# (Western) how to sit the canter



## farmpony84 (Apr 21, 2008)

Breath. Sing the alphabet, count, sing barney, whatever - just make sure you breath. If I catch myself getting tense I will make myself sigh a big sigh. Just a long slow let go of breath. Sometimes that will make the horse go whoa because you end up sitting deep when you do it but that's ok. Just breath.


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## bsms (Dec 31, 2010)

I've taken to riding with an mp3 player with a wire going to my left ear. It is just enough to distract my mind a little and, out on the trail, I'm not above singing along. Other than that, use a long leg and don't be afraid to "polish the saddle". As you get more in synch with your horse, you'll do less polishing.

Also, a horse cantering on a trail is a different animal than one cantering in a small arena. In my little arena, I canter in a half-seat. Don't even try to sit deep for it. In fact, I don't mind doing that on the trail - and did so this morning.

PS: I ride western but the idea is the same. And western, if you feel unsecure, you can steer with one hand and use the horn with the other to get yourself back into the game.





For what this person talks about around minute 6, I find it helps to think "Knees down" instead of "Heels down":





Also, it can help to watch some YouTube videos on cantering. Go to the settings and you can select playing them in slow motion. Watch how people REALLY ride compared to how they SAY they ride!


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## Part-Boarder (Aug 17, 2019)

Are you trying to canter on trail or in the arena? In the arena is a bit harder and some additional tips would apply. 

Either way, sitting back, moving your hips and breathing are key.

If it’s about balance, you want to make sure your stirrups are the right length. 

In the beginning, cantering feels fast. If you find you are tensing up, you could hold on with one hand and have the reins in the other hand. I used to do that and as my skills grew I weaned off of doing that so don’t get worried you’ll get stuck doing that. It’s the benefit of a western saddle. 

Also you can spend time practising the transition from trot to canter and back to trot. If you have control over that, you can also more easily control speed.

In my English riding lessons, we work on having an active working trot where the horse is using his hind end and then transitioning into sitting trot and then canter. That canter is really balanced and slow (can canter behind a trotting horse on trail) compared to when a horse just falls into canter from a speedy uneven trot. I do this as well in a Westeen saddle.


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## Part-Boarder (Aug 17, 2019)

This is the best canter video …


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## bsms (Dec 31, 2010)

FWIW, Bandit used to canter a lot of miles carrying up to 300 lbs on his 800 lb body. His canter transitions are not PRETTY but they sure get him into a canter any time he feels like it. To include a standstill if needed. And "feels like it" is a big part of it. I'll ask for a canter by leaning forward and kissing, maybe with a leg squeeze too. Depending on the footing - we're usually on uneven trails and even my "arena" isn't smooth - he'll transition when ready. Usually within a stride or two.

I actually find that helpful with family and friends trying to get used to a canter. If I paid attention to how I'm supposed to ask for a canter as taught in books and by instructors, I'd tense up and screw up. I don't think I could ask the way books and videos tell me. My memory isn't that good and I'd be afraid of asking "wrong"! But "_Lean forward and kiss, squeeze if needed_" is easy. Doesn't require me to feel his body or steps. Doesn't require me to do anything, really, other than let him know what I want to do next. I can use a stick shift in a car but prefer an automatic transmission in my horses.


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## Luke&Leia (10 mo ago)

@Part-Boarder Thank you sooooo much!!! I am cantering in the arena at first. Field later.

I have a question: What's the difference between sitting back and sitting deep?

Thanks for the tips on going from trot to canter to trot! I'll definitely do that. The video was great too; I think it can certainly apply to Western. 

Ty so much!


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## Luke&Leia (10 mo ago)

bsms said:


> I've taken to riding with an mp3 player with a wire going to my left ear. It is just enough to distract my mind a little and, out on the trail, I'm not above singing along. Other than that, use a long leg and don't be afraid to "polish the saddle". As you get more in synch with your horse, you'll do less polishing.
> 
> Also, a horse cantering on a trail is a different animal than one cantering in a small arena. In my little arena, I canter in a half-seat. Don't even try to sit deep for it. In fact, I don't mind doing that on the trail - and did so this morning.
> 
> ...


Thank you so much!!

I'll try polishing the seat; usually I freak out. and just go all over the place lol. Any idea why I bump practically out of the saddle? Is it cause I'm not relaxed and I'm freaked out?  I love the idea of playing music!! That definitely would relax me!!

I didn't realize western riders did the half seat! Do you ever get impaled by the horn or get pitched forward? I'll definitely have to look up some half seat videos; kinda reminds me how I stand up on my ATV to avoid the bumps.

So English sitting canter is basically the same idea as Western? That would REALLY help me cause it's hard to find Western cantering videos on YT.

I'll definitely watch the videos u posted!

TY!!


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## Luke&Leia (10 mo ago)

Thank you all so much!! I loved all ur replies!! I do have a question: What's the difference between sitting back and sitting deep?


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## Luke&Leia (10 mo ago)

farmpony84 said:


> Breath. Sing the alphabet, count, sing barney, whatever - just make sure you breath. If I catch myself getting tense I will make myself sigh a big sigh. Just a long slow let go of breath. Sometimes that will make the horse go whoa because you end up sitting deep when you do it but that's ok. Just breath.


I love this!! Usually I'm bumping too much to sing, maybe this will help me find the right rhythm, figuring out how to sing without sounding like I'm falling down the stairs  What part of the saddle do you find is the best for sitting? (I'm a pretty small person so most saddles are at least a BIT too big for me at the place I have access to; one is pretty good though! The rest I just don't feel secure in)


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## farmpony84 (Apr 21, 2008)

I find that where your seat is in a western saddle depends on the saddle. I have 10 saddles (9 western). It seems like your in one place in the barrel saddle and another in the equitation saddle, and yet a different seat in the ranch saddle etc.

I sit where I'm comfortable. I do try to aim for the should/hip/heel and the toe/knee line up but I don't always get it. I get shoulder and hip for sure but sometimes my lower leg will shift a bit forward and I think that's ok because if you look at various photos of riders, the seat will shift depending on the discipline.

Try to sit straight without arching your back. Pull your shoulders back, this will help with your balance. Take a deep breath and allow your pelvis to open and your hips to sink. Let your legs hang down for a minute. Don't try to grip, just let your legs sink down so that the weight goes into your stirrup more. Don't worry a ton about the sitting straight and the shoulders back because you'll be stiff trying to hold a position, just put your self in that place and then breath. Wiggle your arms and try not to tense.

Sitting "back" is more sitting straight without hunching forward. Two-point is fine if it's more comfortable but not curling forward into a ball where you are shoulders rounded and legs pulled up. Two-point is more shoulders back but tipped forward a little and balanced. Sitting deep in the saddle is when you really sink down into your seat. You can't be tense though, tense is your enemy. Does that help?


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## ksbowman (Oct 30, 2018)

@farmpony84 , This is and excellent discription. Especially the relax part. Leaning forward only lifts your bottom off the seat whether in a trot or lope making for a very rough ride and insecure seat.


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## bsms (Dec 31, 2010)

Luke&Leia said:


> What's the difference between sitting back and sitting deep?


One way to stay on the saddle during a bumpy ride is to lean back and absorb the up/down motion with one's waist. I've seen it done where the person was literally leaning back 20 degrees. That made it easy to keep his rump in close contact with the saddle but did NOTHING for his poor horse's balance.

Sitting deep is more like this:






That was a world-record performance in Dressage, but please notice her rump moves in the saddle. And honestly? It looks very inelegant to me. That was a highly collected canter and that makes it tougher to ride smooth, but the horse's motion needs to be absorbed somehow. That is why I recommend looking at some top riders cantering on YouTube and then going to "settings" and watch it at half-speed. Focus just on where the seat is in the saddle, then on how the upper body moves. It isn't like how people think they ride!



ksbowman said:


> Leaning forward only lifts your bottom off the seat whether in a trot or lope making for a very rough ride and insecure seat.


Uh-oh. Then I'm in trouble:














I find getting my rump off the saddle, even a little bit, helps my horse move better. When we align OUR balance with our HORSE's, we stop _interfering_ with his balance. English riders now call it a "Jump Seat", but it was designed by Caprilli for riding horses across rough country - not just for going over a jump. From the US Cavalry manual:

"_How to Test Correctness of Rider's Position: If the rider is in balance as a result of his upper body's being properly inclined forward, he is able at the walk, trot or gallop, WITHOUT FIRST LEANING FARTHER FORWARD and without pulling on the reins, *to stand in his stirrups* with all his weight in his depressed heels.

In executing this exercise the seat is raised just clear of the saddle by stiffening the knees but keep them partly flexed. *The upper body REMAINS inclined forward at the hips.* At the trot on hand should touch the horse's neck LIGHTLY to assist in remaining in balance. At the walk or gallop [canter] the rider, if his seat is correct, should be able to stand in his stirrups without the aid of his hand. A rider, who can execute the above exercise at all gaits and without first changing inclination, is in balance and never "behind his horse"._"


Luke&Leia said:


> I didn't realize western riders did the half seat! Do you ever get impaled by the horn


No. How far forward one needs to lean at any moment depends on the saddle design and the horse's momentum at the time. That is why I love riding in two point - or "standing in the stirrups". You cannot remain balanced while standing in the stirrups unless you match your balance with your horse's. If you are stable while standing in the stirrups, then you have matched your horse's balance AT THAT MOMENT. But it is a balance, not a position, and needs to change as your horse changes his balance. At an extreme with Bandit:






Bandit was used for racing before I owned him - relay races popular among the Navajo. He lifts his head high and brings it back by his choice, not mine. But no, the horn does not interfere. AND, when working our way cross-country in the desert, I don't lean forward at all. No reason to.

Also: At a trot, riding two point reduces peak impact pressures on the horse's back by 20% compared to posting or sitting. Sitting a western jog is OK. Sitting an elevated trot? No thanks. And sitting our BLM mustang Cowboy's trot would make me pee blood. 😲


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## Danneq (Sep 18, 2020)

The imagery that worked for me is "rib cage up." Just imagine something's pulling your rib cage up in a straight line. This really helped my posture.

Relaxing is the hardest part. 😬 My hips go tight as soon as a I try to signal the canter.


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## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)

We have discussions on how to better canter all the time. There are just oodles of threads on the topic. 

Leaning back helps if you are leaning too far forward to begn with.
As to 'bending at the waist' to polish the saddle, it should NOT be bending at the waist, but bending at the HIP. if you bend at the waist very much , you will end up 'pumping' at the canter. Look at the two still shots that @bsms posted of a top dressage rider iin the canter. ( btw, those horses have HUGE canters, even when collected, and require quite a lot o physical movement from the rider in order to look like they are not moving or bumping off the horse . .) That rider's upper body is in the same lline whether in the uphill or the downhill part of the canter stride. She is flexing from her hip, not her waist. Big difference!


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## GusandG (9 mo ago)

Take your stirrups out wall you canter.


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## Luke&Leia (10 mo ago)

Thank you all so much for the answers!!  For some reason my friends are like "cantering is so much better than trotting! So much less bouncy!" And I'm just like...."what??" Lol. It must be smoother once you learn it!


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## GusandG (9 mo ago)

Luke&Leia said:


> Thank you all so much for the answers!!  For some reason my friends are like "cantering is so much better than trotting! So much less bouncy!" And I'm just like...."what??" Lol. It must be smoother once you learn it!


It's defiantly smoother once you learn. Some horses also have a bouncy canter.


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## Part-Boarder (Aug 17, 2019)

@Luke&Leia the description below is how I think of sitting back and sitting deep. It’s natural to hunch forward when the speed picks up but then you unbalance the horse and that can make the canter more bumpy. By thinking lean back you probably come to the vertical and that helps your seat deepen. The key thing to having a deeper seat is lengthening the leg with heels down. Developing more hip flexibility with yoga stretches helps with that but no quick fixes! Just takes time to develop better positioning. 


farmpony84 said:


> I find that where your seat is in a western saddle depends on the saddle. I have 10 saddles (9 western). It seems like your in one place in the barrel saddle and another in the equitation saddle, and yet a different seat in the ranch saddle etc.
> 
> I sit where I'm comfortable. I do try to aim for the should/hip/heel and the toe/knee line up but I don't always get it. I get shoulder and hip for sure but sometimes my lower leg will shift a bit forward and I think that's ok because if you look at various photos of riders, the seat will shift depending on the discipline.
> 
> ...


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## Part-Boarder (Aug 17, 2019)

Also one more thought, in my English riding lesson today, we worked on half halts, building active working trot and then cuing the canter and working on adjusting canter speeds. I tried this on trail today in a western saddle and refining those skills really helped - both the trot and canter were way smoother, and more controlled. I was even able to do a very slow smooth canter behind a horse that was trotting on a horse that is thought of as being bouncy. 

I think the key is to have good speed control on the trot so you can urge them into the canter rather than them initiating it on their own and falling into it when the pace and tempo might be faster, bumpier, more uneven.


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## Luke&Leia (10 mo ago)

Thanks guys!! Starting lessons soon to learn even more and your knowledge will help a ton!! 😊😊


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## Leabeth (8 mo ago)

Luke&Leia said:


> Hello!
> I ride Western and I have pretty basic riding experience; direct and neck reining, leg cues, walk, trot etc. I’ve been taking lessons off and on depending on my schedule and feel nice and confident in them. The next step in training is the canter. I’ve done it a few times but haven’t really felt stable. Lots of bumpiness, me getting tensed up, and almost falling off sideways lol. As I’ve gotten older it’s gotten scarier for some reason 😂 Any tips from Western riders? (or English! I’m just not sure if it’s similar, feel free to chime in friends!). I’ve heard the key is to relax and go with the flow of the horse.
> TIA! 😊😊


Hi!!! Some tips I found helpful when I was learning to sit the center were: relax, just focus on relaxing, sit back on your Jean pockets you have better balance and stability that way, make sure to NOT grip with your knees as it will pitch you forward and make you all tense. Try to keep your hands level and heels flat not forced down. I hope this helps!!


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## tsed18 (12 mo ago)

I am reading a lot of really good advice and help in these threads. What I didn't see (and maybe because I just skimmed through a few of the long ones) was that the horse you ride makes as much difference as your saddle and your seat. Cantering on my big 16.2hh halter horse who covers a lot of ground in one stride pushes me forward and she has a big motor that pushes my hips on a diagonal, and until she settles into a rhythm, I feel like I am flying out of the saddle and one foot and hit are getting thrown into her shoulder instead of staying under me. Then, in the same saddle, I can hop on my 16.2hh pleasure bred paint with a super short stride and I could sip tea riding his lope and he floats at the trot with very little bounce. Then I have my firey cow pony at about 14hh and she covers a lot of ground, but very gracefully and and she is easy to relax into her little canter/lope. I still believe in the imagery "the shoulders of a queen, the hands of a lady, and the hips of floozie." I practice a lot of transitions from walk to lope and back to walk to improve the horses gait and rhythm along with finding and refining my seat. Also, in western, if your horse has a solid western foundation, if you sit deep by tucking your pelvis under and gluing your rear end into the saddle, your horse should come to a screeching halt. If you sit back (feel like you are leaning back) your hips will release a little bit and allow you to move in better rhythm with your horse. In my training, western is a lot about requiring the horse to take responsibility for their feet and letting them find their gait and their collection on their own before teaching them what it means to ask for it. I will lope my horses with no direction and a big loose rein in the arena for 10-15 minutes at a time and in that time we both find the sweet spot. We will rest or walk for about 5 minutes to catch our breath and do it again 2 or 3 times. Also, the horn is there for a reason. It can be helpful in stabalizing and finding your balance when you need it if your horse's gaits aren't super steady. Lastly, have fun! Riding a good lope/canter is like riding pegasus. Smile really big and you will have to breathe. haha.


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## livelovelaughride (Sep 13, 2011)

Learning to sit the canter is also new for me in western tack. I found I could relax more and let my hips roll more easily if I was holding onto the horn with one hand. Not pretty but it let me feel more secure, and as I relaxed it felt more comfortable and easier. Also I felt I could sit taller as my confidence grew.


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