[MacabreMikolaj]

It really is more of a preference thing, but as a rule, it's good practice to always post during warmup. It helps loosen up your horses back muscles - going directly into a sitting jog/trot regardless of tack is asking them to use those back muscles before allowing them to limber up a bit and round.

I, personally, always post unless I'm doing something that requires a sitting trot. I rode both English and Western and it never changes. Especially in young horses, I find it allows them to balance better and move more freely until they're used to using their back muscles and understanding that a driving seat means more impulsion.

 

[Wallaby]

I personally ride western and I don't post, most of the time. I can comfortably sit the trot of most horses and so I figure, why post and do more work when I can be lazy and do less work? =P
With my horse, Lacey, who has one of the most obnoxiously impossible to sit trots EVER, I try to sit it as much as possible to work on my muscles but I will post quite a bit on her because I feel like I free up her back a bunch when I post. I also post sometimes because I enjoy feeling how free her movement is when I post.

If you're wondering about showing and posting, I'm of no help, but for just general riding around I'm pretty sure it's a personal preference. =)

ETA- MacabreMikolaj- I totally never thought about posting while warming up... That totally makes sense! I will have to give this a try! Thanks for posting that. =)

 

[ilovestitch]

I ride western (have ridden english before and competed) but western is really my focus right now and I personally never post at a trot.

 

[justsambam08]

I always post at a trot---My TB has a horribly long and wonky trot, and he also has crappy balance. But in general I find it more comfortable to post.

 

[RadHenry09]

wallaby: I liked your comment about having to do less work : )

I post most of the time in a western saddle but am getting better about slowing done my Paints trot to a jog and then I can sit it.
My mustang is very floaty so I can sit , when I ride them english I work on trying to get that diagonal w/o cheating by looking.

I also like the idea of posting to warm up , I guess I do that w/o realizing that I do it : )

 

[PaytonSidesHorsemanship]

I post at a strait faster trot but don't at a slower trot or when I'm moving body parts or working circles. I think posting on a a young horse helps them feel a big difference in your riding seat compared to your stopping seat or walking seat. Or any horse for that matter.

 

[kmdstar]

I almost always post in a western saddle, but my horse trots and I'm not training her to jog so I need to post. It depends on the horses movements, if your horse is jogging or doing a sitting trot there is no need to post, if your horse is trotting you will most likely be bouncing around and be much more comfortable posting than not.

 

[Draftgirl17]

I honestly don't know a whole lot about the specifics of each discipline (like what the judge looks for) but i know when we were watching draft western the woman who was giving me pointers on saddleseat and stuff was very much irked by the people who were posting in a western saddle so i was always under the assumption you should post in a western saddle...

 

[Draftgirl17]

I meant to put shouldn't. Sorry :/

 

[EveningShadows]

Seems a personal preference to me...but I agree about the warm up thing.

Some of our horses have a beautiful jog that allows a rider to sit it with ease, others are jarring and bouncy and therefor a lot more work to sit. It also depends on the rider's abilities...a novice will not be able to sit a fast trot and really shouldn't because they'll be banging on the horse's back. Slow the horse down and practice and you'll be ok...

 

[kmdstar]

I honestly don't know a whole lot about the specifics of each discipline (like what the judge looks for) but i know when we were watching draft western the woman who was giving me pointers on saddleseat and stuff was very much irked by the people who were posting in a western saddle so i was always under the assumption you should post in a western saddle...

It's different for practice and showing, if you are showing in a western saddle you do not want to be posting since your horse should only be jogging and there's no need to post to a jog.

Alot of people don't ride western for the discipline, just for the comfort of the western saddle. It depends on what you do though - if you barrel race, you'll probably post (for trot classes & such, I couldn't imagine sitting my horses trot when she goes around the barrels...eeek!), if you do western pleasure...you probably rarely post since your horse probably rarely (if ever) trots.

 

[IndianGirl]

I ride western and always post

 

[Hunter65]

I think it looks funny when people post in a western saddle. My friends posts sometimes (we both have Aussie saddles), I never post.