An anatomy/physio type related puzzle - help?

[mystiandsunny]

Could someone please find me a 'why' for this? Basically, horse has mild locking stifles (usually just cause stiffness, but that stiffness is hard to shift). In walk, rising trot and canter, takes 20mins usually to free up both legs completely - yet if I do five mins SITTING trot, she's completely free, and I don't need to do our special complicated exercises to get that. Also, in sitting trot she's more active underneath me, obviously happier both while we're trotting and more relaxed after the session, more supple feeling etc.

My OH wondered whether the stiffness is that that patella always being a bit 'stuck' and the sitting trot 'bounces' it out somehow? I've been riding quite long enough that I have a pretty decent sitting trot and bounce very little, but there is always the slight movement as my seatbones go with hers that everyone has. Could he be right?

 

[el_Snowflakes]

hmmmm just sounds as if you can get you leg on her more when you are in sitting trot! Mine does this too. The second I go into sitting trot she goes perfectly

 

[Tickles]

I'm not an expert on anatomy at all but I do know a horse that goes much more carefully in sitting trot (and even more so bareback). I think for him it is because he hates bouncing and really can't stand at all an unbalanced rider so sort of 'helps' keep you in place. Could your horse be doing something similar?