Making sure lower leg is secure?

Question

Hey there, so lately, me and my trainer have been working on my position more. I had trouble with my hands, were I'd keep them down by my lap, but that's cured now, although I do feel odd. But my problem is, my lower legs, it always swings when in the canter, and when jumping. How can I make sure it's secure? I try to focus on it, but I need to pay more attention the horse I'm riding, considering half the time he is crazy at the jumps.

Answer 1

Ride without stirrups alot!!! Im not kidding, best thing my old trainer ever made us do was ride without stirrups in almost every lesson.

Answer 2

I think doing a lot of work in the two point can help.  When your butt isn't in the saddle, your legs need to be secure so you don't lose your balance, so it makes them get better.  I've had trainers make me ride the entire lesson in a 2-point.  I think no-stirrup work can also help too :)

Answer 3

ride with out stirrups a lot and when you are ridding get bailing twine  or something like that and tye your stirrups too your girth. don't tie them so tight that your feet are touching the girth but just so they don't move a lot.

Answer 4

Here are some exercises to try to get your lower leg more stable:

Stand in the stirrups at walk and trot - not posting just standing. See how long you can stand in the stirrups without sitting down. Rest your hands on the horse's neck if you have to to keep from catching his mouth, but try not to use his neck for balance.

Try doing posting trot, but stay up for two beats instead of one - down up up down up up. This will help you to stay in balance at the trot and keep your leg underneath.

Also work in two point jumping position a lot. Can you stay in two point for a circle or a circuit of the arena? Can you do it without using your hands for balance? This is a good one to do in canter since that seems to be where your problem is.

Finally, there is the three seats exercise. Do 10 strides sitting trot, 10 strides posting trot, and 10 strides jumping position and rotate between the three seats constantly. As you master that, shorten your time in each seat to 5 strides. For more challenge, reverse the order.

Posting canter might also help. It's actually really good for a horse that is 'crazy at the jumps' because you can be much stronger about dictating the rhythm, just like in posting trot.

All these exercises will help you to get in balance, get your lower leg back underneath you, and get weight on it so your legs become stable.