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Sitting trot

2K views 15 replies 6 participants last post by  Luis 
#1 ·
hi.. greetings from Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina..
I have some problems about sitting trot so if anyone have some sugestions please let me know..

Luis
 
#2 ·
It might help if you add some more details to your question. What exactly is your issue? Do you bump around to much? Or?

If you feel you can't sit with the movement of the horses gait and that your bumping around too much. Then, consider trying to sit deeper. Relax - if you don't relax, you'll grip at your knees and this will cause your entire body to tense and therefore bounce.

So, try and think about being tall through your entire body, like your lengthening your legs aswell. Deepen your seat - try to sit your seat bones deeper in the saddle. Hope I could help!
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#4 ·
Does your horse have a pony's trot or a horse's trot?
If your horse trots with a fast short pony's action then your 'uneducated' body will find it difficult to absorb the shocks of the horse's action coming up from the ground.

So slow the horse down by shortening the reins and taking up contact and sit in deep ie lose all tension in the legs and 'plop' your weight down into the saddle.

Ask a friend, experienced in lunging a horse, to lunge you in a training arena.
Let her/him control the speed of the horse's pace whilst you concentrate on sitting in by sitting deep and opening your legs.

Fix a leather shoelace across the pommel of the saddle, slip your thumbs under the
lace and close your eyes. 'Feel' the rythym of the horse and relax.

If the horse speeds up, then rise to the trot until the horse slows down again.

Sitting trot is a knack which your brain has to absorb. It takes time but persist.
A saddle made with a soft padded seat helps.

It is easier to sit to the trotting action of a horse which 'jogs' naturally.
 
#5 ·
I ride a few horses.. lipizzan, thoroughbred, holstein, zangersheide.. and I can feel that moment only on thoroughbred and sometimes on holstein.. on zangersheide I steel never feel that before and on a lipizzan is a difficult because she is a lil' bit nervous and she constantly change the rhythm..
I think my problem is because I steel didn't managed to relax my back muscles..
 
#6 ·
If you feel your lower back muscles are failing you, then do some exercises - see if you can find a Pilates instructor. If you are new to riding then it will take time to acquire centre core muscles.

Watch the horse in trot - slow the film down - understand the way the force is generated and how it can be absorbed.

Note, your spine cannot absorb force - it is your toes, your ankles, knees lower thighs and hips which absorb the stresses created by a trotting horse with a little help from the flesh of your butt. But your brain has to learn how to retain balance whilst absorbing the thrusts. It takes time.

Find a nice broad backed cob with a naturally slow but rythmic pace to practice on.
 
#8 ·
Luis - try to find a professional instructor.

After 5 years of riding you should be able to sit to the trot. My worry is that if you practice on your own, then you might be practising incorrectly in which case you will learn to react incorrectly.

The most important issue for an newcomer is to learn to sit in the saddle correctly. You must sit upright, weight even on both sides, with the legs falling down either side of the horse's belly, with the feet pointing forwards and parallel, toes up, heels down.
The hands must hold the reins in two hands, with a light contact on the bit, elbow to hand to mouth in a straight line. The hands must follow the movement of the horse's neck.
You must use your leg aids in conjunction with your hands.

Find a good book on riding And persist.

B G
 
#9 ·
well i recently have been having this problem and its been bothering me for months!! i just couldnt figure out how to sit the trot well. But in the past 2 weeks something has clicked and i was wondering now why it was so hard for me. heres what i do.
1. Sit back on your pockets kinda like your tucking ur butt up under you (un arch your back.
2. let your bottom half be completely loose and just let it go with the motion of your horse. (I just keep telling myself to be loose like spagetti)
3. make sure your not pushing on your stirrups too much because it will make you stiff and bounce.
4.Count in your head 1,2, 1,2 1,2 and just get the rythm of your horse.
5. if you feel yourself getting more bouncy post the trot for awhile and then go back to sitting it, when your horse feels you bouncing alot he will stiffin and it will get even bouncier.
6. Dont get frustrated it will take awhile to click and when it does youll wonder why u ever thought it was so hard. Youll get it dont worry
 
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#11 ·
thanks a lot to all..
I did it at sunday! :)
finally I can feel that and mare was collected during a whole riding session ..
something need to click and now I can understand that.. I have a instructor, she tried to explain but I don't realized..

@tiny - I hope you will visit Sarajevo again.. :)
I must upload pictures of club horses and I hope it will be soon..
 
#12 ·
Luis

Well done.
Keep practising, rise trot a little, sit trot a little, rise trot a little, sit trot a little.

At other times from the ground, lunge the horse on a circle in the arena for up to half an hour so that the horse is fit enough to trot rythmically for an extended period without changing its pace or speed at the trot. Don't forget to change the rein from time to time.

Remember sitting trot is hard on the horse's back unless the rider can sit to the trot without bouncing. Always after a session of practising sitting trot feel the horse's back and spine under the area of the saddle to ensure that are no bruises developing as a result of your practising sitting trot.


PS Why not make contact with the British Horse Society and see if you can arrange an exchange between members of a British riding club who want to visit Sarajevo and Bosnian riders who would like to visit the UK.
 
#15 ·
Hmm more details would've helped...is it on collection...etc?

If you have problems "sitting" to the trot, I can help ya there !

The best thing to do is sit back, and push your weight in your heels. Relax your legs, because if you're tense the horse can feel it. When sitting to the trot, your hips should move in a side to side motion, so slow the motion of your hips. You could even do little squeezes on the reins, half halts etc, and even just say "steady"
 
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