While our walk and trot work are right on, the canter is still a bit of a work in progress. I'm trusting Remy most of the time, but when I feel him tightening up or slowing down I tend grab with my thighs in order to (1) stay on and (2) in a wrong attempt to make him go forward. This works for staying on but not on making him forward. Instead, Remy slows down and often breaks into a trot.
So Roz had an idea and asked me "have you ever posted the canter?" "Umh, no..." That was the first time I heard of this in my long life as a rider. Canter is a three beat gait, so how can you post it? I sometimes count to stay in the rhythm: Eins, zwei, drei, eins, zwei, drei, and so on (yes, I still do all numbers and counting in German even though I think in the language I speak at a given moment). So where does the eins, zwei, eins, zwei, of the posting trot fit into this?
Well, turns out it doesn't. You just have to go with the flow. And sure enough -as it happens for Roz' instructions- it worked. It prevented me from grabbing with my thighs and we were able to stay smoothly forward. Admittedly, it felt a bit weird at first.
So, then I got curious and of course did what everyone does: I googled it. Interestingly, I found that the Hunter judges and trainers seem to overwhelmingly hate it, while other disciplines appreciate the benefit.
Well, I'm not planning to be the next equitation champion, so we are in the clear (whew!). It does work for us and it is good to incorporate when yours truly gets stuck. Note to self: Remember not to do this in a) a dressage test or b) on a Hunter course.
The best coverage of the subject I found was posted (I know, I know..) by the Cottonwood Riding Club in Denver:
How to Post the Canter
If you’ve ever watched a polo chukker or just happened by while the Denver Polo Club folks are riding, chances are you’ve seen them posting the canter. They do that pretty much all the time.
We eventing, hunter-jumper and dressage riders—not to mention Western riders—almost never do this, though! (We sit, we ride light seat or we’re in full half seat, out of the saddle.)
But learning to post the canter has some great benefits. It helps with balance, rhythm and developing an independent seat, and it’s not rocket science why those things are hugely helpful for any rider!
If you can post the canter, you’ll become a stronger, more tuned-in rider. You can also use it as a tool to stabilize your horse’s speed without using the reins.
Unlike posting the trot, the canter motion doesn’t toss you out of the saddle. This exercise is all about rhythm. It’s still 1-2-1-2, but slower.
The canter is a three-beat rhythm, though! So you may be wondering, how to get a 1-2 post out of it. Well, try it! You’ll figure it out.
Remember, the canter rhythm is like ba-da-dum, ba-da-dum, ba-da-dum. Think “One, two, buckle-my-shoe.” Just divide that song rhythm into twos and you’ll find a post that feels longer and slower than a posting trot. It swings along easily.
There isn’t one proper leg to rise with akin to the trot diagonal—just pick a beat to rise on and then stay consistent.
As you learn to post the canter, your balance and strength will improve as well as your awareness of your horse’s strides. For certain horses, this exercise can also help a lot with establishing and maintaining consistent rhythm.
A note: while polo players post the canter almost all the time, generally in the English disciplines we don’t do this at shows. Simply use it as a training exercise during your schooling rides.
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