#NoStirrupNovember

We’re at the time of year where the jackets are starting to get hung up, the tall boots put away, and some horses are already turned out feral, fat and happy for their break. It’s also the time of year where a certain social media trend has riders ditching their stirrups and groaning in pain, for the sake of a deeper seat and more balanced and level position.

Is riding without stirrups only for #NoStirrupNovember?

Adding in some sessions or parts of sessions without stirrups is a great idea year-round, and hopefully #NoStirrupNovember inspires people to drop the irons every now and then, then has them realise the benefits enough to keep up the practice for the rest of the year. What you DON’T want to do is go from having done hardly any stirrup-less work at all, then pull them off the saddle and subject your horse’s back (and your hip flexors) to a beating during the transition-to-off-season period.

I admit I didn’t do much work without stirrups – apart from a few minutes circling my toes and swinging my legs while walking at the start of a ride – until I started having lessons with Gill Rolton in 2017.  I had two full no-stirrup lessons in a row – one on each horse. It was awesome, and I could also barely walk afterwards!  While that rude wakeup call was torturous, it was also so effective that it became my go-to for lots of things:

• - Horse not using his back and bouncing my seat away?  Drop the stirrups.
• - Twisting my hips or sitting crooked in lateral work?  Drop the stirrups.
• - Not using my legs and seat effectively?  Drop the stirrups.

9 Tips for riding without stirrups 

If you’re keen to take on the challenge of doing some stirrup-less work, here are some tips to keep the effectiveness high, the pain levels low, and your horse’s discomfort at zero.

 1. Build up no stirrups work SLOWLY. At first it can be quite painful and you may fatigue quickly, not to mention the added risk of you bouncing on your horse’s back or pulling him in the mouth. In the beginning it’s best to incorporate a short section of no stirrups at the end of each ride, and at first, never go more than five minutes without a walk break.

2. Warm-up with stirrups. Firstly, for the obvious safety reason if your horse starts off a bit fresh. Also, going without stirrups makes you sit quite deep – great once you’ve warmed up, but your horse needs to loosen up its back first.

3. Cross your stirrups over in front of the saddle. That way if you start to lose control or get unbalanced, you can drop your stirrups back while still in motion to help get your balance back. When crossing your stirrups, fold the leather forward and tuck it under the skirt, so it doesn’t pinch your leg (there’ll be enough pain as it is!)

4. When you first drop your stirrups in walk, incorporate simples exercises. Try something like circling your toes or circling your arms one at a time. Be careful not to spook your horse doing this though!

5. Put a monkey strap on.  If you’re concerned about keeping your balance, particularly if your horse is likely to misbehave, put a monkey grip on your saddle.

6. You can rise trot as well as sit trot. To do this, let the horse bounce you up into the rise, then use your core to control your body into the sit. Use your thighs, not your knees!

7. Be prepared to hurt.  But always have a walk break before your pain starts to affect the way you ride!

8. You may need to drop your stirrups a hole once you take them back. This is a good thing, it just means your seat is deeper and your leg is longer. Just remember you may need to pop them back up a hole at the start of next ride.

9. Good times to go without stirrups after #NoStirrupNovember.  

• - When you want to sit deeper and use your legs more effectively
• - When you’re getting crooked or collapsing in your position
• - When you’re struggling to keep your horse straight or pick up the correct canter lead. (Often caused by the rider’s crookedness, which no-stirrups has a tendency to help with!)

How did you go?

I’d love to hear how you found riding with no strirrups. If you have any questions or need some troubleshooting help with them, send me a message at Enya Crockford Equestrian.

Discliamer

The information on this Blog / website is provided as general information and is not provided as specific advice for your individual situation.  This Blog / website should not be used as a substitute for competent professional advice specific to your individual situation.  For specific rider and animal health and well-being issues, you should seek your own professional advice.