I find the canter bouncier WITH stirrups?

[MB1201]

Hi,

I've recently started getting more of a feel for cantering, with and without stirrups, but I find that I am sitting nicely without stirrups but when stirrups are added I can feel myself bouncing with each stride, how can I prevent this?

 

[s4sugar]

Lengthen your stirrups.

 

[Wishful]

Make sure you are not bracing on the stirrups so nice and soft through knees and ankles.

 

[horseybohemian]

Definitely lengthen your stirrups, it will really help. First of all though you should do some loosening up exercises by trotting without stippus whilst circling your feet in big circles. Breeth deeply, lots of people forget to breathe when they first start cantering and this can result in tensing the legs, gripping, and then bouncing out of the saddle. Relax and let gravity pull you down, sink your weight into the saddle and make the exhale long and slow. Exercising your legs while trotting without stirrups should loosen up the muscles and you will notice a huge difference when you put your lengthened stirrups back. Relax and enjoy

 

[horseybohemian]

Spell check: stirrups not stippups!

 

[nato]

You're probably gripping with your thighs or knees. When you have no stirrups you're more likely to put your weight down into your seatbones which keeps you centered and grounded in the saddle. Push your weight down into your heels, and as you're cantering around, keep telling yourself to let your legs go longer, longer, longer - even if you think they can't go any longer, keep saying it in your head!