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The Perfect Leg Position

leg position

Should your legs be wrapped around your horse?

Should they hang at the horse’s side?

Where should you feel contact with the horse? At your heel, your calf?

The answer… it depends!

Here is a great example of needing to understand that what one rider describes they are feeling in the saddle may be different than what you feel.

There are 3 keys to having an effective leg position… the first is avoiding unnecessary tension, the second is finding good alignment for your leg, and the third is moving in a way that maintains that alignment. Simply put, don’t grip, position your leg so your joints can function, and then always let your knees go forward and down.

I will explain more and demonstrate in this video! 

p.s. For a collection of riding exercises to be in balance, move with your horse, and find your best posture, check out my book, Stay in the Saddle – 67 Exercises for Horse and Rider: https://www.horseclass.com/book/

See you in the comments! 

Callie

    

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Comments

4 Responses

  1. I have always struggled with sore ankles and or knees, as I have short legs but a long torso. Always being told heels down toes in or out, knees tight or knees away from the side of the horse, depending on the trainer. I am pleased that it has been explained that it depends on your physique and the physique of the horse. I gave up trying to please my trainers and just focused on relaxing and enjoying the ride. I naturally find my whole leg rests against the side of the horse and my knees and ankles are much better.

    Reply

  2. Thank you Callie: I always like your valuable concise tips. All the best in the coming Derby. That is quite an undertaking.

    Reply

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I signed up for the Balanced Riding course after watching Callie on YouTube. I’ve learned so much from this course. As you start riding when you’re young, you learn the fundamentals, but then you drift so far away from them in different skills that you’re learning that you sometimes kind of forget or don’t appropriately utilize those fundamentals anymore. And she’s really brought me back to that level of understanding specifically how to ride with the seat. And I think that’s kind of the most powerful thing you can learn to do as a rider, is to sit your horse appropriately, not have to rely so much on your reins. So that’s been huge, just completely changed the way I ride.
- Amanda
- Amanda
I just want to say thank you to everyone for all the comments and positive comments I have read while on this site. I have taken many of the free courses offered by CRK training over the past few months and it has help with my confidence. I actually rode my daughter’s horse for the first time outside in the ring since she came home from a free lease September. I have practiced many of the lessons and watched many videos. It was just at a walk but I felt confident with every thing I have learnt so far, plus I have learnt that I am not the only one who gets nervous and that it is okay to be nervous and thanks to Callie’s lessons I have learnt to take one day at a time and work though the times I feel nervous.
- Tammy Lynn Wright
- Tammy Lynn Wright
As a new horse owner and rider I wanted a training series that would walk me through each step of equitation for a beginner. That is exactly what I got with the CRK Balanced Rider Series. Callie King is a talented horse trainer and accomplished rider and it shows through each of her videos. She is clear and concise when discussing her insider knowledge of horse care, training, and riding.
- Jennifer addy
- Jennifer addy
As with all of the work Callie does, this program is informative, thoughtful, evidence based. The course provides good resources on horsemanship, managing fear, developing confidence. The videos of “how to” help your horse manage his fear were particularly good (in that) helping my horse manage moments of fear, helps me to manage mine.
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- Corinne
This is why I so enjoy your videos and webinars. Your approach is so positively based and therefore so kind and gentle while still being very effective. You work with the horse and not against him. THANK YOU!
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- Rosanne Wellmaker
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