canteron
Well-Known Member
Have lovely horse and lovely step daughter who would like to ride. She is a very gentle soul so want to keep everything chilled and happy. Totally trust horse.
But how, ow how
But how, ow how
How to Teach someone to Trot?? Teachers Please!
- Thread starter canteron
- Start date
canteron
Well-Known Member
Sorry, post posted itself halfway through .. so to continue.
How, ow how do you teach someone how to trot. She can't find the rythum and bounces all over the place, which isn't great for her or the horse.
How, ow how do you teach someone how to trot. She can't find the rythum and bounces all over the place, which isn't great for her or the horse.
Brandy
Well-Known Member
If you are starting 'properly' youshold really establish her seat in sitting trot first. However, this is not how most people start. I would tend to do this on the lunge without stirrups, and making sure the rider knows about absorbing the movement with her middle. (Theres a reasons I gave up teaching.....)
Anyway, the rising bit, if you want to get on with it. Fail safe way so far - have the horse stand. Have the rider 'rise' and hold the rise without using her hands. Teach her to rise from her knees, so her lower legs stays in position. This will help with balance.
Once she can do this ok, I then move onto actual trotting, giving her a neck strap or telling her to hold the front of the saddle rather than the reins. I then either lunge, or with little children, lead, and verbally tell them 'up, down, up, down' they normally get it pretty quickly.
Anyway, the rising bit, if you want to get on with it. Fail safe way so far - have the horse stand. Have the rider 'rise' and hold the rise without using her hands. Teach her to rise from her knees, so her lower legs stays in position. This will help with balance.
Once she can do this ok, I then move onto actual trotting, giving her a neck strap or telling her to hold the front of the saddle rather than the reins. I then either lunge, or with little children, lead, and verbally tell them 'up, down, up, down' they normally get it pretty quickly.
Kaylum
Well-Known Member
As others have said get her on the lunge line so she does not have to think about stearing. In a riding school situation its a bit different as the horses tend to be able to trot around and follow so riders can concentrate on their trot.
kerilli
Well-Known Member
are you leading the horse? i would, in straight lines, it's harder on a circle (on lunge) because of lack of balance + turning horse + maybe centrifugal force!
make sure her stirrups just the right length, short enough. i'd have her holding long loose neckstrap or balance strap on front of saddle, reins v v loose so no contact on horse's mouth if she has no balance yet... you'll be in control of the horse.
tbh i'd teach her sitting trot first (that's how we used to be taught, i was taught sitting first), let her just relax into it. do say 4 trot paces, then walk, then 10 trot paces, then walk. keep the trot periods really short so she gains confidence and balance.
then when sitting is fine and sorted, the rising is actually very easy to get, just get her to hover a little and she should pick up the beat very easily.
hope that helps.
make sure her stirrups just the right length, short enough. i'd have her holding long loose neckstrap or balance strap on front of saddle, reins v v loose so no contact on horse's mouth if she has no balance yet... you'll be in control of the horse.
tbh i'd teach her sitting trot first (that's how we used to be taught, i was taught sitting first), let her just relax into it. do say 4 trot paces, then walk, then 10 trot paces, then walk. keep the trot periods really short so she gains confidence and balance.
then when sitting is fine and sorted, the rising is actually very easy to get, just get her to hover a little and she should pick up the beat very easily.
hope that helps.
Bug2007
Well-Known Member
Have her lean on the neck, not holding the saddle as this will leave her behind the movement.
Get her to speak the one two one two. Explain about letting the horse bounce her up and down and that she has to just control the bounce.
Once she has this with her hands on the neck, do exercises taking one hand off and then the other then both, until she feels secure, then sitting up a little more.
If you are worried about the horses mouth then put on the lunge and lunge on big circle, and attach the reins to the noseband.
Hope this helps a little.
Lots of praise when she gets it.
Some pick it up really easily for some it takes a lot longer to get the feel.
Riding and leading the horse out on a hack is a good one as a long trot on a straight road or track makes it easier for them to get the idea without steering and thinking about balance on the corners.
Get her to speak the one two one two. Explain about letting the horse bounce her up and down and that she has to just control the bounce.
Once she has this with her hands on the neck, do exercises taking one hand off and then the other then both, until she feels secure, then sitting up a little more.
If you are worried about the horses mouth then put on the lunge and lunge on big circle, and attach the reins to the noseband.
Hope this helps a little.
Lots of praise when she gets it.
Some pick it up really easily for some it takes a lot longer to get the feel.
Riding and leading the horse out on a hack is a good one as a long trot on a straight road or track makes it easier for them to get the idea without steering and thinking about balance on the corners.
sarahann1
Well-Known Member
I used to do a bit of teaching and some wee ones would be rising within 30mins, others took a few weeks, depends on natural rhythm, strength etc.
My methods was always using straight lines and short bursts so they don't get too tired, shouting (in a nice enthusiastic way, though you could probably here me from miles around!) 'up-down' or 'stand up-sit down' or something similar in time with the horse for encouragement and to save the rider having to worry about steering I'd run alongside them (great for my fitness too
) Before I started I'd point out that the horse would push their bottom out of the saddle a bit and that's when they had to try and stand up so they didn't get bounced about. If they are musical sometimes its could to point out the 'beat' of the trot, or if they like soldiers its like the soldiers marching, one-two, one-two, whatever they liked I'd try and find something even loosely similar to help them work out what was going on.
I'd also get the ones who were struggling a bit to stand up and sit down while the horse was standing still, you can turn it into a bit of a game speeding up how quickly you say it till they are trying really hard, but usually giggling too If they have wobbly legs it means you can place one hand on the bottom of their leg gently to encourage them to keep it still.
In all of these, something to hold on to is a good plan so they don't accidentally sock the horse in the teeth. I don't really agree with taking stirrups away at this stage, to much chance of them going splat as they probably won't have the core muscles strength to help them stay in balance. Sitting trot and relaxing is also a good idea.
Good luck!
Just realised how much i miss teaching now
My methods was always using straight lines and short bursts so they don't get too tired, shouting (in a nice enthusiastic way, though you could probably here me from miles around!) 'up-down' or 'stand up-sit down' or something similar in time with the horse for encouragement and to save the rider having to worry about steering I'd run alongside them (great for my fitness too
) Before I started I'd point out that the horse would push their bottom out of the saddle a bit and that's when they had to try and stand up so they didn't get bounced about. If they are musical sometimes its could to point out the 'beat' of the trot, or if they like soldiers its like the soldiers marching, one-two, one-two, whatever they liked I'd try and find something even loosely similar to help them work out what was going on.I'd also get the ones who were struggling a bit to stand up and sit down while the horse was standing still, you can turn it into a bit of a game speeding up how quickly you say it till they are trying really hard, but usually giggling too
If they have wobbly legs it means you can place one hand on the bottom of their leg gently to encourage them to keep it still. In all of these, something to hold on to is a good plan so they don't accidentally sock the horse in the teeth. I don't really agree with taking stirrups away at this stage, to much chance of them going splat as they probably won't have the core muscles strength to help them stay in balance. Sitting trot and relaxing is also a good idea.
Good luck!
Just realised how much i miss teaching now
Garnet
Well-Known Member
When teaching my daughter (aged 5 at the time) to trot, I kept her on the lunge so that she didn't have to worry about starting, stopping or steering. As someone else suggested, I got her to practise standing in her stirrups at halt, getting her to balance standing up for as long as she could and then giving commands for her to stand and sit more and more quickly until the tempo was as fast as a rising trot. Then I repeated the whole standing in the stirrups exercise in walk before trying trot.
I also emphasised that her upper body would need to move forward to absorb the movement of the trot, and got her to balance standing in her stirrups holding a neckstrap in trot before trying to rise up and down.
It took 6-8 lessons for her to get the hang of it, but she was very proud to achieve rising trot on her 6th birthday!
I also emphasised that her upper body would need to move forward to absorb the movement of the trot, and got her to balance standing in her stirrups holding a neckstrap in trot before trying to rise up and down.
It took 6-8 lessons for her to get the hang of it, but she was very proud to achieve rising trot on her 6th birthday!
galaxy
Well-Known Member
As Kerilli said it is not recommended that you lunge children at the beginner stage. Best pop her on a lead rein and then you can place one hand on her lower leg too to stabilise her.
Do some sitting trot first to give her a feel, but I don't tend to do too much because I find children absorb the movement very well. I then get them, 1st with the pony in halt, then in walk, to stand in their stirrups and find their balance. Play games like simon says house you head, simon says touch your nose. Then have a go with them holding on in trot. Short bursts, straight lines. Once they are getting it, get them to hold on with just 1 hand, then progress to no hands. I tend to get them going holding on and then tell them to let go, once they have the momentum and the ryhthm it is easier for them.
Best thing with kids is to remember to keep it fun fun fun!!!
Do some sitting trot first to give her a feel, but I don't tend to do too much because I find children absorb the movement very well. I then get them, 1st with the pony in halt, then in walk, to stand in their stirrups and find their balance. Play games like simon says house you head, simon says touch your nose. Then have a go with them holding on in trot. Short bursts, straight lines. Once they are getting it, get them to hold on with just 1 hand, then progress to no hands. I tend to get them going holding on and then tell them to let go, once they have the momentum and the ryhthm it is easier for them.
Best thing with kids is to remember to keep it fun fun fun!!!
FairyLights
Well-Known Member
I get them doing rising trot at walk. just walk along at the horses shoulder saying "up down up down up down". then after a time or two of doing this round the menage and when they have a got a rhythm I encourage the horse into a gentle slow trot,ie by my voice not getting the rider to do it. the rider is seated walking at this point. then say "up down up down up down" and because its been practiced at walk the rider usually finds it easier than at the walk so they have that give them confidence. just do a few yards, say half the long side of the arena ,then back to normal walk. its just a matter of practice from then on. forgot to add, I think its a good idea to have them holding the pommel for stability and so as not to pull the ponys mouth at this early stage.
canteron
Well-Known Member
Thanks everyone, some really good information. Forgot to mention that step daugher is nearly 30 - but hey we still like to have a good giggle!! She is quite unfit, not very sporty and has very little core strength, so I think there are some really good ideas there to get her more confident.
Her 'hunting' mother put her on a horse when she was 8 without the girth done up, slapped the horse on its rump so it charged off and obviously she fell off. This is the first time since then she has actually asked to sit on a horse, so taking it very gently!
Her 'hunting' mother put her on a horse when she was 8 without the girth done up, slapped the horse on its rump so it charged off and obviously she fell off. This is the first time since then she has actually asked to sit on a horse, so taking it very gently!
BlueCakes
Well-Known Member
I have not read everyones post and I'm sure its been mentioned above me many times, but here goes.
I would start on the lunge.
If the horse is not used to this, try it out with an experienced rider on top should anything happen, until you are satisfied that the horse is good to lunge with an inexperienced riding on top.
When in walk prepare the rider that you are going to ask the horse to trot on, and ensure their position is correct and strong before starting and that they are not holding the reins. Try some stretching exercises in walk such as swinging the arms to ensure they can sit up without balacing themself with the reins. I always ask them to hold the saddle and pull it up into their body as it helps them to keep their bum in the saddle and prevents them from bouncing around.
Do this untill they can relax the muscles in their body and are not striffenning and death gripping on the saddle, and get them to feel the rhythm of the trot.
Then practise the rise first at Stand, and then slowly at a walk. First holding onto the saddle, then with one hand, and eventually with no hands in walk. This should be simple enough and will prepare them for when you move up into trot.
Just make sure you get them feeling to the rhythm of the trot, and it helps if you use your voice 1-2-1-2-1-2, so as they are concentrating on your voice rather than what they are doing too much, and they usually pick it up fairly naturally.
Hope this helps. x x
I would start on the lunge.
If the horse is not used to this, try it out with an experienced rider on top should anything happen, until you are satisfied that the horse is good to lunge with an inexperienced riding on top.
When in walk prepare the rider that you are going to ask the horse to trot on, and ensure their position is correct and strong before starting and that they are not holding the reins. Try some stretching exercises in walk such as swinging the arms to ensure they can sit up without balacing themself with the reins. I always ask them to hold the saddle and pull it up into their body as it helps them to keep their bum in the saddle and prevents them from bouncing around.
Do this untill they can relax the muscles in their body and are not striffenning and death gripping on the saddle, and get them to feel the rhythm of the trot.
Then practise the rise first at Stand, and then slowly at a walk. First holding onto the saddle, then with one hand, and eventually with no hands in walk. This should be simple enough and will prepare them for when you move up into trot.
Just make sure you get them feeling to the rhythm of the trot, and it helps if you use your voice 1-2-1-2-1-2, so as they are concentrating on your voice rather than what they are doing too much, and they usually pick it up fairly naturally.
Hope this helps. x x