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Heels Down

4K views 10 replies 9 participants last post by  Foxhunter 
#1 ·
I've been riding for 6 years and the same phrase is constantly ringing in my head, "HEELS DOWN".
I have tried literally everything to get my heels down but nothing has ever worked. I have tried lengthening, shortening, exercises, everything. I naturally have very week ankles. I have injured my ankles many many times.

My instructor is always telling my to put my weight in my heels, which I do, but my heels are never lower than my toe. The best they get is level.

It doesn't effect my riding, my balance, my jumping or anything else. It literally feels like my ankles can not bend that far. Yesterday I was stretching my heels down as far as I possibly could in my lesson and my ankles are blue and purple with bruises because of it.
Is this something that is never going to be fixed? Do you or anyone you know have this problem?
 
#2 ·
What are you wearing for footwear when you're not riding? If it's high heels, that tends to complicate things in that you do not have the advantage of stretching your whole leg (never mind just heel) down in terms of giving yourself 'passive' exercise throughout the day. I think sometimes tight, stiff calf muscles can be just as problematic as ankles that don't flex.

The same question goes for what footwear are you using when you are riding? If it's tall boots, they can be restrict flexibility (I have that problem with my English ones). You might be better off to go with paddock type boots so your ankles have that much less to fight against.

Based on my experience with ankles problems, as far as exercises go, you want to flex the ankle and stretch the calf muscle so gentle stretching and holding downward position for short durations done periodically throughout the day will be more helpful to you than trying to force a position once in the stirrup.

I remember looking at pictures of a horse for sale wearing an athletic looking teenage girl in an English saddle. I have never seen anyone yet who could beat her heels down position - technically it was excessive (and slightly unsettling to look at) but I could tell it was natural for her and not uncomfortable; nor did it take away from her position in the saddle. So in the end, I guess we work with what we're given and try our best.
 
#3 ·
I wear paddock boots and half chaps when I'm riding, and I HATE high heels. I do not wear high heels. Always sneakers, converse, or my work boots when I'm not riding.
And I understand what you mean about the exercises. I find a step and hold a heels down position for a minute and then I relax and then I repeat. Before every ride I stretch my legs, my core and my arm muscles so there isn't any stiffness. I would consider my calf muscles very flexible so I don't think that is the problem. But I do understand everything that you are saying and it all makes a lot of sense.
 
#4 ·
It is possible that you may not be able to to flex your toes up as much as other riders, but you DO lack flexibility and your instructor is concerned. HOWEVER, most less experienced riders learn to ride and DEPEND upon their stirrups, with a deep heel, and do NOT learn to depend upon a deep seat and a grip. Anybody that tells you that riding and jumping doesn't involve gripping with your leg isn't being truthful. We have to grip, from the leg above your knee, through your knee and through to the upper calf. Ask your instructor for exercises that enable you to jump without your stirrups, so that if you lose a stirrup or both stirrups you will still stick the horse. My H/J instructor had us warm up with posting trot, 3x/each rein withOUT stirrups so that we learned by feel how to hold on, instead of learning from a description of same grip.
Off the horse, look for an exercise program that teaches you to stretch and be flexible.
When you watch Cirque du Soleil, you are watching acrrobats who began stretching when they were very young and have practiced DAILY ever since. My mother was a dance and acrobat student who was good enough (during the 1930's and the Great Depression) to perform and advertise for her instructor. She could, as a child, sit on her head. (You've seen this on Cirque du Soleil.) She could bend in a pretzel, and do the splits and all of the those things, and we have photos from the time. Dancers warm up with leg bends (plies) and that stretches the back of your ankle. I am sitting typing do this, with my laptop on a footrest and I am resting my elbows on my knees with my feet directly below and I am stretching my ankles. You see little kids squat like this all of the time. You can do this watching tv. You stretch, then relax, repeat, and if you do this daily you will be able to stretch your ankles down a lot more. Hope this helps.
 
#5 ·
I go without stirrups quite a lot. I love jumping bareback on my mare. One of the things I am praised for is my deep seat and great balance. My heels literally just won't go down. And doing what you are doing is one of my exercises that my instructor gave me.
I used to get ballet lessons and I still do the exercises that they had us do all the time. I'm flexible and I do stretches and exercises and I feel like I'm at a dead end when it comes to my heels.
 
#7 ·
Stand on then bottom step of a staircase facing all the other stairs. Put the balls of your feet on the edge of the step and gently and slowly let your heels drop. Feel that stretch! Be careful not to overstretch but I swear this helps :)
 
#8 ·
I was going to suggest the same thing!
Another thing you could do is take a towel or blanket and wrap it around the top of your feet. Then pull back on the ends. Pull back and hold for ten seconds begore releasing. Repeat 20 times on each foot and do this 1-2 times a day.
Also, maybe try lowering your stirrups. I find that lower stirrups helps me keep my heels down.
 
#10 ·
^^^ this is what I always to say people, think toes up not heels down. Instead of focusing on pushing your heels down try to keep your ankles as relaxed as possible and let your weight help you, you shouldn't be thinking of yourself as really "sitting" on the horse but that your legs and body are draped around his sides so the weight is in your heels not your seat.

I would also focus on doing a lot of work in a half seat or two point to help reinforce that idea that the weight should be down in your heels not in your seat, as well as work on the lunge line with no reins, working on posting, sitting, and two point with your hands on your hips. Another thing that may be helpful is what PassionateEq suggested, using a towel or even better an elastic fitness band to help stretch out your ankles.
 
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