I dared to ..... canter without stirrups

[coverblown]

.... for probably the first time (intentionally).

And it was great - instructor is lovely and she takes no prisoners; so the three of us - mature wimps all - just HAD to do it. But I found the transition much easier to make, and although I did hold onto the saddle with one hand most of the way round, it was quite light and nice.

And then when I got my stirrups back I couldn't make the transition :confused:

[NicP]

Well done for doing it and glad you enjoyed it!

[elaine@dow-evan]

Wow - well done you!!:D
There will be no stopping you now!

[vince42]

Good for you. In fact I always found canter easier without stirrups when I was learning having spent most of the rest of the time cantering around on one :o a trick that has since got me out of trouble a few times :rolleyes:

Just don't talk to me about rising trot with no stirrups....

Vince

[eml]

The only trouble with cantering without stirrups is the downwards transition :D

[Faerie Rider]

oooh well done you PMRX :D:D:D

haven't done canter yet at new school...am a bit worrried about it am hoping that as my riding is much better here than at the old one I will find it easier as I have built up to it a bit more..

way to go girl!
xxx

[Whatanejit]

Oh yes, echo EML - fab, lovely, grinning face - I'm cantering without stirrups - then down to trot - boing, boing, ouch, unbalanced, blurry hell, aaaaaaaaand waaaaaaaaaaalk. pleeeeeeeease walk!

Brilliant achievement Anne.

I can't tell you how many times I lost my stirrups out hacking when the horse tanked off into canter - having practiced it in the school gave me confidence to know I would be ok and could stay on!

:D

[Roofio]

brilliant, well done! :)

[horse_converted]

well done!!! :D a couple of weeks back i cantered with out stirups since i lost them lol. :D and stayed there lol.

[EquusRider91]

oh! I love cantering without stirrups. It's the best feeling. It reminds me of like.. I don't know. some imaginary movie about the Wild West and an Indian girl cantering about on her Appaloosa. Yeah.. ahhaa. ummm.?

oh yeah.. I lost one of my stirrups during my first show at a canter... and ther ewas no way in hell i was going to stop or slow down, and I couldn't get my foot in that darn stirrup.. so I just rode with one leg out. Unfortunately the judge noticed because I lost complete control over the horse ^__^ woopsiee

[doolally_tap]

WOW!! Well done you!!

My instructor keeps on at me to canter without stirrups - I've done it before (in my much much much younger days) after all.

I am not scared to actually CANTER without stirrups - it's the active trot needed beforehand to make the upwards transition and then the horrible downwards transition into trot afterwards.

I'm 100% confident that I'd actually fall off.

So well done Pepsimaxrock!!

[coverblown]

yep its the downwards transitions - I had to do it FOUR times, all the time J was saying contain the canter, contain the canter, back to trot, but my recollection was more like yours Dee, full of blurry hells and silently blessing (your quote again) the "holy neckstrap".

I have done it before when accidentally lost stirrups, but thats such a different thing from actually psyching yourself up to do it, and using the aids for an upwards transition deliberately, without the stirrups. But good to have practised it.

Twas funny how getting the transition was much easier without stirrups :confused:

[wanabe]

I've just recently started cantering without stirrups. I found it much easier than I anticipated. The downward transitions didn't cause me any problems (well not TOO many problems), As for the upward transition, I always go from walk to canter (much easier from what I understand).

[Tarka]

Just to double everyone's confidence about downward transitions from trot to canter, the last time I did it I fell off!

Canter canter canter... round from the C end of the school... canter canter... going into trot.... aghhhhhhhhh! THUD.

:D

[coverblown]

I've just recently started cantering without stirrups. It's easy, really, and I haven't had too much trouble with the downward transition. As for the upward transition, I just go from walk to canter, then it's easy!

yea right

[cwb]

Yes it is easy! When I first learned to ride I was always going into canter from a walk because I gripped up and backwards with my legs. Try it.

When I queried why the horse didn't need to go through trot to get to canter, the RI walked up to the horse and gave it a sharp tap on the rear which got canter from a halt! Good job I sat well back as the horse kicked high as he took off :D