Sitting a huge canter?

[Allie5]

I rode my friends horse last night. W has been previously trained to AM but has had a few years of just hacking and pootling. His walk and trot are lovely and comfortable, he's very very sensitive and you have to sit very quietly and think constantly about keeping your weight central and still. If you wobble you find yourself going sideways before you know what's happening! Anyway I can cope with that but canter has me stumped! His canter is hugely uphill and powerful. You can really feel his hind end coming right under him and pushing him up and round. I just couldn't sit still enough to maintain the pace! I was obviously wobbling and possibly my hands were not still enough and we ended up skittering across the school before bouncing to a halt!! So, how on earth do I learn to sit still on this amazing power! The 40 seconds or so that I managed to sit felt amazing! He just floats! Have to say the first few transitions it almost felt like he was bucking or leaping as he comes up so high!

 

[lcharles]

My gelding is very much like this! x So powerful! x I found that shoulders back and relaxing into a deep but tall seat worked best x Felt like i wasn't riding him but thats how he goes, you dont have to squeeze him on, he just has a powerful, wonderful canter. If i even slightly moved my shoulder, he'd instantly start turning that way!! x Got used to it now and every other horse seems lazy and flat comparing x Anyone thats rode him has actually said 'wow' when he canters! x

 

[Hedwards]

I had this problem with my old loan horse, although not the sensitivity but a ginormous canter. I started off by getting used to the movement by hovering off his back, and as i got used to it slowly sat down into the saddle with a feeling of being behind the horizontal (in my back), steadily i shortened the amound of time i was off his back until it became 'normal' (I had the added issue of him plunging his head to the floor after his owner had ridden him for 8 months or so with his head held in place by a Market Harborough, so initially staying off his back was to allow him to move, but worked a treat for me too!)

 

[foxy1]

Don't try to sit still, allow him to move your hips and your shoulders to move back like riding a horse down a slope/ hill out hacking.
My trainer says "give your hips to the horse......"

 

[sarah&max]

When I first bought my Welsh Section C Gelding, I bounced to his huge canter ( may only be 13.2hh but rides likes a 16.2 Hanoverian!) like a newbie toddler! I just couldn't sit to it at all, and we didnt't seem as if we were "working together"...

I decided to have a few lessons ( needed some anyway ) to try and help me with this situation. My first lesson was spent riding with no stirrups, in walk and trot only, then riding with jockey style short stirrups. Whilst in jockey style, i had to come out of my saddle slightly, and really push the weight down into my heels to gain a good balance. I did this for a good 20 minutes, up and out of the saddle, walk and trot, and a little canter, ( would only recommend this if your horse isn't too spooky)

After this I was allowed to have my stirrups back, and as soon as i put my feet in, they felt waaaayyy to short, even though they were my normal riding length ( i have short stumpy legs, hence getting away with riding a 13.2 at the age of 25 lol )so my instructor put them down 3 holes!. My position changed instantly, with a nice long secure leg, shoulders back, and sitting nice and deep in the saddle.

After a little walk and trot to get used to this new free flowing comfortable position, we tried a circuit of canter. Much to my surprise i was sitting every stride, working with the horse, and it just felt like we were floating across the arena! The deeper I sat in my seat, the more rounded his canter became, and I could change the length of his stride in a heartbeat!

And so my short stumpy legs become long loose and comfortable, and riding my 13.2 welshie was easy to imagine riding a big strapping dressage horse!

This worked for me, maybe not for everyone, but worth a try maybe?