Why Your Legs Slide Forward in the Saddle & How to Fix It for a Balanced Seat

Do you constantly feel like your legs slide forward in the saddle, no matter how much you adjust? You pull them back into position, but they keep creeping forward again, making it hard to maintain a strong, balanced seat.

This isn’t just a bad habit—it can be a sign that your hips, core, and leg muscles aren’t working together correctly. Without addressing these underlying imbalances, you’ll always struggle to keep your legs where they belong.

So, why do your legs keep sliding forward in the saddle? More importantly, how can you fix it?

Why Your Saddle Fit Matters

First things first. One often-overlooked reason your legs slide forward in the saddle is poor saddle fit. If your saddle isn’t balanced correctly for your body and your horse, it can tip your pelvis into the wrong position, making it nearly impossible to maintain proper leg alignment.

• If the saddle is too deep or too far back, it can push your pelvis into a chair seat, causing your legs to creep forward.
• If the stirrup bars are placed too far forward, they encourage an unnatural leg position, making it harder to keep your legs underneath you.
• If the seat is too small or too large, it affects how your pelvis and legs align, leading to compensations that cause instability.

A well-fitted saddle supports your natural biomechanics rather than forcing you into a position that requires constant correction. If you’re struggling with leg position despite working on your mobility and strength, it’s worth having your saddle checked by a professional fitter to ensure it’s helping—not hindering—your balance.

If however you have tried getting your saddle fitted and still running into trouble. Read on.

Why Your Legs Keep Sliding Forward in the Saddle

A balanced leg position depends on three key factors:

• Hip Mobility – Your hips need enough range of motion to allow your legs to stay underneath you without gripping or tension.
• Core Stability – A strong core stabilizes your pelvis, preventing you from tipping back and pushing your legs forward.
• Adductor & Hamstring Balance – These muscles help align your legs. If they’re too weak or tight, your legs will struggle to stay in place.

If any of these areas are weak or restricted, your body compensates by shifting your legs forward, tilting your pelvis, or gripping with your thighs.

Common Muscle Imbalances That Cause Your Legs to Slide Forward

Several key muscle imbalances contribute to this issue:

• Tight Hip Flexors – Prolonged sitting (in and out of the saddle) can cause your hip flexors to shorten, pulling your pelvis forward and making your legs drift forward.
• Weak Core Muscles – A weak core makes it harder to maintain a neutral pelvis, causing your seat to collapse and your legs to slide forward.
• Tight Adductors (Inner Thighs) – If your adductors are overly tight, they can force your legs forward instead of allowing them to hang naturally.
• Weak And/Or Tight Hamstrings & Glutes – These muscles help stabilize your legs. If they’re weak and or tight, they adjust the position of your pelvis.

As you can see there are many factors involved and the body works as a system and we are all unique. The key to unlocking your hips and creating more balance and symmetry is by making a start to improve them. And these exercises and stretches here are a perfect place to start.

5 Stretches to Stop Your Legs from Sliding Forward in the Saddle

To correct this, you need a combination of mobility, strength, and activation exercises to retrain your body for better leg positioning.

1. Hip Flexor Stretch (Releases Tight Hips & Pelvis)

Kneel on one knee with the other foot forward in a lunge position.
Tuck your pelvis under slightly and push your hips forward.
Hold for 30 seconds, then switch sides.

This releases tight hip flexors, allowing your legs to stay naturally underneath you.

2. Adductor Rock Backs (Loosens Inner Thigh Tension)

Kneel on all fours and extend one leg straight out to the side.
Slowly push your hips back toward your heels, keeping your back flat.
Return to the start position and repeat 10 times per side.

This improves hip abduction and prevents gripping in the saddle.

3. Seated Wide Hamstring Stretch (Pancake)

Sitting on the ground with your feet wide.
Then sit up to ensure you can feel your seat bones on the ground and aim to tip pelvis forward.
Feel the lengthen happen through hamstrings and adductors (inner thighs)

This improves hip mobility,  helping you maintain a more balanced leg position.

4. Wide Side Split

Stand with your legs as far apart as you can and tip your body forward to support on the ground. Or do this with your torso upright.
Aim to hold for 30 seconds to 1 minute

This improves hip range of motion and strength, helping you maintain a more balanced leg position.

5. Seated Hamstrings

Sitting on the ground with your legs straight out in front of you.
Allow your upper body to tip forward and aim for a stretch through your hamstrings.
Hold for 30 seconds.

This helps improve pelvis position and balance in the saddle.

Strengthening + Activation Exercises to Create More Balance In The Saddle

Use these exercises here to help engage the muscles required to have more control and stability in the saddle.

6. Dead Bug Core Activation (Improves Core Stability)

Lie on your back with knees bent at 90 degrees and arms reaching toward the ceiling.
Slowly extend one leg and the opposite arm toward the floor while keeping your lower back flat.
Return to the start position and switch sides. Perform 10 reps per side.

A strong core keeps your pelvis stable, preventing leg drift.

7. Glute Bridges (Strengthens Hamstrings & Glutes)

Lie on your back with knees bent and feet flat on the ground.
Press through your heels to lift your hips up, squeezing your glutes at the top.
Lower slowly and repeat 12-15 times.

Strong glutes prevent your quadriceps from taking over and pulling your legs forward.

8. Clams

Lie on your side with your legs bent on top of one another.
Then slowly open the top leg using your glutes to squeeze the knee back.
Lower down again and repeat. Perform 10 reps per side.

Strong glutes keeps your pelvis stable, preventing leg drift.

9. Side Plank Clams

Set up into a side plank position with both legs bent and stacked upon one another.
Then lift into a side plank while at the same time opening the top knee up to squeeze your glutes.
Return to the start position and perform 10 reps per side.

Creating stronger glutes for stability in your pelvis, preventing leg drift.

10. Side Leg Lifts

Lie on side with both legs long and stacked upon one another.
Slowly extend one leg up using your glutes to lift your leg.
Return to the start position and perform 10 reps per side.

Strengthening your glutes for more stability and control in the saddle.

Here you will see a video demonstration of each of these exercises to help you through them.  The more often you do these, the easier they will become. If you find there are some you can’t do, just focus on the ones you can and over time as your strength and range of motion improves you will find you can add more into your routine.

Aim to do these 2-3 times per week. Even small, consistent improvements can lead to huge gains long term.

How to Integrate These Fixes Into Your Riding Routine

To see real improvements, consistency is key. Here’s how to integrate these exercises into your routine:

• Before Riding: Perform a few minutes of dynamic mobility work, including leg swings and adductor rock backs.
• After Riding: Stretch more passively and hold stretches for longer to work on improving hip range of motion.
• Off the Horse: Work on your strength. Build better support for your riding position and posture by strengthening the key muscles that help stabilise you in the saddle.

Even small, consistent efforts will help you maintain a more balanced, effective leg position—without constantly feeling like you have to fight to keep your legs back.

Final Thoughts

If your legs keep sliding forward in the saddle, the solution isn’t just pulling them back—it’s about correcting the underlying muscle imbalances that are making it difficult to maintain proper position.

By improving hip mobility, core strength, and leg muscle balance, you’ll develop a more natural, effortless leg position in the saddle. Instead of constantly adjusting and fighting with your body.

When you do this, you’ll be able to focus on your ride and feel more connected and effective with your horse.

Start incorporating these exercises today and notice the difference in your riding!

If you want more help with hip suppleness, we have created a 21-day program for riders.

Here is a snippet from the program. You can find all the information about it here.

Dressage Rider Training System

Dressage is all about you, the rider and the horse. It is a team sport, so we developed a training system for you as a rider.

It is designed to help you work on symmetry, balance, coordination and suppleness while OFF the horse.

The aim is that when you are riding, you can sit in good posture and control and focus on your horse.

To get started on your journey, download our FREE Rider Fitness guide and discover our training system.

Learn the four elements that go into you as a dressage rider and how you can begin to develop them today.

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