How to help a new rider in trot?

[Emmapark]

Hiya I’m teaching my cousin to ride on my little Welsh A (I am a BHS stage 3 rider but haven’t actually taught anyone myself until now!)
she’s doing amazing on her but in the trot she does struggle to keep the trot going and also with steering within the trot, does anyone have any tips on how i can help her? Her position definitely needs to be more secure, so how can I help her with that too? Thanks!

 

[be positive]

She cannot be expected to keep the pony going, find her own balance and rhythm as well as control where the pony goes, you need to take more control until she is more secure, either lead or lunge the pony so she only has to think about her own position, ideally without her holding the reins so she finds her balance first.
I always start beginners on the lunge, usually after a couple of lessons they can rise without holding the saddle, then they do exercises to gain more security, do some work in walk and trot without stirrups, before I even think about giving them reins in trot, they do some basic walk, halt transitions and turns in walk only at the start and or end of each session but some will need a fair few lessons before they can coordinate everything well enough to trot independently.

 

[oldie48]

When my neighbour's daughter was coming over to ride the Sect A on the lead rein, I just got her to be a jelly in trot as he was tricky to rise to. WE never got to the stage of her being off the lead rein though.

 

[Cob Life]

She cannot be expected to keep the pony going, find her own balance and rhythm as well as control where the pony goes, you need to take more control until she is more secure, either lead or lunge the pony so she only has to think about her own position, ideally without her holding the reins so she finds her balance first.
I always start beginners on the lunge, usually after a couple of lessons they can rise without holding the saddle, then they do exercises to gain more security, do some work in walk and trot without stirrups, before I even think about giving them reins in trot, they do some basic walk, halt transitions and turns in walk only at the start and or end of each session but some will need a fair few lessons before they can coordinate everything well enough to trot independently.

Agree with this!

I always led the pony and got them to get used to rising, then would get them to do silly things like putting their hands on their head, arms out, one arm out, and play Simon says, makes it fun but also helps them find their balance.

I like to lie a whip across the elbows as well, and tell them to keep it there, my instructor still does this to me!

 

[Keith_Beef]

She cannot be expected to keep the pony going, find her own balance and rhythm as well as control where the pony goes, you need to take more control until she is more secure, either lead or lunge the pony so she only has to think about her own position, ideally without her holding the reins so she finds her balance first.
I always start beginners on the lunge, usually after a couple of lessons they can rise without holding the saddle, then they do exercises to gain more security, do some work in walk and trot without stirrups, before I even think about giving them reins in trot, they do some basic walk, halt transitions and turns in walk only at the start and or end of each session but some will need a fair few lessons before they can coordinate everything well enough to trot independently.

Even as an adult, so assuming that there is no difficulty in my understanding the instructor, I sometimes find that I can't do four or five things at the same time when at least two of them are unfamiliar.

As a general rule in experiments, you change only one parameter at a time. So in horse riding, I think you should work on only one thing at time whenever possible.

But especially for young riders, keep the lesson fun.

 

[Leandy]

Do some work to get her balanced standing in the stirrups, hovering over the saddle in a forward seat in walk and then, gradually in trot. Consider whether it is helpful to shorten the stirrups to achieve that. Once she has her balance doing that, you can add rising by actually teaching her to sit from the forward position, rather than rise from the sitting position. Then the balance will be better. And once that is all established, can add steering and forward aids too.