I’m sitting too heavy and blocking any lift or flexing of the spine. Trying to figure out how to lighten in the canter. Waiting to hear back from instructor for a lesson. We have shown training level and are working on shoulder-in/haunches-in. Any tips would be appreciated.
What do you mean you are “sitting too heavy”? It has different meaning for different riders. Sitting deeply but moving with the horse isn’t too heavy, and I would guess you’re actually not sitting as deeply, top of your pelvis pointed too forward/seatbones pointed back so you can’t move with the horse and allow him/her to move freely? You could mean many other things, though, so it’s hard to guess without video.
You nailed it! Thank you!!! So more of a scooping motion in the canter.
There is no such thing as a rising canter. The rider should not leave the saddle and then hit the saddle and then leave the saddle, etc while in a 3 point seat.
To be too heavy - if the horse is green, you might need to get off their back until they are stronger, in a 2 point seat or a very light 3 point seat
[QUOTE=workin’onit;7930690]
You nailed it! Thank you!!! So more of a scooping motion in the canter.[/QUOTE]
Jane Savoie has a very nice audio series that describes things like what you are trying to do OP. The “choose your own adventure” series has some tht I love listening to for knowing how to visualize what I should be doing at each gait.
[QUOTE=SuzieQNutter;7930703]
There is no such thing as a rising canter. The rider should not leave the saddle.
To be too heavy - if the horse is green, you might need to get off their back until they are stronger.[/QUOTE]
Actually, there is a rising canter.
Some people would say “sitting too deeply” is putting all of your weight in your seat when the horse has a difficult time handling it if he’s not quite strong enough to carry it. “Sitting more lightly” is putting more weight in your thighs or stirrups, which distributes your weight more across the panel of your saddle. Riding in two-point also frees your horse’s spine.
it’s not just a “scooping” motion, which can inadvertently cue your horse to go faster and make you lose your “center”. Sit tall, be flexible in your midsection and let the canter move your hips while your upper body isn’t moving. Be aware that your hip motion controls the canter stride and your hip and core (by driving or being totally loose or sitting slightly “against” the motion) controls the collection. Also, be sure you are not stiff in your elbows and that your elbows follow the motion of the neck in the canter stride. When in doubt, get into two point to give yourself and your horse a break. Two point is excellent to strengthen your legs and balance.
I edited it a bit for you. It is not so early in the morning any more!!
You need to follow the horse with your hips. This is not a forced motion however. Just allow your hips to move with the horse. If you try to hard to sit heavy in the saddle you become dead weight. Dead weight is stiff and can be shaken loose. Just think about staying soft and relaxed in the canter. Its a wonderful gait.
Yes, when I sit correctly with my core engaged my hips tend to get stuck. His canter is good for a Morgan horse and he shortens his stride well. Trying to carry that canter forward and then change frame with in the gait is where I struggle. Looking forward to my upcoming lesson 
Thank you all for the suggestions!
[QUOTE=J-Lu;7930910]
Actually, there is a rising canter.
.[/QUOTE]
I think i lost the point due to some editing, but i agree there is such a thing as a rising to the canter.
Polo players rise to the canter all the time.
Me? I’d rather sit,and play waltz music in my head.
I’m not sure of cantering in half seat qualifies as a rising canter, but there’s definite air between butt and saddle, and that how most of the hunters I know like to ride around courses.
Anyway, I’m not totally sure what you mean by “sitting too heavy” but I assume that you’re essentially blocking the upward motion of the gait by collapsing or perhaps rounding your back and slouching? If this is what you mean, you might imagine riding a carousel horse… So you think “up” on the third beat, rather than forward. Another thing I’ve done to improve canter position is to practice on a lunge and put the palms of yor hands under yor rump, against the saddle as you canter around. This helps you get the feel of sitting back without loosing that proper erect posture. Good luck!
No a half seat is not a rising canter.
Posting to the canter is not a 2-point or 3-point seat. It is actual posting. It’s useful in the jumper ring particularly when you need to set/change tempo on a hot horse, because it lets you do so without touching the reins. If you watch a big GP, you’ll usually see one or two riders do it in their entrance/opening circle. I’ve never had occasion to use it on a dressage horse. It doesn’t free up the back the same way posting to the trot does. Holding a light seat is much more useful.
A rising canter is unintentional, in dressage, and banging on the horses back, which does not sound like what the GP riders are doing.
[QUOTE=sporthorseconnect;7930930]
You need to follow the horse with your hips. This is not a forced motion however. Just allow your hips to move with the horse. If you try to hard to sit heavy in the saddle you become dead weight. Dead weight is stiff and can be shaken loose. Just think about staying soft and relaxed in the canter. Its a wonderful gait.[/QUOTE]
Agreed - and scooping with the seat to me sounds more forced, so this description works better to me.
You have to get the pelvic angle correct, then allow the hips to move while holding your upper body in place. I think everyone has a different feel and description. My most recent one comes from recent lessons in which my trainer rode behind me on a taller horse and I wore contrasting colored clothing so he could REALLY see what was happening. I was literally collapsing between my rib cage and the top of my hips (iliac crest). I’m very short waisted, and there was actual overlap between rib cage and pelvis like that, and it also hollowed my lower back and tipped my seat bones so they were pointing backward.
I had to think of lifting my rib cage, which I did with the upper abdominal muscles, thinking of pulling together my ribs in front, and felt as if my lower body was dangling from that point of suspension and support. I could then add extra swing using my lower abs in the forward portion of my hip swing to ask for a lengthening of stride, or restrict the swing to shorten stride.
After a rather dismal lesson finally had to have the vet out. My horses lumbral sacral was way out of wack! Six weeks and three chiro adjustments later he is finally able to use his back end.
It all started back in November when he got his near side hind stuck in his blanket strap. I should have had the vet out sooner 
Oh, and I’m using the posting in the canter to transition into the canter
