Balancing the rider

[Daffy Dilly]

Particularly in canter, we can do a few balanced strides and then I lose my balance somewhere, so it goes to pot. Not entirely sure what's causing me to lose the balance, suspect I may be tipping forwards and or tensing.

Also noticed my saddle slipping considerably to the right, again suspect that's a me thing; stirrups are exactly same length, and although the girth is elasticated on one side it doesn't always cause the saddle to slip.

So - how do you know for absolute certain you're in the best position you can be (stirrup bar placement considered) when there's nobody to tell you, and how would you go about improving balance when there's nobody to lunge you?

 

[*Grey Gelding*]

hi,
i would advise to try lots of work without stirrups! this will lenghten your leg and deepen your seat, giving you a better position for good balance!
Also try getting a friend or anyone to take some pictures of you, or video you? Its great to see yourself riding rather than someone trying to explain to you!
Hope that helps a little?

 

[colettybetty]

If you can get someone to video you, it'll help. trotting without stirrups is a great way to practise balance. I had the same problem as you in the school in canter.What helped me, was to ensure I kept my hands down, weight into the stirrups and feet a fraction more forward than I'd usually have them and to consciously lean back into the canter. This corrected my faulty position because when I tipped forwards slightly, my horse would become unbalanced and drop back to trot. Just by altering my position slightly, the difference in the canter was staggering and by my horse dropping into trot when I became unbalanced helped me to be aware of maintaining my position.

 

[Blair Witch]

I would do a lot of work without stirrups with a lot of patterns. Where are you loosing your balance? Is it in the corners, circles etc.... Make sure not to over ride, which means, don't lean in your corners. Turn your head/shoulders to where you want to go. If you feel as though you're loosing your balance, lean back and tilt your pelvis forward slightly.

 

[abichan]

Had to bring this up as I have the exact same problem too. First check how the saddle fits the horse. Sometimes the saddle will slip to one side on a horse with wider withers. The saddle may be slipping simply because you may be putting more weight to one side. Are you right side dominant? My trainer jacked up my right stirrup higher than my left becuase I was putting all my weight to the right side and none in my left. It's helped me sit straighter and when you sit crooked to the opposite side you favor you're less likely to lean while cantering. Well it's something I wouldn't recommend exactly without some kind of supervision but you can also try stirrupless work as the others have suggested to help you sitting deeper as well.

 

[Daffy Dilly]

Ack, I've had 6 months of riding without stirrups (and saddle!) and had sort of hoped to keep them for a while.

Saddle is a good fit, but I do collapse my right hip, although I never feel to be doing so when I check, making it hard to correct. Am due physio again in a fortnight, and we're having a lesson on Monday, so I might bring out a lunge line.

 

[Sammii]

I'm really glad you brought this up, as it's something I am struggling with at the moment too, I think I lean in or drop in one of my shoulders because no matter which rein i'm cantering on, my saddle or I slip to the right, and I always lose my right stirrup.

Definitely a balance issue on my part but I dont know how to overcome it.