How to Sit the Sitting Trot: Learning the Right Way

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In this video I explain, and demonstrate, why we need to develop our horses balance first and before we learn how to sit the trot.

I also demonstrate how to beste begin learning the trot movement on a balanced horse and how to further develop this level of balance so that we can ride all the gaits, bareback and in balance.

Most English students are taught wrong and an example is being taught the rising trot or posting trot when you should be taught how to sit a sitting trot.

Why is this? It’s for two reasons:
- The instructor does not know how to teach the rider balance
- The horse is not balanced, therefore they have a choppy, jolting trot, what I refer to as “riding a pogo stick”

No one can sit a choppy, jolting movement, nor should they. It’s horrible for the horse’s back as we bounce all over and it’s horrible for the rider’s back as it gets constantly jarred by the impact.

Because instructors do not have the proper education in biomechanics, balance and correct rider position, riders are taught the posting trot so they can avoid injuring the horse and themselves. And, even then, most are teaching that wrong by teaching the rider’s the wrong body position and timing of the rise.

I see too often rider’s slamming themselves down on the horse’s back because their legs are too short and too far forward. Not to mention the rider is either using the tilt of their upper body to lift themselves out of the saddle or their stirrups.

The rising trot should be done from the knees, upper thigh and timing of the two-beat, or stride of the trot thus allowing the momentum of the horse’s hind end to push the rider up and out of the saddle. And, the rising trot should only be performed when a trainer is schooling an advanced horse in collection. This is where the rising trot can do wonders creating elastic movement through strength, balance and collection.