Canter seat aids - they work!

[Soupdragon]

I have always strugged with canter transitions - usually I get a speedy trot and then my position, legs, seat, etc just goes to pieces!

But on Saturday I had an amazing experience! I had a lesson with a different instructor on a different horse, on the lunge, and the instructor said we would work on walk to canter transititions. She said all I needed to do was advance my inside seatbone and point my inside shoulder towards the horse's outside ear ... This would put my outside seatbone and leg back too ... I was a bit sceptical that this would work and expected the usual response I get from horses when trying canter transitions - I-can-tell-you-want-me-to-do-something-by-all-the-activity-up-there-but-I'm-not sure-what-so-I'll-ignore-you-or-go-faster.

But amazingly the lovely chap sprang into canter immediately from walk!! I couldn't believe it! But then again, the instructor had also told me all I needed to do for leg aids was "flutter" against his sides and he was so responsive ... I want to take him home!

I had never quite understood or believed how seat aids could work but this showed me they do! Just need to keep practising and then the next challenge - maintaining canter!! :)

[Waikato Valuta]

It's great int it when something just clicks. My old horse was like this just a little flutter of the outside leg and he would spring into canter.

Are you going to have more lessons on him? :)

[MadMumInKent]

Thats great! :) I'm really pleased for you! I'm gonna try that at my next lesson :D

[Wobblydeb]

Brilliant! This is where my instructor would be talking about positive reinforcement..... Keep replaying what happened, how it worked, and how it felt in your mind and you are effectively "practising" without even needing to be on a horse! :-)

[Soupdragon]

Waikato Valuta: I hope so. I've booked another lesson with the same instructor and am hoping to go regularly, so hope I get the same lovely horse!

Interestingly enough, I've since had another lesson on the horse I usually ride. Usually we have super fast trots which may or may not break into canter! I had my doubts about whether it would work but although the reaction wasn't as instantaneous it definitely made a difference and he went quite nicely into canter for me! I think advancing the inside seat bone helps me as well because it seems to counter my tendency to want to pitch forward ...

[Sooty]

thanks Soupdragon - I have the same problem with canter as you used to ;) so will definitely be trying it!!

[kelsey]

I spent months contorting myself into all kinds of awkward positions trying to get my ex-driving horse to canter. He did the same really speedy trot thing. I was told by several people to use spurs, which I chose not to.

Then I booked a spot in a clinic with a well known trainer. In desperation, I took some lessons with a different coach (so that I wouldn't embarrass myself too badly at the clinic). She had me use the same seat aids and reinforce with a tap from a dressage whip.

I went to the clinic and ended up doing halt to canter transitions, much to my amazement!

Needless to say, I stuck with that coach!!!!

The other night I was riding and talking to my friend at the same time. I realized that I could get my horse to canter from spot to spot with just my seat, and without thinking about it.

[kedwards]

Well done! I never had an instructor who spelled this out for me either, but had to learn it on my own through practice and reading. Once I learned how to use my seat aids, everything became much easier. I'm not sure why more instructors don't teach people how to use the seat aids correctly.

[ANN H]

Thanks for the tip. I think I'll try that on my girl next time I ride. She just flies into canter after trotting faster and faster!!

[VickiGG]

:) I-can-tell-you-want-me-to-do-something-by-all-the-activity-up-there-but-I'm-not sure-what-so-I'll-ignore-you-or-go-faster

I love that description - that is soooo me as well sometimes (- all the time 6 months ago)... I used to gaze at other riders effortlessy going into canter and say to myself "I wish I could canter whenever I wanted to".

You know another thing that works for me - breathe in as you go into canter.... one horse i ride when I'm jumping - I just have to breathe in and he canters - amazing! Of course you have to 'think' canter with all your body as well. I tried it one day when we were doing canter serpentines and had to trot through the poles each time we crossed the centre line (I can't do flying changes yet) and my instructor told me to breathe out coming into the poles(canter to trot)and breathe in coming out of the poles (trot to canter) and it worked! And has done mostly from then on. :)

ps here is a pic of me 4 weeks after my broken arm healed ATTEMPTING a canter transition - this was taken 14 months ago now...at my old school...don't laugh too much!

[momofsix]

I have to try that. My lease horse has a very smooth canter and I can't resist cantering her, but I know my seat in canter is still horrible, I really need to work on that.

[Alle]

I used to contort myself too to try for canter, and of courtse, it didn't work. :) Now I get it mostly, but the 'how' of it is not something that I explain. My mare is very sensitive too, so that helps, but I can get the more stubborn school horses into canter as well, which was not something I had much success with in the past. Glad that your instructor was able to explain an aid that works! :)