Moderator: EC
#ed_op#/P#ed_cl##ed_op#P#ed_cl# #ed_op#/P#ed_cl##ed_op#P#ed_cl#I FULLY agree with this!! Two of my best friends ride on both ends of the spectrum- one is intense dressage (FEI Jr) and the other is *hardcore* hunter/jumper!#ed_op#/P#ed_cl##ed_op#P#ed_cl#My dressage friends' legs are always relaxed and her heels dont look like they're down. Some days her feet look completely level and parrallel to the ground; whereas my H/J friends' heels are always way down!!!#ed_op#/P#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#I have found, after training H/J for 8 years and now switching to dressage, that in order to be an effective dressage rider you have to really let any tension go in your knee and ankle, really allowing the leg to "hang" from your hip. I found that as a H/J I was always keeping a strong or tense lower leg because I needed it to be firm to have a good base for my two point.#ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl# #ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#My dressage friend always looks so loose that I spent one hour trying to imitate her legs, and after 45 minutes finally figured out that I was trying to ride with a H/J "base" in dressage length stirrups.#ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl# #ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#Trust me. It DOES NOT work! haha#ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl# #ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#No stirrup work definitley does the trick tho. I also find that if my coach lunges me for 20 minutes with no stirrups and no reins then my seat improves a bazillion times and my legs really lengthen out. I usually have to drop my stirrups a hole or two after I've been lunged!#ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl# #ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#My coach has some really great exercises for helping to get "dressagey" legs...I shall post them later!!#ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl#xena_n_joss wrote:#ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#Youll notice in dressage while the riders heel is down, its not stuck down as much as a jumper or hunter. And you should have the same leg position with or without stirrups. #ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#P#ed_cl#
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