Standing up in stirrups while cantering

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holly011

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Hiya!

First post here.

So I can sit to a canter in the arena fine, but out hacking sitting to a fast canter isn't comfortable for me or the horse.

However, standing up while cantering, I just struggle to stay up.

This is probably a combination of strength and balance as I'm returning to riding, but was just wondering if anyone had any tips?

TIA!
 
holly011 said:
Hiya!

First post here.

So I can sit to a canter in the arena fine, but out hacking sitting to a fast canter isn't comfortable for me or the horse.

However, standing up while cantering, I just struggle to stay up.

This is probably a combination of strength and balance as I'm returning to riding, but was just wondering if anyone had any tips?

TIA!
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Buy a rubber yoga band or resistance band and a few things you can do.

1. Watch a you tube cross country course and simulate the time and turning using the resistance band fixed to something solid as support while squatting against it.

2. If you have poles at your yard or spare fencing stakes attach resistance band to fence or some solid and practice squatting on it and keeping your balance.

3. Start in walk on horse and hold your balance for 10 seconds sit For a minute and go again. Build up time. Then do same in trot. Have a neck stap if need some support.

4. Spend 2 mins in arena/somewhere safe on horse with stirrups up 4-6 holes. Practice balance in walk. Firstly sitting and then out of the saddle. Build this up.

5. Practice strengthening/suppleness exercises for ankles and hip flexors.

6. Practice eyes up the whole time with all your balance stuff.

7. Have a lunge lesson with a trainer.
 
Easy one is to stand with straight back against a wall. Slide down wall until your legs are at a 45 degree angle. Hold. Repeat.
Once easy start raising onto toes and hold.
You also need to work your core. Pilates is great for this especially if you find an equipilates teacher.
Practice in the arena. I canter one long side standing up and sit the short side then do same again.
 
Oh I'm going to try those @LEC.

Don't book a three hour beach ride with a 7km gallop. That is a recipe for a pulled groin, heat stroke and not being able to sit on or get off the toilet for several days.

I do a shallow squat and then gentle bounce until you feel the burn, rest a few seconds then go again... Which you can build up. I tried also doing this on a half balance ball.... I fell ... A lot.
 
LEC said:
3. Start in walk on horse and hold your balance for 10 seconds sit For a minute and go again. Build up time. Then do same in trot. Have a neck stap if need some support.
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It sounds easy but it is very difficult to walk standing in ones stirrups.

And when cantering with a forward seat, one is not really aiming to stand in the stirrups, because you want to have your lower legs still in touch with the horse.
What you are wanting is to put more of the weight on your feet and less on your seat. Sometimes it is enough to put more of your weight on your heels, pressing down on the stirrups which should be under the balls of your feet.
This lifts the weight of your seat from the saddle. I learned to do this out hacking

However, our RI had another way of looking at this which may help you. When you balance in riding you dont only have to be balanced side to side. You need to balance so you dont tip forward.
Ones head is very heavy and when you lean forward with your head forward in canter, the weight of your bottom on the air behind you needs to balance the weight of your head going forward. Our RI told us to picture it like the balance of an old fashioned ironing board.
 
Make sure your stirrups are short ebough.

Practice rising walk and don't thump down in the saddle for the sit part!
Rising trot without stirrups, again in control and no landing like a lump.

Look up a YouTube video on how to bridge your reins and do this while cantering, will give you something to push against.
 
There's a woman who pops up in my FB feed, I think of her as the 'bungy lady', but at the gym I've been doing some of her stuff and it is helping. I haven't got bungys at home. You slip the bungy low over your hips, tie to something secure then do deep squats against the resistance. It really builds balance and stabilty.

Activate your seat. https://www.facebook.com/activateyourseat
 
If you're have lessons, its possible the saddle doesn't fit you very well - position of stirrup bars etc which may make your life harder. If your still struggling after the tips above, and you dont feel its a fitness thing, maybe ask to ride a different horse in a different saddle?
 
teapot said:
sit the short sides, light seat down the long sides and repeat
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You must be joking. I had ridden for years before I managed to canter the whole way round a school and I have still only done it twice - once in a large outdoor arena and once in a small indoor arena. If you look at the simple dressage tests one is asked to do in RSs, you will see that cantering happens mostly in 20 m circles. And never in forward seat. I have never been asked to ride in forward seat in a school.
 
It's highly likely that the saddle.isnt helping you and part of they will be a stirrup bar that is too far in front of you, you can use spacers on a traditional stirrup bar (ie straight with the hinged end bit) but otherwise shorter stirrups will help most people.

Remember the first thing you need to think of is getting your weight forwards over your feet, then you can think about shoulders forwards and bum further back, or use that to help you find the balance point.
 
lynz88 said:
Also...the no reins and no stirrups lesson
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I well remember that. Since I had no control, I left it to the lesson mare. I expected her to go to the school gate. She always needed extra leg to go past the exit gate. But it was a baking hot day and a mid day lesson. So she made for the shade of a large tree which in those days stood at the far corner of the school. I thought how sensible of her.
My worst experience as a learner was when we were just outside the school and heading for the canter track. She decided to go head first into the shade of a tree outside the school, with low branches either side of her so I couldnt turn her to come out. I hadnt yet learned how to back up. I guess the RI was slightly anxious too because she came right up to the tree and told me she was going to teach me how to back the horse out.
 
Skib said:
You must be joking. I had ridden for years before I managed to canter the whole way round a school and I have still only done it twice - once in a large outdoor arena and once in a small indoor arena. If you look at the simple dressage tests one is asked to do in RSs, you will see that cantering happens mostly in 20 m circles. And never in forward seat. I have never been asked to ride in forward seat in a school.
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A straight line in an arena is no different to a straight line out hacking. It’s also a great way of warming a horse up - canter in a light seat is always part of my first 10mins on board.

Does entirely depend on fitness though, but for OP, it is absolutely something that can be worked on :)
 
SibeliusMB said:
Don't tell them about the two-point no stirrups lessons 🤫😂😭
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Oh the pain. I used to do a lot of this when I was in my late teens early 20s and rising trot sans stirrups and I've never had thighs or abs like it since 🤣
I'm glad everyone is enjoying my pain. Needless to say I did not make the full km and relied heavily on the neck strap. Was pleased when I didnt hit the deck when the horse tripped going down hill though ... Might still have it somewhere in there.
 
Don't stand . Squat !
Rather than ' standing up ' think of folding your upper body down and pushing your bum backwards , towards the cantle . Keep your back flat ( look up !) with all your weight evenly distributed in both stirrups and squat/hover over the saddle . You should be balanced enough that your hands are free and you don't need to lean on the horses neck .
A brilliant strengthing and balance exercise is to practice this position in walk - establish a good walk , think about being in the correct ' normal ' riding position ( ie sitting up , looking ahead , vertical line through ear /shoulder/ hip/heel ) , keep looking up and ahead and then smoothly fold your upper body down a little whilst simultaneously letting your seat lift a little and pushing your bum right back toward the cantle , dropping your weight into your feet/heels . Hold the position for a few seconds and then smoothly return to an upright position . So when you ' fold ' , your bum goes BACK , not UP ! You can progress to holding the position for as long as you want/can in walk and then trot and canter , straight lines , circles , changes of direction . If you lose your balance/can't hold the position it's almost certainly because your lower leg is either too far forward , which will cause you to sit down with a bump or , much more common , your lower leg slips too far back which will make you pitch forward, make sure all your weight is in your stirrup irons . Another common mistake is try and balance with weight on your knees which will make your lower leg insecure - put all your weight in your feet !
It's a great exercise for developing an all round safe , strong and secure leg position whatever riding activity you're doing . I used to practice riding an entire dressage test in this position as a leg/body strengthening exercise for myself - it's a killer lol ! The horses seemed to enjoy it though !

Nb - for reference , the position I am trying to describe is pretty much the one I am in in the picture in my avatar , but on the flat I would have my seat lower and further back . My leg would be in the same place , weight in my stirrups and seat just hovering over the saddle .
 
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