Sitting trot tips please!

SNORKEY

SNORKEY

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Im sure I have the bounciest horse in the world and I just cant do sitting trot!

I have a nice new dressage saddle which has helped a bit, I try relaxing my lower leg and moving my hips etc, but as soon as he goes any faster than a very slow jog I just bounce everywhere!

Has anyone got any tips for being able to sit in the saddle?

Thanks :)
 
Strong stomach muscles. Building my core strength helped my dressage immensely.
Hula hoops and skipping ropes are my secret weapons :D
 
Stomach muscles yes - but also, the movement of your pelvis shouldn't be tipping backwards and forwards. It's the same movement as in walk (each side moves up and down alternately, so sort of like a figure 8, if you see what I mean) but just faster. It can take some tuning into on some horses, very obvious on others. Legs should hang like dead weights and the lowest of the abdominal muscles take the strain. Get someone to check you aren't leaning back which is very easy to do without realising as you try to absorb the movement. I should know - I do it all the time and every time I think I've cracked it I realise I've been doing it again... Gah!!
 
I've never been taught this way, but it works for me... Can you control the height of your rising trot? If so the simplest way is to gradually reduce the amount you are rising until you aren't rising at all.

You do need to be in balance to acheive a good sitting trot - if eg your lower leg is too far forward you won't be able to control your rise enough to eliminate the actual leaving the saddle bit! Of course if you can control it its so useful as you can then slow your rise to slow down etc.

Probably sounds a bit nuts, but it does work, I'm told I always look secure in sitting trot
 
The secret to this (and I have had a gelderlander trained to Grand Prix with a trot that even Steven Clarke says is 'big') is to get the horse TRUELY in front of your leg. If he's not working thru the back properly don't even try. The once working like this try REALLY sitting for just one stride then rising and sit for the next (ie keep changing diagonal) then start to join these up...

I don't advacate the 'without stirrups' thing if the trot is truly BIG as you'll end up with a very sore back. Also if you can't sit properly, you can't get the horse moving thru' properly without stirrups and thus make your job increasingly hard.

HTH

Blitz
 
One little tip is to either put two fingers under the pommel to give you a bit better balance to start with, or buy one of those balance straps to fit across the Dee rings (great for those cheeky moments!) This will let you sit in the saddle without hanging on to the reins when you start to bounce. However, bouncing can be caused by starting to lose balance and gripping up - I know - we all do it at some time. Riding without stirrups is great too - particularly if you have a friend who can lunge you. BUT, and this is the big BUT - you have to learn to feel the horses movement. If you can concentrate on how the horse is moving YOU at the trot, you will in time be able to move with him, and not against him. You will need to let your seatbones go with him, and I know it sounds daft. but they will almost feel the same as if you are riding a bike! Each seat bone will be pushed in turn forward, up, down, back - a bit like pedalling backwards, only 'quieter' if that makes sense. You will need to use your core muscles too (pretend you need to cough and fart!! at the same time to get a bit of a feel!) You will get the hang of it - It only goes wrong when you move both seatbones together in a sort of 'sit sit sit' movement.
Hope this helps - It took me three years to crack proper sitting trot on my very bouncy warmblood, but about 5 minutes on both Spanish boys. Once you have learnt the technique, and that's simply all it is, technique, you will be able to sit on anything!
 
Index finger under the pommel and anchor yourself securely - sort of pulling yourself down but softening at the same time. Then gradually lessen your hold until you are barely pulling, and let go. If you start to bounce again, repeat.

Works for me!
 
Thanks for the replies.

Ive tried holding onto the pommel but he's a cheeky bugger and starts going all over the place, and Ive got no one to lunge me.
Ive also tried to move the same hip forward as the same front leg of his that goes forward, if that makes sense!
I should really have some lessons, I know ive got a weak back and I suffer from sciatica really badly in my lower back and legs, and my stomach muscles are rubbish even though I swim and go to the gym a lot!
But im determined to get it right so I can start doing some dressage tests.
 
Ah, just came back to the thread to try to describe the actual feel once you are in sitting mode, but find thespanishmane has done it far more eloquently than I could ever do! :)
 
SNORKEY said:
Do you mean a HM saddle or something to do with her?
Click to expand...

Saddle wont help that much but if you google HM sitting trot on youtube her explanation helped me out quite a bit (well it got in my head) then the riding stirrupless was the key - but little and often. Say 5 in one go and keep repeating, then try 6, 7 etc etc.

I really wanted to go to her clinic but can't afford it. That vid was excellent though. I would describe my sitting trot as a "twisting" of the hips like in salsa in time with the HIND legs, not the fores.
 
Lol I Just spat my tea out thespanishmane :D ! No not specifically the farting bit (but actually rather a good way of describing it!).
 
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