The 2 most common mistakes that riders make when trying to figure out how to sit the canter is that they are either way too loose and floppy or too tense.
- Too loose – in this situation riders have too much motion in the mid section. Sometimes riders try to drive the horse with their seat or they allow the motion of the canter to travel up into their shoulders and end up “cantering” side to side with their shoulders. This is incorrect.
- Too tense – most all riders when they are first learning to canter tend to tense up and tip forward. The lack of mobility in the hips and the low back will make it impossible for the rider to stay connected in the saddle. Often tense riders end up slapping the saddle in the canter and this can be very unpleasant and upsetting to the horse!
Here are some tips to find your canter seat!
- “Keep your shoulders still and move your hips”
- The canter is a 3 beat gait – there is an up beat, a level beat, and a down beat to the canter!
- Visualize that the seat of your pants stays connected to the seat of the saddle
- Remember to breathe, relax, and lower your center of gravity
It is extremely important to find you correct seat in the canter as this allows the horse to relax and trust you. If you are having trouble keeping your horse in the canter or getting your horse to relax in the canter, chances are you need to work on your canter seat! I hope this is helpful!
Let me know if you fall into the too tense or too loose category!
