Improving the Canter Seat

[piedmontfields]

I have been working quite a bit on improving my canter seat this summer and wanted to share some reflections and struggles. I welcome your own stories and suggestions on the topic. I got a lot of inspiration for improvement earlier this summer from watching Susanne von Dietz teach.

Looking back, I would say some things I wanted to improve in my seat included:
-Being less restrictive (I have worked on this a lot by routinely taking thigh and legs off in canter + riding one handed, and have improved even before the Von Dietz clinic, but keep checking in on it)
-Heels up tendency
-Working too hard to maintain canter! (too much driving)

Von Dietz made the point that when the canter seat is correct, the horse in canter becomes a sort of perpetual motion creature. The canter is easy to maintain in a steady rhythm without much effort. That was an "a-ha" for me because my current horse (unlike past horses, who would canter through any seat!) is *very picky* about me not gripping or restricting her at all. If I restrict her back, she will back off and really would like to just halt and declare "it cannot be done that way." If I let her flow, she is very forward and effortless to ride.

This is still a work in progress for sure, but two things have made a big difference for me:
1. At every landing of the horse's front inside leg, I open my hip angle even more. When I do this, my heels drop (magic!). And Em becomes a perpetual motion machine I'm at the point that I still need to think about this *a lot*.
2. I adjust how much weight is in my seat, depending on where we are in warm-up and work. Sometimes, I take quite a bit of weight off my sit bones and put it in my leg (calf) as I would when riding on terrain. This is nice for Em's back as she warms up.

I am much better doing these changes on one rein than the other, but it is getting closer. Perhaps one day I'll learn how to ride! Thank god/dess for my patient mare.

[Rosie B]

Great post piedmont.

I find it very interesting because I've been working on the exact same thing for months. My discovery was for the trot initially - that the less I do, the more forward it gets. It took me a few months to realize the same thing applies to canter as well. What can I say... I'm slow I guess.

So I've been working on doing nothing and letting him canter. If he lags, I refresh the canter by riding a bunch of big mediums, and then revisit. But it's soooo easy to get into the trap of subconsciously thinking you need to keep the horse cantering. NO. The horse should canter. You should just have to sit there. I find this especially difficult as I ask for more in the canter.. smaller circles and harder work do NOT mean that I need to canter for him. lol. Less is more.

[khall]

I cannot get tight with my thighs on Rip. I've learned how to keep the hip relaxed and the thigh draped but not tight and use the lower leg/calf for energy when needed. There is a movement to the seat to follow the canter, shorter hip action with collection and a longer movement with lengthenings. My aha moment has been riding TCT transitions within SI/SF, really illuminating on seat and clarity of the aids.

Riding the Andalusian g I Iiked so much in Spain, I was not using my leg/seat enough and initially I had trouble with him breaking from the canter. There was a learning curve there for me, he was pretty dang sensitive and I was not sure how much or how little I needed to do. So the trainer gave me a dressage whip to use and I also learned to get a bit stronger with my seat when I needed to. That was all it took for him to stay with me then. Riding the collection on Rip has gotten easier and easier. Doing lateral work to get him stronger has made him that much easier to ride. That along with transitions both TCT or WCW really tunes him up. I don't use a ton of medium C to activate him, but rather use quicker transitions or even half steps to C.

I always thought this was an interesting video re canter seat: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fbbm_U9MdPc

[Tsavo]

When I was trying to ignore my herniated disc for 1.5 years, I was having problems with forward. It was finally pointed out to me that I was gripping because my back hurt and putting my horse in acculement. I stepped off for three months and put my horse in training during that time and my disc healed through time alone. (Had I been doing chiro....)

Anyway, since that time I forced myself to learn to stay on through balance alone. At canter it feels like flying and my horse loves it.

[mari]

This is a timely topic for me as well!

I have a good seat in that it looks "pretty", and I'm quiet in the saddle, but man oh man cantering on my horse is hard work. Because his stride is so big and round (and also because halt is his favourite gait...) I've gotten into the habit of driving a bit to keep him going. Which has now taught Odie that if I don't ask every stride, he is not obliged to keep going.

My regular instructor is on maternity leave, and I've been having lessons with my jumping instructor (who also rides and trains dressage). And a few weeks back we had a bit of a breakthrough. He had me stop tapping with the whip, because in the quest for a quiet leg I've gotten overly reliant on the whip. I had to get the canter I want, and then sit quietly, just allowing the motion with my seat and back. If Odie flagged even a little bit, short sharp poke with the spur, reward for forward, and sit quietly again.

And like magic, I was having to do less. I've been concentrating on this every ride for the last 3 weeks, and it has made such a huge difference.

[piedmontfields]

Wow, I'm glad to read I'm not the only one making "discoveries" in this area! Makes me feel a bit better Like Mari, I looked "good" and solid cantering, but when I heard different teaching it really made me realize that I was not where I should be in my seat and getting the resulting ease. I would say that the changes I'm making in my canter seat are requiring me to use a lot less core strength than I had been. Rosie, I had a better sense of the letting go/self-powering in trot than in canter for some reason (probably because our trot is crappy unless I do that ;-p )

As I slowly learn these things, it does make me think that I can keep riding a very long time! (aka technique matters more than strength)

[StraightForward]

I have also been toying with this. Since Annabelle has been a little funky lately, I've been trying to just get her moving out in a longer frame under saddle. So the last two rides, I just cantered her on a loose rein and focused on connecting my seat and turning her with weight/seat aids. It's also an interesting feel because we just switched to a saddle with a wider twist and I'm riding with a little shorter stirrup. I need to get video next ride, because it feels much more correct, and I'm able to ride more from my core without getting rigid, so I can keep her powering up enough in the down transition to go from canter to sitting trot without both of us falling apart for several strides.

On Kyra, last ride I focused on riding with a stretched seat and had similar results (actually I transferred the feeling over from this ride to the no-contact work with Annabelle). Tonight I'll play with it a little more and try to put into words what I'm actually changing and the improvements I get.

[piedmontfields]

Straightforward, I"ll watch for your further notes. It must be so helpful to go back and forth between multiple horses as you explore things. I miss doing that.

[Dresseur]

This thread is incredibly timely for me. As of this weekend, we are ripping apart my canter position and seeing what we can improve. So, I have a tendency to sit a touch too forward, which rounds my shoulders - only in the canter. I have a tendency to get my reins too long and my elbow is a bit far back - again, only in the canter. When I use my back, I feel like my legs draw up slightly. I have to fight to keep my core steady and one piece, and I feel like I don't have the long line in my leg that I do in the trot. What is the effect of all of this on a horse - I am a bit light in the saddle, which encourages horses to be a little higher in the haunches, and in piris and changes, that drives the shoulder down, and it limits my ability to keep the horse in front of my seat and on my aids (particularly in the changes).

So, what am I doing?
1. punching a half hole in my stirrup leathers so that I can shorten by a half - this is to get me to get a bit of that positive tension in my leg. We don't want a deep heel, just not the floating leg that I like to do.
2. no stirrups on horses that are trained enough to tolerate this - this is to deepen my seat and again, drive a touch of positive tension in my leg.
3. Use less back - Andrea thinks that I'm over using this aid, and not correcting with the leg when I need to.
4. sit back - over exaggerate, get the horse in front of me. This was very applicable in walk/canter transitions. If I ask and lean forward and tip my pelvis back at all - the first step is a bit croup high and down in the shoulder vs feeling under and out in front of me.
5. Keep my elbows still in canter. Old hunter habit that is hard to kill - I don't pump, but I also tend to allow too much, which can create a bit of pecking in the bridle.
6. In the canter, on a trained horse, take my legs away from the sides of the horse - I need to stop trying to wrap my calf around the horse.

Basically - start over lol.

Here are two videos that show me doing transitions on M. This is my starting point (it's better than what I usually do.) What I find hilarious is in the second vid. She was telling me to exaggerate leaning back - I thought I was WAYYYY back. I barely moved. Sigh.
https://youtu.be/5WFUx9xigxo
https://youtu.be/Bq3xNJhk6zg

[Tsavo]

I think on both videos you lead into the first stride of canter with your shoulders. You have enough tone to not do that. You will NOT get left. This for me was a trust exercise... that a horse can take canter from walk and you won' be left if you don't lean forward. It is completely and totally counterintuitive to everyone's sense of physics but it is really just an ability (not a talent) of having enough tone in your abs and flexibility in your hips. You can stay vertical or even let M take your hips out from under you forward for the first stride just to quash that bit of shoulder leading. Don't try to stack your shoulders above your hips for one stride only.

If this contradicts your instructor ignore it obviously LOL. But if I saw I was doing that in the mirror, that is what I would do to fix it. Also watch a bunch of elite riders do walk canter and see what they are doing in their abs and hips. I do that for particular issues like this and then try to copy it. Pick someone whose style you would like to emulate. I like Graf.

[Dresseur]

It’s not contradictory at all, this is what she wants me to do, lead with my hips. My feel of what I’m doing vs what I’m actually doing is off in the canter. Now, the reason she says she wants me to do this on Gala is because M is so green in the transitions, I run the risk of squashing his back down, especially since he already wants to take a mincy step into the canter. So, I can’t experiment too much on him. But, really, what sets off the shoulders is that slight roll back of my pelvis in the moment of the actual transition. Gotta stop that.

[Tsavo]

This chick is riding a green horse also. You can see how she neither leads with the shoulders nor gets left behind.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XcCF6uFjhcM

[Dresseur]

Actually, she does. And her hip is fairly behind her. Again, the issue is how I tip my pelvis, which sets off a chain reaction. I came on this thread to share my story (as asked for in the OP), what I’m doing and how we’re addressing it. Not to give training advice or to get training advice from 2 transitions that I put up to purposefully show my errors.

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[Dresseur]

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These are stills of some of my others. I start fine, then let go instead of keeping my hips pressed up.
The first I was sitting a little lighter.
The second I was sitting a bit deeper, you can see how it squashes him down and he comes off the bit. he’s just not strong enough to sit that heavily on in those transitions.

this last one is a similar moment in stride. Looking up would help me too. Add that to the list.

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[musical comedy]

I wish I had such a small issue to worry about.

[Dresseur]

MC, I appreciate the perspective you bring! Yes, this seems like a small worry, for me, it’s something I’ve struggled with for forever and it’s now hindering the upper level work. I assure you, I also have many other more major issues too- sometimes we inexplicably have no breaks or steering- that kind of stuff lol

[musical comedy]

MC, I appreciate the perspective you bring! Yes, this seems like a small worry, for me, it’s something I’ve struggled with for forever and it’s now hindering the upper level work. I assure you, I also have many other more major issues too- sometimes we inexplicably have no breaks or steering- that kind of stuff lol

Saying it in jest, but really I did not notice anything wrong. I thought it looked just great. I do understand and agree though, that as we go on to higher level work, the smallest of things can create a problem. I could be wrong, but I think that sitting perfectly correctly in canter depart might backfire if the horse isn't through into the depart and then the horse pays the price in mouth. (Sorry if this isn't making sense, but I can't find the words to write what I mean.)

[Tsavo]

I didn't realize it was such an intermittent problem. If so then you probably don't have anything to fix. Nobody is perfect.

I am not trying to give training advice. I am just saying what I would do if I saw myself doing what you were doing in the mirror.

[Dresseur]

It’s not intermittent, unfortunately. Those were from after she had me do a bunch of changes. And I’m sorry if I was snippy. I do appreciate insights and tips, I read it differently than was intended.

[Ryeissa]

.

[Tsavo]

It’s not intermittent, unfortunately. Those were from after she had me do a bunch of changes. And I’m sorry if I was snippy. I do appreciate insights and tips, I read it differently than was intended.

Thanks for this. There is no problem. I love you, your posts, and the horse you rode in on.

[khall]

I agree wholeheartedly with Rye here, sit still, activate with the leg, light seat aid for canter and let the horse canter up in front of you. I think we all have struggled with this. I had to think keep my bum in the saddle! This is especially important for mr Ripster helps in the CC and I have to, he likes to throw in a spook in the canter and will catch me out (I can keep him from doing so if I am sitting properly, sigh). I think this will be even more important for FCs.

One question though Dresseur, if M struggles when you do sit more upright is he strong enough to do the transition WC? Or are you using your seat too strongly which hollows him out?

[piedmontfields]

Again, folks, I truly appreciate the encouragement as various posters break down the canter for their own development needs!

Just a little report back on my efforts:
-I am using awareness in the walk warm-up and walk-canter work to remind me that the hips also open up in walk (one side, then the other side). This gets me in the mode to practice that opening in canter.
-When I use my "field" legs and seat (more "turned on" legs, but lighter seat) in canter, I find that my legs are in the exact position needed if I must give an aid. This is awesome and very quiet for my mare.
-Today in the field, we found pirouette canter with these seat changes. It was so easy it snuck up on us

For any who find it useful: When I see a good looking seat leave the saddle *at all* in canter, I know something is amiss. I have a dear friend who is a lovely rider who is working through this. It is more challenging with some canters for her than others. In general, I see this challenge in women who have a longer lower back and tend to be a bit sway backed without deliberate attention/development.

[Dresseur]

Rye, there is nothing that I hate more than knowing that I'm doing something that A. I know better than to do, and B. that is stupid, but doing it anyway! I need to activate with my leg more to make sure he can listen to a lighter seat aid.

Khall, I can sit upright on M, as in the first pic, but I take a bit of the weight of my seat in through my thighs. It's when I sit heavily or use my seat strongly as in the second picture (trying to exaggerate the aid so that I learn to sit back a bit more than I normally do) that he hollows. On Gala, her back is very strong, so there is no risk of sitting too heavily as I experiment with altering my posture and aids.

Piedmont - I also have a long back/torso and I think that's why I struggle a bit - it's very, very easy for me to hollow my back - and I used to be a gymnast ages ago, as well as the duck butt hunter jumper thing - so it's my go to habit. The undulation in the canter is why this habit has lingered so long.

[demi]

I am enjoying this thread and cannot thank the contributors enough. Especially the posts with pictures and personal experience.

I love the canter, but it is also the most dangerous gait for an older, slower reflexes person on flighty Arabians. Of the two half Arabs that i have, one is injured, and the other is very defensive about canter (she can and WILL buck) I THINK I know how to be safe on the defensive one (Emma) but want to try it with my trainer first. Unfortunately trainer is preparing horses and students for the championships and cant help till after Oct. 10.

I can only add passed experience to this thread and maybe hunt up some old canter pics. I rode an Andalusian gelding for a year back in the 80’s that belonged to a dressage trainer. She shattered her ankle in a hiking accident and asked me to ride Andy. He was a rescue and we weren’t sure of his history, but he had advanced training (he could piaffe and passage) but also had deep spur scars in his sides, and a scar ring all the way around his nose. The owner had just acquired him before her accident. She rode him in a snaffle. One issue they had was that ALL canter transitions were explosive, but then settled into a nice collected canter. When I started to ride him she warned me but said to play with it. Oddly, we had the most lovely transitions right from the start. Trot/canter and walk/canter both. We talked about it and figured out what was going on. Trainer asked by outside leg back, and then lifted inside hip. I asked by outside leg back and then just slipping inside hip forward. No lifting. Andy loved it. I did, too. I wish I could go out and canter him right now. Course he’d be 50 years old

[demi]

And I’m not saying THAT Is how you canter. It just worked for that horse at that time. I also remember that my seat changed very little from the trot or walk to the canter. The horse felt so nice because he was carrying me. All I had to do was balance on my seat bones and stretch my torso up while stretching my legs down (soft stretching, not forced) and then slide my inside seatbone a little forward and then let him move me.

A trained horse as we all know is different than an untrained one. But there are some things that both have in common. Things to think about...

[musical comedy]

I like when we can see still pics and video they were taken from, as Dresseur did. Still pics of the canter depart can often show what looks like stellar engagement, etc. but in the next frame, the quality is lost.

My concentration has gone off track. What is it we are discussing now? That we need to not lean forward with our shoulders in the depart and that we need to keep our butt in the saddle at all times? I definitely know my butt is in the saddle always, but don't know if I am leaning forward. If I am, it is not much. I haven't had video taken for a long time.

[Tsavo]

The balimo came to mind when reading this thread. I have tried it once and didn't think it was particularly useful because the ROM was much more than any normal horse would move your hips. (In contrast I thought the Equicizer or whatever that electric horse was called had an unrealistically too small a range of motion. I feel like Goldilocks here LOL.) My point is if you can keep your balance at the end range of the balimo I think any canter would be easier to seat by comparison. It shows you how you have to change your lumbar to accomplish any angle correctly. It shows you what you have to do to keep your torso vertical whilst your hips are going on massive angular excursions.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RlEaS4a9o24

[khall]

One of the coolest pictures from my week in Spain riding the Andalusians:

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid ... =3&theater Galante, not my favorite to ride but a stunning stallion.

I actually have a more difficult time keeping my seat in the saddle for CW transition. I sit for the initial transition but then fall a bit forward instead of keeping on my bum to help the horse out.

[Chisamba]

I used to gallop around bare back so many hours that the seat in the canter is accepted by all the horses I ride.

Problems that crop up, yes tipping forward in strike off. Do I think it interferes with the horses ability. NO. Forward seat is used in multiple disciplines in canter. Yes a vertical balanced seat is prettier and preferable.

Do I think you have to suck the back of the horse up with your arse cheeks, as suggested in the video. NO. That's asinine. (See what I did there, lol )

I think people with different body conformation probably need to be tolerant of deviations from "perfection" in order to find the most nuanced seat for your horse.

Horses with sensitive backs prefer a lighter seat. Horses built like a brick house often prefer a bit more oomph in the seat.

As usual, just my perspective

[Ryeissa]

.

[khall]

Chisamba I have to disagree that tipping forward does not impede the horse in the WC transition. When we want collection as riders, we ride more erect and with more tone in our upper body supported by our seat and leg, if we fall forward we lose that tone, shoulders go forward which weights the horses shoulders the antithesis of elevation needed in collection. With a more fine tuned horse (more training) the aids become more refined so that mm matter. To me quality matters, that quality is supported by correct rider position which has been well established for many years. Why else would the SRS spend so much time on the lunge line working on their seat? Yes there are deviations, but obviously what Dresseur is dealing with is impeding her progress and I would agree, it is that relearning that takes time does not mean it is not worthy of that investment.

[Tsavo]

Do I think you have to suck the back of the horse up with your arse cheeks, as suggested in the video. NO. That's asinine. (See what I did there, lol )

I saw what you did there!

I think we have to try to translate what the person really means by that. It is an okay description of what it feels like but of course that is not happening as it is impossible. So what is really happening? When I think I am sucking up my horse's back, I think I am just using a bit more calf to get the horse to raise the belly/back. I don't think it is possible to do that with legs away for example.

In my opinion, Dresseur is correctly toned and balanced so that even if the strike off is not perfect, it quickly becomes correct. If so I am not sure it can be classified as an issue if it lasts literally one stride.

[Dresseur]

Tsavo, you are correct that it's not really an issue on a Miro, or another lower level horse. The reason that I'm so hell-bent on fixing this is because in the tempi changes - particularly the 2's and 1's, I don't have room for error in my strike off. Each change is a basically a new strike off, and leaning forward with each successive change puts me in a really back place about 3 changes in. So, could I leave it go, yes - but then I'll have to keep muscling through the tempis to cover up for my error, and I don't want to ride like that.

[demi]

I very much like your approach, Dresseur. You are pushing yourself to improve, and you are paying attention to the smallest details. At the same time, you aren’t over-pressuring Miro ( I am thinking of one of the most recent screenshots where you noticed that a deeper seat was pushing him down and he came off the bit. And that he just wasn’t strong enough yet for what you were asking.)

[Chisamba]

Since more than one person seemed to think i was saying dont work on your seat, which I DID NOT say, i must have some how left a bunch of unwritten words in my paragraph. I said a good seat is preferable, i simply said that lightness in use of the seat was important. Heather Blitz is very long, and she is one who purposefully uses a slightly forward seat in her canter when she rode Paragon. She does not fight the horse at all, its very fluid, i was in fact thinking of her when i said a forward seat does not inhibit the horse if it is ridden correctly.

I have often had the discussion that for ME, a fat heavy person, it is kinder to the horse to use more leg and less back/seat/ butt cheeks etc. I did not even mention Dresseur in my paragraph i was referencing the video Khall posted.

[Tsavo]

i was referencing the video Khall posted.

Moffett. Can someone refresh me on where she is w.r.t. riding level?

[khall]

Wrote a long post and it went poof.

I got something different out of the video than Chisamba and it was not about butt cheeks, lol! But about the movement of the pelvis in following the seat which IMO can be done even in a light seat. I am not a proponent of sitting heavy on the horse (usually, there are times when it is needed) but to follow the movement of the canter. A collected canter, the seat will move less, with extended or bigger canters seat will follow with a longer movement. We have to follow the horse's movement in the gaits. I don't think we should be bearing down with our seats but keeping them active, light and following. We can use our seats to influence the horse. There are definitely reasons to ride in a light seat but not while riding tempis! or collection. We have to stay upright and erect so we can encourage the same in the horse, collection. Being erect in our carriage does not equal bearing down at all in my book. This is where riding with independent aids is so important.

No real idea of Moffat's back ground except for this: https://www.hmsaddles.com/collections/books-and-dvds

[Chisamba]

Wrote a long post and it went poof.

I got something different out of the video than Chisamba and it was not about butt cheeks, lol! But about the movement of the pelvis in following the seat which IMO can be done even in a light seat. I am not a proponent of sitting heavy on the horse (usually, there are times when it is needed) but to follow the movement of the canter. A collected canter, the seat will move less, with extended or bigger canters seat will follow with a longer movement. We have to follow the horse's movement in the gaits. I don't think we should be bearing down with our seats but keeping them active, light and following. We can use our seats to influence the horse. There are definitely reasons to ride in a light seat but not while riding tempis! or collection. We have to stay upright and erect so we can encourage the same in the horse, collection. Being erect in our carriage does not equal bearing down at all in my book. This is where riding with independent aids is so important.

No real idea of Moffat's back ground except for this: https://www.hmsaddles.com/collections/books-and-dvds

I agree with most of that

[Tsavo]

Haddad and skeletal riding advocates no weight anywhere except the seat. She says the horse has to carry your entire weight anyway. I think she is talking about a trained horse here.

Anyway this is in direct opposition to Wanless who advocates distributing the weight between seat, thigh, and stirrups.

[Tsavo]

In re the equicizer, I think one could get completely adept at it and still be NOWHERE in riding. Just my opinion.

I took a lesson on one and later learned that the instructor rode at my level. That was probably ridiculous especially when combined with my first thought.

Now I hear there are FEI equicizers. I haven't tried that but if the ROM is like the ROM of the one I did try, I am skeptical it can help much.

[piedmontfields]

The reason that I'm so hell-bent on fixing this is because in the tempi changes - particularly the 2's and 1's, I don't have room for error in my strike off. Each change is a basically a new strike off, and leaning forward with each successive change puts me in a really back place about 3 changes in. So, could I leave it go, yes - but then I'll have to keep muscling through the tempis to cover up for my error, and I don't want to ride like that.

Appreciate that clarity. And I think you will crack this!

I am less articulate in my body-mind than Dresseur, but I guess the reason/motivation for why I've been taking apart/re-working my canter seat is to make the *single* changes easy both ways (instead of muscle-ly).

[Ryeissa]

.

[Chisamba]

Posting some unflattering photos to demo my opinion on canter seat.

First, all weight in seat. Upper body back.

[Chisamba]

Forward seat but not much weight in the leg

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This photo I purposefully sat forward, but still kept weight in my seat. The shoulder comes up but the back is still a bit hollow behind the saddle.

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Finally distributing weight through seat, legs and thighs with a forward seat. The back is elevated as are the shoulder all the way to the poll

[piedmontfields]

Chisamba, thank you! The photo series is helpful. It strikes me that the last photo has not only weight in the leg, but better leg/hip alignment. How does the opening of your inside hip change in these different seat (on the down beat of the horse's inside front)? or does it?

p.s. Cool saddle pad!

[Chisamba]

some people are genius at looking at photos, so if anyone sees anything else i would find it helpful, just dont slay me please. i realize everything could be better lol. also the photos strangely shortens the leg, it must be perspective

I do open my hip on the down , yes

[Tsavo]

Those photos are good,Chisamba. I wish Haddad could see and comment on the weight distribution effects.

[demi]

I’ve never really thought much about this before, but I think my hip/thigh angle opens (in other words, my leg gets longer) when the outside hind starts to come under me. As it leaves the ground, I stretch up and tuck my seat a little. Is that the up beat? If so, then my hip opens not on the down beat but the up beat. The hip opening is so brief, but I think my hip is most open on the first part of the “one” of the “one-two-three”. I’m thinking, that the second part of the “one” , and “two, three” is where I relax down a little, and my hip is more closed.

I have to think about it. I’ll look for some old pics. I’ll be able to feel it again this Saturday when I have a lesson on one of my trainers horses.

[demi]

So I can know what others are talking about: what "beat" of the canter is this, or how does one describe it? I think of it as the first beat, and the "up" beat is just starting. I am pretty sure that my hip angle is just starting to open and that when the right front and left hind hit, my heel will come down a little and my hip/thigh angle will be most open. I found several shots in this same time of the canter so am studying it...