Staying IN the saddle?

Question

Whenever I canter I walways find myself bouncing in the saddle. Can anyone give me tips on how to keep myself in the saddle without bouncing too much?

Answer 1

Picture a basketball. A fully inflated ball bounces. The less air there is in the basketball, the more it sticks to the ground.

Your muscles are like the basketball. The more tense you are, the more you will bounce. So try to "let the air out" and relax your muscles.

Picture yourself melting down into the saddle. Move with the horse, and try to sit upright. Don't try to force anything, since that will make your muscles tense up.

Answer 2

Roll on your pockets just go with the flow if your on the left lead feal the horse sometimes I will kinda sit in the saddle with my left leg a little farther forward when I am on the left lead just roll on your pockets.

Answer 3

keep your heals down...and build up your leg muscles by doing exercise.  Try riding without stirrups, or bareback for a half hour as much as possible...doing this will help  tremendously with your seat.

Answer 4

you are probably leaning forward and don't relize it! So just think sit back, make your seat move to the way horse moves...Hope I could help!

Answer 5

Try to rock with the canter, gently going back and forth. My instructor put it this way, picture your in a rocking chair, no matter what it'll always go back and forth. now picture your in the saddle but its a rocking chair, just get in groove with the canter and rock back and forth

Answer 6

You need to relax and allow yourself to move with the horse. Easier said than done ( especially with some bouncy horses) You could try using a neckstrap if you're worried about bouncing off. Try not to "grip up" with your legs as this will push you up out of the saddle and make it even more difficult.

Don't forget to breathe !

Edit; I was answering before you put the ps - so I've answered for English. Bet the relaxing part works for both though.

Answer 7

heels down, sit up straight and tall, don't lean forward or back. push ur  bum down, it comes with time, took me ages to get it, now it's so easy, i'm a great rider now and it's all come together since i learn to canter probably

Answer 8

More leg.

Answer 9

you need to squeeze with your thighs tighter to stay in the seat.

Answer 10

Make sure your stirrups aren't so long that you can't lift your butt off the saddle a little bit (maybe an inch or two).  When you canter, put weight downward into the stirrups and keep in rhythm with the horse.  If this doesn't work for you (it doesn't for me but does for my husband) try lifting yourself out of the saddle a little bit and leaning forward a little bit.  This works for me.

Hope this helps!

Answer 11

learn back a little into your tail bone and sink your weight into your stirrups

Answer 12

Keep your heels down! Sit up straight and try to bend in the middle, keeping your shoulders and head in the same spot while you move with the horse. Elbows bent but close to you. Good luck!

Answer 13

I used to do that.  But then the more and longer I rode the better I got.  I asked this question on here before too.  Everyone told me to just be patient and eventually you will be able to keep from doing that.  So now I don't.  Just wait.