Please Help! Im Getting Worried!!

[bucking_bronco]

HELP ME!

Please help me! i am 13 years old an i have recently started CANTERING, but i seem to have this one tiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiny problem.....I cant stay on.... i have been riding once a week for about 6-7 months, and sometimes i even end up riding on the poor horses neck! The usual horses i ride are a young new forest pony called cinnamon and a lage piebald cob (rescue, so she spooks easily) called rosie..... But i cant seem to keep my seat...and im getting a bit nervous of cantering. I get really scared about doing it, and even if i end up feeling really relaxed about it, i still come off...CAN ANYONE PLEASE PLEASE HELP ME!!!!!!!! :rolleyes:

[Showjumper]

It could be worthwile taking some lessons on the lunge, so that the instructor can control the horse while you concentrate on your position and staying on board.

Good luck :)

[Mighty_Atom]

Im 12 years old. I had the same problems a few months ago but now love cantering. I had been cantering fora year but still couldn't sit down. And i had done a fair share of fallin off at canter. Once i also ended up round my pony's neck which made him gallop!!! But i stayed on til he went back to canter. try not to feel nervous as it will only make things worse. Dont think about sitting down just go with the movement. The first time i sat on a canter was when atom spooked at a motorbike on the road(not a good idea). So we worked out that if i suddenly cantered i sat. It just naturally comes. keep praticing and try no reins & no stirrups at cantering (that used to make me stay on). GOOD LUCK
keep as updated on your progess

[flowergirl]

Make sure that you have your balance in walk and trot before you start cantering, then when you canter just do a few strides at a time, stop before you become unbalanced. Put a neck strap on the horse to so you have something to hold if you feel you need to. Good lunge lessons will help you no end!:)

[bucking_bronco]

hey guys! thank you very very much for all the great advice! I rode yesterday, but unfortunately, no canter, my instructor said that i needed to work a little more on my walk and trot, but oh well! any tips or tales, please tell!!! :cool: ;) :D :) :D

[Scarlett 001]

I am now the guru of lunge work after seeing the great things 4 weeks of straight lunge work did for me (see message in "General" section that I just posted)! I agree with the others who suggested lunge work - perhaps not just cantering on the lunge but some sitting trot to work on developing a secure seat etc.