Jumping Position: Stop Making This Leg Mistake!

"Heels down!" — it's the most common riding instruction you'll ever hear. But forcing your heel down without understanding what your knee and hip are doing might be the very thing throwing your position off. In this video, I break down the biomechanics of a correct lower leg over jumps. With 50 years of teaching experience, I cover the two most common lower leg faults: 🔹 The Pinched Knee — why gripping with your knee swings your lower leg back, lifts your heel, and changes your entire pivot point from your ankle to your thigh 🔹 Lordosis & Pelvic Tilt — how an overly arched lower back shoves your foot forward, locks your ankle, and creates bracing through the heel You'll learn: ✅ How to release your knee by turning your toe out slightly — and why the mechanics won't let you do both at once ✅ Why dropping weight into your heel (not forcing it down) creates a low, shock-absorbing pivot point ✅ How to find a neutral pelvis so your entire leg can hang correctly beneath you ✅ The biomechanics of keeping your hip, knee, and ankle soft and flexible — working together, not locking up Whether you ride English or Western, dressage or jumping, a correct lower leg is the foundation of a secure, effective seat. Your horse will feel the difference immediately. Do your homework, let me know how it goes in the comments, and remember — slow is fast with horses. ————————————————————————— 📌 CHAPTERS 00:00 — Why "Heels Down" Is Misunderstood 02:30 — Fault 1: The Pinched Knee 05:30 — The Fix: Release, Turn Out, Drop the Heel 08:00 — Fault 2: Lordosis and the Lower Back Chain 11:30 — Neutral Pelvis & Vertical Alignment 14:30 — Soft Joints: The Big Picture 16:30 — Recap + Homework ————————————————————————— 🐴 Taurie Banks is a USEA Certified Instructor Level 3 and owner of King's Corner Training Stables with 50 years of experience in English and Western disciplines.