Hello, I just took my first cantering lessons. It felt so different, and unfortunately I fell off twice. For some reason when i start to canter my whole body go forward and i don't have enough time to go back because I fall off immediately it seems. I've never fallen off a horse before but I'm lucky I landed on my feet both times. When I go into canter, how am I supposed to be positioned and how do you not go forward all of a sudden?
when i was a kid i had lessons every saturday moring, the horse for that eventful saturday morning lesson was a big red raon named skipper....boy did he live up to his name.......3rd stride in off i went every time....my dad stood there covering his eyes when the instructor asked for a canter....i stopped falling off when i really started to use my leg's i guess i let them flop around.....
yeah tina id just grip with ur legs and sit up straight and if needed grab some mane?? just a question are u doing a few strides in the sitting trot before u canter because if ur not that tends to tip u folward a bit as well
Yeah, I'm doing a posting trot then going into canter. I'm sure I'll get used to it sometime, but for now, I should probably stick with jumping and trotting until I'm ready.
Tina, if you can do sitting trot why wouldn't you try to use your legs tight around the horse on canter and try to keep yourself straight. And try a real slow gait (lope, not canter).
I'm not sure about falling off, but some horses have horrible canter, which hard to keep balance on. I did run in such horses couple times while working at the selling farm. Can it be case as well? Can you try a different horse with soft lope?
Yes, I'm going to be trying a different horse this Monday so we will see how it goes. We might just do jumping tho, not too sure yet. Anyways I will write later on Monday after work.
This is pretty simple to fix actually. The reason you feel tilted forward and then fall is because your weight is pitched forward on the horse's front end, and then gravity just does it's thing. So the big thing to remember is to SIT BACK. DON'T grip with your legs. You need to develop an independent seat, and griping is a no-no when developing one.
It might be easier for you to go into the canter from a sitting trot, IF the horse does not do a really fast trot before going into the canter.
So, in order for a horse to canter, his weight must shift to his hind quarters, causing the front end to become light. You want to have a rocking horse effect in the horse's body. So it would make sense that as a rider, we need to do in our body what we want our horse to be able to do in his body. We can't just sit up there in a static position and expect the horse to be able to move correctly and efficiantly.
So picture what a horse looks like when they canter. Then do that in your own body. Sit BACK on your butt (that's why God gave us butts lol) and start to "canter" in your body. Say you want the left lead. Do little leaps in your body and lead with your left arm, mirroring the horse's left front leg. Do what you want your horse to do. You can also sit on your thumb (outside hand) while keeping the reins in your inside hand. This will keep your weight back and release tension in your back, especially in your lower back.
When the horse goes into the canter KEEP YOUR BUTT ON YOUR THUMB! :lol: Imagine your legs being loose and flowing. Canter for a few strides then ask for a trot or walk.
I strongly disagree, holding the pommel will tilt her forward and throw off her balance, not the solution for someone who's falling forward. If she needs to hold onto something, the cantle would help much more. If she holds the cantle she can sit deep in the saddle and keep herself from popping forward.
sorry wild feathers but i have to disagree with you.
why would you want to hold the back of a saddle when you ride with your arms in front of you?
i used to work at a riding school, and when people were first learning and feeling the canter thats what we used to get them to do.
i also stated to 'lean back' a bit.
anyway everyone to thier own.
Jumping before learning to canter is a HUGE nono. I can't believe your instructor would actually let you do that. It's so dangerous- the horse could easily land cantering, then you'd be toast.
Anyway, how are you starting? When I learned to canter (I was about eight at the time, lol), my instructor put me on a lunge line. She tied the reins up, and I just held onto the saddle to get the feel for cantering before trying on my own.
If you're falling off, maybe your heels aren't down far enough? Make sure to keep your body tall, too.
It sounds like you need to work on your balance and movement with the horse. When you canter, you want to move with the horse, but not "pump" as they call it. (Moving too much with the horse's canter.) Then it just looks weird. Make sure you are balanced in the center of the seat and the horse. When they first pick their front legs up to go into a canter, you want to lean forward just a little, then when they come down, you want to lean back. Continue to do this with your mid section, but not your whole upper body each time the feet come up and then down. It sounds weird, but it will actually look fine. (This is the best way I can describe what I'm doing when I canter.) I think you are leaning forward the entire time and that is what's causing you to lose your balance and come off. Also, squeeze with your inner thighs. This will help with balance as well. It all sounds complicated, but when you get into the practice of moving with the horse, it will look harmonized and natural.
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