Standing up in stirrups while cantering

Skib said:
You must be joking. I had ridden for years before I managed to canter the whole way round a , 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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I do a fair amount of interval and fitness training in the school in trot and canter (especially over winter when ground conditions aren't great for it - also applies to the summer's too 🤣) which involves plenty of cantering for laps around the school in a forward seat.

Obviously I can't attest for the RS horse's or their fitness but my horse easily canters multiple laps of the school without struggle - 20 laps in canter would only be about 2km (if my maths and Google is right) so not far at all.

For the OP I'd really look at your off horse exercise to help strengthen the muscles - as has already been mentioned, Activate Your Seat is a good option I use, I really like Aligned Rider Academy by Meg Parkinson too but lots of other strengthening options out there 🙂
 
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LEC said:
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.
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I have to sttand up in canter a lot when I go onto the canter area, cos my mare goes disunited.
 
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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This is not usual
We regularly warm horses up by cantering in a light seat, and often practice in light seat in both trot and canter in an arena, both around the arena and into small fences and away from fences. It is a really important part of getting a secure independent seat, and of getting the balance not to interfere with a horse over poles and jumps.
 
sbloom said:
And Denny Emerson posts fairly often about good old fashioned jump positions, wondering where they all went....

https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=pfbid02L2PQsqnJnkyjKaNEhe1qbYBc3byaTDTZNFBrXG39hj8wudgtwNdwCxJ2SrQDYBrhl&id=100064451033652
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Beautiful positions.

I'm a dressage rider and don't, I confess, spend a huge amount of time in two point. Except, my first canter in warm up even on an established horse, and on a younger horse, quite a bit through the session. I want to horse to feel free to lifts its back.

Two point, (and y'all who do the jumpy thing can correct me), is about like correct position for doing squats with a weighted bar on your shoulders. You want your bum back so your knees don't go too far over your toes, you want to avoid straining your knees and/or losing that stability from your feet. [as per southerncomforts' illustration]

I did Les Mills Body Pump for a while at the gym when I was younger, and one teacher explained the position as 'imagine your flashing your bum out of the back of the school bus' [while keeping your back flat, no anterior pelvic tilt]. Crude, and yep, Australian, but it sticks with you! Good luck x
 
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