Did you know that riding without stirrups can benefit you? Riding without stirrups builds leg strength. It will be even easier to stay in position with stirrups, if you can hold your position without them. Likewise, riding without stirrups boosts your stamina in the saddle. The following are some tips on how to practice. Also, if you are looking for a horse property for sale in Colorado, contact Colorado Horse Property today and speak with one of our horse-person realtors.
Tips On Riding Without Stirrups
Just like any other form of practice, before taking your feet out of the stirrups, make sure to do a warm up. Going straight into a ride without your feet in the stirrups can be dangerous if you are not an experienced rider. Warming up and working up gradually to this is the safest way to go. Warm up at different gaits to capture your horse’s attention and fine-tune your body position while your feet are still secure. The more you warm up the more confident you’ll be and your horse will be focused on what you want to work on.
Gently slide your feet out of the stirrups while your horse is standing still. Ride slowly at first and then work up to a gait. If you’ve been practicing this a lot, challenge yourself by standing in the saddle. Push your hipbones forward toward the pommel of the saddle and use your inner thighs to lift your seat. Be careful not to lean forward. You can only do this if you’ve built strength by regularly practicing these exercises. Novices should work with someone watching from the ground. Working with a trainer from one of Colorado’s many horse training centers, is also a great way to improve your skill.
