From: Sarah
Dear Jessica, I looked through the archives and didn't find anything that addressed my problem. I hope you answer this, because I'm beginning to feel that I'm never going to improve unless I get some better help than I've been getting. I know you can help me!
I compete in Western Horsemanship classes and it's ultra important to be relaxed and quiet in the saddle. It's hard for me to relax enough. I've been working on my breathing exercises that I learned from someone who was at one of your reining clinics last year, and that helps a lot. But my legs still get stiff, and I don't know what to do about it. I've had three different people check my stirrups to see if they are at the right level for me, and they say that they are, and it feels like they are right. But halfway through a pattern, my legs start to get stiff again. Help me please! My posture and hand position are good, it's just this problem with my legs that's bugging me.
You're the greatest!
Sarah
Hi Sarah! Western Horsemanship classes aren't one of my major specialty areas, but I may be able to give you some suggestions.
First, keep doing those breathing exercises. It's difficult to breathe deeply enough when you're thinking about making yourself tall, and it's impossible to breathe deeply at all if you're trying to pull your stomach in. Relax your stomach when you breathe, and let your breathing inflate and deflate it. Don't worry, you won't look fat -- just relaxed. ;-)
The breathing alone may make all the difference, but just in case, here's an exercise you can use. Do some simple patterns at all three gaits, and at some point during each gait, let your feet float up out of the stirrups ON PURPOSE. Don't make a big move, just let your feet stop pressing on the stirrups for a moment. If you are pushing your feet against your stirrups, that's enough to make your ankles and knees and hips stiff. Practice lifting your toes and leaving the soles of your feet just barely in contact with the stirrup treads. If you're riding with stiff legs, your lower legs and knees are going to shift position when you lift your toes. If you're riding with relaxed legs, you'll be able to lift and drop your toes without changing your leg position.
Good luck!
Jessica
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