Fit For The Saddle: No Stirrup November

November is a special month in the equestrian world. A time for focusing on minimalism in our daily rides. A time to reflect on how much we appreciate one special piece of equipment…. our stirrups! Contrary to my husband’s beliefs, NSN does not only stand for “No Shave November”. For us equestrians, NSN means “No Stirrup November”!

For my trainer, every month can be NSN. I’ve been known to ride without stirrups by my own accord, but I decided to embrace it more fully this November and share a few exercises that have helped me become a better rider…all without those glorious little stirrups.

[Disclaimer: If you do not feel comfortable riding your horse without stirrups, please do not attempt these exercises. Your horse must be able to stay consistent at all gaits in order to see the benefits. If you have a spooky horse, please keep your stirrups! Or you could try having your trainer do a longing lesson with you so that you can practice without worrying as much about your horse’s behavior. NSN is not beneficial if you get hurt in the process!]

The first exercise is Cantering Without Stirrups. It can be a little daunting at first, but nothing has helped my position more at the canter than taking up those stirrups and really focusing on my posture and my seat. [Tip: If you’re going to ride with and without stirrups, it’s much more pleasant for your horse if you drape them over his withers instead of letting them hang down and bounce around at his side when not in use.] The next time you try this, start at a walk, then sit the trot and transition into the canter. Really focus on sitting tall and keeping your seat in the saddle. My position at the canter hasn’t been great in the past and I’m still working at it. I’ve found that really focusing on my posture helps keep me from moving around as much. This exercise is also good for teaching riders not to grip with their legs, which I tend to do sometimes at the canter. It’s much easier for me to keep a correct position without stirrups, especially at the canter, so I might be one of those crazy people that actually enjoy riding without stirrups! My trainer always encourages me to pretend that I’m kneeling and keep my thighs further back under me and sit deeper. When I do this, everything else seems to come together and the horses can definitely feel it.

Stay tuned for another NSN exercise next week! And don’t forget to thank your sweet, patient horse for putting up with all the crazy things that happen when you’re in the saddle. I know Dancer is constantly rolling his eyes while I try to figure out how to be a better rider. But I make up for it with plenty of peppermints! 😉

What are some of your favorite NSN exercises?