How to ride a really extravagant trot (Friesian-ish)

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Cobbytype

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As the title suggests.

I'm used to a forward kind of trot, the non extravagant, but active ground covering type of trot.

The type of trot I'm referring to is like this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rqkB9dRBKJg (it's not me in the video).

Years ago I had quite a few lessons on my husband's young horse and he had a bouncy trot - I did the 'without stirrups' lessons which weren't much use tbh - I was just a petite lady on a large hunter and was overhorsed. In that instance it was more to do with the horse's back end being very powerful - in this instance is more to do with extravagant movement from the front end.

Any tips would be appreciated.
 
I know there's a few ladies on here who have Friesians so they can almost certainly give you better advice, but I do have a pony with very bouncy trot (his rhythm sometimes causes me to double bounce, which is interesting lol). The only thing that's helped me get used to it has been all around working on my seat and balance, and pay close attention to what my legs are doing. I find leaning ever so slightly forward and making sure I'm like a limpit in terms of my security given by my legs helps. Oh and just good old practise! :)
 
LHIS said:
I know there's a few ladies on here who have Friesians so they can almost certainly give you better advice, but I do have a pony with very bouncy trot (his rhythm sometimes causes me to double bounce, which is interesting lol). The only thing that's helped me get used to it has been all around working on my seat and balance, and pay close attention to what my legs are doing. I find leaning ever so slightly forward and making sure I'm like a limpit in terms of my security given by my legs helps. Oh and just good old practise! :)
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Thanks LHIS. Much as I tried to sit properly and keep my legs still, I found my lower leg was wafting around... it felt pretty much like it does when learning to do rising trot and being out of kilter and then the lower leg does the pendulum thing. It was a very humbling experience! My hands were fine as it didn't feel like I was unbalanced as such, it was just trying not to rise a foot out the saddle:-)

I'm going to take myself off for a horse simulator lesson and work on my seat I think:-) I haven't had any lessons for a while so the practise will do me good I hope.
 
Well I have two Freisian x Hackneys so not quite the same I imagine, and both have very different actions to each other!

The bouncy one is Topaz, what helped us when we first got her was firstly giving it time to get use to her. Secondly was not doing too much and letting her action do the 'rising' and controlling the down. Now we're at the sitting trot stage which really needs her to be working through and over her back, once she's working calmly and softly then it is much easier to sit!
 
What helped massively with my last horse's big movement was an appropriate saddle. Told the saddler I wanted the closest thing to a seatbelt he could sell me, and got one with a really deep seat and massive knee rolls. It helped massively, although my trainer hated it on the few occasions she rode in it. She is much more advanced and balanced (obviously) and preferred something that didn't hold her in place quite so much.
He was a WB, so slightly different movement to a Fresian, and he was also a bit unbalanced, so with the help of the saddle I was able to sort of find a way in to improve things. Don't know whether that's likely to help you or not!
 
My new horse is a Westphalian so not quite the same but he can still be extravagant. My other horse is a TB so it has taken a while to get used to the new horses trot. To start with I felt like I was being thrown in the air in rising trot but I have now learnt to not go to the top of the rise but keep myself lower, if that makes sense. Having said that, if he's trotting while he's spooking at something , his trot becomes ridiculously big and I have to absorb as much as I can through my knees
 
claracanter said:
My new horse is a Westphalian so not quite the same but he can still be extravagant. My other horse is a TB so it has taken a while to get used to the new horses trot. To start with I felt like I was being thrown in the air in rising trot but I have now learnt to not go to the top of the rise but keep myself lower, if that makes sense. Having said that, if he's trotting while he's spooking at something , his trot becomes ridiculously big and I have to absorb as much as I can through my knees
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Second this^^^^
You have to learn to dampen the movement down through your body...a gel seat saver might help.
My cob has what I call his 'driving trot' it's very forceful and bouncy and incredibly fast, slowing him down reduces the bounce. He did once manage to bounce me out of the saddle when he spooked at trot and did a quick left turn.
 
I have a big moving Friesian, it was like learning to ride all over again! You will get used to it. In the mean time just make sure you are quiet with your hands ( I am sure you would never balance on them anyway, but a mistake I have seen before on the big movers!).

Try to make sure they are not rushing, having power but not speed. It gets bouncier when rushed. Slowing it right down and asking for more power less speed will give a smoother gait.

I also found I was rising too much. Instead of rising, think about just flicking your hips forward. You don't want to be propelled into the air, but not tense either.

Good luck!
 
Thanks everyone.
Lots to think about.
alainax - you've made me feel so much better - I felt like a beginner when I tried to get the hang of THAT trot... poor old ego was well and truly bashed, along with my vertebrae:-)
 
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