# Trouble sitting the canter



## jcjess (Jun 9, 2013)

Hello, I'm looking for advice, I've been riding over a year and still struggle with sitting the canter. My hip bones lock and then I am standing in the stirrups instead of sitting. Any advice? Thanks


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## Jumping4Joy (Jan 29, 2014)

If you want to sit it, you need to loosen up. You could stretch before you ride, that will help you outside of the canter, too. Also, try to rock your hips to the rhythm of your horses canter. If you keep practicing, you'll get it. Maybe ask your trainer to put you on a lunge like so you don't have to focus on steering, but rather on your core and rhythm. You might also want to do core strengthening exercises. Good luck !
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## boots (Jan 16, 2012)

Jumping4Joy said:


> If you want to sit it, you need to loosen up. You could stretch before you ride, that will help you outside of the canter, too. Also, try to rock your hips to the rhythm of your horses canter. If you keep practicing, you'll get it. Maybe ask your trainer to put you on a lunge like so you don't have to focus on steering, but rather on your core and rhythm.* You might also want to do core strengthening exercises.* Good luck !
> _Posted via Mobile Device_


I agree with J4J.

It seems counter-intuitive, but increasing you core strength will decrease the rigidity of the hips.

You may be overcompensating for inadequate core musculature and wind up being stiff.


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## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)

I picked up from someone here this way of imaging the sitting canter:

think of the canter's 3 beat sequence and find the 3rd beat, which is the "down" beat. think of it as "1, 2, Down, 1, 2, down, . . " on the Down beat the horse will have a more downhill orientation. in that beat YOU think of your pelvis as following him downward. really key into THAT part of the canter rythm. and sync yourself with the DOWN beat. let him carry you up, but you look for and follow that DOWN beat, downward. 

try this, as a mental image, counting in your head, "1,2, down . . 1, 2 , down" and making sure that your pelvis goes down WITH your horse. let him carry you for the other beats, you just find and follow (match) the down beat.

try this!


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## TXhorseman (May 29, 2014)

jcjess said:


> Hello, I'm looking for advice, I've been riding over a year and still struggle with sitting the canter. My hip bones lock and then I am standing in the stirrups instead of sitting. Any advice? Thanks


Stiffening the legs and seat when a horse begins to canter is a very common habit of many riders. Overcoming this habit begins by paying attention to riding well when the horse is walking and trotting. It is very easy for a rider to sit in any fashion while the horse is walking since this gait is generally slow and without dramatic movement. The trot is usually faster and the movement more dramatic. However, the lateral action of the legs makes even this gait easier for most riders to sit than is the canter.

When cantering, many riders tense their muscles. This may be a reaction to the generally faster forward progress of the horse. It may also be a reaction to the more pronounced movements of the horse’s back and neck as well as the fact that the horse is moving with one shoulder and hip slightly in advance of the other shoulder and hip. If the rider is not accustomed to remaining in balance with the movement of the horse by allowing his body to move with his horse’s body, the rider is likely to tense his muscle and actually resist the horse’s movement.

To overcome this tendency to stiffen, consciously practice sitting in balance and moving with your horse when walking or trotting. Think of releasing all unnecessary tension in the muscles throughout your body. Releasing the tension in the muscles of the torso allows your spine to support your weight while remaining free to adjust your balance. Releasing tension in the shoulders and arms allows your hands to follow the movement of your horse’s head. Releasing the tension in the muscles of your crotch, legs, and feet gives you a deep seat with a low center of gravity. As you release the tension in your muscles, you should find your horse releasing the tension in his muscles. His movement should become softer and more flowing, making it easier to ride.

The more you practice these things at a walk and trot, the more accustomed your body will become in following the motion of your horse and remaining balanced over your horse’s center of gravity. Then, consciously apply these same methods while cantering.


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## mslady254 (May 21, 2013)

I havent tried this yet myself, but I've heard lots of people say to sing---outloud. It causes you to breathe more deeply, distracts you a bit, therefore helping you to not tense up. Singing a 3 beat song would fit in with the rhythm of the canter. I do play the William Tell Overture in my head with the canter...lol..but keep all of it in 3/4 time instead of the change of having the extra beat at that point in the piece....ba da bum, ba da bum, ba da bum, etc, ect... 
eg. someone suggested that you count 1,,2,,down...maybe say or sing that outloud... :lol:

hope this helps
Fay


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## BreezylBeezyl (Mar 25, 2014)

*Prepare for things to get a little weird while I try to explain this in the most dignified way possible.*

The first couple times I ever rode the canter, I had big troubles. I was all over the place, did not know how to put my butt down, and I was constantly slamming into the horse's back. I was using my legs way too much, causing the rest of me to stiffen up.

And honestly, what got me to 'get it' was that my instructor told me to get my mind in the gutter when I ride the canter... She told me I should literally be 'riding' my saddle. She even told me to pretend that I was a man practising my bed time shenanigans.

It's a fluid back and forth type of movement, with some serious hip action. You should sit back and down into the saddle, then push your hips up and forward. A slight scooping motion.

If you're fortunate enough to be riding a really well practiced horse with a smooth, slower canter, your seat should NOT leave the saddle. By pushing down and then up with the motion of the horse, you should not have any difficulties.

As a tip, remember how you post the trot: your hips go FORWARDS, not straight up.

But if that's a little too scandalous for you, try imagining that your horse is a swing. You may find your legs are a bit more active in the beginning, but to try to pretend like you can't use your legs to pump the swing like you might do - do everything else you would do on a swing, just eliminate the legs going back and forth.

Pretend like you're always on a swing going backwards to forwards.

Hope that helps!

****Also, another thing you can try to practice: if you have a rocking chair at your house of any kind, sit in it with your riding position and do the above excercises -- get the chair to rock JUST using your hips and pelvis, keeping your upper body and legs still!****


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## jcjess (Jun 9, 2013)

Yes, my instructor told me that I need to think in the gutter to, to sit the canter.


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## jcjess (Jun 9, 2013)

I think it is exactly what you said, I do tend to tense up and get anxious when preparing to canter. I know if I am tense it will directly transfer to the horse. I think a lot of it might be in my mind, like writer's block or something.


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## jcjess (Jun 9, 2013)

Wow, thanks everyone for the advice if anyone else has any more ideas or tips please share.


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## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)

btw, a lot of tiems when people think their hips are locking up, it's really the knee that is locked. you can't brace into the stirrup to stand up unless there is a fair amount of firmness in the knee.


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## Valentina (Jul 27, 2009)

ave froend/trainer lunge you eithout stirrups but with a bucking strap in case you loose you balance. Then concentrate on relaxing your leg and letting it flow down around the horses barrel (no squeezing legs or you won't fix it).


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