Stirrupless cantering

[vjwuk]

How competent in canter should you be before attempting a canter without stirrups, I am fortunate to ride a horse that has very steady gaits and will not continue in canter unless you keep asking.

[Bertie]

I think if you feel confident in canter with stirrups and can trot OK without stirrups there's no harm in trying without stirrups,

If you don't feel comfortable once you've strated just take them back and keep practicing in trot and try again in couple of lessons time.

I really like without stirrup flatwork - have had hours of with my instructor, she was trying to improve my position and lengthen my leg - I used to ride really really short:o

[vjwuk]

Thanks for that Bertie,

Hopefully I shall feel this brave on Saturday in my next lesson. Can only try and as you say I can always go back to it later.

[Nickie 2]

I think its easier to canter than trot without stirrups - only problem for me is cornering!!! :rolleyes: :p

[ponytude]

Errr... I have cantered some what stirrupless... When I lost my stirrups on accident. Maybe I should try it on purpose though....


PONYTUDE

Thanks for the thought.

[Em 1]

For me it actually depends on the horse's trot. Cantering is often the easier pace as it's much more of a rolling movement. However, if I don't think I can sit to the trot that comes on a downward transition I won't try cantering until I've got the hang of sitting to and collecting the trot. If you know the horse has a comfortable trot to sit to, try cantering with no stirrups - you might be surprised at how comfy it feels!

[FreedomStar]

Ah, the stirrupless lessons! They're very fun, and great for balance! It's as close to bareback as you can get without actually taking off the saddle. If your not feeling too comfortable, ask for someone to longe you while you try it out for the first time. And when you do this, cross the stirrups over the front of the saddle or take them off so that they don't bang against the horses sides, it irritates them. The only advice I can really think of is eyes up, sit straight, and breathe! Or sing, if that's what you like to do. To your original question, you should be able to control the horse in canter fairly well, because should something happen while you are cantering without stirrups, say you need to stop because someone is jumping, then you need to be able to tell the horse to do what you ask, and stay balanced. I find that any form of work without stirrups helps improve my riding and balance greatly.

[Horsegal014]

I know just how you feel. I've been working on simply stopping from a canter with my mare for a good while and recently decided to improve upon myself with stirrup-less riding. I admit I wasnt brave enough to take them completely off the saddle so I asked for a canter with stirrups and then dropped them once I felt comfortable, as for them not banging the horses sides (I would be in the dirt in an instant!) i layed them on top of my feet, so they were draped over my ankles the backs at the backs of my heels (does that make any sense?? feeling a bit worn out from an exhausting trail ride all day today!) Hope you non-stirrup riding goes well! Good luck! :)

[SwiftwindSpirit]

I can't trot properly without stirrups yet, but at the start of last year I tried cantering without stirrups (it is much easier than trotting without), but I would reccommend that you choose a time when you feel is right (when you have confidence and are not nervous). But, just give it a go! :)

[kirrel]

I always enjoy riding without stirrups although i can remember being quite nervous about it beforehand the first time - mainly due to the fact i was on an excitable pony, but forced myself to get on with it and felt rather proud afterwards (this was several years ago though).
Perhaps see if you can try it on the lunge at first if nervous?

Agree with others that trotting without stirrups can be much harder sometimes - especially if you have a bouncy pony! They key i suppose is to learn to sit deep, relax into the saddle (obviously not in a collapsed,half asleep way!) and go with the movement. Harder than it sounds at first but once you get going ;)

[james]

Cantering without stirrups is easy. Stopping is more challenging, so don't be afraid to hold on to the front of the saddle for the transition back down. Try to make the transition down as smooth as possible.

[LynneAC]

Why not try it in a lunge lesson? It's much easier (???) because someone else has control of the horse so that you have the chance to feel comfortable! Mind you, the last twice that I've cantered in a lunge lesson the horse decided to put in a buck a millisecond after I'd dropped the reins to work, erm, without reins!

[Bucephalus]

I found canter without stirrups much easier than trot without stirrups, which is too bouncy!
Although I'm a novice I remember cantering bareback on a rounded, chubby pony when I was a teen, and found it really quite comfortable.
I have a habit of losing a stirrup in canter as well - legs flapping about I think - and had to keep on going in the school with one or neither stirrup. The instructor believes trying to deliberately 'drop' the other stirrup when you've lost one could be too distracting, but I find you overbalance if you lose one and not the other

[crazyponygirl]

i cant do cantering without stirrups 2 save my life!!! when im going round corners i always feel like im sliding off n so i grip with my thighs n then just panic!!! its so hard go9ing round corners!!

[virtuallyhorses]

I'm with Em1 - the downwards transition is what you need to be careful of- however this can be a good thing as it certainly gets you concentrating ! :eek: ;) I still dislike trotting without stirrups - I just don't feel right but cantering without is a breeze and very pleasant and is very good for practising transitions as I actually have to prepare- ask- transition in a 'proper dressage' way instead of anything less :)

[Njal]

I agree, trotting without stirrups is can be nasty (depending on the horse) but cantering is great fun.

Just make sure you can stop using just your seat (which is better anyway), rather than have any reliance on the reins, since you can't stop i.e. pull - using the reins without stirrups.

To answer the original question about how competent you should be in canter before trying stirrupless - Just like trot, doing it without stirrups will improve everything!

[Lucy J]

i'm not so good stirrupless on ciara, but have cantered stirupless easily on my YO's horse, she a very good dressage, well balanced warmblood with very even paces, whereas ciara is usually all over the place!

i did once (by accident) end up galloping bareback in a headcollar up a hill while out with my old horse and survived to tell the tale. i jsut kept thinking 'stay relaxed, stay relaxed' !!!

silly really, i took him for a walk in his headcollar then got lazy and jumped on board, we got to a place we always gallop and he just took off! i was really proud of myself staying on !:D

[anna_lindsay]

If you're happy with the horse then go for it because i personally find cantering without stirrups easier because you're deeper in your seat. It's much more fun, don't worry about it!

[Torny]

When I first started riding I would go out for hacks. I didn't know how to do rising trot but was always up for a canter.
Well, to go to canter you had to go through trot first, so at that point I would loose my stirrups but was relieved when the horse began to canter.

Sitting to canter is easier than trot because it is smoother.

Also, try not to gallop without stirrups. Went for a gallop, lost the one stirrup because horse swerved then lost the other and was quickly disappearing down the other end of the field still galloping and without stirrups. Hmmmm Interesting!

Always do what you feel comfortable with, don't push yourself. :p

[Rags]

I actually find cantering without stirrups easier and more comfortable than in trot, but I suppose it depends on the horse! I agree that if you feel confident enough give it a go it is really fun. Just try to stay relaxed as the more tense you get the more you bounce around lol :D

[ride4life]

i first tried cantering without stirrups bareack, so no saddle either, you learn pretty quick in that kind of situation. im now at a point that im more comfortable rding without stirrups. ugh why cant all saddles have properly positioned stirrup bars. i think as long as you can sit confidently in the canter and move WITH the horse you can try it without stirrups