Canter

[Princess16]

Who else finds this hard? Only done a couple, the first I thought I was going to come off which has knocked my confidence somewhat! When did you actually find it easy?

 

[Sugar_and_Spice]

It's a question of learning to move in harmony with the horse. Relax the wrong muscles and you'll flop everywhere, tense the wrong muscles and you'll bounce everywhere. When you're walking, put one arm behind your back and into the small of your back. If you're sitting up and not slouching you can feel your back flexing forward and back in time with the horses movement. You should also be able to feel your hips swinging from side to side, swinging up as the horses hind leg steps underneath him.

To do sitting trot, the movement in your lower back and hips is the same, but much faster. When you have the strength throughout your core muscles to maintain this movement you'll look as though you're sitting still in the saddle. You'll be able to keep your limbs still and give the horse precise aids too.

In canter the movement is bigger (so your back will flex more) and slower, with much less side to side movement of your hips. When you can maintain this movement you'll be able to canter with your bum in the saddle instead of it bouncing up on every stride.

As a general rule think of keeping your shoulders back but not fixed, your head on top of your shoulders not sticking forward like a tortoise or looking down, tighten your stomach muscles whilst remaining flexible through your lower back/pelvis, sitting on your seat bones with your bum neither tucked under you so you collapse at the waist nor stuck out behind you like a duck so you hollow your back. If you have very little core strength you'll start the ride feeling like all that is very difficult to do, ending the ride feeling tired and finding it impossible to maintain a good positiin in the saddle. But you'll get stronger and therefore better with practice.

 

[skint1]

I really need to learn this and get back to my lessons, I compensate by taking a kind of hokey light seat in the canter, I think I don't follow the movement with the horse, rigid hips, maybe. Very useful post Sugar and Spice, sorry to interrupt!

 

[Princess16]

It's a question of learning to move in harmony with the horse. Relax the wrong muscles and you'll flop everywhere, tense the wrong muscles and you'll bounce everywhere. When you're walking, put one arm behind your back and into the small of your back. If you're sitting up and not slouching you can feel your back flexing forward and back in time with the horses movement. You should also be able to feel your hips swinging from side to side, swinging up as the horses hind leg steps underneath him.

To do sitting trot, the movement in your lower back and hips is the same, but much faster. When you have the strength throughout your core muscles to maintain this movement you'll look as though you're sitting still in the saddle. You'll be able to keep your limbs still and give the horse precise aids too.

In canter the movement is bigger (so your back will flex more) and slower, with much less side to side movement of your hips. When you can maintain this movement you'll be able to canter with your bum in the saddle instead of it bouncing up on every stride.

As a general rule think of keeping your shoulders back but not fixed, your head on top of your shoulders not sticking forward like a tortoise or looking down, tighten your stomach muscles whilst remaining flexible through your lower back/pelvis, sitting on your seat bones with your bum neither tucked under you so you collapse at the waist nor stuck out behind you like a duck so you hollow your back. If you have very little core strength you'll start the ride feeling like all that is very difficult to do, ending the ride feeling tired and finding it impossible to maintain a good positiin in the saddle. But you'll get stronger and therefore better with practice.

Thank you so much you've been very helpful - will take your comments on board

 

[highlandponygirl]

I found having some lessons on the lunge very helpfull. Do a fair bit of walking and trotting without stirrups really builds up your core strength and balance. Also have a few canters on the lunge (with stirrups) so you don't have to think too much about everything else, you can just focus on developing the balance and rythm of canter without worrying about the horse taking off etc

 

[Dougal9]

Some great advice there - I'm having difficulty with cantering too. New horse and suddenly I've lost all confidence in canter, I was fine'ish before, but I'm terrified of losing control and coming off of him even in the arena. Mind you, I've only had him 10 days so maybe I should be taking it slower and not putting so much pressure on myself to do the perfect canter .... !