Sitting trot....

H

H-J

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Your views on sitting trot please!!!

Who prefers it?

What tests do you sit in?? I always sit in my BE Novice tests but rise in Intro Pre-Novice.

I am doing Novice 21 on both horses on Sunday at Norton Heath and im not sure whether to sit or not. I never sit in Prelims, but can sometimes feel the judge will look down on me if I sit like I think im too good! Even though I dont! just the impression I get from some, what do you think???
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There is nothing better to watch than a nice test well ridden in sitting trot with the horse lovely soft and swinging through from behind with the rider soft and balanced....
There is nothing worse to watch than a rider bouncing around on a clearly unbalanced and hollow horse whilst jabbing it in the mouth at every stride.

I am sure that you would paint the first picture and not the second! I think a lot of dressage judges prefer to see rising trot at prelim level because often the horses are not established enough to carry a rider in sitting trot - or the rider is not good enough to ride the horse in sitting without hindering it -or a mixture of the two. You should not be looked down on for riding well on an established horse surely?
 
Well I would hope not! Maybe just a bit paranoid!!

I will probably ride Mac as he is very well established in sitting and Spider my 4yr old, although ive been doing a lot at home, I think i will ride her test in rising, thanks for the advice
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I think it really depends how established the horse is and how comfortable/balanced you are in sitting trot. I tend to do Novices in rising trot. I started off doing elementary in rising trot as Louis is quite bouncy and I was worried to be blocking him but now my seat is more established and he's swinging much more behind I am starting to do tests in sitting trot.
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Hmmmm sitting trot for me is really hard as my horse is like a bouncing tigger i really have to concentrate to be able to sit and trot don't think i would be doing any test in sitting
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I've got very limited experience in dressage - I only did 2 competitions last year, but rode the same test on two different horses (prelims).

I do most of my trot work on my mum's mare in sitting as she's shire x clyde and very heavy in front. I get a softer trot, and better connection if I sit. Rising gives a bigger trot but we tend to get too long and the front ends up in another county. Mine is a 6 year old, and a slow developer, so did her test in rising. My comments were obv different as they are at different stages in their work, but the sitting trot test got placed higher than the rising.

I took my mum's out again and I was the only one out of the class of 16 that did sitting trot. And we won! I'll be doing sitting trot at novice level this year with her.

So, I'd just do which ever you prefer. Good luck!
 
imo you get so many people at lower level dressage who sit to the trot just because they think it makes them look better, nine times out of ten the horse isnt moving forwards properly, and isnt at all active through its hind legs.

i think if you can sit wel and hold yourself correctly without getting stiff, whilst maintaining the horse in a good even contact and nice and soft then there is no reasons why people shouldnt do sitting trot at whatever level they want.
 
Sorry rather off subject BUT

when i do sitting trot on my horse who has a very bouncy trot i just cannot get my lower leg to stay still! It flaps around all over the place how can i stop this?!
 
It sounds like you are tensing your upper body, as your horse is bouncy. you need to relax into the saddle and keep your upper body soft.

try doing it with someone lunging you on your horse so you dont have to worry about what his head is doing. to start with hold the front of the saddle and use it to pull yourself in and sit deap and relaxed, then take off one hand, then the other. keep your legs relaxed, dont grip up.
 
Agree with PG, but I have to say that I always rise for prelims, even if the horse would be happy for me to sit. I suppose I think rising is more appropriate for prelim, but it is irrational. I'm happier myself in sitting trot as I find it much easier to give the canter aids (I've always had a problem going from rising to sitting and my canter transitions suffer from this), but thats just me!

The best description I have ever read of how to "get" sitting trot correctly is in Heather Moffett's book Enlightened Equitation. She explains how to move your hips and lower back to engage with the movement.
 
On my mare i do sitting trot in both prelim and novice. I just find i can use my lower back and stomach more effectively as if she thinks she can get away with it she will try and lean on your hands rather than carry herself. Unfortunately she spent most of her younger years in gadgets in a false outline and has very little confidence.
 
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