Canter - how to improve position/seat?

[pardonmytits]

Hello all - this week I had my first lesson in god knows how long, and it went really well. I've so missed being around horses. My instructor said my seat was pretty good and I didn't have any issues in trot, but in canter I always seem to be losing my stirrups, end up a bit hunched and feel like my hands are all over the place. I vaguely remember this being the case last time I had regular lessons too (15-ish years ago...).

I had a chat with my instructor, who told me to practice 'Legs Away' while riding, but I wondered if there's anything else I can be doing - both in the saddle and out - to improve my position/seat?

Many thanks in advance! :)

lots of work without stirrups! :)

You need to open your hip flexors so you are actually sitting on your seat deep in the saddle. Try not to grip with your knees as this will bring your lower leg away from the horse and will make you hunch up. Pilates can help with your core. And yes. Riding without stirrups is brilliant for balance and improving your position. So glad you enjoyed it.

Yy to work without stirrups. You should get to the point where the canter feels easier without stirrups, than with . I think the tendency when you start back riding is to lean forward or hunch to keep your balance when the horse speeds up, when in reality it is much, much easier to balance when you are sitting up tall and deep in the saddle. Also, don't 'hunt' the canter transition by leaning forward...sit tall and imagine asking with your seat, like you're 'scooping' with your sit-bones.

It's a bit of a leap of faith but it really is just physics. Try it!

Oh wow, thank you for all your replies! My thighs and backside are cringing at the thought of stirrup-less work, but it seems it must be done!

Oscar You're so right about the transition. I do seem to be forward as if I think that if I am forward the horse will just follow me...As if that's going to happen

I will give all your suggestions a try, thank you! Looking forward to working towards a canter that is nice and graceful as opposed to gripping on for dear life! It's odd because I don't feel scared to canter, but my body must have other ideas if it's tensing up and hunching...

Hey x I came late into riding and had lots of different tips about sitting into the canter. I still find it hard to sit really well if Im pushing for a fast bouncy canter out hacking but schooling canter is easy now. For me no stirrups initially made it worse as I wasn't balanced enough and core wasn't strong so it just made me grip more with my legs. For me what really helped was riding a horse with a really lovely rocking horse canter so that I could learn to move with the horse alongside starting pilates so I learned how to engage my core properly as thats what really allows you to stay strong and balanced to the canter, sitting trot etc x

See if you can have some lunge lessons for your no-stirrup work, so you can really concentrate on your position, rather than the steering etc. Discuss with your instructor which horse would be best to help.

the thing that is really helping my canter position is improving my balance ,strengthening my core and improving my lower leg position. we have done this with lots of half seat, and moving from rising, to two point, to sitting and then back again while maintaining the same trot. Stretching my legs as soon as i get on. lots of transitions...trot, 2 strides of walk trot again...repeat.
Its exhausting but the diff it has made is incredible.
My instructor/trainer is a hard task master - but I love it