[sunrisegurl146]

Hey all!

This is for me LOL not Athena..but I'm looking for some advice to help with my toes.

My instructor brought it up to me on wednesday evening, about how I toe out so extremely and I'm having to work twice as hard to make up for it. As I have a very small base of support b.c of it.

I believe I did something to my legs which caused this as it physically HURTS to turn my toes in. She turned them in for me and told me to stand up. through the pain I could feel that she was correct that my leg felt more steady.

anyways LOL

I was wondering if anybody had some excercises I could do at home to start to correct this problem? Something to teach my legs the "proper" way they should be?

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

[farmeress]

Look to the ankle for the answer....a stiff ankle rotates the toe out.

Now....is there any stress line/tightness or pain if you lift the toes off the gound with the heel down...is it on the top of the foot....or is there a stress/tight/constricting feeling along the sole into the ball.

Find the stress line...this will indentify the digits you are curling and tensing....then relax them.

Instead of having your heel down by pushing it then lifting from the toe which is what encourages this problem.....take all the weight out of the toe and heel....totally relax the foot and allow the ankle bone to drop the heel through gravitational pull without forcing it.

In my thread about The Ankle...this lack of seat through the effect of ankles was covered.

Without a supple ankle and relaxed total leg....the seat will not be deep or flush properly on the saddle

[mkoktavy]

well seeing as your toes are connected to your feet, connected to your legs, knee etc... (obviously :P) how is the rest of your leg? does your knee sit flat aross the saddle or can you see a little bit of daylight between your knee? dont just look at your toes, your whole leg right up to your hip should be aligned. an exercise i like to do is sit in the saddle, take your stirrups out and take your legs right off the horse, hold the out to the sides away from the horse and hold it for a few seconds (you might feel your legs start to cramp!) and then relax you legs and let them go long. you should feel your whole hip rotate inwards, almost like your taking the inside/back of your thigh and pushing it to the outside. now pick up your stirrupsand see if your toes are still pointing out! if thats not the issue, you might have reallllllly stiff ankles! in which case try some ankle rolls.

[sunrisegurl146]

Originally Posted by farmeress

Look to the ankle for the answer....a stiff ankle rotates the toe out.

Now....is there any stress line/tightness or pain if you lift the toes off the gound with the heel down...is it on the top of the foot....or is there a stress/tight/constricting feeling along the sole into the ball.

Find the stress line...this will indentify the digits you are curling and tensing....then relax them.

Instead of having your heel down by pushing it then lifting from the toe which is what encourages this problem.....take all the weight out of the toe and heel....totally relax the foot and allow the ankle bone to drop the heel through gravitational pull without forcing it.

In my thread about The Ankle...this lack of seat through the effect of ankles was covered.

Without a supple ankle and relaxed total leg....the seat will not be deep or flush properly on the saddle

Thanks Farmeress! I'll definitely dig up that thread!

I feel stiffness at the base of my ankle, on the ball of my foot and right below my toes. I'm also feeling stiffness on the front of my lower leg. (right below the knees..) When I relax my entire foot and do as you say I do find it easier, but I feel pain in my knees

Jeez my lower leg is a mess LOL

Originally Posted by mkoktavy

well seeing as your toes are connected to your feet, connected to your legs, knee etc... (obviously :P) how is the rest of your leg? does your knee sit flat aross the saddle or can you see a little bit of daylight between your knee? dont just look at your toes, your whole leg right up to your hip should be aligned. an exercise i like to do is sit in the saddle, take your stirrups out and take your legs right off the horse, hold the out to the sides away from the horse and hold it for a few seconds (you might feel your legs start to cramp!) and then relax you legs and let them go long. you should feel your whole hip rotate inwards, almost like your taking the inside/back of your thigh and pushing it to the outside. now pick up your stirrupsand see if your toes are still pointing out! if thats not the issue, you might have reallllllly stiff ankles! in which case try some ankle rolls.

I'll definitely try that excercise!

From what I can tell and my instructor has also been helping me I don't have any air pockets along my leg.

Like I said to farmeress post..I've got a messed up lower leg

[Reyven]

Stretching will help out I think. If your muscles are tight it could actually cause you pain to do certain things while riding. Do lots of leg stretches, like 3 times a day focusing on your hamstrings, thighs and groin. Also I've found that doing ankle and knee rotations will help loosen them up

[sunrisegurl146]

Thanks Reyven!