Endurance.Net Ridecamp Archives

The Rider?s Position

An effective and healthful position when riding is a
hybrid position between standing and sitting. There
should be an approximately straight line running
through the rider?s ear, shoulder, hip and heel. But
the leg should not be straight. The stirrup should be
short enough to provide for adequate angles at the
hip, knee and ankle. These angles enable the legs to
function as shock absorbers and save the rider from
ruined knees and contracted hip flexor muscles. Most
shock absorption occurs at the ankle joint, less at
the knee and still less in the hip. 

The Lower Leg

An effective lower leg will have the shape of a
right-angle triangle. A line drawn from the rider?s
knee to their toe should be on the vertical, at a
right angle to the foot (see Figure 1). The rider?s
foot will rest gently in the stirrup and the heel will
be down. Sometimes riders misunderstand the
instruction: ?heels down?. It is not correct to simply
push the heel down. This merely sends the lower leg
forward, making the rider?s leg straight (the
traditional stockman?s position) - all shock absorbing
properties are lost.

Instead, riders should think of their heels stretching
back and down toward their horses hocks. In practice,
the heel will appear level with, or only slightly
below, the rest of the foot. In its role as a shock
absorber, the heel will, of course, move up and down
slightly with the motion of the trot. When the heels
are raised, other joints have to take on increased
shock absorption duties, giving rise to all those sore
knees and dodgy hips. A raised heel also indicates
contraction in the muscles of the rider?s leg, which
is an unnecessary waste of energy. 
The stirrup is the most important piece of tack.
Humans are most comfortable and relaxed with both feet
planted firmly on the ground. Our bodies associate
having our feet off the ground with falling
(potentially or actually), which automatically sets
off a number of defensive reactions. When riding, the
stirrups act as a surrogate ground surface, giving our
sense receptors the message that we are still
?grounded? and all is well.

..........


Send instant messages to your online friends http://au.messenger.yahoo.com 

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

Ridecamp is a service of Endurance Net, http://www.endurance.net.
Information, Policy, Disclaimer: http://www.endurance.net/Ridecamp
Subscribe/Unsubscribe http://www.endurance.net/ridecamp/logon.asp

Ride Long and Ride Safe!!

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=