Drop your stirrups!

If you want a stronger leg and a better seat, you MUST drop your stirrups. 

It sucks...I know....

Danielle and I used to torture our selves once a week when we were kids.  Usually she started it...I'm not as big into self mutilation.

We rode in a small, 60x80 arena so this isn't as rough as it may sound...it wasn't easy though!

We would drop our stirrups and begin with our posting trot. 
FIVE times around...then we would sit
(no breaks at the walk mind you....the break was the sitting trot) 
So five more times around the ring sitting the trot. 
Now that you have rested...haha....up in your two point!  
Of course, the two point is hard so we always limited that to only three passes around the ring. 
Finally we could sit and walk.  But not for long. 
Now we have to canter.  Once again we are back to the five times rule.  This is where learning to sit better comes in.  You are tired...your legs feel like string cheese hanging below you...you have NO choice but to sit deep into you saddle.

OK so we're done! 

nnooooo....

Now we reverse and do it all again in the other direction.

This really is a great exercise if you are looking to build better legs, balance and communication with your horse. It is highly recommended and I'm appalled at the trainers that never say those dreaded words, "OK, Let's drop your stirrups."


[I would say in a large riding arena maybe 3 times around the ring would be an equivalent.]