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Stirrup-less Lessons

Riding without stirrups can greatly improve your position and seat. When riding without the irons you must make sure that you are riding correctly. Sometimes when your feet come out of the stirrups you feel insecure, and may improperly grip with your legs or adjust your seat to this new feeling. Here I will give you some tips on how to properly practice stirrup-less to improve communication between you and your horse.

Out of the Irons Insight

Before you begin riding without your stirrups there are a few things to think about to prepare for a successful ride. First, make sure you are sitting in the correct position in your saddle. If you are unbalanced with stirrups it will not do you any good to ride without them. When you know that you are sitting in the correct position and have the right stirrup length, take note of where your leg is on your saddle and emulate that when your are riding without stirrups.

Second, be sure that you feel completely safe riding your horse without the assistance the stirrups provide. If your horse is green, take the time to get him used to the stirrups bouncing on his sides by lunging him with your irons down if your ride english or just with a saddle on if you’re a western rider. When riding without stirrups, be sure not to cross them over your saddle just in case of an emergency, unless you are on the lunge line.

Now that you are ready, it is important to warm up both yourself and your horse before practicing. Plan to ride without stirrups in the middle of your ride, that way you will be warmed up but not too tired.

At the Halt

Taking your feet in and out of the stirrups is very helpful for balance and coordination, and great practice in case you loose one. Without looking down, bring your feet out of the stirrups at the same time by lifting your toes and sliding your lower leg backwards a few inches. Once your feet are out, slide your legs back to their original position as if they were still in the stirrup.

To put your feet back in the stirrups bring your lower leg back a bit just as you did when you took them out, point your toes in slightly, lift your toes, and smoothly slide your feet forward and into your stirrups. If you are having trouble finding your stirrups, put your legs in the correct position as if you had stirrups and try again. It is important to be smooth and slow while doing this as taking your legs off your horse’s side and moving them a lot with throw you off balance. Practice taking your feet in and out of the stirrups many times until you can easily do it without looking.

At the Walk

Once you are comfortable with dropping and picking up your stirrups you’re are ready to move on. Ask your horse to begin walking along side the arena fence. When you have established a consistent walk, gently take your feet out of the stirrups. Continue walking for a few strides, remembering to keep your body square and your eyes up. By keeping your eyes, shoulders, hips, hands, knees, and feet square you will stay balanced and in the correct position.

Your legs should stay against your horse’s body in the small groove behind the girth. You should have consistent contact in your thigh, knee, and lower leg. Too much pressure in one area of your leg can throw you off balance. It is also important that you don’t squeeze too tightly. You need enough grip for your leg to be snug against your horse, but only enough that your leg doesn’t slide around, as you don’t want to squeeze too much and cause the horse to speed up.

After you have walked a few strides, pick your stirrups back up as you did at a halt, remembering to keep you eyes up and your body square. Walk a few strides with your feet back in the stirrups, then repeat riding without them again. Ride in both directions of the arena, practicing correct posture and smoothly picking up and dropping the stirrups. Take as much time as you need at the walk before moving on to the trot. It is helpful to start riding stirrup-less in small increments of time. Begin by riding without stirrups for one or two minutes, then build on that until you can easily ride for fifteen minutes or more at a walk. Part two of this article series will build on the basic lessons you learned here, and give you tips on how to ride without stirrups while at faster gaits and over fences.