my leg comes forward in canter

[krokos]

can anyone tell me why my leg comes forward in canter? and it goes with the horses leading leg. i mean if the horse is on left lead then my left leg comes forward often causing me to lose that stirrup too. does this indicate a mistake in my position and how can i stop doing it?

[Bay Mare]

You are possibly gripping up which is shortening your leg, making it (and you) more unstable and causing you to lose your stirrup. I'm pretty sure that most of us have done that when learning to canter!

Unfortunately the only way to solve it is to relax and let your leg 'hang' rather than grip. It may be a good idea to do a lunge lesson with some work without stirrups (on a horse with a easy to sit to canter).

The other thing that could be causing your leg to go forwards (though I suspect that it's the gripping) is if you try and push your heel down ... pushing your heel down almost inevitably causes your leg to push forwards.

Maybe you're trying too hard :) It's easy to overwork especially in canter.

[donnalync]

I was taught that at the canter, the leg that the horse is leading on actually makes your same leg follow in that direction, so I assume that the leg going forward is just following the horse's motion...I was told that was correct....as for losing the stirrup, have no idea!

[laura jeanne]

Your hip (seat bone) on that side would go forward a little (I think) but not your leg.