How many times have I heard "heels down"? About a zillion. And I react exactly as you describe -- tense up, shove foot into stirrup, feel awkward and unbalanced. Thank you for this vid!!
I always get so frustrated when my instructor tells me to get my heels lower when I cannot physically put them lower without putting severe pressure on my feet (I am not flexible whatsoever) because it doesn't look like I'm putting any weight on them but in reality I am putting a lot of weight in them 😕
My trainer told me to put my weight in my heels and they were killing me and kept slipping out when I was doing the rising trot. Granted I am new, but still felt very fatigued and off balance.
The further you put your heels down....the more pain u feel in the boot...that isn’t comfortable at all. I noticed I did that a lot...and once I stopped it was so much easier to ride.
I seriously cannot thank you enough for this. Ive been riding since i was 6 and am now 17 and have consistently been told to have my heels down further with no real elaboration. I was constantly told I couldn’t move up to the next level because my heels were too level and as a result have felt like a lesser rider and lacked any sort of confidence. Im excited to get back in the saddle and try this. Thank you so much.
My riding teacher 20 years ago always said: "As long as you don't hinder your horse's movement, fall into his back and cause pain or fall down and cramp up yourself, I don't care if you do a handstand, lay down or ride backwards". I miss her, she was the best but long retired. :)
my trainer always said press your knees back...This lowers your heels without locking up the ankle or hip...worked well for me anyway. Did anyone else notice how the horse tensed up when Kelly was forcing her heel down?
When I first began riding in my early teens, 'heels down' was the only seat-related advice one would ever hear. Put your heels down and hold on with any means possible. I have no idea how I managed to ride back then, I guess kids are just more adaptable. I quit riding over ten years ago and only took it back up in the beginning of September. I tried to do the good old heels-down-grip-with-your-legs thing but my balance is pants and I keep losing my stirrups in trot and especially canter. Last time I asked my trainer for advice and she told me I'm probably squeezing with my legs too hard and that I should allow them to hang more loosely - "like a wet rag". Wait, what? I thought gripping with knees and thighs was what you were supposed to do? How do I stay in saddle then, if I don't squeeze my knees against the saddle as strongly as I possibly can? Well, two days of watching youtube videos later I have realised that I have indeed been going about it all wrong. Thank you so much for these informative videos, I can't wait for my next riding lesson to test all of this out!
Same here! I've been trotting so far since I've started and I'm not allowed to move onto jumping or the canter until I can fix my heels =_=. I've got the posting, walking, standing, everything else down very well, but because of my heels, I can't move on. It really hurts and I get scolded when my heels aren't right. My joints aren't as flexible as she wants them to be, and every exercise I do doesn't help, so I can't do anything about this and it really annoys me. My parents are annoyed that I'm not moving on yet.
Ok, I know this is going to sound weird I watched it on a video... squeeze your groin musles or your very high leg musles The lady said something like this "can you feel your pinky when your not moving it probobly not" *make it short* when she was young and heard the advice above she in insisted that she didn't have any musle their, but she did back to the pinky thing it's just about being self aware I hope this helps you
Sky Smith Hi, Im really interested in what you've said. Im fairly new to riding and trying to get as much info as possible on how to keep my stirrups and ride properly. I'm not sure what you mean by 'pinky'...well, I think I'm not sure. Could you explain further or share the video/web page please. X
I have been riding for 2 years now and the first teacher i had always told me heels down and my legs would end up not being in contact with the horse. Which in turn made me work really hard at a posting trot, I was only able to do three or four posts before the horse would stop. My current teacher tells me not to think of it that way, she says imagine pointing your toe up. It has really helped me stay in contact with the horse through my calf, but with out clenching. It has also helped me stay at a nice posting trot for a longer period of time, and helped me keep a canter without losing my stirrups. Thank you for the video it was very helpful!
I’m a beginner rider who’s been struggling at the trot for months. I’ve been told countless times to keep my heals down stretch down through your heels, and of course I’ve always listened. I’ve never been able to do a rising trot comfortably and that’s why I haven’t progress from anything but a trot for the past 4 (technically years but my lessons back then were inconsistent) months. Thank you
"Heads Up Heels Down", a book by Clarence Anderson, written 1944. I wasn't even born yet, but it's in my collection from the early 1960's. I was always so proud of my ability to keep my heels down. I remember it helping me to maintain balance. Once my heels were level or toes past level I was getting close to being past the point of rescue. This gave me a tendency to lean forward and automatically struggling to get back in position, and more a sense of balance and control. Though not to extreme just a easy position of flexion. Now that I've had bilateral Achilles Tendon rupture and repair, I can't say as I haven't ridden in 35 years and 15 orthopedic surgeries, not as a result of horseback riding. I still have my saddle, bridle and a dream. Just don't tell my neurosurgeon. :-)
Thanks for this. It's good to see someone trying to qualify this old mantra. I find it interesting to compare the differences between disciplines on this topic: Hunt seat riders emphasize a deeply angled heel, dressage riders want their ankle loose and flexible, and equestrian vaulters actually point their toes straight in line with their leg as in gymnastics. I find each of these approaches consistent with the context: Vaulters have no stirrups, maintaining balance and posture through strength and conditioning. Nor does a vaulter need to communicate with the horse, because that job belongs to the lounger. A good vaulting horse ignores his passengers. I've tried the pointed toes bareback, and it does seem to create some unwanted tension for me, but I am no gymnast. Dressage riders rely primarily on their seat for balance and communication, and want their leg as supple and responsive as possible. In a flat and measured dressage court, the stirrup is little more than a consistent reference point. Dressage riders seem to like their toes and heels on the near level, and I'll admit a similar preference when on a casual ride. Jumpers ride in a forward seat over obstacles, and rely on their stirrups for safety and security. That low heel is extremely helpful in keeping your stirrups over fences when you have little contact through the seat. I have met dirt on the landing a few times when a lower heel might have saved me. In general, I agree that a rider's heels have no bearing on seat and balance. And yet, I have been known to ask a rider to "let your heels sink down in the stirrup" when I see them tensing their calf and pushing down with the toe. When I ask them to relax their lower leg, they sit more deeply in the seat and learn not to use the stirrups as a balance crutch. But an already flexible lower leg shouldn't be forced farther downward. That said, the deeper the heel naturally sits, the more range the ankle has for keeping contact with the stirrup (and thus not losing it) if for some reason the rider loses their seat. But shouldn't a low heel (if such is desired) be achieved gradually over time with stretching and relaxation, and with due consideration for anatomical limits?
I just had a really balanced-feeling ride on a horse in a lesson yesterday. Probably the most balanced I'd ever felt in my life, and hearing you explain this concept makes me think this is the difference I was noticing. Thanks for the video!
For the 5 years i have been riding with my riding instructor she has made me hold my heels uncomfortably low. its painful..for 5 years i have gotten over myself and forced myself to enjoy riding..i actually had really sore ankles after every ride and the aching lasted about 2 days! ..then i almost broke my ankle at a new years party, the sprain was so bad the doctor said i was lucky i didn't break it! so once that healed i was never able to hold my heal down a low as i used to and i still can't i have to wear special riding boots for support on my ankle..my riding instructor will ask me "why are you riding poorly" ugh! makes me mad when i come to find your only supossed to hold your heels down so you don't add as much presure on the horse
Very useful video thanks :) ! I have to admit that riding without stirrups has literally "saved" me... i do everything "stirrupless" now and find it much easier - better balance, feeling connected to horsy, less hand movements when jumping... does anyone else feel the same way??
I'm 56, and have very, very tight hamstrings and heel spurs as well. In my youth, I went to riding classes and "heels down" was a constant chant. It really made riding ghastly. These days, I ride as my main form of transportation. My seat is what the horse tells me works. I can't afford any more lessons, and am fed *up* with the painful, tense, and thoroughly uncomfortable way instructors have pushed me to sit. I don't abuse my horse but I don't slavishly adhere to "rules" that would ruin my travel either.
This video helped me so much! I've been riding since I was little but always for fun. It wasn't until college I got into English riding. I was wondering why my 'heel down' wasn't paying off, and after watching this video, I had an absolutely amazing lesson today. Weight not pressure, worked absolutely perfect. Thank you endlessly!!
100% When I look at experienced riders, their heels never look especially down. They look just off flat. I think the reason this is so often said is that novices often have very little weight in the stirrup and are gripping up, and 'heels down' is the easiest way to change that in real time. But it needs explanation (like you did!)
"Heels down" is all well and good, but I thought there was this important thing called the ear, shoulder, hip, knee, and heel being positioned in a single vertical line. I am definitely over here cringing at the instructor's chair seat.
+Marla Summers you are right. ear shoulder hip and heel are to be on the plumb line to gravity. The key is to allow the gravity to keep the body aligned, not "you". "heels down" IS a false doctrine. it is weight, not pressure, that influences horses.The position is not flawless, but it is impossible to have a 'perfect' position in a jump saddle on a horse that is not in motion.
+Marla Summers You're right. I think it might be that her stirrups are too short in this video and that they aren't allowing her to have a long leg that is centered. She might have done that so that she could exaggerate the ankle bend. That's my guess.
@marla Summers: Knee is not in the equation of statbility @ElizaMS17: that's what i thought also, as in her other videos the stirrups are in a longer length
Heels down is such a big problem in Australia it ruins young riders- What girls do here and I say girls because 99% of riders here are girls, is that in order to put their heels down, they ride on their toes. that is, their foot placement in the stirrup is on their toes and not on the bar of their foot and or ball of their foot. I noticed your foot placement in the stirrup looked good, evenly across the bar your foot. when you have a close look at rides here you will find many need to put their foot through the stirrup 1-3cm to get their foot in the right position. The problem with heels down is that riders get locked into asking the horse to go forward and then they complain the horse is hot, and subsequently struggle to ride them. Goood to see somone talking about it better.
This was something I had come to naturally do at my last lesson, and I never felt more secure in the saddle than when I was able to get pressure in my heels. Thanks so much for elaborating!
This was so incredibly helpful!!! Thank you so much! I just started riding, only had 10 lessons so far, so maybe I shouldn’t even be bothered by it yet, but it’s so frustrating to keep sliding forward in the stirrups while doing trot. It destracts me from everything and makes me really tense. However, I watched your video and applied it last night and it was incredible...!!! I didn’t slide forward once, it was amazing! I felt really relaxed and instead of obsessing over trying to find my balance, I could actually really enjoy riding. I feel like you are my real teacher here 😉
I've just returned to riding after about 25 years. Back in college it was all about how low you could get your heel. Now I've realized that I was riding all wrong, gripping, tense and struggling to keep my heels down. Thank you for the excellent video!
Thank you so much Kelly for your fantastic concise and informative videos. Every one of them has been useful and entertaining. You have a great care for and affinity with horses.
Lift the toes and turn them in! This allows complete vocabulary of movement in the leg. Whole different muscles, up the front of the shin bone. Pushing heels down locks the leg. Major wrong thing taught in horsemanship. )
Great explanation and demonstration. So much more helpful than the occasional bark. I and It makes sense that "bracing" you thigh and keeping the leg muscles tense and ankle artificially cocked to maintain a constant but unnatural level is going to change your seat altogether. It would confuse a horse, who is wondering what these new signals might mean. Nice too that there's recognition that we do not all come with the same bodies. My 'favorite' training moments (' too many to count) always came when I was trying to process and follow a dozen standard instructions ( shoulders back, heels down, don't grip, hand, arms, head, correct your lead . . . ) ending with : "And relax!" But it does give you an idea of what the horse is going thru....
Thank you! I have been questioning this for ages because it did not feel natural to me to maintain that position and as a result, some of the most basic movements became extremely difficult and I felt I was going backwards with my progress. I have been riding for many years but only had my first lesson 2 years ago and have successfully managed to completely correct my "chair" position but other challenges arose that made me feel like a crap rider and this has validated some of my concerns about the famous "heels down"!
This is great. We have had various horses for over 30 years. The kids belonged to Pony Club, and they were always taught "heels down", but never described as well as this. Thank you. At 69, still trying to ride.
While I have been horse riding I have been a bit confused about how my ankles should be positioned. This video has really helped me and I will work towards getting the perfect ankle position. Thank you its helped alot! 😊
Thank you so much for describing the difference between pressure and weight in such a nuanced way. Wow. I'm a beginner and am being told "heels down" and so I am putting pressure and my leg is stiff and I don't feel balanced and I'm bouncing and then tightening my thighs and it's all just not in sync with the horse. I can't wait to try your way! Thank you!!
thank you! I rode my horse for the first time in a couple of months (family issue) and I really couldnt get my legs to sit comfortably in my ride but this has helped me to get back to normal
Oh my goodness thank you! I love my instructor, but heels lower is something I hear every lesson, and I always wondered if there was something wrong with me that when I shove my heel lower I lose control. Many thanks!
I loved this short, but super informative video! I would hear, heels down, keep them down! I felt uncomfortable and I became tense while trying to ride. Your video made me feel so much better!🌼
"Heels down" Is meant for the safety of the rider. I personally ride both english and western. (mostly western) In western the correct equation is heels down. Also, beginner riders must learn to have their heels down in case the horse spooks your foot is now stuck in the stirrup and your head is dragging inches away from 1,200 pounds smashing your skull. Safety. Safety. Safety.
Whenever I ride it seems like at least someone tells me to put my heels down. My ankles are not very flexible and it feels very awkward and tense to shove them down so far. In the end I'm more focused on keeping my heels down than I am on my horse.
I learned riding with the “heels down” instruction as well, which I don’t think is necessarily a bad thing, as long as the rider understands it’s a shorthand for an adjusted leg and foot position. Personally, I only understood this when I got an instructor that kept saying “long legs”. After a couple times I just asked her what on Earth she meant as I was thoroughly confused... she explained pretty much what this video says too and that the phrase is just a shorthand to remind you to adjust your legs when they’re off.
when I went to a crapy and western barn the insrustor said heels down lowww like really low so now I have bad ankles and slopy posture ,this video really really helped me
I agree with how it will naturally go down as the rider’s equitation is correct, however, as someone who has started many students in their riding career “heels down/toes up” is not just about the looks as many young riders assume. Heels down is a huge safety precaution from one god example is being dragged (and has killed many people). I believe there are far better ways to explain this concept, but for young riders who can not understand it fully.. i think instructors need to explain the who concept better and explain how much is too much and be there for correction in riding.
I hear it all the time. And i do exactly what you said I over compensate and apply pressure into my heel. But watching this video i will adjust with what you said. So thank you.
“Toes up” is a better description to help understand the angulation of the ankle for riding. “Heels down” tends to cause too much pressure on the stirrup.
I definitely 100% agree with keeping weight in your heels. I have hyper flexible ankles so i lose my stirrups easily if i push them down trying to keep them 'looking good' for equitations's sake. Weight in the heels and pressing more on the ball of your feet really is the key
I try to hard to keep my heels down and it makes my lower leg slide forward in canter transitions and since I am riding younger horses atm it usually results in a frustrated horse that is basically saying, mate your leg is in the wrong place no canter for you!
Great advice. I'm glad my instructor doesn't push "heels down". I think it's best to get a solid seat and leg position. The heels will correct themselves if your leg is right and not gripping etc.
I was taught heels down 30 years ago. I then switched barns and they taught more of a balanced seat. What a huge difference I just stretch my entire leg and no gripping with the knee.
Frankly? I get sick of hearing it. I think comfort should be just as important as position. Also the constant nagging can be very frustrating and annoying which makes riding less enjoyable.
I go to 2 different riding schools and one is a dressage one. The dressage instructor is very brutal and pushes me more. Sometimes it works and other times I get frustrated bc she gets frustrated. My other school (non dressage) has various instructors and they are way nicer, they focus more on safety I guess. From them, their number one thing they ALL tell me is "heels down" or "more weight on your heels". It's my number one problem. I asked one day why I could not canter, and the reason was bc of my center of gravity and how my heels not being down affects that. My dressage instructor, on the other hand, has me cantering the 3 beat gait already. I tell her I keep loosing my stirrups or that my foot goes too deep into the stirrup and she tells me not to worry about that. It's fun though. I just don't wanna fall.
I always felt balanced when I ride and my feet in the stir ups are placed in the mere middle. Not too forward and not too backwards. I think it's different for everyone as she mentioned..
My instructors said "lift the toe." In time, my calves lengthened and my bad habits, of not having lowered heels, resolved naturally. And it has been a life-saver, especially when foxhunting and dealing with unanticipated movements by the horse. That, and shoulders back. They are second nature now, but I did need nagging to get there. And a lot of exercise out of the saddle to lengthen the calf. And NO MORE HIGH HEELS. Haven't worn them since my sisters wedding in 1985.
Great video as always. I did notice that your head-shoulder-hip-heel alignment was out of line i.e. the heel is a couple of inches forward of the hips. Clearly you're a great rider so can you speak about when, perhaps, the alignment rule we're all taught as beginners isn't always 100% right for every individual's body?
I actually explained this dilemma to my instructor recently! They tell you to keep your lower legs relaxed, and then they tell you to put your heels down, which automatically causes your lower legs to tense up again. I seem to have more of a problem with it now that she has switched me from a Western saddle to her preferred English saddle. I find the English saddle to be more comfortable in general, but I do feel as if I'm always struggling to keep my feet under control in the more flexible stirrups, and so I have trouble concentrating on anything else. If I do try to think about anything else (like getting my horse to go in the right direction, for example) I just get "heels down!" barked at me again, and again, and again. I really enjoy riding, though, and I want to do it right, so I just push them back down and keep trying... Hopefully it gets easier with practice?
Excatly! I feel the same, aggressive pressure to get the heels down causes the tension in the body and results in the stiffness of the legs. My coach unfortunately pressurizes me to keep my heels as low as possible. When I struggle to do it I lose the soft contact with a saddle and I begin to bounce :(
If the reason for heels down is to prevent the foot from slipping through the stirrup and getting caught and that this is a seriously risky occurrence, then why wouldn't all stirrups have at least one structural "stop" to keep the foot from being able to go through? It's not that much more construction or weight so why the stubborn adherence to the classic form? I'd really like to know.
I've just recently started English riding. Before that I rode western... the instructor kept telling me heels down and now i understand why that was throwing me off. I've heard it so many times. But if I keep my heels down it kills my legs and makes it so much harder for me to post.
my heel goes so far that I've never heard to put my heel down, more just putting it up XD it's very hard to look normal cause that's how flexible my ankle is
As long as my kids' toes aren't pointing down I don't bother them too much. As soon as the toes come down you can see the balance and center of gravity pitch forward.
yes ! i learned to train my ankle to get flexible for a true balanced seat, to loose stirrups and take them again , the ankle is so important, the secret of riding ! therefore heels down is not as productive as it seems.....thanks to my R.I.P my old trainer Hans Kuhse and greetings from Germany
Lol I'm still going to listen to my instructor, I've seen results from her so... yeah xD It seems to me, that the key is not to not tell riders to get weight in their heels, but to take note what they're doing with the rest of their legs as well.
I love how the horse becomes slightly tenser when you adopt an unrecommended posture to show it as an example - she’s like, what u doin hooman? You never do this stuff
No one says FORCE your heels down ...you relax them down. But you aren't going to look perfect all the time. Plus there is no default stirrup length ...for jumping your stirrups can be shorter and that will put your heels down ..for dressage or classical riding your stirrups will be way longer making heels down a bit natural ...so it depends on your activity etc and the length you like your stirrups
I used to ride in my teens and I was also told heels down and basically hold on with thighs etc...Goodness knows how I stayed on. I always had problems keeping my feet in my stirrups when trotting or cantering. ...Go forward after 40+ years not riding and no wonder I am having difficulty ...unbalanced!
I have no formal training yet have owned and ridden nine horses. I find heels down an uncomfortable way to sit in the stirrups. After riding like this my knee hurts so bad I can hardly walk. I ride and let my heel pick.
Heels down is ABSOLUTELY the WORST advice you can ever give to someone looking to improve For a beginner rider it may help them feel more comfortable with controlling your horse, but every experienced rider knows that your heels naturally go down when you ride correctly
I know this is a late comment but its fine, I'm so happy I found this video, I have weird feet, my left foot ALWAYS hurts and is in constant pain when I'm riding while my right foot it okay? I don't know why this happens but I definitely find myself shoving my foot down. thank you for this advice!
My right ankle doesn't move down. At all. For the last 2 years it's just pain, pain and more pain if I try to do heels down. But that's not only with horses. My right ankle just doesn't move that way. So I keep my heels level and I do just fine.
I heard it a thousand times and it gets annoying sometimes but sometimes I don't want to press it all the way down to have wear my Ankle starts to hurt or do damage on it and I tense up sometimes when I hear the word
I could never get "heels down" to work properly. My instructor told me to change my thought process to "toes up". Heels go down automatically. Was much easier to understand.
I am short. That wont be changing any time soon. I barley reach the stirrups in a lot of saddles, so I ride in a special saddle . I always hear this. I feel like because my legs are short, when I do this I cant kick properly.
+PeachesBunnyLove well you not supposed to kick you're supposed to nudge or squeeze depending on the training of the horse. As for the leg thing if you can't 'kick' properly then you should be led around until you can.
Your videos are great. I get confused about heels down etc. I do bounce in saddle. Do you grip the horse at all or try to be loose. Since I know I am not riding correctly since many times I go forward. Is there excercise or drills to do to help me. I am not a new rider but different horse. Many times when loping my horse keeps stopping or goes in a trot when I finally felt the lope going well. Thanks.
I heard you say in another video about making your back full and then in this video about lengthening your back. What exactly does that mean and how do I do that?
The problem with me is that my heels are always down. Without pushing it down. And sometimes it´s its wery low, I sometimes need to hold it up. Ps: I do have long legs. (I´m total 177 cm) What should I do?
How many times have I heard "heels down"? About a zillion. And I react exactly as you describe -- tense up, shove foot into stirrup, feel awkward and unbalanced. Thank you for this vid!!
+Jeanette Waverly haha the same here!!!
Jeanette Waverly same
I always get so frustrated when my instructor tells me to get my heels lower when I cannot physically put them lower without putting severe pressure on my feet (I am not flexible whatsoever) because it doesn't look like I'm putting any weight on them but in reality I am putting a lot of weight in them 😕
My trainer told me to put my weight in my heels and they were killing me and kept slipping out when I was doing the rising trot. Granted I am new, but still felt very fatigued and off balance.
The further you put your heels down....the more pain u feel in the boot...that isn’t comfortable at all. I noticed I did that a lot...and once I stopped it was so much easier to ride.
I seriously cannot thank you enough for this. Ive been riding since i was 6 and am now 17 and have consistently been told to have my heels down further with no real elaboration. I was constantly told I couldn’t move up to the next level because my heels were too level and as a result have felt like a lesser rider and lacked any sort of confidence. Im excited to get back in the saddle and try this. Thank you so much.
I hate that they tell us that...because I now put my heels too low and it moves my leg straighter which isn’t good position either.
My riding teacher 20 years ago always said: "As long as you don't hinder your horse's movement, fall into his back and cause pain or fall down and cramp up yourself, I don't care if you do a handstand, lay down or ride backwards". I miss her, she was the best but long retired. :)
my trainer always said press your knees back...This lowers your heels without locking up the ankle or hip...worked well for me anyway. Did anyone else notice how the horse tensed up when Kelly was forcing her heel down?
Yes, his face 😂
When I first began riding in my early teens, 'heels down' was the only seat-related advice one would ever hear. Put your heels down and hold on with any means possible. I have no idea how I managed to ride back then, I guess kids are just more adaptable. I quit riding over ten years ago and only took it back up in the beginning of September. I tried to do the good old heels-down-grip-with-your-legs thing but my balance is pants and I keep losing my stirrups in trot and especially canter. Last time I asked my trainer for advice and she told me I'm probably squeezing with my legs too hard and that I should allow them to hang more loosely - "like a wet rag". Wait, what? I thought gripping with knees and thighs was what you were supposed to do? How do I stay in saddle then, if I don't squeeze my knees against the saddle as strongly as I possibly can? Well, two days of watching youtube videos later I have realised that I have indeed been going about it all wrong. Thank you so much for these informative videos, I can't wait for my next riding lesson to test all of this out!
dzjaag í never got any advice, just jump on and ride XD
Same here! I've been trotting so far since I've started and I'm not allowed to move onto jumping or the canter until I can fix my heels =_=. I've got the posting, walking, standing, everything else down very well, but because of my heels, I can't move on. It really hurts and I get scolded when my heels aren't right. My joints aren't as flexible as she wants them to be, and every exercise I do doesn't help, so I can't do anything about this and it really annoys me. My parents are annoyed that I'm not moving on yet.
Ok, I know this is going to sound weird I watched it on a video... squeeze your groin musles or your very high leg musles
The lady said something like this "can you feel your pinky when your not moving it probobly not" *make it short* when she was young and heard the advice above she in insisted that she didn't have any musle their, but she did back to the pinky thing it's just about being self aware
I hope this helps you
Sorry about my rant
Sky Smith Hi, Im really interested in what you've said. Im fairly new to riding and trying to get as much info as possible on how to keep my stirrups and ride properly.
I'm not sure what you mean by 'pinky'...well, I think I'm not sure. Could you explain further or share the video/web page please. X
I have been riding for 2 years now and the first teacher i had always told me heels down and my legs would end up not being in contact with the horse. Which in turn made me work really hard at a posting trot, I was only able to do three or four posts before the horse would stop. My current teacher tells me not to think of it that way, she says imagine pointing your toe up. It has really helped me stay in contact with the horse through my calf, but with out clenching. It has also helped me stay at a nice posting trot for a longer period of time, and helped me keep a canter without losing my stirrups. Thank you for the video it was very helpful!
I’m a beginner rider who’s been struggling at the trot for months. I’ve been told countless times to keep my heals down stretch down through your heels, and of course I’ve always listened. I’ve never been able to do a rising trot comfortably and that’s why I haven’t progress from anything but a trot for the past 4 (technically years but my lessons back then were inconsistent) months. Thank you
I would agree with you 100 per cent.
I was taught heels down, but it caused problems.
Thank you for those terrific guidelines.
Kind regards
Kate
"Heads Up Heels Down", a book by Clarence Anderson, written 1944. I wasn't even born yet, but it's in my collection from the early 1960's. I was always so proud of my ability to keep my heels down. I remember it helping me to maintain balance. Once my heels were level or toes past level I was getting close to being past the point of rescue. This gave me a tendency to lean forward and automatically struggling to get back in position, and more a sense of balance and control. Though not to extreme just a easy position of flexion. Now that I've had bilateral Achilles Tendon rupture and repair, I can't say as I haven't ridden in 35 years and 15 orthopedic surgeries, not as a result of horseback riding. I still have my saddle, bridle and a dream. Just don't tell my neurosurgeon. :-)
Thanks for this. It's good to see someone trying to qualify this old mantra.
I find it interesting to compare the differences between disciplines on this topic: Hunt seat riders emphasize a deeply angled heel, dressage riders want their ankle loose and flexible, and equestrian vaulters actually point their toes straight in line with their leg as in gymnastics. I find each of these approaches consistent with the context:
Vaulters have no stirrups, maintaining balance and posture through strength and conditioning. Nor does a vaulter need to communicate with the horse, because that job belongs to the lounger. A good vaulting horse ignores his passengers. I've tried the pointed toes bareback, and it does seem to create some unwanted tension for me, but I am no gymnast.
Dressage riders rely primarily on their seat for balance and communication, and want their leg as supple and responsive as possible. In a flat and measured dressage court, the stirrup is little more than a consistent reference point. Dressage riders seem to like their toes and heels on the near level, and I'll admit a similar preference when on a casual ride.
Jumpers ride in a forward seat over obstacles, and rely on their stirrups for safety and security. That low heel is extremely helpful in keeping your stirrups over fences when you have little contact through the seat. I have met dirt on the landing a few times when a lower heel might have saved me.
In general, I agree that a rider's heels have no bearing on seat and balance. And yet, I have been known to ask a rider to "let your heels sink down in the stirrup" when I see them tensing their calf and pushing down with the toe. When I ask them to relax their lower leg, they sit more deeply in the seat and learn not to use the stirrups as a balance crutch.
But an already flexible lower leg shouldn't be forced farther downward. That said, the deeper the heel naturally sits, the more range the ankle has for keeping contact with the stirrup (and thus not losing it) if for some reason the rider loses their seat. But shouldn't a low heel (if such is desired) be achieved gradually over time with stretching and relaxation, and with due consideration for anatomical limits?
I just had a really balanced-feeling ride on a horse in a lesson yesterday. Probably the most balanced I'd ever felt in my life, and hearing you explain this concept makes me think this is the difference I was noticing. Thanks for the video!
For the 5 years i have been riding with my riding instructor she has made me hold my heels uncomfortably low. its painful..for 5 years i have gotten over myself and forced myself to enjoy riding..i actually had really sore ankles after every ride and the aching lasted about 2 days! ..then i almost broke my ankle at a new years party, the sprain was so bad the doctor said i was lucky i didn't break it! so once that healed i was never able to hold my heal down a low as i used to and i still can't i have to wear special riding boots for support on my ankle..my riding instructor will ask me "why are you riding poorly" ugh! makes me mad when i come to find your only supossed to hold your heels down so you don't add as much presure on the horse
Very useful video thanks :) ! I have to admit that riding without stirrups has literally "saved" me... i do everything "stirrupless" now and find it much easier - better balance, feeling connected to horsy, less hand movements when jumping... does anyone else feel the same way??
I'm 56, and have very, very tight hamstrings and heel spurs as well.
In my youth, I went to riding classes and "heels down" was a constant chant. It really made riding ghastly.
These days, I ride as my main form of transportation. My seat is what the horse tells me works. I can't afford any more lessons, and am fed *up* with the painful, tense, and thoroughly uncomfortable way instructors have pushed me to sit.
I don't abuse my horse but I don't slavishly adhere to "rules" that would ruin my travel either.
This video helped me so much! I've been riding since I was little but always for fun. It wasn't until college I got into English riding. I was wondering why my 'heel down' wasn't paying off, and after watching this video, I had an absolutely amazing lesson today. Weight not pressure, worked absolutely perfect. Thank you endlessly!!
100% When I look at experienced riders, their heels never look especially down. They look just off flat. I think the reason this is so often said is that novices often have very little weight in the stirrup and are gripping up, and 'heels down' is the easiest way to change that in real time. But it needs explanation (like you did!)
"Heels down" is all well and good, but I thought there was this important thing called the ear, shoulder, hip, knee, and heel being positioned in a single vertical line. I am definitely over here cringing at the instructor's chair seat.
+Marla Summers you are right. ear shoulder hip and heel are to be on the plumb line to gravity. The key is to allow the gravity to keep the body aligned, not "you". "heels down" IS a false doctrine. it is weight, not pressure, that influences horses.The position is not flawless, but it is impossible to have a 'perfect' position in a jump saddle on a horse that is not in motion.
+Marla Summers You're right. I think it might be that her stirrups are too short in this video and that they aren't allowing her to have a long leg that is centered. She might have done that so that she could exaggerate the ankle bend. That's my guess.
@marla Summers: Knee is not in the equation of statbility
@ElizaMS17: that's what i thought also, as in her other videos the stirrups are in a longer length
Knee?! Really? How does the instructor think you can level your knee with your heel?!
This is how I was always taught as well. But I like what she’s saying here about being more relaxed for stability.
Heels down is such a big problem in Australia it ruins young riders- What girls do here and I say girls because 99% of riders here are girls, is that in order to put their heels down, they ride on their toes. that is, their foot placement in the stirrup is on their toes and not on the bar of their foot and or ball of their foot. I noticed your foot placement in the stirrup looked good, evenly across the bar your foot. when you have a close look at rides here you will find many need to put their foot through the stirrup 1-3cm to get their foot in the right position. The problem with heels down is that riders get locked into asking the horse to go forward and then they complain the horse is hot, and subsequently struggle to ride them. Goood to see somone talking about it better.
This was something I had come to naturally do at my last lesson, and I never felt more secure in the saddle than when I was able to get pressure in my heels. Thanks so much for elaborating!
This was so incredibly helpful!!! Thank you so much! I just started riding, only had 10 lessons so far, so maybe I shouldn’t even be bothered by it yet, but it’s so frustrating to keep sliding forward in the stirrups while doing trot. It destracts me from everything and makes me really tense.
However, I watched your video and applied it last night and it was incredible...!!! I didn’t slide forward once, it was amazing! I felt really relaxed and instead of obsessing over trying to find my balance, I could actually really enjoy riding. I feel like you are my real teacher here 😉
I've just returned to riding after about 25 years. Back in college it was all about how low you could get your heel. Now I've realized that I was riding all wrong, gripping, tense and struggling to keep my heels down. Thank you for the excellent video!
Thank you so much Kelly for your fantastic concise and informative videos. Every one of them has been useful and entertaining. You have a great care for and affinity with horses.
Lift the toes and turn them in! This allows complete vocabulary of movement in the leg. Whole different muscles, up the front of the shin bone. Pushing heels down locks the leg. Major wrong thing taught in horsemanship. )
Rachel Mackie that wrong, at least for hunter/jumpers, you put your toe out which helps the heels go down and keeps your leg still
Fact is for some of us it's difficult and uncomfortable for us to do that and to be honest I fail to see the practicality of it.
Great explanation and demonstration. So much more helpful than the occasional bark. I and It makes sense that "bracing" you thigh and keeping the leg muscles tense and ankle artificially cocked to maintain a constant but unnatural level is going to change your seat altogether. It would confuse a horse, who is wondering what these new signals might mean.
Nice too that there's recognition that we do not all come with the same bodies.
My 'favorite' training moments (' too many to count) always came when I was trying to process and follow a dozen standard instructions ( shoulders back, heels down, don't grip, hand, arms, head, correct your lead . . . ) ending with : "And relax!" But it does give you an idea of what the horse is going thru....
Thank you! I have been questioning this for ages because it did not feel natural to me to maintain that position and as a result, some of the most basic movements became extremely difficult and I felt I was going backwards with my progress. I have been riding for many years but only had my first lesson 2 years ago and have successfully managed to completely correct my "chair" position but other challenges arose that made me feel like a crap rider and this has validated some of my concerns about the famous "heels down"!
This is great. We have had various horses for over 30 years. The kids belonged to Pony Club, and they were always taught "heels down", but never described as well as this. Thank you. At 69, still trying to ride.
While I have been horse riding I have been a bit confused about how my ankles should be positioned. This video has really helped me and I will work towards getting the perfect ankle position. Thank you its helped alot! 😊
Thank you so much for describing the difference between pressure and weight in such a nuanced way. Wow. I'm a beginner and am being told "heels down" and so I am putting pressure and my leg is stiff and I don't feel balanced and I'm bouncing and then tightening my thighs and it's all just not in sync with the horse. I can't wait to try your way! Thank you!!
thank you! I rode my horse for the first time in a couple of months (family issue) and I really couldnt get my legs to sit comfortably in my ride but this has helped me to get back to normal
This helps so much. I’m particularly limited in my ankle flexibility (flexibility in general). Will try and put this not practice in my next lesson.
Oh my goodness thank you! I love my instructor, but heels lower is something I hear every lesson, and I always wondered if there was something wrong with me that when I shove my heel lower I lose control.
Many thanks!
I loved this short, but super informative video! I would hear, heels down, keep them down! I felt uncomfortable and I became tense while trying to ride. Your video made me feel so much better!🌼
"Heels down" Is meant for the safety of the rider. I personally ride both english and western. (mostly western) In western the correct equation is heels down. Also, beginner riders must learn to have their heels down in case the horse spooks your foot is now stuck in the stirrup and your head is dragging inches away from 1,200 pounds smashing your skull. Safety. Safety. Safety.
Constantly, I'm pretty sure those were my trainers first words
Whenever I ride it seems like at least someone tells me to put my heels down. My ankles are not very flexible and it feels very awkward and tense to shove them down so far. In the end I'm more focused on keeping my heels down than I am on my horse.
I learned riding with the “heels down” instruction as well, which I don’t think is necessarily a bad thing, as long as the rider understands it’s a shorthand for an adjusted leg and foot position. Personally, I only understood this when I got an instructor that kept saying “long legs”. After a couple times I just asked her what on Earth she meant as I was thoroughly confused... she explained pretty much what this video says too and that the phrase is just a shorthand to remind you to adjust your legs when they’re off.
when I went to a crapy and western barn the insrustor said heels down lowww like really low so now I have bad ankles and slopy posture ,this video really really helped me
I agree with how it will naturally go down as the rider’s equitation is correct, however, as someone who has started many students in their riding career “heels down/toes up” is not just about the looks as many young riders assume. Heels down is a huge safety precaution from one god example is being dragged (and has killed many people). I believe there are far better ways to explain this concept, but for young riders who can not understand it fully.. i think instructors need to explain the who concept better and explain how much is too much and be there for correction in riding.
Thorvald at Liberty 听不懂
I hear it all the time. And i do exactly what you said I over compensate and apply pressure into my heel. But watching this video i will adjust with what you said. So thank you.
“Toes up” is a better description to help understand the angulation of the ankle for riding. “Heels down” tends to cause too much pressure on the stirrup.
I I got a pound for every time I got told that. I would be a millionaire 🐎😂👣⬇️
Darcy And Echo than maybe you should put your heels down 😉😂
I definitely 100% agree with keeping weight in your heels. I have hyper flexible ankles so i lose my stirrups easily if i push them down trying to keep them 'looking good' for equitations's sake. Weight in the heels and pressing more on the ball of your feet really is the key
Very helpful video as ever. I have listened carefully to your advice and find it really sorted out my difficuties with this heel issue.
many thanks
I get told a lot keeping my heels down thank you for the way I could understand it thank you
My trainers favorite words and sit back
So incredibly helpful! Thank you so much!!!!
I try to hard to keep my heels down and it makes my lower leg slide forward in canter transitions and since I am riding younger horses atm it usually results in a frustrated horse that is basically saying, mate your leg is in the wrong place no canter for you!
Great advice. I'm glad my instructor doesn't push "heels down". I think it's best to get a solid seat and leg position. The heels will correct themselves if your leg is right and not gripping etc.
i was so confused thanks so much for explaining it!
Very very good video.
I was taught heels down 30 years ago. I then switched barns and they taught more of a balanced seat. What a huge difference I just stretch my entire leg and no gripping with the knee.
Frankly? I get sick of hearing it. I think comfort should be just as important as position. Also the constant nagging can be very frustrating and annoying which makes riding less enjoyable.
I go to 2 different riding schools and one is a dressage one. The dressage instructor is very brutal and pushes me more. Sometimes it works and other times I get frustrated bc she gets frustrated. My other school (non dressage) has various instructors and they are way nicer, they focus more on safety I guess. From them, their number one thing they ALL tell me is "heels down" or "more weight on your heels". It's my number one problem. I asked one day why I could not canter, and the reason was bc of my center of gravity and how my heels not being down affects that. My dressage instructor, on the other hand, has me cantering the 3 beat gait already. I tell her I keep loosing my stirrups or that my foot goes too deep into the stirrup and she tells me not to worry about that. It's fun though. I just don't wanna fall.
I always felt balanced when I ride and my feet in the stir ups are placed in the mere middle. Not too forward and not too backwards. I think it's different for everyone as she mentioned..
My instructors said "lift the toe." In time, my calves lengthened and my bad habits, of not having lowered heels, resolved naturally. And it has been a life-saver, especially when foxhunting and dealing with unanticipated movements by the horse. That, and shoulders back. They are second nature now, but I did need nagging to get there. And a lot of exercise out of the saddle to lengthen the calf. And NO MORE HIGH HEELS. Haven't worn them since my sisters wedding in 1985.
Great video as always. I did notice that your head-shoulder-hip-heel alignment was out of line i.e. the heel is a couple of inches forward of the hips. Clearly you're a great rider so can you speak about when, perhaps, the alignment rule we're all taught as beginners isn't always 100% right for every individual's body?
Very helpful. Thanks.
Thank you. Best info I have heard on this.
I’ve been struggling with posting trot and “heels down” and every time she tells me heels down I fell like I’m messing up more.
Excellent!, explaining
I actually explained this dilemma to my instructor recently! They tell you to keep your lower legs relaxed, and then they tell you to put your heels down, which automatically causes your lower legs to tense up again. I seem to have more of a problem with it now that she has switched me from a Western saddle to her preferred English saddle. I find the English saddle to be more comfortable in general, but I do feel as if I'm always struggling to keep my feet under control in the more flexible stirrups, and so I have trouble concentrating on anything else. If I do try to think about anything else (like getting my horse to go in the right direction, for example) I just get "heels down!" barked at me again, and again, and again. I really enjoy riding, though, and I want to do it right, so I just push them back down and keep trying...
Hopefully it gets easier with practice?
Excatly! I feel the same, aggressive pressure to get the heels down causes the tension in the body and results in the stiffness of the legs. My coach unfortunately pressurizes me to keep my heels as low as possible. When I struggle to do it I lose the soft contact with a saddle and I begin to bounce :(
Thx u I now understand what is meant by heels down
If the reason for heels down is to prevent the foot from slipping through the stirrup and getting caught and that this is a seriously risky occurrence, then why wouldn't all stirrups have at least one structural "stop" to keep the foot from being able to go through? It's not that much more construction or weight so why the stubborn adherence to the classic form? I'd really like to know.
Always being taught heels down has made me only use my heel and not my leg and calf muscles on the horse. Can you please do a video on this?
I've just recently started English riding. Before that I rode western... the instructor kept telling me heels down and now i understand why that was throwing me off. I've heard it so many times. But if I keep my heels down it kills my legs and makes it so much harder for me to post.
my heel goes so far that I've never heard to put my heel down, more just putting it up XD it's very hard to look normal cause that's how flexible my ankle is
Lilja S same
As long as my kids' toes aren't pointing down I don't bother them too much. As soon as the toes come down you can see the balance and center of gravity pitch forward.
yes ! i learned to train my ankle to get flexible for a true balanced seat, to loose stirrups and take them again , the ankle is so important, the secret of riding ! therefore heels down is not as productive as it seems.....thanks to my R.I.P my old trainer Hans Kuhse and greetings from Germany
Fantastic , description and video. Helenx
It is unbelievable how many times I have heard "Heals down"
Lol I'm still going to listen to my instructor, I've seen results from her so... yeah xD
It seems to me, that the key is not to not tell riders to get weight in their heels, but to take note what they're doing with the rest of their legs as well.
I love how the horse becomes slightly tenser when you adopt an unrecommended posture to show it as an example - she’s like, what u doin hooman? You never do this stuff
No one says FORCE your heels down ...you relax them down. But you aren't going to look perfect all the time. Plus there is no default stirrup length ...for jumping your stirrups can be shorter and that will put your heels down ..for dressage or classical riding your stirrups will be way longer making heels down a bit natural ...so it depends on your activity etc and the length you like your stirrups
I've heard heels down so so many timesss!!
I used to ride in my teens and I was also told heels down and basically hold on with thighs etc...Goodness knows how I stayed on. I always had problems keeping my feet in my stirrups when trotting or cantering. ...Go forward after 40+ years not riding and no wonder I am having difficulty ...unbalanced!
I have no formal training yet have owned and ridden nine horses. I find heels down an uncomfortable way to sit in the stirrups.
After riding like this my knee hurts so bad I can hardly walk.
I ride and let my heel pick.
Heels down is ABSOLUTELY the WORST advice you can ever give to someone looking to improve
For a beginner rider it may help them feel more comfortable with controlling your horse, but every experienced rider knows that your heels naturally go down when you ride correctly
Love your videos and your white saddle pads :), can you tell me where you get them?
Its kinda hard to trot around a coner and keeping your stirrup in the same spot
Thank u v much, you put my mind at rest now. Great video.
My trainers most used words -
Could you do a video on how to keep your toes underneath your knee? I struggle with my toes pointing out.
I know this is a late comment but its fine, I'm so happy I found this video, I have weird feet, my left foot ALWAYS hurts and is in constant pain when I'm riding while my right foot it okay? I don't know why this happens but I definitely find myself shoving my foot down. thank you for this advice!
for me when I force my heel with pressure it feels way better for me and I feel more balanced
My right ankle doesn't move down. At all. For the last 2 years it's just pain, pain and more pain if I try to do heels down. But that's not only with horses. My right ankle just doesn't move that way. So I keep my heels level and I do just fine.
I heard it a thousand times and it gets annoying sometimes but sometimes I don't want to press it all the way down to have wear my Ankle starts to hurt or do damage on it and I tense up sometimes when I hear the word
Thank you! It is really helpful :)
I'm in my 2nd lesson and I heard that like...a billion times ;-;
Marla summers you are right. Im not the worlds best rider but that youre right
I could never get "heels down" to work properly. My instructor told me to change my thought process to "toes up". Heels go down automatically. Was much easier to understand.
Well,my right foot will no longer "heels down"!!! I broke my ankle in 3 places last year and it's full of screws and a plate.
Try side saddle? I'm in the same predicament with a severed achilles heel, I had to learn how to walk again after my accient.
what kind of horse is that it's so beautiful look like thoroughbred
I am short. That wont be changing any time soon. I barley reach the stirrups in a lot of saddles, so I ride in a special saddle . I always hear this. I feel like because my legs are short, when I do this I cant kick properly.
+PeachesBunnyLove well you not supposed to kick you're supposed to nudge or squeeze depending on the training of the horse. As for the leg thing if you can't 'kick' properly then you should be led around until you can.
Your videos are great. I get confused about heels down etc. I do bounce in saddle. Do you grip the horse at all or try to be loose. Since I know I am not riding correctly since many times I go forward. Is there excercise or drills to do to help me. I am not a new rider but different horse. Many times when loping my horse keeps stopping or goes in a trot when I finally felt the lope going well. Thanks.
To many to keep track of
May I ask what brand/model of saddle you're riding in? I like the deep seat yet forward cut flaps with big thigh blocks it has. Thanks
I would also like to know!
unless the viewer in on their horse while watching...its hard to make an adjustment .
I heard you say in another video about making your back full and then in this video about lengthening your back. What exactly does that mean and how do I do that?
The problem with me is that my heels are always down. Without pushing it down. And sometimes it´s its wery low, I sometimes need to hold it up. Ps: I do have long legs. (I´m total 177 cm) What should I do?