# Beginner cantering (one month and then some lessons)



## SlideStop (Dec 28, 2011)

You have lots more trot work to do, if you were under my instruction. Your hands are all over the place and you could use a little work on moving with the horse. You need to sit up (your leaning forward) and sit in that saddle moving your hips with the horse. Skip centering and do lots of no stirrup work and no hand work. I know it can be boring, hard and tedious but in the long run you're going to benefit.


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## Fayewokf (Jul 9, 2013)

SlideStop said:


> You have lots more trot work to do, if you were under my instruction. Your hands are all over the place and you could use a little work on moving with the horse. You need to sit up (your leaning forward) and sit in that saddle moving your hips with the horse. Skip centering and do lots of no stirrup work and no hand work. I know it can be boring, hard and tedious but in the long run you're going to benefit.



Thank you!! I didn't realize how forward I am until I see the video...


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## Endiku (Dec 6, 2010)

Its hard learning to canter with quiet hands at first, but you'll get it! I agree that going back to some no stirrup trot work will help you learn to move with your horse a lot better. Can you get some trot-canter lunge line lessons? Those did WONDERS with me to teach me how to move with my horse.


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## Fayewokf (Jul 9, 2013)

Endiku said:


> Its hard learning to canter with quiet hands at first, but you'll get it! I agree that going back to some no stirrup trot work will help you learn to move with your horse a lot better. Can you get some trot-canter lunge line lessons? Those did WONDERS with me to teach me how to move with my horse.


Yep! I do those. I ride better without stirrups so I'll continue to work on that!
I'm worse in terms of moving with the horse on my trot than canter... Horrible.


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## Endiku (Dec 6, 2010)

Funny, I do too xD Ask me to sit the trot on even the bumpiest horse with no stirrups and I'm great. Give me stirrups and I have to really think about it....and I've been riding for years!

Practice practice practice. You'll get the hang of it!


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## BreakableRider (Aug 14, 2013)

I'd get a lot of lessons on the lunge line at a trot and get solid there. You're just working on figuring out how to balance and use yourself properly up there. You don't need to be worrying about your horse maintaining his/ her speed or steering. 

I actually wouldn't advocate no stirrup work. You're perching forward and working with no stirrups I fear that your first reaction would be to pinch with your knees to balance which wouldn't only make things worse.


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## Gossalyn (Sep 12, 2013)

i used to lean forward too (and sometimes still do occasionally and have to correct myself). It's my feeling that when you lean forward you don't feel like you are.... My instructor finally said "show me what you think leaning too far back is" and I did that, and she said "that's where you need to be!" 

Of course, when i was 'where i needed to be' things felt a whole lot bouncer and i felt insecure. But then i did it a bunch and settled into my seat more.
Finding my seat (which I still work on!) just came from riding riding riding.. I did lots of sit trot & stirrup-less trot. For me I feel that means - getting use to how the horse bumps you up and learning to keep close contact (WITHOUT pinching.. your knee should barely be on the horse.. no thigh clenching either) No one can tell you something to make you have a good seat.. and I'm not even sure there's a muscle you can exercise to make you find it faster.. you just have to get used to riding a lot.

I now actually sometimes feel more comfortable sit trotting than posting actually. that would have been crazy to think about when i started out. 

(just so you consider the source of this sage advice: I'd consider myself an advanced beginner & am not an expert  )


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## bsms (Dec 31, 2010)

Leaning forward some isn't necessarily wrong - depends on the style. BOUNCING is a lot more problematic. You can lean forward and move with the horse, or ride in a half seat leaning forward, or have a vertical body and move with the horse...but the bouncing wasn't "nice". 

I agree with maura's comment on this old thread: (http://www.horseforum.com/english-riding/riding-canter-half-seat-120340/)



maura said:


> Riding the canter correctly and well in a full seat is difficult, and many more riders do it badly than do it well. As Allison stated above, it requires a degree of abdominal fitness, as well as correct position, relaxation and a good understanding of gait mechanics and how the horse's back moves. That's out of reach for a lot of recreational riders. I would much rather see an elementary or intermediate rider cantering in half seat, allowing the horse to move freely, than someone attempting and failing a full following seat and punishing the horse's back in the process.
> 
> There is nothing inherently insecure about riding the canter in half-seat or two point as long as the rider is in balance.


US Cavalry Manual










A video I often recommend on cantering:


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