WE'VE all had those days when we skip up to the photography van to find, gasp, our lower leg has swung so far back you can hardly see it. While our ego may take a little knock, does this swinging leg really matter?
Top eventing coach, Caroline Moore, says that "while the ideal is that the stirrup leather stays vertical to the ground, everyone will have a slightly different lower-leg position". And it's true. If you take a look at the top riders, in both showjumping and eventing, they have eclectic styles. Even at the top level, lower legs can move around a fair bit.
So just how important is the lower leg?
Top showjumper Nick Skelton admits "my leg was definitely not the most artistic, perfect leg position - I used to ride where I felt comfortable.
"Growing up I just had a pony and no teachers, but it was about getting the job done, not how you looked," he adds.
With team and individual Olympic gold medals under his belt, his horses don't seem to mind that his lower leg wasn't always faultless over a fence. However, he is keen to emphasise that "the lower leg is so important for keeping the balance for the horse, which is the main thing".
He adds, rather endearingly for someone with his multiple successes, "it would be nice to have the perfect position on a horse".
Caroline Moore highlights the difficulties in keeping the perfect position when jumping around the top tracks.
"At the top level, showjumpers will often stay a lot more forward over a fence and on landing than the cross-country riders do, mainly because they have bigger jumps and shorter distances so there just isn't the time to come right back to the upright position," she explains.
While showjumpers can probably get away with an imperfect lower leg, top event rider Harry Meade signals the importance of defensive riding in crosscountry, when the rider has to be ready for adversity at all times.
Denne historien er fra February 08, 2024-utgaven av Horse & Hound.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent ? Logg på
Denne historien er fra February 08, 2024-utgaven av Horse & Hound.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
'Sorry, but I wasn't feeling it'
Fresh from the opening meet, Tessa Waugh hasn't quite yet been bitten by the hunting bug. Without the crisp autumnal air and cheek-pinching cold she hoped for, it's a sluggish start
New pair pull off a win
A former European Championships pony is on form with his new rider, while elsewhere former showjumpers and eventers take ribbons
Lording it over the rest
Horses who have returned from injury, a second generation homebred and a long format specialist score on the final weekend of the British season
Smith hits flying form
A \"her way or no way\" mare helps Zoe Smith to an impressive ribbon haul and a rider beats his own boss to the top spot
Jankorado hits the jackpot
Paul Sims is triumphant despite his interrupted jump-off preparation and a borrowed horse comes up trumps
Peanut
From \"dangerous, scary\" to hedge-hopping brilliance, hunting has been the making of this unstable but very lovable equine character
She's a corker
Communication, says long-standing and highly respected Belvoir master Lady Sarah McCorquodale, is the key to all, as Catherine Austen discovers
Access all areas Cavalier Centre
The Cavalier Centre is a fully accessible, state-of-the-art equestrian centre designed to improve lives through horse-based activities. Ellie May Forrester pays a visit
'Use it or lose it'
Not everyone wants to reach for the pipe and slippers at a certain age. Becky Murray speaks to some veteran horse-and-rider combos for their secrets of human and equine longevity
A new way forward
Worm control in horses is vital, but established methods will not remain effective for much longer. Tim Mair FRCVS explains why and how we need to change