I'm going to spare y'all the photos of my pasty white thighs, but I did no-stirrup work last night. D was meeting me for dinner, so I had limited time to ride and really wanted to make it count. I'm pleased to say that I could handle about a lap in either direction and was able to maintain the same forward trot as I would have with stirrups.
But damn.
I just crossed the irons over the pommel, instead of pulling everything off. And ouch. I've got two quarter-plus sized bruises on the insides of either thigh.
So what did I do wrong? Is the common practice to either let the irons dangle or remove them completely? Was I being an idiot?
(Ps. Soon, grasshoppers! I will tell you ALL THE THINGS soon!)
November Cattle Play Day
27 minutes ago
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17 comments
Definitely cross the irons over the pommel, but first you need to pull the stirrup down as if you were going to adjust it. That moves the buckle away from the painful place in the pommel when it's crossed!
ReplyDeleteOMG. Moving. The. Buckle. Why didn't this cross my mind?!
DeleteI don't know how the hell people ride with their stirrups crossed. I usually just let them dangle since I have zero strength and don't go for very long, or if I'm feeling cray, I'll pull them off.
ReplyDeleteSince Archie rarely acknowledges my legs anyways, I don't know why I'm concerned about the irons slapping his sides.
DeleteI just let them hang on Vinny, but if I was riding my TB I would cross them. If I challenge myself and do more no stirrup work than I usually do, I end up with bruises too I think from gripping.
ReplyDeleteYeah, uh, I almost never do no-stirrup work. :)
DeleteI just let them dangle- I think it's a psychological thing, like they're there and easily accessible in case I need them!
ReplyDeleteI think I'm the opposite - I'll wimp out if they're there.
DeleteI let them hang cause there is no way that I can do my whole 40+ min ride without them! :)
ReplyDeleteBut when L does her months, she takes them off :)
Yeah, I'm no where near any sort of length of time. Two minutes? Maybe four?
DeleteUsually I cross them, but it's been a long time since I did a lot of no stirrup work since starting the newbie :-)
ReplyDeleteUm. I can't remember ever really doing any sort of no-stirrup work prior to now.
DeleteI'm of the let 'em hang or take 'em off camp. I can't cross them; the leathers lift the skirts, which in turn would always, always bruise or even chafe my thighs.
ReplyDeleteYeah, I was sort of surprised at the quickness of the bruising and knew there had to be a better way.
DeleteMore often than not I let them hang. If I don't let them hang I pull them down/ up as you would if you were changing the length. And then cross them over. When I jump sans stirrups I always take my stirrups off completely. I find it more comfortable to just take them off if I know I'm doing a full no stirrups ride.
ReplyDeleteWant to know things!!!! :)
Dude, I haven't jumped without stirrups since I was in middle school.
DeleteI find that a problem too. I can't have them dangle because they hit my legs and annoy me. I usually cross them over and, this is going to sound stupid, but I position them so that they are hanging over the pommel a bit and attach them there using the other stirrup's leather. So I put the stirrups on the pommel but hanging over (so that they don't hit the horse or me), and then use the leftover leather to attach to keep it in place. I know it sounds complicated, but nothing is more annoying than stirrupless work when you have nowhere to put the stirrups!
ReplyDeleteThanks!