How to keep your legs still

#dressagerider #horses #legposition

How to keep your ankles still

Lauren posted a great question about ankle movement in Amelia’s Dressage Club a couple of weeks ago so this week’s video is a little ode to our ankles, their role in our riding, and what we should ands should not be doing with them.

Firstly, stiffness is the enemy! There should be movement in your ankles! If your ankles lock, your hips lock, your seat becomes stiff and the whole thing becomes deeply uncomfortable for you, and our horses! Thankfully, our ankles are pretty awesome ligament-filled shock absorbers that soak up our movement while we ride. We want them to move, but there’s definitely a difference between good motion and bad motion!

If you’re riding around kicking at every step, that’s bad motion!

However, a bob that goes in time with the horse’s stride? That’s fine, that’s good motion. Your heel down holds the leg and ankle in place while you’re not using the leg, but if you need to use the leg, you can use it effectively before sliding it back to its heel-down position.

Another pitfall to avoid is the classic canter calf swing. It’s very easy to fall into this trap in the canter! The lower legs swing like pendulums at the rhythm of the canter. This can be counteracted easily with some conscious riding and a bit of practice. If you consciously think of your calves while you’re riding, and think about keeping them a little closer to the horses side, about wrapping them around your horse’s sides, and finally try to feel the underside of your boot and that will help you prevent your leg swinging around!

Happy riding until next week! Remember to join the Amelia’s Dressage Club on FB for more support and if you’ve any questions you want answered, and I’ll be back next Wednesday with a fresh video

#Ankles #DressageSeat #StillnessInMotion

[krilltaters]

Finally a positive for being a short rider!!

[filidolphini]

as someone who’s been riding for years, and is teaching my own students nowadays, these things come as second nature to me, and i sometimes struggle to verbalize what someone is doing wrong. videos like this help a lot!

[janetclements]

I love how you demonstrate what you mean in words. It makes all the difference as a learner.

[courtneyburton]

The amount of encouragement and excitement to practice I got from this video ❤️

[lindacox]

Thank you for this fab explanation and demonstration! I'm always concentrating on keeping ankles still. No wonder he slows.

[amogus]

i believe your channel is seriously underrated.

[travelsoffthebeatenpath]

Great video with explanation. I struggle constantly with my legs swinging back in the trot although they are surprisingly still in the canter. With an office job, I have stiff hips so your explanation of needing some movement to avoid stiff hips was really interesting. I guess I need to learn to use constant light calf pressure to stop my legs swinging but still allow movement in my ankles as my legs don't have to be "still". Thank you for the video.

[piafferider]

Yep, my lower legs move as well - Thanks for this great video!

[trueequestrian]

Wow! Thanks I was struggling with this and it you helped me a lot!And whenever I try to canter, I feel like my body is going all over the place.any suggestions with that?thanks again

[juliewojtkiewicz]

Amazing video ! Thank youuuu so so much !

[susangillham]

Amelia, all your videos are helpful! I am still reaping the benefits from the " warm your horse up at the walk" and " How to sit" I am finally getting Mirage's back moving and free and sitting is so much better!! My canter is still pretty stiff with an up and down motion. I do have too much motion in my leg. I will pay attention to my lower leg at the canter and move my ankles not swing my leg. I know there was too much kicking, my poor horse no has a spur rub. No more spurs for now. I'll let you know how thinks go next week.

[fmc]

Good Morning, Amelia! I love your channel. I subscribe to Joseph too. I rarely comment, but wanted to say how much I enjoy watching you ride. Your channel is fun and laid back. Thanks for sharing your morning ride with us!

[JudieBoBoodie]

I have stiff ankles even though I do exercises that my trainer recommends every day on the ground. I have very long legs and my heel tends to go up. So what she has me do when I ride is push down my heel one side then the other (toe in) with the horses stride. And I have to do this from inside my upper thigh so I don't tense my butt. I also have found that sucking in my gutt to raise my back and also squeezing my private part (keegle) keeps my core really strong internally so my legs can be fairly relaxed and I can go with the motion.

[Tynlee_Wilson]

Thanks so much for explaining why my legs move! I get a lot of rude comments about my leg position, when its really just shock absorption!

[pariahmouse]

Timely as ever, I need this as I am trying to improve my canter seat, my lower legs are usually pretty good, but canter has opened up a whole new can of position worms, haha!

[pkchateau]

Thank you so much for this video. I recently started riding a TB gelding with a VERY springy trot, and maintaining steady legs at the rising trot is much more difficult on him than at canter. Sometimes he will just take 2-3 steps with a little extra propulsion from his hind quarters and I feel like I am boosted up to the moon! I am constantly concentrating on “long legs” (even though I am only 5’3’’) and keeping us both in a steady rhythm. Watching you videos on rider position really help!

[susanterry]

So good info. I did enjoy. Tomorrow will be a busy day using all this info

[hovibono]

Thank you Amelia! Your videos are so helpful and I love wathing them.👍🤩 I have the same issue as you, my mare is small and I have long legs... Now I know that moving the legs is not so wrong... 😊

[falizianme]

Great video! Even tho mine aren't wiggling ! I do have issues with just being to tight and my trainer has now started the mantra of let go with your legs and swing with your hips! which I find so helpful as I tend to want to "help" way too much! There's always something to learn and check in with on our position! Can not wait for the muscle videos!...
I thunk I see a collab with Stephanie on a masterclass! Or better an on the ground rider position weekend clinic! With exercises etc! I'd totally sign up!

[mokuzou]

Dear Amelia, your videos are the best! Would you consider making a video about establishing a respectful human-horse-relationship, especially with young horses? Keep up the great work and huge congrats to your last show with Harvey, you guys looked just amazing together🐎 ❤