sitting trot

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Hi, I find sitting trot quite hard, because although I can do it well for about 1 circle, I soon get tired, tense up and it all just goes out the window. I hurt my back in various places a while ago and am now scared of sitting trot because Im worried Ill hurt my back again. Im all healed now but its physcological and I suppose, the more I do sitting trot, the stronger my back will become. Any advice. I have done some work withput stirrups but horse is spooky and so this isnt really a good option lol!
 
i read somewhere once that if you try 'walking' on your seat bones in time with the horse...but i dont know...ive never tried...keep forgetting!
 
eurgh lungle lessons
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havent ha one in years, good idea tho and i suppose it'll be worth it in the end
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This screams bare back!! maybe your horse isnt suitable but srs you learn bum bone or off slid.. Really teachs you balance.. lunging is good too but bare back for sitting trot is the bees knees!!
 
think about how though seat bones are moving and concerntrate on keeping your back supple and relaxed and your hips moving together.

Trot around the whole school without stirrups and when you tense up go back to walk and relax again and then ask for trot again.

Good luck x
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Basically Im going to echo what other people have said.

Lunge lessons are the way to go with sitting trot. Make sure your trainer understands the situation with your former injuries and is sympathetic to them.

Also, riding without stirrups on your own is good (although I noticed you said your horsey is spooky
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The key with sitting trot is to make sure you're sat well back on your seat bones and pushing down into the saddle (pushing your hips slightly forward if you like).

If you're sitting too much on your pubic bone you WILL bounce. I also find its considerably easier to tense when sat like this, which makes everything ten times worse! Aim for just one long side of good sitting trot to begin with them come back to walk before going again. If you get tired, I find there is then the tendency to tilt forwards too much.

Good luck with it! Sitting trot is an art form in my opinion but once you have that feeling of how it should be, it seems to stay with you!
 
Try getting hold of a book (and a DVD) by Susanne von Dietze "Balance in Movement. The Seat of the Rider" J.J.Allen 1999. Once you have read, re-read it, understood and practsied you will look at everything in a different way:)
It helped me loads and I keep going back to it when I teach and people get great results once they know what feeling they need to look for.
 
Depending on where you are based.... theres always the option of trying one of the equi-simulators... This could give you the option of improving your sitting trot position on your own terms rather than risking no stirrups if your horsey is spooky.

Just a thought!
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Sit on your bum and not your 'fork'. In halt bring your knees up to your chest and lower your legs again, that puts you on your bum. Try to relax your lower back so it 'moves' with the horse and 'feel' a crease in your stomach (seems to keep you on your bum as well) At first you feel like youve done 100's of situps!
 
the main tip is to BREATHE!
also,try to imagine cycling backwards with your legs, this feels very secure
but any work you can do bare back will help you loads:)
 
I have a couple of classical dressage videos and they tell you to let your hips go not together, but one then the other, follow the horses hips. As when the horse moves, it drops one side then the other, so we drop one then the other. This is what I do, and I find it easier. Also, I find that if I just take my feet out of the stirrups but keep the stirrups there, not crossed up, then I can let my legs hang long and if I feel that I am losing it, just grab stirrups back for a few seconds.
 
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they tell you to let your hips go not together, but one then the other, follow the horses hips

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You've got it!! That's exactly what you do. Helps build up your muscles either side of your spine, gives you a great flexible back and a superb light seat. It is far better for the horse also if you ride like this.

Incidentally when I take new riders out in western saddles, this is exactly how I tell them to ride both in walk and trot. It's all about being totally relaxed and once you are, no more bouncing and only a smooth ride for both you and horse.
 
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