30/01/2026
Why does a rider’s leg move in canter? 🐎
It’s rarely a “leg problem.”
Canter is an asymmetrical gait. If a rider has:
• reduced pelvic control
• core instability
• hip or inner-thigh weakness
• side-to-side asymmetry
the body looks for stability somewhere else.
And the leg becomes the stabiliser.
Instead of the pelvis and trunk absorbing movement, the leg swings, grips, or lifts as the rider subconsciously tries to stay balanced.
That’s why:
• it often happens on one side
• it shows up most in canter
• telling a rider to “keep their leg still” doesn’t work
This is where Equine Exercise Physiology helps.
As an Equine EP, I look at how the rider’s body controls movement on the horse, not just position.
I assess asymmetries, pelvic and core control, and how the rider manages load in canter, then use targeted in-saddle strategies and off-horse exercises to retrain stability where it should come from. 🐴