# Leaning too far back in the Canter



## LoveofOTTB (Dec 7, 2014)

Hello Horse forum world!

I am looking for some advice, I plan on having a canter only lesson with my trainer next week, but I want to see if I can get a head of things and try to fix this issue. I am having an issue where I lean too far back when cantering my horse, my trainer did point this out to me the last lesson we had (I just got a new OTTB so it was the first time she has seen him and I ride together) she told me it might be because I have short legs (I am 5'1 with very short legs on a 16 plus hand OTTB haha) she said it seems like my lead goes forward possibly, and it causes me to lean back too far. She told me to sit back for against the saddle (I am riding western currently) and try to lean forward when cantering. Well I have thought I have been doing that, and getting better, I kept telling myself in my head to 'lean forward' but today my friend was watching me ride and she told me she got a little nervous because I was leaning back so far. But when I am riding him I don't feel like I am doing that, I feel like I am riding it fine. I have no clue where to begin to try to fix this issue, because I am leaning back my horse is having to work harder, and if I try to change my position I start to bounce a little. I was wondering what sort of advice or suggestions you guys could give to me so I can possibly start to fix this issue before my lesson?

I have been riding since I was little, but I had a bad fall in high school and stopped riding for 7 years. So I am wondering if I started this habit when I first started to canter again, I was nervous and grabbed the back of the saddle, so I am wondering if possibly this has caused me to lean back to much. Any help or advice I can get would be great!

thank you!


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## horseNpony (Sep 27, 2013)

I too, used to lean back a lot when cantering. Rather than trying to lean forward, try to bring your leg back. Think about dropping your heels and bringing it back underneath yourself. I'm not sure if it would help, but perhaps have try a canter stirrup less, without stirrups your legs should sit underneath you more.


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## LoveofOTTB (Dec 7, 2014)

Thank you! I was thinking about doing no stirrup work possibly, I have no clue what my trainer will have me do haha. But because I am leaning too far back I am messing up my boys gait since he is trying to keep up with me, and figure out what I am doing. He is so patient with me when it comes to certain things.


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## WildAtHeart (Jul 17, 2013)

Try to keep your legs under you. Keep your torso upright as you can but allow your hips to "scoop" in the rocking horse motion of the canter.


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## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)

could you post a video?


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## LoveofOTTB (Dec 7, 2014)

I will 'try' to get a video, sadly I can't seem to find the charger for my good camera that I have a tripod too! So I have to find a way to stand my cell phone up somehow to get video. I tried it the other day and since my arena does not have the best lighting in the world, it was not a good video at all. But I plan on having my trainer during our lesson next week to take video of me. I want to see how exactly I am riding myself so I can fix things! lol


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## Yogiwick (Sep 30, 2013)

I have the reverse issue!

Just wanted to say while you should be trying to fix it it's great that you're comfortable and so well balanced. 

I'm curious to see just how far you're leaning.


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## stevenson (Sep 12, 2011)

try bareback. if you balance to far forward or back, you will find that balance point fast


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## LoveofOTTB (Dec 7, 2014)

So I tried to get a video tonight with my cell phone and of course you can not see anything but my shoulders up, sometimes my entire body with his. lol So I will have to try again tomorrow and possibly post a video. When I saw myself the few times I was in full frame, it didn't look like I was leaning back too far. So now I am unsure =/ because I have been trying to work on it since my trainer told me I do it two weeks ago. But I have yet to ride him bareback since he is the typical OTTB and has those super high withers! lol last time I did that on one with withers like that, I was not a happy camper after.


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## TXhorseman (May 29, 2014)

Think of how you balance when standing. If you are well balanced, your head, shoulders, and hips are above your feet. If you shift part of this lineup, you must shift another part to compensate and remain in balance. This sense of balance becomes quite natural with practice.

Now, consider that you are standing on a platform that is moving. You must lean forward somewhat to counteract the forces that would otherwise tip you over backwards.

Next, consider sitting on a rounded surface where only the area of your crotch has contact. You would need to balance in much the same way. Whether stationary or moving.

When we ride a horse, things change. We can "cheat". We can grab the horse with our legs, we can lean against the back of the saddle, and we can let the horse help support us by keeping ourselves balanced with use of the reins.

While these methods can be effective, they do not teach us to balance. Neither do they teach us to move dynamically with the horse. If we want to learn to balance and to move dynamically with the horse's movements, we must try to get ourselves not to use these "cheats".

Can this be done. Theoretically, yes. Practically, we generally ride somewhere along the continuum between the ideal and total reliance on "cheats". 

The way to move closer to the ideal is to somehow reduce our reliance on "cheats". We can try to resist supporting ourselves with the reins. We can try to sit in the middle of the saddle so we don't lean against the cantle. We can try not to hold onto the horse with our legs.

It is easiest to do this progressively. It is pretty easy to learn to do this at a walk, because we don't need to adjust our body much to compensate for speed. Also, the movements of our horse are less dramatic. As we do this, we should learn to release unnecessary tension in our muscles so we can better follow the movements of our horse and smoothy perform the subtle adjustments necessary to stay in balance while doing so. The more we practice this at a walk, the more our bodies become accustomed to moving this way.

Then, we must consider the trot and canter. While forward speed generally requires less compensation at the trot than at the canter, the up and down motion of the trot is usually rougher than the smoother undulations of the canter. Of course, how the individual horse moves in each gait can make a big difference.

When learning how to sit in balance and move easily with a horse, it is best to find a horse that moves easily. Again, the more we practice on such a horse, the easier it will be to do the same, later, on another horse.


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## LoveTheSaddlebreds (Jul 9, 2009)

I'm gonna second no stirrup work as well! I find my center of balance improves greatly when without stirrups.


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## Cimarron (Oct 8, 2014)

Cantering without stirrups helped me. (I prefer it actually because my legs are so long)
I had this problem (leaning back) two years ago and when I decided to start riding seriously 6 months ago I haven't had that problem to the extent of how I was in the past. But whenever I leaning back, I really felt like I was leaning back waaaayyyyy too much.
It could be because I have more core strength now...


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## LoveofOTTB (Dec 7, 2014)

So just to update everyone, I had my lesson with my trainer, and she said I actually was not leaning too bad! Which is nice, she said she could tell I had been working at it. So we focused more on my butt staying in the saddle more. haha She said I do good, but sometimes I lose it. So just more to work on! I will get there, I have all winter to work on this stuff as long as it does not get too super cold! Summer fun shows here we come! =]


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## Saddlebag (Jan 17, 2011)

We were taught "nose knees and toes" which is ears hips and heels for good riding posture. If you look down your nose you should just see your toes past your knees.


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