Polo Tip #4: Proper Stirrup Length

By Tom Goodspeed

Photo by Ingrid Brady / Ingridbrady.com

The old polo seat had the player sitting deep in the saddle with long stirrup leathers, without any bend to the rider’s leg. This was also the older traditional hunt seat. Now it is a great skill to be able to ride deep in the saddle and develop a naturally balanced seat, but the current style has evolved to shorter stirrups, in the show world as well. This allows the player a little more stability at speed and the ability to raise up into your leg to achieve and maintain the proper hitting position. If you find yourself having some difficulty in finding your stirrups at speed, you may be riding a little too long. What feels right at the walk, trot, canter, is a different world from when you are full out. You want to be better balanced when you are riding full out in the sport of polo. If you are just out for a trail ride or relaxing, the longer stirrups are a little more comfortable.

My suggestion is that when you are standing in your stirrups, you need to let your weight sink as low into your heels as possible. Make certain you are pivoting off your knees and there is good lower angle between your thigh and calves. Do not stand post legged or straight up in your stirrups. When you are up in your stirrups with the proper bend of your leg, your stirrup length should give you an inch or two clearence between you and the pommel (front) of the saddle. If you get too short, the strirrups will actually throw you out of balance.

Remember that the buffalo leathers are very dependable but they stretch a lot, so you may be shortening the stirrups every few weeks if you are getting into your stirrups a lot. Your stirrups should allow you to easily achieve hitting position and help balance you at speed. There are two seats in polo, one is in your leg and the other is your balance in your seat. You need to develop both seats. The proper stirrup length will help you build the strength of your hitting position, in your legs. The only way to develop a strong sitting seat, without stirrups, is a lot of time in the saddle. Happy Polo. And remember, keeping your strirrup leathers in excellent condition at all times is a really good thing!

Tom Goodspeed can be contacted at polotom@usapolo.com