Sitting canter cross country? Who does and why?

Elsbells

Elsbells

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We ride out on a hack my mare and I across the fields almost every day, mostly on out own but sometimes we're with a friend. One friend is into dressage and insists we should be sitting to the canter, which goes against all my instincts as I rise for the comfort of my mare and the uneven ground. my other friend says I'm right and should not sit to a cross country canter:rolleyes:.

I try to ride light and do not have a problem sitting to a trot or a canter, but across a stubble field????

When and why do you?
 
I do both...depending on the speed I'm going at.

I try not to always go very fast-sometimes I am strict and start off at a steady collected canter and sit to it.....then I give them their head a bit and rise out of the saddle and let them open up their backs. If theres pratting and pulling I stay steady and sit - don't like horses thinking they can go at whichever speed they like:rolleyes:

So...crap answer really- I do both:)
 
poppymoo said:
I do both...depending on the speed I'm going at.

I try not to always go very fast-sometimes I am strict and start off at a steady collected canter and sit to it.....then I give them their head a bit and rise out of the saddle and let them open up their backs. If theres pratting and pulling I stay steady and sit - don't like horses thinking they can go at whichever speed they like:rolleyes:

So...crap answer really- I do both:)
Click to expand...

I do this too
 
poppymoo said:
I do both...depending on the speed I'm going at.

I try not to always go very fast-sometimes I am strict and start off at a steady collected canter and sit to it.....then I give them their head a bit and rise out of the saddle and let them open up their backs. If theres pratting and pulling I stay steady and sit - don't like horses thinking they can go at whichever speed they like:rolleyes:
Click to expand...

Me too :D :D
 
Same as above, or I sit if I think the horse might buck, or is very small! Even at 15.2hh I feel perculiar taking a very forward seat on Dan as he doesn't tend to extend or stretch well, so I end up with nowhere to go! Awkward horse....
 
I like to come off the horses back. The only time I will sit to the canter is when I'm schooling. Or if I'm doing a very collected canter I will sit, as I will alter my speed in the fields so they don't get use to " one speed"
I even made my horses do a collected canter up the gallop the other day which I sat to so they don't get use to galloping off at full speed
 
Sol said:
Same as above, or I sit if I think the horse might buck, or is very small! Even at 15.2hh I feel perculiar taking a very forward seat on Dan as he doesn't tend to extend or stretch well, so I end up with nowhere to go! Awkward horse....
Click to expand...

If one I'm riding goes to buck I stand up and let them crack on. Buck for England that way and they won't get me
 
I'd do either or both as appropriate.

So if I'm having a short sedate canter along a field edge or track I'd sit, especially if there is a chance of meeting walkers/cyclists. If we've got room to open up I'd get out of the saddle. I'd also get out of the saddle on a xc course. I would sit down and upright when I wanted to steady up at the end of the canter or before a fence xc.

This strategy was confirmed when I had a xc lesson with Caroline Moore, she said to stay in a light forward seat until 3-5 strides before the fence and then sit up and down and half halt before tackling the fence.
 
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