Dressage - sitting or rising trot at novice level?

[downsouth]

Does anyone know which is preferred, or is it optional? And would you be penalised for doing it part sitting and part rising. I find the 10m circles and medium trot easier while sitting so not sure whether to sit for it all or if I should really be rising!!

thanks

 

[ajf]

U can do either!!!
I *think* u can swap between the 2, but make sure its between movements, not right in the middle of one!!!

 

[RachelFerd]

I think it's optional, but if you are going to sit - do it well!

If the horse looks lacking in impulsion, or rider looks stiff when sitting, the marks do really tend to reflect that.

Generally speaking it's more normal to ride all the test in sitting APART from the medium trot - which it's accepted you can rise for. I'd be inclined to go for one or the other just to give a smoother impression.

The most common fault in sitting is to lose the forward-ness, so if the horse can stay forward and you can stay relaxed.. and it helps you, then I would sit.

 

[OneInAMillion]

[ QUOTE ]
Sitting or Rising at the discretion of the rider


[/ QUOTE ]


Sitting is not compulsory until Medium but often for example people may do sitting trot but then rise for the medium trot even those its the opposite with you

 

[milliepops]

On one horse I swap between sitting and rising depending on how she's going - if she goes a bit spooky and wriggly I find it easier to keep her together if I sit, and then I'll rise again when she settles down. I *think* I sit pretty well

, so it has never been commented on and the marks don't seem to have been affected.

 

[downsouth]

That's great if I'm allowed to do either I can just pick on the day

same as milliepops it depends on how my horse is going. If he's very forward I sit as it's comfortable and easier to hold together but when he's not off the leg I rise as he starts going forward more then.
Think I made a prat of myself last time as I started sitting then after the canter finished the test rising as I forgot I'd begun in sitting trot

Nerves turn my brain to mush!

 

[milliepops]

If you can ride sitting trot well then I really wouldn't worry about switching mid-test or even mid-movement - on several occasions I've started a serpentine or something in rising, horse has spooked at the boards and I've carried on sitting, then gone rising again once the spooking subsides!

IMO if the horse is going well, and the rider is inobtrusive then I can't see a problem with switching mid-movement - it shows you are thinking about what is happening underneath you! I do this at Elem as well as Novice since the rules changed. I think there is only a problem if the rider can't really sit properly.

 

[downsouth]

I'm hopefully not too bad at sitting, haven't had any comments about it in the three tests ridden so far. Also ride sitting trot when training (apart from warm up and down) and not been told I look like a sack of spuds yet - felt like one plenty of times though

I shall carry on as I am then! thanks for the reassurance

 

[milliepup]

I have one horse that I can sit for all day on then another that I can't even sit to the trot! I agree with the others and would just do what feels right and I don't think you would get penalised for doing both so good luck.