First thing, think about relaxing, a lot of issues with bouncing are due to tenseness due to nerves or trying to hard. I never think about moving my hips either back or for, or side to side, I'm just trying to relax and move with the horse. I do have one local trainer who says the best way to sit a trot is to think about pedalling a bike backwards, and that will get you secure in the saddle!

I am not following why you are being asked to kick for a horse that is rushing the transition, sounds like you need less ask rather than more. My mare was rushing her lope transitions, and it was partly because I was using my voice as well as my seat and leg, and it was too much cue for her.

For a good transitions you want a nice even trot, then sit down, ask with outside leg behind the girth, inside supporting on the girth, inside hand maybe up a little to support the shoulder and outside hand ready to balance if needed.

From what you are writing though, it sounds like you need more work to be more secure in your sitting trot work, because you should have that down before you move onto the canter.

 

Thank you for your reply , I will think of this next time . I wasn't clear about the kicking lol.. I only kick when I ask 3-4 times for a cNter and I get nothing . I have been riding for almost 4 years now ,so have had quite a bit of cantering experience. I switched stables recently ,but with the last stables I was with I did sitting trot once in a blue moon and when I did it was without stirrups sadly lol... Trying to develop a better seat .thanks all for the advice and will use tomorrow😃

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You don't really move back and forth or side to side (depending on horse on some I'll move a little side to side just to move with them) but you have to allow yourself to bounce and move with the horse. Kinda like your plugging your seat bones into the saddle. It drives me nuts when people try to hold themselves still, sometimes they'll sit still and look pretty but they've lost all their horse's movement and the horse isn't moving over the back at all because the riders stillness has hollowed out the back because their hip isn't flexible. I want to see movement lol. If you watch top dressage riders ride and sit trot without their tails they are not still. They're not bouncing out of the saddle but their hips move, you have to allow your lower back to be flexible. Your leg will move in sitting trot it shouldn't swing but there is natural movement, it will not be totally still.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rr2ESSrdLfk

https://youtu.be/jPidt1Qo5gc

Honestly I'd do a lot of stability and core exercises to try to help yourself. Like basic yoga poses with a square base leaning to one side as far as you can and holding than the other. Planks and reverse planks are also very good and even belly dancing is great for suppling the hips. And hip flexor stretches like standing up and pulling one leg back on each leg. Same stretch can be done on the ground. This is helpful but it also takes time to develop sitting trot.

As for the canter transition when I was learning one way I was taught to signal it was by switching my posting diagnol to signal to the horse a change was coming. Inside leg at the girth, outside leg behind. Inside shoulder forward, outside shoulder back and ask.

The way I trained my horse and with trained horses, I'll supple a little on the inside. Half halt on the outside rein twice, position and canter with my seat and he does. I usually just touch him with my outside thigh. You never allow the rhythm to change, they don't speed up or slow down. It stays about the same. If they speed up slow them back down, stay calm, stay fluid in your body *breathe* and ask again.

Whenever the transition isn't easy, don't get flustered, breathe, stay clam. Really focus on your breathing and don't be afraid to try 10 million times to get it. Take your time, think to yourself you have all day and it will help you relax and make your transition. It's not easy, you'll figure it out but it may take a few tries and a lot of patience. And don't kick, don't rush it. That's pressuring a transition which isn't necessary. Sometimes you do need to make sure the horse know what you want and insist they canter but you do this maybe once and then transition back, set yourself up and ask again.

Mental projection: preparing for the canter, breathe deeply and slowly. Change your positing diagnol, pulse your hand like your squeezing out the water from a sponge on the outside rein twice, and when you feel yourself post into the outside stirrup ask. Look slightly over your outside shoulder, inside leg at the girth and outside leg behind the girth and allow your hips to go into a canter rhythm (project the feeling of canter and allow your hips to move like that). Go in expecting him to canter. Sometimes just the mental expectation will get the result. Project what you want to happen, imagine how it feels in your body and do it. Also have a voice command so you have something to assist you like a kiss. That can be very helpful, kiss and ask.

 

Hi guys, I had a question about the sitting trot. OK so in the sitting trot I feel like I am bouncing all around ,not with the horses movement like what the canter is supposed to be like.i hear from some people that you have to move your hips back and forward and some people say side to side? Which is correct.

Rather than thinking of "moving" your hips, think of allowing your horse to move your hips. The horse will determine how your hips move if you relax.

The bouncing most people feel when trotting is usually caused by tension. At least, tension causes any bouncing to be exaggerated. This muscular tension may be the result of a number of things.

If you try to hold onto the horse with your legs, you will bounce more. If you hold your breath, you will bounce more. If you stare at something, you will bounce more. Two medical doctors who are also riders wrote how most riders tense the muscles in the area between their upper legs as a defense mechanism tying to protect themselves from the impact caused by bouncing. Doing so, however, increases the bouncing. This is because the rider becomes more rigid. Think of a plank resting on the back of a trotting horse as opposed to a partially filled water bag wrapped around the horse's back. In addition, the horse's muscles may become more tense – and therefore more rigid – in reaction to the tensing of the rider.

If a rider can relax his muscles, his seat should sink deeply and conform to his saddle. His legs should wrap naturally around the sides of his horse eliminating any necessity to hold on with his legs. His center of gravity should drop significantly making him much more stable.

The body of a rider free from unnecessary tension can more easily follow the movements of his horse's body.

Most ridesr pay little attention to what is happening with their bodies when riding until they begin to have problems. Thinking of relaxing, balancing, and following the movements of your horse while walking should help develop similar riding habits in the other gaits.

Now For the transition question. Ok so up transitioning to the canter ,my horse rushes into the canter. I automatically bring him back to a collected trot. So what transitions should I use other then leg because he won't listen. My instructor says to kick but every time I kick I lose my stirrups and have to end up re-collecting myself because I lost balance . I have not done a lot of sitting trot . and trotting without stirrups .without stirrups I have same problem with bouncing around and falling almost off of the horse ( I lean to the left when I ride) thanks for your suggestions

Riders use many different cues for asking for a canter. Generally, the smoother the cue, the smoother the reaction of the horse should be.

Horses often become less reactive to softer cues when they become tense. They may simply "not hear" the cue. In response, a rider generally uses a more emphatic cue. This, however, can startle the horse and cause if to react abruptly and with overemphasis.

The key to smooth transitions is for both rider and horse to relax. This may take some time, but the time taken will be well worth it.

 

I've been learning to sit the trot, you have to relax and let the horse move you, then move with the horse.

 

For the sitting trot, think of your bum glued to the saddle and your waist as a hinge. Your waist will flex and bend so that your behind moves with the saddle and your upper body is stable.

As for the rushing and the need to kick, that's a training problem with the horse.

 

Make sure your legs aren't just dangling around either, or braced against the stirrups, two sure fire ways not to be with your horse.

 

Agree to everything above but I would just like to add that some horses are naturally bouncier than others.

Also, what helped me when I was learning is to lean my whole torso back, catch the rhythm with my hips and than bring my upper body forward but leave my pelvis slightly tilted back.

 

Very good advice so far, I just have a little to add.

If you can, try doing some work without stirrups. Allow yourself to really sink down into the saddle and move with the horse. You can do this at walk first, and then trot when you are ready.

Something that helped me learn to sit the trot, is to imagine my hips and entire pelvis area as a large bowl filled with something like spaghetti or jello. If you brace up you will bounce around and spill the bowl, but if you move with the horse, everything will stay in. Silly analogy, and I know I've posted it here before, but it honestly helped me so I always pass it along.

I have a similar problem with Nav rushing into canter and I'm still working on it, but I always wait until he gets into a nice forward and round trot, and then cue with my outside leg. If he starts to run I stop cuing, and get him back to a nice trot before trying again. Never let him just run into the canter or he will think that's correct. Voice cues help as well, if your horse is trained for it.

 

I used to never be able to sit the trot and thought I never would. Then my trainer had me read the book Centered Riding by Sally Swift. For some reason, reading about using my core and the way she describes it all was a miracle for me. It's not just about leaving your hind end in the saddle, but the way you position your body and how you use your legs and how your mind works around it. I used to try to just sit there and stay but it's really all about moving your body with the horse, using your legs as "shock absorbers", being grounded, etc...

The number one thing for me to remember is (especially on a very bouncy hores), If I'm feeling it in my pelvic bone I'm doing it wrong! I should feel the same amount of pressure in both seat bones. What used to feel like I was leaning way back really feels comfortable now.

Good luck...once you get it, it's awesome!!!

 

To learn how to move with your horses, practice it in the walk. Close your eyes, breathe slowly and deeply, and just feel the horse. Once you get to the point that you can feel each leg moving and know where it is in its motion, everything else will be sooooo much easier!