Cantering AND staying in the saddle

[Schlaft]

I have just started to learn how to canter, the actual canter is coming along okay, I manage to get the horse going and I love cantering but, you knew there was going to be a but didn't you? :D There is a steady progression of my butt sliding to one side of the saddle until in the end I am hanging off of the saddle by just one cheek and have to pull the horse up so I don't fall off. (It is always the same side too!)

This problem is not helped by the fact that I used to ride motorbikes and so I lean into the corners as my horse turns. I even have a mantra of "don't lean it is not a bike" but I am still leaning and this just can't help anyone can it?

So any ideas of how to get my bum to stay in the saddle? Any better ideas of how to stop me leaning into the bend?

Acually it could be worse, I could be trying to pull in the clutch and change gear, don't think our 4 legged friend would like that ;)

Any help on this will be much appreciated!!

[Equitating]

sit UP, even to the point where you feel you are leaning backwards. this is more difficult to do than it sounds and leaning slightly forward is a very hard habit to break (voice of experience). it is amazing the difference it will make in your seat.

[kelsey]

I think leaning back slightly also produces a smoother canter that is easier to sit - if you lean forward, your horse will tend to fall on his forehand, get hollow and bounce you more.

My trainer says that you should never come forward past the vertical, ideally you should be vertical 100% of the time (easy for her to say), but leaning back is better than leaning forward.

[Cochise]

All I can suggest is really thing about your other seat bone (butt cheek) the one that you arent falling onto. And concentrate on leaning to the outside on the corners. You may feel like you are leaning too far to the outside. But this feeling is good, it is simply going past what you are used to. Often I am told to lean back and I feel like I am leaning too far back, but more often than not, I am sitting just right, even though it feels all wrong! Good luck, hope this helps.
Oh and the biggest thing that I can think of is to relax!! and breathe especially relax the hips.
Maybe Wally and Heather can help you, if this doesnt help you, post in Enlightened Equitation part of NR and ask specifically for their help, this is very much their department!

[galadriel]

If you're always sliding off to the same side, it could be that you are much weaker on that side. That, is, if you're always sliding off to (for example) the right, no matter which lead you're on and which direction you're turning, then it may be that your sides aren't balanced. Most people aren't *quite* the same strength on both sides, and that can affect our riding if we aren't aware of it. I've just learned that due to a combination of things, I am *much* weaker across the right, from back to kneee, than across the left. (I'm right handed, and would have thought I'd be *stronger* on the right.)

If you're always sliding off to the right, for example, your right leg and hip might be much weaker and less able to keep you in place--or your left hip might be more stiff and pushing you off to the right.

Such muscle imbalances are hard to feel from the inside; you're used to your body as it is. You might want to ask your instructor if it looks like one of your legs, or hips, or arms is stronger than the other. Sometimes the horse will tell you; one of my horses will veer to the side at halt if one side is much stronger than the other; it's a good diagnostic.

My PT has me doing some back and hip exercises; doing them equally on both sides to gradually even me out. She says if I try to do them extra on the right to build it up faster, I'll be doing more damage to the muscles than good--but I am getting noticeably stronger to the right.

I can tell you the exercises that my PT gave me that showed my weakness to the right so strongly, if you're interested. Just let me know :)

[jillaroo]

Hi Schlaft,
Just thought that you might want to post this also in the Enlightened Equitation section - Heather is sure to have some terrific suggestions in addition to the help that you will get here.
Good luck!

[Cochise]

Yup thats what I suggested too Jillaroo!! lol ;)

[Schlaft]

Thanks for the replies guys. I had a lesson earlier today so I am just going to share it with you...

I took everything on board that was suggested and tried to keep back (well vertical ;) ) but my first canter was a nightmare. This though had nothing to do with my canter but more to do with my shot to pieces confidence after a really bad lesson with a different instructor last week. Anyway I digress.

The second canter things started to come together for me, I didn't lean in the turn ( mantra's DO work!! ) and I kept my hands still and yes I was leaning back more than I thought I should. It was still not perfect though, I was still not quite comfortable but!

The third canter I did was amazing, it felt comfortable, there was no leaning, the horse felt, well it just felt right! :D

So thanks for all the advice, it worked!

And galadriel, if you come back to this thread, thanks for the note on muscle tone etc... I got my instructor to look at my legs and my left leg is not as toned as the right, as it is the right side I keep falling to she thinks I am over compensating thus the overbalance. I now have exercises to do to build up my leg muscles even more! (Until recently I was a cartographer and walked about 25 miles a day so they are not small as it is, just unproportioned)

Anyway, thanks for the help, all I have to do now is wait until the next lesson and hope today was not a fluke!

[galadriel]

Congrats! Glad things are helping :)

[Waikato Valuta]

Dont get dishearted if your next lesson dose not go so well at least now you know you can do it.