Endurance.Net Ridecamp Archives

Kathy Mayeda wrote:
> I canter on Beau in a half-seat - which is what I think you're 
> describing here, Carrie.  He has a real wierd canter and gallops better 
> than he canters. 
>  
> However, I am taking a lot of arena lessons and finding that I almost 
> HAVE to canter Drako with a full seat otherwise he gets really 
> disorganized.  And Drako has a wonderful canter.  Trick is to have your 
> body not lean forward which is my tendency from too many miles on the 
> trail and not enough arena time. 

If I understand the terms correctly, I would not ride a "deep seat" 
canter on an endurance ride.  I'm at least partially up out of the 
saddle at a canter, most of my weight being carried by the stirrups.  I 
have always believed that one of my strengths as a rider (and I 
certainly have faults as well) is that I ride "light," moving with my 
horse and minimizing stress on him.  I believe that is part of being a 
rider instead of a passenger.

> I think that any standing in the stirrup leads to more stress by 
> displacing weight that would be distributed on the saddle pads onto the 
> stirrup bars which would lead to more pounds per pressure.  I also think 
> this would beat up your legs a little and cause more fatigue trying to 
> hold this position than if you have a nice relaxed following seat in the 
> canter.

Maybe with a treeless saddle.  With a tree, the stirrups attach to the 
tree, which distributes the weight.  The tree is going to press down on 
the horse with the same total weight whether you are standing in the 
stirrups, or have your feet out of them.  What matters is that you are 
balanced with the horse, move with him, and stay in sync so that you 
help him rather than make him compensate for you.

It seems to me that if you are sitting with most of your weight on your 
butt in the saddle instead of the stirrups, you are going to not be able 
to do this very well.  Maybe in a flat, groomed arena, but not on the trail.


--
Joe Long
jlong@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
13,000 endurance miles (11,000+ on one horse)


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