Understanding the Canter: Rider and Horse Biomechanics Working Together

Lots of riders struggle to sit to the canter. They're often told to scoop, circle, or drive—but to ride it well, we need to understand what’s really happening underneath us and within our own body. This post breaks down the biomechanics of the canter, what the horse’s movement is really doing, and how the rider’s pelvis needs to respond for improved balance, comfort, and control.

If you’ve been working on your seat and still feel unstable, this guide will help you start improving your rider biomechanics through clear understanding and focused rider physio exercises.

Horse Biomechanics in the Canter

Each stride of the canter creates a distinct sequence of forces that pass through the rider’s body:

Hindlimb Push Off

The canter begins with the horse pushing off from the hindlimb. This powerful drive lifts the horse’s forehand, creating that signature uphill moment. The rider’s pelvis responds by moving into a posterior tilt- the back of the pelvis drops slightly as the energy comes through the seat.

Diagonal Pair Striking

As the diagonal limbs land (inside hind and outside fore), the rider’s pelvis returns toward neutral. This is a moment of balance as the horse shifts from push-off to carrying weight. Interestingly, I often think of this as a kind of "suspension phase" for the rider, because the pelvis moves in the opposite direction to what happens during the actual suspension phase (when all four feet are off the ground).

Leading Foreleg Stretches Forward

As the leading leg stretches out and down, the horse’s frame extends. This shifts the rider’s pelvis into an anterior tilt—the front of the pelvis drops slightly as the stride lengthens.

Suspension Phase

In the moment of suspension (all four feet off the ground), the rider’s pelvis returns to neutral, ready to begin the cycle again.

This rhythm repeats stride after stride, and the rider’s pelvis subtly follows the anterior and posterior tilts generated by the horse’s movement.

What Movements Can the Pelvis Make?

When you’re sitting on a horse- or any fixed surface—your pelvis can’t move in a circle. Instead, it moves in three main directions:

• Anterior/Posterior Tilt – forward and backward tipping

• Lateral Tilt – side-to-side tipping

• Rotation – one hip forward while the other moves back

  
  

When people talk about making circles or elliptical movements with the pelvis, what they’re often doing is actively lifting their seat by squeezing glutes and extending the hips. But that’s not helpful from a rider biomechanics perspective.

Why would we want to generate vertical movement? Our job isn’t to push up and out of the saddle- it’s to move with it.

The rider struggled with a posterior tilt in the left video and so to try and absorb the movement needed to actively move her body forward and backwards. Whereas in the second video she is starting in a more neutral pelvis and so able to tilt through the range more. Currently an active movement when doing this exercise on the simulator. #progressnotperfection

How to Practice for a Better Canter

Before you can follow the horse’s movement, you need to know your pelvis can actually move the way it needs to. Here’s how to improve your rider mobility and control off the horse:

Practice Pelvic Tilts

Work on anterior/posterior tilts slowly and in isolation. Can you tilt your pelvis forward and back without your whole spine joining in? Lying down, on all 4s, in sitting.

Build Range and Control

You’re training your body to feel these movements and switch between them with control. This isn’t about strength- it's about body awareness, rider mobility, and core control.

Another example of a rider not able to isolate pelvic movement so used upper body movement instead

Common Rider Challenges in Canter

Through my rider physio sessions, I often see riders who:

• Stay stuck in one tilt- usually posterior or anterior—through the whole stride.

• Relax too much, losing control and letting their body collapse

• Try to stay too still, leading to gripping, bracing, or stiffness

• The difference between this rider just relaxing after being told to 'just go with the movement' v actively controlling pelvis movements. Look at the difference in the cup movements.

All of these patterns shift the rider’s centre of gravity or create uneven weight distribution in the saddle. This affects your balance, blocks the horse’s movement, and can lead to discomfort or long-term strain on the horse’s back.

Stillness ≠ Stiffness

A balanced seat in canter doesn’t mean staying still- it means moving in perfect time with the horse’s stride. That subtle, reactive motion looks effortless but comes from training your body to follow rather than fight.

This is the goal of good rider biomechanics: quiet control, not forced stillness.

Core Control for a Stable Seat

A well-functioning core helps manage the forces going through your pelvis. It acts like a shock absorber, keeping your upper body upright while allowing your hips and seat to move.

Practising the movement coming from the pelvis/lower back and not whole spine movement like the cat/dog/cow exercise

Your Legs Matter Too

Good rider fitness includes the legs, but not for gripping. Your lower body supports your position, gently stabilising the pelvis without tension. Over-gripping blocks movement. Let your legs be present, not dominant.

Use Video or Mirrors to Check Movement

It’s hard to know what your pelvis is really doing without visual feedback. Film yourself riding, or practise pelvic movement drills in front of a mirror or on a simulator. The goal is developing rider body awareness-so you can fix it before it becomes habit.

It’s Not Always Just the Rider

Sometimes your horse may be stiff, crooked, or weak through the hindquarters. If you’re working hard to move well but still struggling to sit to the canter, especially on one rein, it may be time to look at the horse’s biomechanics too.

Take It Into the Saddle

Once you’ve practised on the ground, take it into the canter. Let the pelvis move passively, responding to the rhythm of the stride. You’ll find it easier to stay with your horse, keep your balance, and ride without bracing or gripping.

Final Thought: Train Smarter, Not Harder

Improving your canter seat starts off the horse. By building pelvic mobility, core control, and body awareness through rider physio exercises, you’ll find yourself riding with more stability, freedom, and flow.

The best riders don’t drive the canter—they move in harmony with it.

✅ Want Help With Your Canter Seat?

If this blog resonated with you and you want to work on your position, control, and movement in the canter…

👉 Book a Rider Physio Session with me to focus on your individual biomechanics and movement patterns—either in-person or online.

👉 Or join the Rider Physio Video Subscription, where I guide you through targeted exercises to build mobility, control, and better biomechanics in and out of the saddle.

Let’s get you sitting to the canter with confidence, clarity, and ease.