Stupid question about posting

Alright, I've been riding since I was little and have a lot of miles on horseback, but I haven't taken tons of lessons. This summer I just kinda trotted my pony bareback, and sitting trot because her trot was IMPOSSIBLE to post xD So, I took a lesson 2 weeks ago at this fancy Morgan show horse barn and I just took one yesterday at a little more laid back barn. I loved both lessons, but I have a really STUPID question. So, I always thought that when posting, you were as high out of the saddle as you would go when the outside leg, or leg closest to the wall/fence was forward.. But yesterday, she kept telling me to check my diagonals because I was CONFUSED! Like, she was telling me to rise with the outside but...i don't even know D: Can someone just plainly and clearly CLEAR THIS UP? Thank you lol

You should rise when the horses outside front leg goes forward. You can remember it by rise and fall with the leg on the wall.

Haha, it isn't stupid! Before I was riding consistently again I googled which diagonal to post at least once a week...

As the outside front leg goes forward, you rise up. As it comes back, you sit back down.

"Rise and fall with the leg on the wall."

Don't over post. Just go with the horse. If your instructor tells you you are on the wrong diagonal don't even think about it. Immediately switch. Don't be afraid to say "Up down up down" or "one two one two". Just switch and try to feel the horse. Then see if you can go down the arena changing diagonals every so often to learn the very subtle balance changes and very slight movement changes. And practice practice practice. Diagonals take a great deal of practice. Once you get them though it becomes a muscle memory thing.
Posted via Mobile Device

Like everybody else said rise and fall with the leg on the wall. To switch sit two steps and start posting again. It takes a while before you get it down packed.
Posted via Mobile Device

Someone mentioned above just going with the horse's motions, and it's true, if my diagonal is wrong, I can really feel it. :)

Well, kambrielle, you are LUCKY! If you can feel your diagonal being off, that is truly a gift. I am finally learning to feel "some" things, and actually, I can sort of feel that something seems "unbalanced" when my diagonal is off just in my last couple of lessons, interestingly. And I wasn't even trying! I just suddenly noticed..."Hmmm, I feel a bit off...and glanced down, and whaddya know? Wrong diagonal!". Yet, even now, most things I simply can't feel, so when others are able to I always seem to want to give them props or something!! :0) One day, I too shall be able to feel SOMETHING!! Haaa!

Hmm...I think it might have to do with the fact that I rode when I was a kid...? Diagonals were one of the first things I remembered when I started riding again last year. I don't know...I just can feel when I'm on the wrong one, and usually when I feel it and look down, it's like "yeah, thought so...wrong diagonal." Heh.

You can't know what you're feeling at first. You have to learn to associate feeling with something. If you walk around with one shoulder tenser than the other your entire life, you aren't going to feel off balance.

Give yourself a chance. Just need to learn.