why can't I canter??!!

Ok, that's an exaggeration, mostly I have trouble at the gallop. I start out fine but after several strides I have to really work at keeping my rear in the saddle and I invariably lose my stirrups--I can pick them up again but I just can't keep them where they belong, like under my feet. My seat is pretty solid and I have good balance on the whole, so I don't worry about falling off, but I feel like a sack of potatoes at the gallop, it's ridiculous. I've been trail-riding for years and I've had this problem forever. I would like to ride a proper gallop sometime before I die. I know it's hard without seeing me, but does anyone have any all-purpose pointers I might be able to try out next time we ride?

Try shortening your stirrups a couple of holes and jamming your heels right down. Lean forward a bit, and really focus on pushing the weight down your calves into your heels. Lift your bum out the saddle!! It's horrible trying to sit a gallop because of the footfalls, it's awkward! So until you get used to the sequence of footfalls and movement, it's better to keep your bum out of the saddle for a while. Once you've got used to the movement, you can start to get your bum back into the saddle lightly etc. I used to find gallop damn near impossible to sit as well, I'd be bouncing around all over the place, but by starting off standing and slowly working out the movement, I found it easier to get into the rythem and sit it.

I agree, shorten stirrups, heels down and stay mostly in 2 point position til you get the feel, then slowly slide bum closer to saddle and someday, before you die as you stated, you will have it.

All right, thank you ladies, I'll be going out today so I'll give shorter stirrups and two point a try. Certainly better than doing the rising flopping gallop....I was watching my friends while we galloped yesterday, both competent riders, and they weren't exactly glued to their saddles but they certainly weren't losing their stirrups.
I understand I need to get more weight in the stirrups somehow and the two point would help that along. Thanks, the future looks brighter already.

Just one question, when you say gallop, do you mean the three stride canter or the four stride gallop? I have noticed some people refer to the canter as gallop....

Just asking. LOL = D

That might be, because in other languages gallop means canter. Like in German, gallop stands for canter and the English "gallop" (4 stride) is Jagdgallop.
Done with my little hijack

Ahhhhhh. LOL. Thanks for the clearup. I have always wondered about that. Also, in Afrikaans, Galop means canter and hardloop means gallop. LOL.

Ahhh but what does vetkoek mean? Delicious I say.

I'm now totally confused if we're talking about cantering or galloping. I find shorter stirrups at first are very helpful and also leaning a little bit back past the verticle (though it feels like you're waaaay back). But if it is galloping you mean, I have no experience there, except accidental!

LOL yeah that makes a big difference. I was always taught you remain in your 2 pt. At the gallop (and of course I'm talking about the 4 beat gallop, not the 3 beat canter -- in my neck of the woods anyway haha!) I sometimes sit my canter or can 2 pt. It, just depends on what I'm doing...but I've never tried to sit a gallop.

Coffeemama: I just have to say I am a coffee freak! Lol and I like your username. Lol

Well, I tried sitting the gallop one time and it went good except for the first part when we were on a steep hill and I tried sitting it as he hopped and jumped and what not and I was like "holly sh*t lol" it was like I was a sack of potatoes too. Lol