position and help to hold you in a chair seat! The other roll is placed only to be of use in a very short jumping length leather.

It is far from a general purpose, and most suited to jumping. Yet if only they had the foresight to put on velcroed knee rolls, and an ajustable stirrup bar, and get rid of that lump at the back, it would be quite a nice saddle !!

[whisper's mum]

It is far from a general purpose, and most suited to jumping. Yet if only they had the foresight to put on velcroed knee rolls, and an ajustable stirrup bar, and get rid of that lump at the back, it would be quite a nice saddle !!

Surely it is a specialised jumping saddle? As such, it is designed to do exactly what it says on the tin - put you in a secure position over sizeable fences.  I'm not a fan of GP saddles tbh, I much prefer a dressage saddle (with set back stirrup bars) for flatwork and a proper jumping saddle for jumping, although I agree the velcro knee rolls can make a saddle much more adaptable - like the Vogue GPT. 

[twinkle11]

Another shorty here (4.11) ive got a big girl but to be honest ive ridden bigger and its not been a problem, the problem for me is the saddles not the size of the horse! since having a dressage saddle i feel much more comfy and correct, stick me in a jumping or gp and i struggle really badly and it shows lol.

[Bradders]

I have other photos that demonstrate it better , but I can't find them

Rolo was so wide that I had to ride reasonable short on him - the saddle was a GP and bars were forward



Different horse and different saddle and stirrups - and whilst my legs are far from ideal, they are certainly better