Canter

[lubeam]

Hi all,

I'm new to riding and started riding 6 months ago, I can get my riding school horse into canter in the arena and on a hack but I feel very much like I'm just flopping round on his back ! I don't feel like I'm going to fall off and I can kick him on but I still just don't feel right.

My instructor is very patient and has tried to help but I think he gives me more credit than he should ( I'm 31 I think he doesn't want to patronise me )

Has anyone got any tips on how I could feel more secure ?

Any help greatly appreciated 👍🏻

 

[Cortez]

See if you can get some private lunge lessons where you can concentrate on just you and your position without having to control the horse. You could probably do with some work without reins, sitting up and deep into the saddle until you can follow the movement with your lower back. Speak to your instructor and see what he thinks. Unfortunately lunging riders apears to have become a lost art in the UK (and here...), but there is really no better way to work on position and feel. Good luck!

 

[cootuk]

I'm just getting to grips with canter after a year and one lesson a week.
Do you think you have any bad tendencies like doing the funky chicken with hands or legs?
what is your sort of floppy?
Do you use a neck strap or any other aid to keep your hands low ?

It is all about the seat.
I've started to be lunged, no reins or no stirrups (or both) to develop my seat.

 

[Pearlsasinger]

Lunge lessons or a few sessions on a mechanical horse, will allow you to get the feel for this movement.

 

[lubeam]

Thanks for the help everyone ,
Cootuk I have used the neck strap in the past but I managed to get my hands right , I feel like my legs are letting me down , plus my seat . I feel like I'm too bouncy in the saddle if that makes sense ?
I'll have to mention lunge lessons ! I don't think the school has a mechanical horse . thanks everyone.

 

[cootuk]

Is it a horse or pony, and is it the same feeling on different horses?
I've cantered several now, and prefer a bigger horse.
Maxicobs are much harder for me to ride.

 

[lubeam]

It's a shire cross cob , that I ride . I did start on a different horse but only got her to canter a couple of times, I was even worse on her lol
I was just hoping that I'd feel more secure by now , I don't feel like I'm going to fall off but when I watch videos of other riders in canter I no I'm no where near as secure in my seat , I've done research on you tube too and got a few tips from on there
Just got to put it in practice Friday morning now lol

 

[etherobbe]

Hi lubeam
I've found plenty of regular work without stirrups has been the most benefit to improving my seat.

 

[Hoof_Prints]

Hi, I recently taught a young girl to canter who was struggling, we ended up teaching to stand up for a few strides in trot to build core strength and balance, which took a while ! then progressed to standing up in canter (2 point seat) slightly hovering above the saddle. She then managed to sit deep and keep the strength in her legs and core to stop flopping around This was all done on the lunge, and involved lots of no stirrup work in trot and also stirrup work without hands to gain balance and prevent learning to balance on the bit. After the initial hard work , she got it very quickly and went out galloping around Exmoor on holiday a few weeks later ! You will get there , also what helped her was to find a tree to look at, as she kept looking down then falling all over the place !

 

[Tnavas]

You need to get the right feel of how your body needs to move in canter.

As others have said lunge lessons are ideal.

This exercise is one I do with all my students learning to canter.

Without stirrups, in trot, reach behind you with both hands and hold the cantle. Person lunging puts horse into canter. Pull the saddle against your butt. You will now feel how you need to move your body. Once you have this sorted without stirrups, take them back and repeat the exercise.

 

[lubeam]

Hi Everyone,

Thanks for all your help, I've taken up Pilates to try and improve my core, I like the idea with the saddle, thanks Tnavas.

I have my lesson on Friday so i'll talk to my instructor and ask about a few lessons on the lunge.

Thanks again

 

[Sukistokes2]

One bit of advice I can give is to have yourself filmed while riding. When I went back to basics a few years ago , to improve my seat and riding my friend used to film my lessons for me and I used to watch them back. Sometimes you feel like a sack of spuds and when you look back at it your actually fine.

 

[asterope]

One bit of advice I can give is to have yourself filmed while riding. When I went back to basics a few years ago , to improve my seat and riding my friend used to film my lessons for me and I used to watch them back. Sometimes you feel like a sack of spuds and when you look back at it your actually fine.

I second this - when I was a teenager my dad used to film me riding and very often I'd finish the lesson and think "that was awful". He'd insist it wasn't and I wouldn't believe him until I saw the video of myself. It's also really useful to see where you can improve, and hopefully gain a more secure-feeling seat. For example, I found that my lower legs would often swing in canter, which led to me feeling "like a sack of spuds"! My instructors would mention this but it wasn't until I was able to see it for myself that I was really able to improve it.

 

[lubeam]

Thanks for all the tips guys , I had a lesson on lunge and I felt a bit better , whe. We went out on a hack I felt much more secure in my seat my legs however went out of control- small steps thought I suppose
Filming is a good idea , thanks I'll ask my partner to film the next time he's off when I have a lesson