How to Ride Without Stirrups at the Canter

Riding without stirrups will improve your seat by balancing and suppling the rest of your body. It must be done correctly, however, as incorrect technique will only produce bad habits, such as a stiff back and gripping too tightly with the knee. Someone on the ground, such as your instructor, can tell you if it's being done the right way.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Saddled and bridled horse
• Large open arena
• Instructor or trainer to stay in the arena with you.
• Moderately experienced horse.

Build a better seat

1. Warm up your horse as usual, doing transitions from walk to trot to canter and back to a walk again. Once the horse is warmed up, halt the horse and gently cross your stirrups across the front, or pommel, of your saddle. Ask the horse to walk and then transition to a trot, and then when you are ready, cue the horse to canter. Do this by sliding your outside leg back behind the girth while squeezing with both legs with equal pressure.

2. Be sure not to lean forward; this will only make you bounce in the saddle. You should sit tall in the saddle, as you would normally, without hunching your shoulders or rounding your back. Your back must be relaxed and not work against the motion if the horse, but flow with it.

3. Ride by balancing--not gripping--with your legs relaxed and in the correct position. This means your heels should remain down, not gripping your horse's sides.

4. Try to stay in the middle of the saddle without leaning to one side or the other. Think of the canter as a rolling motion, and your seat should follow that rolling with your hips opening and closing with each stride. Remember to breathe deeply as this will relax your body and allow you better flow with the canter stride.

5. Try this on a large 20-meter circle until you are comfortable enough to go all the way around the arena. Your instructor can tell you if you are not quite relaxed enough to accomplish this.

Tips & Warnings

• The most important aspect of this exercise is relaxation. If you are tense, you will not be able to do it correctly.
• Incorrect posture includes a tight, gripping leg with your heel up, hunched back and shoulders and leaning too far forward.
• A beginner horse may not accept your aids to do this correctly.
• Always wear approved headgear.
• Always wear boots with heels.
• Never ride without proper supervision.
• Use caution when riding with other horses in the arena.

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