The thigh’s the limit! The Dressage Rider's Thigh Position

The thigh’s the limit

The dressage rider’s thigh position is one of the first things we notice, when observing them ride; long, loose and relaxed, in a very good rider - or tense, forward and tight, in someone who is still learning their craft. A relaxed, long thigh, starting at the hip flexor, pulls the horse rider’s seat bones down into the saddle, creating a deep seat, and adding security in the saddle - it helps create an independent seat, which is imperative for influencing the horse. A good flatwork position sees the thigh lying flat against the saddle, with a slight inward rotation at the femur joint, e.g. at the top of the thigh-bone. The horse rider’s knees and toes can then point comfortably forward.

Conversely, in a less confident or experienced dressage rider, the thigh may be ‘gripping’, the upper leg may be positioned too far forward, and the rider may also have tight adductor muscles (situated at the inner thigh). This is actually extremely common in many riders, which is why many elite riders undertake activities like Pilates, Yoga and stretching, to improve flexibility, and combat tight muscles. This ‘gripping’ can push the rider off the saddle, rather than allowing the ideal, deep seat.

A relaxed thigh

Dressage rider and Derriere Equestrian ambassador, Avril Clinton-Forde, says that once you have achieved a long, relaxed thigh, there’s little that this area of the upper leg has to actually ‘do’. “Maybe it’s just my horse, but my thighs would rarely be consciously used,” she explains. “They need to stay relaxed, so that other aids can be effectively used. For my mare Duchess, my seat is really important, as she is so sensitive. 

In order to use my seat correctly, my thighs need to be relaxed, so my bum is deeper in the saddle... one reason why Derriere Equestrian underwear is as important to me as my hat, when I’m riding!”

So, what does Avril feel is the cause of a ‘grippy’ thigh when doing flatwork? “Gripping usually happens out of fear, and also being told to ‘sit still’. To do sitting trot for example, you need to move your pelvis with the horse, and flex your lower leg; you can’t do this unless your thighs are loose. If you grip, you prevent the pelvis from ‘rolling’, and you take away the power in your core; this ‘power’ helps the pelvis move. If you grip, your sitting becomes bouncier, you then grip more to stay on, and you make it worse! Also, by gripping, your lower leg will start to rise, the horse will go faster, and voila, you have a less than elegant dismount at speed!” she adds.

“Contact with the horse’s back is so important...”

Avril maintains that a relaxed thigh matters increasingly to us as horse riders as we move up the dressage ranks, in terms of allowing our lower back and pelvis to mobilise. “Contact with the horse’s back is so important, as naturally they respond to the pressures and weight changes from our seat. These tiny seat adjustments will help the horse move sideways, bend, speed up and slow down. For example, drawing yourself upwards from your pubic area (yes ladies, your ‘foofoo’!), and up into your core, to make yourself lift upwards, allows room for the rider’s back to mobilise. This will give freedom in the horse’s collected work,” she explains.

Finally, Avril adds that the rider’s hip flexors need to be free to use the leg aids. “Your legs guide the horse sideways, and if your thighs are tight, you affect the use of your hip flexors; these keep your pelvis loose while you put your leg aids in place,” she concludes.

If you want the perfect training breeches to compliment your dressage position, look no further than Derriere Equestrian’s streamlined Treviso Training Breeches. 

And don’t forget your padded riding underwear! “The Derriere Equestrian Performance Padded Panty has padding that cushions your bum and ‘lady garden’, making riding with your seat feel like silk knickers and summer breezes,” Avril says.

Avril Clinton-Forde contests dressage with her Irish Sport Horse mare, Grand Duchess - see her blog at http://duchessdiaries.ie/

www.derriereequestrian.com