[endurgirl]

Originally Posted by tazassape

You are soooo missing my point and I don't have the time or the technical know how (multi quote) to help you understand it. Moving on for more education and less drama.

The box in the bottom right hand corner of a post with a + on it is the multi quote. Click on each post that interests you and when you hit "Post reply" they will all be there.

I've read the entire thread and still don't know your point. Do you even have one?

Originally Posted by Fox Glove

, those are some crazy looking cows, and the whole thing is facinating!

Thanks Paula. And yes, when cutters hear "brahmans" we usually get a little worried, as they are notorious for being nutso

Originally Posted by tazassape

Got a burr under your saddle too?

No, PeggySue has some sense about her.

Originally Posted by NovDressageRdr

But my input...I HATE riding with long stirups, because if push came to shove and I had to get off my seat onto onto my shirtups, I want distance between my saddle and my butt, can't exactly jump a log in WP length stirups or adjust your saddle if it slips sideways with long stirups...JMHO. My western saddle stirups are cutter length becauseof added security (I do not rely on my stirups,I can ride bareback VERY well, ridden out a few bucks, and jumped bareback too,so it'smore of an added security thing with me)

Me too. I like some bend in my knee. Long stirrups make my butt hurt, LOL!!

Originally Posted by Tallpine

There's a couple still shots of me riding on my HGS member page.

I'm always still learning

For *me* your stirrups are too long. But if you are comfortable with them, then ride like that. I rode with a guy once, he was on a TWH, his legs were STRAIGHT. Looked uncomfortable to me, but we rode a long way and he never complained once about knee pain.

Originally Posted by HUS_WP_lovr

Tex looks great! The cutters are always so cool to watch. One of the most entertaining horse sports imo.

You're trainer is brilliant to ride all night, I wish the arena I use was lighted and I'd do it all at night as well

I have no choice but to work Tex at night come winter time, so the security lights I have work wonders. I have the lights to be put up, I just have to get enough stuff done on the current "to do" list to get to it, LOL!!

[cutter123]

Tallpine that is a nice picture. You look like you are in a great position to do some Doma Vaquero or Dressage or buckaroo style riding. For cutting, we'd have to knee you up a bit

Most recreational western riders I see have their stirrups too long. The problem with too long stirrups is it leaves a rider vunerable when a horse moves laterally suddenly. Think about this:

You are in the bed of a pickup truck going out through the pasture with your buddy driving. You are facing away from the cab looking out the back. You are sitting on a barrel in the back of the pickup. It is just tall enough for you to kind of reach the bed with your tippy toes.

All of a sudden, your buddy sees a huge chuck hole ahead and swerves sharply first left then right to avoid it.

When the unexpected left swerve happens, you get thrown to the right. You aren't balanced over your feet and cannot save yourself. You COUNTERBALANCE by THROWING your upper body back to the left in order to stay on the barrel. THEN, the right swerve throws you even more to the left. Your inertia is already taking you that way. With no solid feet support, this time you are a goner (unless you are a champion bullrider who can counterbalance on a bull) and you end up on your butt in the bed of the pickup, probably cussing your buddy.

OKAY now change the scenario: make the barrel short enough so you can have your feet flat on the bed of the pickup and you are balanced right over your feet. The first swerve to the left throws your body to the right and you simply catch yourself on your right foot the way you would if you were skiing moguls. The next swerve slides your body to the left and you catch yourself on your left foot and all is well, you are balanced. That is BALANCE.

Counterbalance and balance are different. Counterbalance means you COUNTER the moves the animal you are on is making in order to stay on. This is a very inefficient way to ride and a horse cannot express it's true athletic potential with a rider like this. Balance means you move WITH the animal you are on. A balanced rider stays right over her feet with a firm base of support, as secure as if she were standing on the ground in an athletic position. A rider who's stirrups are too long is going to have to resort to COUNTERBALANCE when it comes to a quick succession of lateral moves. When one counterbalances, she throws her upper body around. This negatively affects the horse.

This is why performance horse riders of all sorts...jumpers, cowhorse riders, cutters, and others, have shorter stirrups. In dressage, things are forward and slow/controlled enough that longer stirrups aren't a hinderance, although I even see many dressage riders with what I consider too-long stirrups. Same with my buckaroo friends. When it comes to doing athletic performance stuff with their horses, they are at a huge disadvantage. Now riding a huge circle checking fence all day kneed up would kill you so I understand why they ride with longer stirrups. But it would be better for them and their horses if they took the stirrups up a hole or two before attempting to do athletic things. Same with trail riders. If you aren't completely confident that your horse will never ever spook and whirl around, you are better off having a nice bend to your knee and your stirrups short enough to have a firm secure base of support.

I hope this is understandable!

[endurgirl]

Makes sense to me! Thanks J!

Hey, what breed/sex cattle do you mainly work over in CA?

[MoonlightsWildPassion]

I've had some nasty spook experinces..The worst has to be when a dog came charging at the fence I was next too and Natty half reared/half spun,my body styed with hers but I lost both my stirups because they were to long (someone elses saddle as mine was on it's way to co) I stayed on thankfully. and Natty bolted 1/2 mile with the bit clamped in her mouth and not listening to me at all. Thankfully my seat is good enough to stay balanced on a bolting horse, but it wouldn't have happened if my stirups had been the right length... Also Natty normally spooks in place or does reiner spins (No joke, she felt better than my old trainers trained reiner, plus I was bareback) so this bad spook was a rare thing...


Shorter stirups=more saftey for me

[doublebarr]

Originally Posted by cutter123

Same with my buckaroo friends. When it comes to doing athletic performance stuff with their horses, they are at a huge disadvantage. Now riding a huge circle checking fence all day kneed up would kill you so I understand why they ride with longer stirrups. But it would be better for them and their horses if they took the stirrups up a hole or two before attempting to do athletic things.

Even some of us "buckaroo" folks know what the advantge of having good knee action means:

Hubby and son coming back from checking momma cows:


Hubby checking momma cows

[IMG]file:///C:/Users/Will/AppData/Local/Temp/moz-screenshot-14.jpg[/IMG]
closeup of his leg, getting ready to check said cows


Me and Hubby going out to move weaners to grass


Me on the Tex that this thread is about at a show (I didn't get to cut, kids wanted to get to the beach NOW!, LOL)


BIL when him and hubby moved cows.


Hubby and son checking cows


OOPS! LOL, not showing good form here, LOL! Kids relaxing after gathering steers to ship.


Hubby going out to check cattle


Me training a colt


Schooling a draft at the show before classes. This would be a LONG knee for me.


Daughter taking said draft into the class.


Me and my crew (kids and neices/nephews) finishing up a long day on a trail in a state park.


For us, it's knees up please. Honestly, a long leg interferes with your ability to properly cue your horse with your leg in separate parts. Get long and your thigh/hip will cue at the same time your calf does and that is no good when you have more than the "basic" buttons.

Hey ED! How'd you do today? Buying dinner?

[MedoraCowgirl]

He looks really good!!!! He really knows how to get down to work.

[Tallpine]

Well, I do most of my riding bareback including trail rides so stirrup length isn't usually much of an issue for me (saddle doesn't seem to fit right )

It is hard for me to keep my legs back and under me when going downhill bareback.

[doublebarr]

Tallpine - I went and looked at your pictures and this one:


See where you leg is naturally seeking it's "hindge" position as you are cueing with your heel? This is what you should be looking for when you sit in the stirrups. This is where you find your good ballance point for the most effective riding.

Sorry about your saddle issues That stinks not being able to find one that fits both you and your horse, though it gives you an advantage in finding your self ballance without the saddle holding you in.

[doublebarr]

In this one that you showed,



part of the issue is you have your foot "crammed" all the way into the stirrup and are not riding on the "ball" of your foot anymore. Take that foot out and put it on the ball, THEN drop your heels and find that comfortable spot.

[MoonlightsWildPassion]

Even when I ride bareback my knee is hinged (muscle memory),plus if I get in a sticky situation, less leg to get up over the horse and do a quick dismount (learning to do those was fuuuunnnnn)