Top 5 Myths in Riding: "Heels Down!" (Myth 1)

[@ohaidenny9852]

I'm about to end my trainers career

[@laurendyer3546]

Lol same

[@hannahmulder6502]

your profile picture really made this comment that much better

[@Rosa41450]

haha love your comment

[@chshaheerahmedbhatti4746]

Why

[@fatmahisham8613]

@@chshaheerahmedbhatti4746 She’s joking

[@canterlevi]

We riders are the most judgemental group of athletes I’ve ever encountered.

[@Skyhors3]

Homer Simpson: "umm, isn't there like, a pound, where you can pick up cheap ponies that ran away from home?" Woman horse breeder: "I SINCERELY hope NOT."

[@Katey_Katx]

So true!! I hate other riders some times!! I hate how judgey everyone is !

[@Skyhors3]

Yeah, from a farriers perspective, most of you seem rather pompous, except for the few who REALLY know.

[@pariahmouse7794]

@@Skyhors3 I volunteer and take lessons with a Grand Prix level dressage rider, and she knows SO MUCH- but she is so humble about it. It is hilarious to watch some of the new volunteers who just learned how to do something try to tell Avril how to do that same something- she is so un-assuming that it happens a lot, and she just rolls with it, never makes anyone feel dumb or out of line... But it IS funny to watch! 😳😂 I am so lucky to have found someone like her to learn from, folks do tend to get a little pompous and know it all-esque around horses, and at least half of them don't know what the heck they are talking about. Which is why at this point in my education I try to keep my mouth shut, haha, unless someone is just being stupid and/or dangerous...

[@cubnation]

@@pariahmouse7794 I find it interesting how horses can have that "I'm better than you" affect on people. Horses are not a status symbol. And just because I can ride better than some people, there is always someone who rides better than me. Also, people seem to think that just because their horse cost more than their house it makes them superior. The farrier bluehors3, is right. There are too many people who forget that horses are a blessing and not a tool. 🐎 🤗 💕

[@valerieshepherd6823]

This pissed me off thinking of all the times my riding intructor screamed at me to get my heels down and then told me my seat was not good... duh huh This makes so much sense thank you.

[@kleinwolfje]

Was thinking exactly the same. Heels down bad posture and i got swung out of the saddle so much, doing as i felt with stirrups was right was wrong...but hell when I was still allowed to go without saddle or stirrups perfect sit and even then some instructors insisted on heels down even when balance was perfect. Could jump, do crazy tricks with bucking, from standstill to full gallop without stirrups...and then it was n o longer allowed to go without stirrups or saddle.

[@cathyparvin2505]

My heels naturally have a lot of flexibility in them and I spent the whole summer😖 2 yrs ago riding without stirrups on my saddle with my wonderful coach telling me to hang my toes for a few weeks (ride like my legs were cooked spaghetti), she said to ride like when I was a kid riding on the beach. She explained that heels down made the whole leg tight and in a different place than most effective. My heels are still down, but in a different way. After doing so many hip flexor stretches (still do) and riding with a really relaxed leg/foot my seat & leg became so much better. A bonus was that because no stirrups, I rode with bare feet, which is the best

[@tifthetif6567]

Yes, old school, not for use but for style

[@gabriellewelsh6050]

Some people have NO business teaching horseback riding lessons. I was chased with a crop when I was 10 because I was too scared to lope 🙄

[@LE123LE123]

Um old school has more stability for riders than today’s crap that is about look. Over jumping, ducking/diving over fences, laying on the neck-trust me, old school is correct. And I’m talking 60s/70s old school.

[@helensmylie9014]

Love the way instructor shows clearly how to use correct ways to ride

[@jencaisse7392]

What she doesnt say is about the continuous use of spurs with the western rider. But i agree

[@littlerascaleventing]

Not only is heels towards the back feet good for the horse, it makes the rider look nicer in my opinion.

[@averyprice6134]

Little Rascal Eventing very very true

[@jencaisse7392]

Yeah heels down and back makes you sit back and straight, and surprisingly it helps with balance, especially if you arent using stirrups.

[@averyprice6134]

Jen Caisse yes I ageee!

[@Strul83]

True...

[@pariahmouse7794]

@@jencaisse7392 I can't wait to ride Wednesday so I can focus on feeling this, this is something as a novice that I am working hard to do right from the out-set...

[@speed150mph]

I’m glad my first horse was an old reining horse. I rode “heels down” but if I had pressure in the stirrup and/or placed my feet forward that would partially cue him for a stop. My horse in particular was very sensitive to this.

[@AriShroom]

Same here. Great Western horses can catch on such small cues, pressure down on the stirrups/let's forward/the slightest touch on their body. It taught me to sit so well haha. I know nothing of English riding tho. I know western well tho

[@speed150mph]

Ariel Mizrachi you and me both.

[@serpentarius1194]

I feel like a lot of people are misunderstanding the "heels down" thing. YOU STILL NEED TO HAVE YOUR HEELS DOWN! If your foot is pointing in the opposite direction, toes down, that's a 1-way-ticket to falling off. It's terrible for your balance. However when your heels are down you aren't meant to brace against the stirrup. Imagine all the weight in your heel, not the balls of your toes where the stirrup sits. You'll find your posture becomes better and it'll be easier to grip with your legs when you need to. I find it also helps my balance, something I'm not great with. It makes it easier to me to feel grounded and stay seated on a bouncy horse (I currently ride a very fast and bouncy pony) So when your instructor says "heels down" they're not wrong. When they tell you off for incorrect posture they're also not wrong. It's just that there's some missing information that a lot of people, your instructor included, probably aren't even aware of. Heels down is just part of the whole, which should be, heels down with weight in the heel, not balls of your toes. Like she says later in the video, picture your heels pointing to the back of the horse. It'll still position the heel downwards, but the weight will feel different.

[@pariahmouse7794]

Nicely said! 👍 I try to just keep the weight of my leg and stretch it down through the heel, I almost hold the weight so that my feet are just resting, not pressing- I read or watched somewhere (possibly CRKTraining) to imagine a hand under your foot- you want enough pressure to keep it there, but you don't want to hurt or crush it- this helps me with bracing against the stirrup, but I wasn't aware of the "heels toward the horse's back feet" method until I watched this! I can't wait until Wednesday to put this into practice!

[@fallonb681]

Agreed!

[@topolinofarm9343]

I think people are upset because the trainer would say "heels down!" and the heels go down, but incorrectly. So the posture changes above and the trainer doesn't correct the actual problem(incorrectly shoving heels down) but then focuses on fixing the abdominal issues separately. It can't be done! My trainer did this when I was young, I'm sure she didn't mean any harm but she obviously didn't know any better. It is what it is. BECAUSE my heels were down, my toes pointed out, my upper body was unstable and I could not follow the movement of the horse. If she had explained it differently, I would have ridden better and have a better seat. Now I have to UNDO all the habits created by incorrectly putting my darned heels down. So yes, heels down is right. But taught incorrectly more often than not. Most trainers only have one way of saying something and are, in fact, not great trainers because of it.

[@lastchancetodazle]

Started watching this video with extreme skepticism, and now I would love to ride with her! Its so true, and now I can better my riding!

[@pariahmouse7794]

I LOVE Wendy Murdoch, she would be incredible to work with!

[@wingsofatlantis]

yes! so many levels of yes! past trainers have told me to jam my heels down as a hunter rider which is caused me some nasty knee problems. I still have to wear a brace sometimes. This entire video is stuffed full of amazing information.

[@leeneufeld4140]

Way back when, when I was teaching beginners, I realized that the words used to teach are paramount. Instead of heels down, I would tell my students to let the weight of their leg fall through their ankles into the heel, and above all remain relaxed. For some strange reason I ended up having several students who were heavily muscled men, and NONE of the typical traditional instructions worked for them. I wish I had known Wendy, or someone like her, back then. As it was, there was a lot of trial and error (mostly error) going on. Great video!

[@Horsedogz]

I’ve never braced my feet forward like that... must have had an old school trainer then. It’s always looked so weird and uncomfortable for the horse when people push their heel so far down and their foot comes forward. Think about this: if you’re riding and I could magically make your horse disappear, would you land on your feet nice and square? Or would you fall backwards or forwards? Glad someone else is pointing this kind of thing out!

[@EquisoftCream]

Excellent presentation and explanation. Very easy to absorb the information and understand with both verbal, graphic diagrams and good video angles for clarity.

[@juliepurpleskater1736]

Back in the 70s I rode for a while with a trainer that was so strict about "heels down", that I was told, "You can't jump big fences until you learn to get your damn heels down!" My heels have never, and WILL never, go down like that. So, I came up with a work-around to avoid continually getting yelled at. I removed the low heels from a pair of flat dress pumps I no longer wore, and simply inserted the heels inside the heels of my boots.... like shoe lifts that men sometimes use to look taller. It made me walk a little funny with my boots on, but while riding, my ever-level heels now appeared to be "appropriately" down. Hehe... it worked! The trainer never caught on, either!

[@hippiecowgirl4231]

Julie Purpleskater , that’s ingenious!

[@embr4065]

I did something similar. I had badly sprained my ankle the year before and my left heel would NOT go down without lots of pain. So once I got on my horse before lessons I would slightly pull my heel out of the boot so there was a space between my actual heel and the boot. It seemed to work cause my trainer stopped yelling about heels down!

[@trishna_6815]

i was just thinking of doing something similar! especially as i normally wear zero-drop shoes (ie NO heel at all), so its just super super uncomfortable to do what looks like heels down to my instructor.

[@sunnycriicket]

Wow, thanks. I'm going to try this for my lesson later this week. Very understandable.

[@jencaisse7392]

I hope it goes well! :) it might feel like your leg is really far back at first and like youre leaning foreward but thats because your leg is used to being foreward

[@sunnycriicket]

@@jencaisse7392 Thanks! I'll let ya know how it goe!

[@jencaisse7392]

@@sunnycriicket ok! Happy to help 😆

[@pariahmouse7794]

Yup, I have been struggling to keep my leg back, and this never occurred to me... I have been aiming for the "deep heel" aesthetic, I never knew it could be what is throwing my seat off! I can't wait to work on this Wednesday!

[@SysterYster]

I think people need to learn to ride without using spurs. You really don't need to kick the horse every other or third step with a spur unless you're riding it wrong. You're putting a piece of metal into the animal's side (sounds nice eh?) but without any real effect. Only use it when you really need it, that way you get more of a reaction when you use it, and the horse doesn't need to be irritated all the time. Gah, I hate spurs.

[@nathrose7612]

You Can ride with Spurs without using them. That s the purpose.

[@nathrose7612]

I Wear Spurs but I never use them. Otherwise I got a Big answer ! You dont have to put your heels in the horse belly neither.

[@SysterYster]

@@nathrose7612 If you're a good rider you can have them on and not use them. Most people aren't that good. But if you're a good rider, you probably don't need the spurs either. I only ever put on spurs when I was about to ride a horse I knew beforehand was too heavy/big for me or a real slowpoke. But again, the difference between a heel in your side and a small metal object is massive. Try it on yourself. One is less pleasant than the other. And if you have a good technique, you usually don't need to kick the horse with or without the spurs that often. That's also what I reacted the most to. She kicks the horse every other/third step. She's doing it wrong because she gets no reaction other than a clearly annoyed horse. Better, in this case, to kick once, hard, then don't kick at all. When you do it all the time the horse stops listening and you're giving it a sore side.

[@suzanne7759]

Syster Yster yes exactly! I think if you want to make your horse go faster just motivate them positively, make them excited for riding and if you use leg just use it when it's really necessary. I have ridden one time with spurs and it was terrible. The horse didn't go faster and I was scared I would hurt the horse.

[@SysterYster]

@@suzanne7759 Yes, I agree. I hate using spurs too. And I generally don't use crops either. And if I do, I usually "warn" the horse first by lifting it out to the side so the horse can see it. That tends to be enough. I don't like to use things made to hurt them. It doesn't feel right. I learned to ride without, and that's the best way in my opinion.

[@brittnyhawk8633]

I love this. I know myself I mostly ride western and my ankles have always killed after riding. Now I know how to fix that plus give myself a better seat. I'm going to make me some shim! That pally looks very uncomfortable/unhappy.

[@MrsC48]

Yes, the pinned ears and tail swishing give it away.

[@trinefj11]

swishing doesnt always mean unhappy

[@pariahmouse7794]

@@MrsC48 I really noticed the ears... Even after she was in the better position, she was still jabbing his poor sides every stride, you could see his discomfort in his face...

[@zoeyzebrahunter9409]

​@@pariahmouse7794 the lesson horse I ride is very lazy and has a grumpy expression on his face all the time. he always acts like he's so sad. but if he sees a treat then he's back to being happy. until there are no more treats. then he's back to looking sad. and I'm guessing that he's also a lazy grumpy horse that you need to put so much effort to get into a trot. and so she would have to jab every step to get him to stay in the trot. and yes she should release once at a good speed in the trot for her and her horse. but the thing is. when I do the pressure and release thing. rooster automatically thinks OH OKAY WERE DONE. I GOT INTO THE TROT AND FOR ONCE IN MY LIFE WAS ACTUALLY A BIT FASTER THEN NORMAL, OK THAT'S ALL SHE ASKED FOR. LET"S WALK NOW. and so it's hard for me to get rooster to stay in an ACTUALLY trot. so yeah.

[@rosemarybasse5498]

I'm a pretty novice rider. I find specifically the idea of heels down so hard. I try, but everytime I try to put my weight in the heels my foot swings forward. Nobody can ever seem to explain to me why I feel more unbalanced and it's so hard for me to maintain. This makes a lot of sense, I'll try this next time I ride.

[@SenkaPazman]

What I found useful was that you are pushing your leg back from your hip…

[@kimwilliford6303]

I definitely learned wrong. Thank you for this marvelous tip. Heels toward the back. Excellent. I will try this. Thank you so much.

[@lavendergal2508]

I don’t understand why the rider in the western saddle is using her spurs every step the Horse takes??

[@gabriellaferraz1586]

he could be a lazy and a hard-to-start horse so my guess is that she's trying to get him to keep the trot?

[@Fienii]

Riding is communication, this depends entirely on the horse, the moment and the mood the horse had this day! ^^ Not some car or motorcycle where you push one button and it goes in trott..

[@mortisha8693]

Sloppy riding

[@christinemarsh9709]

Not a happy horse at all! Look at that body language

[@BabyGirl-bg3vo]

@@christinemarsh9709 I just kept looking at his mouth he kept moving his mouth open and I feel bad cause I'm sure that bit is hurted

[@Skyhors3]

My old cavalry rider friend told me to ride with my heels down. I'm not a trained rider, just a retired farrier. I've always ridden with my weight on the balls of my feet, felt like it gave me better balance. Never thought about the effect on the horse. Thanks

[@comesahorseman]

Yes! The proper classical alignment is ears over shoulders over hips over *ankles*; it's just like taking a wide, balanced stance on the ground. This way you support your own weight instead of sitting heavily on the horses back!

[@shanarablue339]

" heels down" the pain in every riders early lessons , along with aching ankles , thank goodness I had a German instructor as young as he was he was a great teacher and he didn't believe in the" heels down" worst part was when he left my next instructor insisted my heels weren't down , ahh. those were the days 😂 the palomino doesn't look the happiest when ridden , ears flat back

[@kensiparker8293]

Shanara Blue because my early instructors were so persistent on heels down I now have permanently damaged ankles and have to wear braces to ride...

[@shanarablue339]

Kensi Parker it's a shame too look back on how's something so simple can make so much damage to horse and rider, that's not good about your ankles, I too have crappy ankles, one worse than other, which now makes me ride less, I don't want to damage his back ,I never rise to trot any more , but he's such a smooth little guy it's actually a lot more comfortable , would imagine better for him too. Let's hope this becomes a more widely recognised trend .

[@Goorney]

Informative video. I'm so used to driving a vehicle when the ankle is rotated forward rather than backward when riding a horse. It will take sometime to get used to this.

[@carolinehegarty6154]

Lots to think about when connecting with a live animal who has their own balance challenges:) We try to cover these topics on our website through our webinars, blogs, podcasts and courses. If you have not had a chance, check it out at www.equitopiacenter.com (only $7.95/month)

[@warriormaiden9829]

I have found that if you are shoving your heels down as far as you can to brace yourself on the stirrups, you aren't able to properly grip with your knees. The gal that gave me lessons focused more on balance and knee position than "heels down". If you nitpick at the heels, when you lose the stirrup/saddle, you lose the posture you built on that. So yes, keep your heels down to a certain degree, but don't let it be the end all/be all of your riding. :)

[@elisehermann6094]

Warrior Maiden I’ve always been told not to grip or pinch with the knees. I ride English/dressage though, so are you talking about western riding maybe?

[@warriormaiden9829]

@@elisehermann6094 No, I was learning English. I should clarify, it wasn't a 'cling to the horse with a death grip' with your knees, it's a 'use just enough pressure to keep you balanced and not hanging on the stirrup'. My teacher noticed I was wrapping my ankles around the horse (as demonstrated in this video) and my weight was shifting to one side or the other and found that by telling me to use my knees, it made my lower leg loosen and relax into the proper position and returned my weight to the middle.

[@elisehermann6094]

Warrior Maiden ahhh, yes, that makes much more sense!

[@laurenbrunton5566]

Because my horse was so sensitive, and I was fortunate to have developed a very well balanced seat (for dressage), I never developed a habit for bracing my heels down. I never really consciously realized that, but it makes a lot of sense. I also always struggled to keep my feet in western stirrups, and that makes sense too (the angled stirrup).

[@nancyhenker7144]

The frame at 5:55 is worth a thousand words. I wish I could show this to all my former instructors. They would have to eat all of their "heels down!" commands!

[@RoanAndRoaming]

That western lady doesnt have a very good seat if shes stabbing the horse with every post. You can tell she cant control her legs and tries to grip. 😞

[@feefee6889]

Roan N' Roaming right

[@tilly_horses]

My instructor is an EDL licensed instructor and she told me all these things! She says that if the horse was to disappear the rider would land on their feet completely balanced and that wouldn’t work if the heels were down:) and that helps me all the time! I am finally getting rid of my heels down habit and becoming in balance with my horse!!

[@pariahmouse7794]

I have seen this video in my feed forever, and had some extra data so I finally watched it- WOW. I wish I had done so sooner, this addressed one of my biggest issues, the leg creeping forward. This is a very simple way to go about correcting that- heels BACK, not DOWN. I never even thought about my deep heels being the culprit, I know I was aiming for that look before, so... Although I do try to just keep the weight of my leg in the stirrup, with no extra bracing, I need to pay attention to this when I ride next Wednesday!

[@zacmiller]

This is such a well-illustrated concept, thank you for sharing!

[@ruthcadwallader4537]

I’ll keep this in mind for next lesson on Monday! My lower leg is always coming forward (not ridden for a while either) but seeing this makes more sense!

[@freyahiddleston6338]

Heels down is fine it’s just the way it’s executed. To me this implies that you shouldn’t put your heels down. Heels down is crucial for balance with the combination of a secure lower leg.

[@kasapbandy1776]

I don’t think you should so consciously force your heels down. Sinking weight into the heels is perfect. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve lost a stirrup from wasting frontal leg muscle shoving my heel down. At a certain point when your heel is down enough, it’s begging to slide down and out of the stirrup just based on distributing your weight on the back of the stirrup

[@freyahiddleston6338]

Yeah I agree, it’s the way you distribute your weight in you ankle not forcefully pushing down that I meant

[@pariahmouse7794]

Has anyone here tried riding with heels in the stirrups? Like you put your heels where you normally put the toe? I have not tried it but I have seen videos, I wonder if that helps with any of this? It would make it much harder to brace against the stirrup...

[@TaiMizuki]

@@pariahmouse7794 with how they are designed I wouldn't think that would work well nor be comfortable. It's a shame that no one has come up with a stirrup that cradles the foot and supports the entire soul. To me that would make more sense.

[@briannamercedes4016]

If someone actually watches the video, they wouldn't leave with that impression...

[@charlene274]

Wow this is amazing! She is very smart! A whole new look

[@tobealostwanderer]

My teacher was literally like "Heels down" "now go to canter" (me, urges the horse but has to do it awkwardly because of my heel being down) "hEELS DOWN"

[@brookeglover4568]

yup and my friend rode with her heels down like every thinks is correct and she sprained her ankle

[@kasapbandy1776]

It never made sense to me. If you’re wasting frontal leg muscle shoving your heels down you’re throwing all your weight to the back of the stirrup and just begging for your foot to slide out

[@brookeglover4568]

Kiersten Gantz Yep exactly then you put way too much pressure on the stirrup to keep it in and that puts too much pressure on the horses back

[@samstewart7988]

For the love of God you still need to ride with your heels down I'm a BHS accredited coach and heels down is not just a myth you really need to do it. This is clickbait. It creates a secure seat in the saddle making you less likely to fall off. It also makes you look more professional and also helps you keep you balance. Your friend might have sprained her heel by overdoing it and putting her heel too far down you have to slowly train the muscles to stretch and strengthen in the correct way. Hope this helps x

[@brookeglover4568]

Sam Stewart putting your heels down is wrong. putting your toes up and keeping your heel in place will have the same good effects and not the bad ones

[@laurencarpenter3154]

OH okay. I was confused; I thought this video was saying that heels down is just generally bad. Yes, totally agree that too much pressure is absolutely terrible and messes up everything. If you don’t have weight in your heels you can’t possibly ask your horse for a decent transition, or too carry themself. You got me with that title!

[@equitopiacenter8650]

Yes, the series examines some of the MYTHS:) 4 More in our members area of website - www.equitopiacenter.com

[@maryahern1618]

Wonderful! Thank you for sharing your knowledge!

[@merrimusso674]

Wonderful demonstration for a good foundation to a useful position for horse and rider connections

[@briannamercedes4016]

Lightbulb moment. For years I've had coaches telling me to push my heels down, which would often drive my stirrups and feet forward and my feet would slide out of the stirrups easily. I also had severe ankle pain after each ride, I was never looking forward to getting off because the second my feet hit the ground it hurt a lot. But my coaches always said I had a great if not perfect leg position when I rode without stirrups, hmmm. When I had a coach for a few months that wasn't constantly telling me "Heels down", the pain went away.

[@JustASleepySloth]

this was really interesting and eyeopening, I used to ride very hard, gripping with my knee's all the time and pushing down my body was very tight and after riding I'd be super sore, I was also putting a lot more pressure on my horse because of that, thankfully someone pointed out I was working too hard and told me just to relax on top, so I've done that but I will absolutely try this out next time I'm in my western saddle.

[@thecrankyangel]

How did I get here? Don't know why this was in my suggestions but this was a fascinating video, thanks KZbin!

[@eviemarie4187]

You learn something new every day

[@karenmcgady8148]

This trainer is right about letting weight into the heel. This is helpful and proper. Forcing heels down is not a good thing to do, since then the entire leg gets locked and thrust forwards, defeating the initial proposition.

[@monstam8439]

5:00 Oh my god. That looks awful! The poor horse

[@juliadaniec3201]

what? hes not in pain lmao

[@monstam8439]

Jumping Julia Are you blind? Don’t you see how she stabbed the horse with the spurs EVERY FREAKING STEP? And don’t you know that horse skin is even thinner than human skin? Just try to imagine to be stabbed in the ribs with thin metal spurs. And you can even see how she used so much power with them that the horses skin just got wrinkled... And another point: The horse is getting his mouth yanked out, such unsettled hand movements. You can clearly see how the horses ears and body posture are uneasy...Don’t be allergic to facts and don’t be blinded by some things you learned from your riding lessons or got to be told

[@freyaequestrian1796]

Monsta M the riders hands look very gentle, i use spurs and don’t see a problem but omay

[@jencaisse7392]

@@freyaequestrian1796 i agree monsta may be exaggerating a little, but continuously making direct contact with the horse and spur can cause more harm then good. Doing this continuous motion can annoy the horse, and if not, the horse will ignore it. Sometimes it can even cause physical (not always visible) harm to the horse. Not doing this will also make the picture look nicer if thats what you want. Also their hands aren't the most steady but theres enough slack in the reins that it doesnt have much of an affect on the horse.

[@softgoblin8958]

Monsta M chill jumping Julia mightve not seen the spurs

[@pqu3477]

Excellent video

[@madelinegolding4969]

I think the best tips I ever heard for leg position I'd ever heard was knees out, big toe takes the weight (break your ankles), make your legs long. My old trainer said heels down but my new one says break your ankle and make your legs long.

[@d.montana6454]

I ride Western with Ox Bows, love them, you ride with a proper cowboy Boot with the steel shank in the sole, there is no problems. You ride on that steel shank on the Ox Bow and no problems. Never lose a stirrup, already comfortable, and the horse is comfortable. Important to always have the proper length of stirrup so you can sit proper in the saddle, I see alot of riders with too short of a stirrup which disrupts thier balance.

[@Bellbeesevenacresfarm]

I didn’t know heels down was a myth I HAVE to tell my trainer

[@ruth9396]

It's not a myth. You need to put your weight in your heels for a good seat.

[@puffinbase]

You still have to rest your heels down. Not push as some people teach to do.

[@Bellbeesevenacresfarm]

Mina ok I won’t tell my teacher I will tell her the way we’re supposed to do it

[@brendalg4]

This video is clickbait. It's just that some people misinterpret heels down.

[@geraldinegregory.1803]

Heels down, but without forced pressure, automatically pulls the correct, and necessary muscles into the right alignment for a secure grip and position in the saddle. I have successfully used this teaching for myself and my pupils for 50 years +.

[@rayshahmajik]

Yes...I tell my students I want their weight down through their heel. Homework is to stand on a low step...shoulders back, weight through your heel. You shouldn’t lean forward or back.

[@wolfbrother4395]

I have problems with the leaning forwards and backwards. When I started riding (nearly 10 years ago now) my 'trainer' always told me to sit back. Then I changed to another place to ride and they told me the same. I rode there for a couple years because I didn't know better until I wemt somewhere else. I still have trouble to this day, it isn't near to how bad it was, but it's still not how it should be. They also told me to yank on the horses face and use the whip to hit the horse (pretty hard as well). I don’t use whips anymore and I have learned to not yank anymore a few years ago. I still dislike those 'trainers' and they should not be teaching kids to do those things. So I agree with you XD Sorry to say this long thing. (I'm not English so there might be a few mistakes.)

[@pariahmouse7794]

@@wolfbrother4395 I wouldn't worry about your English! It is very good! Your English AND your grammar are much better than a vast majority of native speakers!

[@luv2rackon]

Excellent video! So nice to see valid science applied to riding. Horses appreciate it. :-)

[@badkitty1889]

How interesting. I started riding in the 70's as well, and, heels down was it. I was always in pain. I loved riding bare back though 😊

[@glory5918]

you might appreciate this documentary entitled: "The Path of The Horse" ~ kzbin.info/www/bejne/ioK4fnSAeM1knKM&feature=emb_logo ~ found the documentary here: www.hopefulhooves.org/History.php

[@yourbarista4154]

I ride western and I’ve never had a problem with my feet being angled in the stirrups.

[@safi_spirit5402]

Your Barista maybe you have different stirrups. if not, then just play close attention because you might not feel it.

[@yourbarista4154]

1D & Larry if I don’t feel it then it’s not an issue.

[@safi_spirit5402]

Your Barista that’s not the point. you might not be able to feel it, but your horse will - you will probably automatically push your feet outwards to try and level up, which will pull on the saddle and cause your horse to arch their back. forgive me if i’m wrong, you might just have more level stirrups, but i personally think it would just be a good idea to double check your position or get someone experienced to also check.

[@yourbarista4154]

1D & Larry in the video they said the negative was discomfort for the rider.

[@safi_spirit5402]

Your Barista where abouts in the video does she say that exactly?

[@equine2020]

I diagree about heels down. If the rider is riding correctly, theres no problem with heel down. These people must not be riding correctly. 1st the expert rider isn't forcing their heel down. Nothing is forced in correct riding. It just naturally goes down. Proper leg position is important. Yes, Ive been trained by professionals on the forward seat, jumping. I jump, foxhunt, & the experienced riders have no trouble with heels down. My circle is professional horse riders. Only the ball of your foot is on the iron. Ive been around horses since 5yrs old years, for over 45yrs. My life is horses 24/7.

[@equitopiacenter8650]

Yes, this is the point of the video. Heels down without context. Many people FORCE their heels down as a result of trainer instruction, but without having it come from a whole rider perspective. This will result in tension.

[@jordanprince5862]

I haven’t seen the video yet but I’m about to watch it but I see everyone’s opinions so I’m gonna state mine... I believe it’s a good idea to keep your heels down 1) it looks more professional and like you know what your doing 2) safety reasons, if your horse was to rear up or buck you have an easier way of sliding your foot out so it doesn’t get caught or so you don’t get dragged. As I said I haven’t seen the video but these are things to back up my opinion!

[@cubnation]

I was never told just heels down by my trainer. I was told heels down and lower leg _back!_ My trainer made it clear that just heels down was wrong. Anyone can keep their heels down, but can you keep your lower leg in the right place at the same time? I felt like a pretzel when I first started.

[@pariahmouse7794]

YES! Exactly... That is the difficult thing! I started out pushing my heels down like mad, going for that look, and it was probably just throwing my seat off... I did a lesson with a different instructor one day, and she physically put my lower leg where it should have been, and man was that hard to hold! It felt impossible, honestly, like ballet turnout. So I started doing hip stretches and all sorts of exercises- I like to pull my foot up to my butt (like a hamstring stretch) right after I mount, this gets my knees pointing down and my legs back, and I adjust while riding by lifting my leg at the hip and pulling the lower leg back, it seems to have helped... Now I need to add this bit of advice, I can't wait until Wednesday!

[@cubnation]

My trainer also physically put my lower leg in the correct position. I wanted to say "ow," but I remained silent. I practiced stretching my leg by putting my toes on the edge of a stair facing going up, and pushed weight down in my heels. I felt like a pretzel for a long time. I wondered if this was leading to anything. I still remember when it all came together and I realized I was riding and not just sitting on my horse. A few years later my mare did a 180°, and because my entire lower body was trained to stay in the correct place; I automatically went with the horse and did not fall off. I was a rider and it felt great.

[@mayah16]

And I just ordered a shirt that says "heels down eyes up!" What a waste of $20 :'(

[@pariahmouse7794]

It is still technically correct, haha- it is just HOW you put them down! 😀 But "heels down AND back" wouldn't look nearly as catchy on a t-shirt...😝

[@mayah16]

@@pariahmouse7794 truuuuuuuuuuuuuuue lol

[@kellietaylor9540]

This woman just made my mind explode.

[@pariahmouse7794]

Wendy Murdoch is awesome, she has some really good theories on biomechanics!

[@cupcake5309]

Always learnt shoulders over knees over feet a nice straight line

[@jwinters8154]

You stumbled on it from the top - since moving to Kentucky I have found a shocking number of clients that were taught “heels down toes up” or just “toes up”. It has often taken stripping back to fundamentals so that they can understand balance and alignment.

[@kasapbandy1776]

I was always suspicious of the over stressing of heels down. I think what feels balanced/ NATURAL to you (as a seasoned rider) is generally the best

[@lastchances8785]

I love that my new coach only wants weight in my heels. My old one would just focus on my heels and lower leg when my upper body was crap. My foot and ankles would be so sore from pushing and holding I could hardly walk. My new coach is my saving grace lol

[@me_the_equestrian]

wow this was soo helpful, I have never heard of this before so I can't wait for my riding lesson to try it out and see the difference! I find my feet tend to move a lot when I trot, could this be part of the reason? Or if not, does anyone know how I can keep them still?

[@LSusin]

Minutes I say this I was reminded of a book my neighbour gave me that she had - " Heads Up, Heels Down: A handbook of horsemanship and riding "

[@susanflowers6282]

That poor horse looked so uncomfortable! Not a happy horse.

[@s.wernerdudesdivast-shirts9007]

Which one?

[@ER-oj1pp]

S. Werner Dudes & Divas T-shirts the one with the western saddle

[@7oney]

He's not a happy boy. But he should thank himself lucky at least he has a home. He's probably a lesson horse. Hope they don't sell him to auction when he gets old and not useful to them..

[@TheTeapotte]

I think heels down is true for showjumping but not for dressage or flatwork in general. Heels down on the approach to a fence helps prevent the leg from swinging back and kicking the horse's sides while airborne and keeps the rider more secure, however it doesn't favour rider biomechanics in dressage because it stops the weight going into the correct part of the saddle and causes an armchair seat which puts the weight of the rider further back than the centre of gravity of the horse causing them to hollow their back and be unbalanced

[@Trouble9154]

Yeah that heels to the back feet feeling isnt great over an oxer. Been there. Hahahaha

[@TheTeapotte]

@@Trouble9154 neither is getting dumped on the other side of the fence! Been there too 😂

[@RaychelD2400]

Now I get why...I feel so much pressure in my foot when I should be more relaxed...to this day I focus on my heels and overthink them...thinking they aren’t down when they are down...I’ve changed my riding position over the years and not for the food, it is supposed to keep heels down but not all the way....has to be slightly slightly angled down...

[@jackiebraun5479]

Very good!!

[@CrunchyJesusmom]

YESSSS 👏👏👏 when I finally learned this (after over a decade of riding!) it changed my whole experience. I really wish more trainers/instructors understood this! This is why I think having a foundation in dressage before starting hunters, jumpers, etc is so important. My first show jumping trainer used to always say "a course is 90% flatwork!"

[@bhagmeister]

Love the biomechanics

[@chelsealord4237]

My training yelled at me saying heel down even when I was in the correct positioning over time I got use to doing it , I went to my doctor one day to get a check up because I had pain in my lower cafe by my ankle, turns out that because I was told to push my heel down so far so much I sprained my ligament" a bone on the cafe going down to the ankle " I could not ride for 3 months. After this I was so mad 😡 but the point of me telling this story is to listen to your body when it hurt this all could have been it avoided if I listen sooner

[@mcdart2606]

Another problem with western saddles is the fenders (the piece that hold the stirrups) are placed too far forward on the saddle to truly get you alignment.

[@chelsealord4237]

Omg I needed this video

[@gaylehuntmaxfield9500]

Clearly explained and demonstrated! Also loved the shims for western stirrups. Thanks! Gayle Hunt Maxfield CEFRC

[@equitopiacenter8650]

Thanks Gayle. Glad you enjoyed it.

[@jencaisse7392]

Did you see the spurs every other stride? (5:00) Im honestly just curious of others opinions who dont notice it or dont take the time to comment

[@abdelrahmankhalil8878]

Hi i have a question why for the western saddle when the heels came forward the body came bavkward but in the engkish saddle when the heels came forward the shouldars moved forward?why are they the opposite.?

[@kenai7646]

Wow she's great!

[@karaamundson3964]

This was great and I hardly ever even ride any more!

[@gerardosalas9477]

5:57 the weigh should actually be carried by the front quarters. You’re actually proving heels down is ok, thank you.

[@JaniceVampire]

This was actually really useful for me! All muscles in my calves and feet are too short, which makes it very difficult or even painful when I need to keep "pushing those heels down". I will definitely keep this in mind!

[@jaybirdeclipse3971]

Same! Ive always struggled with keeping my heels down. This us such a great. Video!

[@daniel_moretti]

If you have your heels pointing towards the back of the horse and truly in the alignment she shows, how is that not putting them in the "number 2" position which is used to cue a side pass or the "number 3"position which controls their hind end? I get not putting a lot of weight into the stirrups. But moving your foot that far back looks it's going to be misaligned with where most horses expect their foot cues to be. Am I wrong about this?

[@red_dead_dream6179]

Is no one going to talk about how uncomfortable the horse is at 5:34?

[@TheHamadanners]

Its probly cause the saddle doesnt fit. It also maybe cause the rider maybe slightly to heavy for that horse

[@blueprint_3240]

My instructor always tells me to put my heels down

[@thewhitemare]

Really great video!! Thanks for sharing :)

[@morgandickeson]

I think it’s a myth because what they really mean is feet parallel to the ground rather than what new riders tend to do (clench their feet upwards)

[@AmyLouiseYT]

The palomino at the beginning was NOT a happy horse. Those pinned ears were screaming “not happy”!

[@carolcoates3750]

If you raise your heel, it's very easy for the foot to slide forward and end up on the wrong side of the stirrup and that would end in disaster if the horse plays up. In English riding we take both feet out of the stirrups before dismounting, unlike in the US. If you have one foot in the stirrup and the horse is spooked or moves forward, your foot could twist and get stuck possibly breaking your ankle or worse.

[@embr4065]

English riders in the US take both feet out of the stirrups before dismounting also. I think it is Western riding that doesn't.

[@leeneufeld4140]

Not to mention that inexperienced riders dismounting one footed can toe their horse in the side - with predictable results ;)

[@carolcoates3750]

@@leeneufeld4140 It's common sense really, Lee. Another thing I disagree with is the use of rowled spurs. In the UK they are limited to a one centimetre stub.

[@mollysummerrock3916]

I ride English, and it’s really hard when I pushed my heels down, now when I have my lesson later I’m gonna try and visualize it and see if it helps me

[@samstewart7988]

For the love of God you still need to ride with your heels down I'm a BHS accredited coach and heels down is not just a myth you really need to do it. This is clickbait. It creates a secure seat in the saddle making you less likely to fall off. It also makes you look more professional and also helps you keep you balance. Your friend might have sprained her heel by overdoing it and putting her heel too far down you have to slowly train the muscles to stretch and strengthen in the correct way. Hope this helps x

[@cubnation]

@@samstewart7988 I agree 100%!

[@morefaiththanever]

Is a posture brace any good? Pulls your shoulders back

[@pariahmouse7794]

I have wondered that! I want to buy one, but I don't know if that counts when you are riding... It couldn't hurt to wear when just sitting around, though! My riding instructor's number one instruction and correction of me is "shoulders back"- I am probably doing THAT wrong, too!

[@daliahelmy410]

I have been having a concern regarding the point of keeping my heels down in the stirrups and at the same time to push my self upwards on my foot balls to raise my body up . May be i am not fit enough. This video made me think there is a 1% (besides fitness) that the matter relates to something else. Any advice about what does it mean by & how to put weight in my heels and at the same time i should be pushing my body up? Thanks

[@lisalbbh]

i think this might just fix one of the major problems im currently facing!! thank you

[@sousalarson6858]

Wow this...this was amazing.

[@silverkitty2503]

If you only walk around an arena fine ...do what you want with your heels. If you do cross country put your heels down. There is no ONE right way to ride its different according to what you do ...your horses your own anatomy etc.

[@pamelacoulston5604]

With respect, the advice the coach needs to give the rider is to take off the spurs. That horse was jabbed at every stride. When the rider said "Yah, he wants to go forward now." it certainly didn't look like he 'wanted to' but was 'spurred to' go forward.

[@bambilegacy1221]

In western when you out your heels down is it puts your butt into your seat so you are more likely to ride one that is bucking, and I normally don't ride with my heels literally pointing down until they are bucking

[@k.s4612]

If I put my heel really far down, my stirrup comes forward and then my horse thinks it’s a cue to stop because he’s a reining horse

[@katwolf897]

With your feet in the stirrups, pull your feet out (away from horse) then back (towards the rear legs like the lady was saying). Especially in western saddles the stirrups can be hard to adjust in positioning, but pulling them out (before moving back) makes it easier.

[@pariahmouse7794]

I like to do this to properly position my legs; they tend to creep forward, and I am hoping it because I am trying too hard to keep my heels SUPER deep... I bought into that whole aesthetic myself, and it was really bad when I first started, I was tipping forward all over the place...

[@nadiabishop5650]

This is an excellent video

[@ValiantWriter]

This helped me so much❤️❤️

[@jennaprice5563]

First of all. Crappy Western saddles don’t have turned stirrups. I don’t just mean a broom stick, I mean correctly from the manufacturer where the inside of the leather from fender is turned counter to the fender. Check out a McCalls saddle. Secondly if you ride stirrup less, a longer leg with a naturally longer heel than toe, you will stay on better and have a better seat. I agree jammed down is not correct but also that the calf may need to stretch a little. Lastly I agree that driving your heel down in a way that pushes you foot forward, is not productive. I like to tell people to keep their heel down but keep a bend in the knee.

[@diaryofagoat-lass1023]

And this is why I skip all this and just ride bareback with a simple girth and thick blanket. My horse would get TERRIBLE saddle sores so I learned how to ride bareback for his comfort. He’s a much happier horse for it.

[@katwolf897]

Just out of curiosity, what kind of saddle was it, how used was it, and did you actually fit it to the horse first or just get a random saddle? I'm not judging, just curious. I think it's great that you ride bareback for the benefit of your horse. Honestly saddles aren't for horses, they are for people lol, the horse is perfectly fine without one. I do admire you for riding your horse bareback.

[@diaryofagoat-lass1023]

Kat Wolf Rocky is a big FAT Percheron Arab cross horse. We use western saddles and it’s the metal rings in the girth that would pinch him just behind his front legs, like our arm pits. The sores would just about rip his skin off. 😢 The saddles themselves fit him, he’s just an inherently fat boy. At least with just a blanket and girth, it’s nowhere near as tight on him, especially since I found a leather with holes in it so it can be done up like a buckle. I live in Saskatchewan where “a horse is a horse” and “a saddle is a saddle” mentality reign. I at least could see his discomfort and made appropriate adjustments for him. Besides, I find saddles very uncomfortable and love being able to feel my horse move and what he’s thinking. He and his brother came with saddles. The biggest reason i switched to bareback was to save his life when he got colic once. Our vet told us “ride him to work his guts” I walked him on our country trails for 2 hours until his guts were empty and he was exhausted (as we were coming home, he nearly fell down under me) and I couldn’t walk the next day my knee was so sore but he lived! Next day he was with his brother like “any breakfast?” He and his half brother are 25 years old now and still in good shape.

[@donnapalmeri9573]

GENIUS!!!!

[@beverlypiryns1653]

can you maybe tell what i need to do ? my feet are paralyzed and so I often press my heel down to find balance, but if you say that this is not good for me or the horse than what can i do?

[@zoedoer]

i think you just need to put your weight on it instead of forcing it down.

[@madelinegolding4969]

This is amazing