Sitting up straight while riding...help!

TheEquineOak

TheEquineOak

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I'm basically rubbish.

I have a good riding posture in canter and walk however, my trot is all over the place. I'm giving my poor horse the wrong signals, falling forward during the trot and upsetting the rythme during transitions.

I have tried lengthening my stirrups and riding without them. I can sit up straight then! But as soon as I put my stirrups up I'm back to square one. Before I spend silly money getting my instructor to sort me out, does anyone have any other tried and tested methods?

:D
 
Hello,

Yes just rising, sitting is fine. Even with someone on the ground I still can't manage it, I feel like I'm leaning too far back when I'm actually to far forward. I don't have this problem with my other horse.

I long fat stick down the back of my top maybe?! ;)
 
If possible get someone to lunge you so you can work on your position without having to worry to much about steering. Also riding on a circle improves balance.

My youngster used to make me lean forward in trot but i had lessons to work through it and we basically did lots of walk to trot transition and trot to halt, lots of circles. She also used to drop her shoulder which made me feel like i was going fall out the side. It could be that your horse is also slightly off balance in trot with a rider on which is making you off balance.

Perseverance and more schooling will help. 101 schooling exercises has lot of good schooling exercises!!
 
If your in rising trot you should be rising with a slightly forward motion, otherwise your behind the movement. You should think forward, then down, not up then down. If you go up then down you have no other option than to fall back into the saddle...
 
ditto the rising forwards and back (tiny rises, lift your weight not your ass lol)
also roll your shoulders back, lift your ribcage off your hips and dont look down
 
obicat said:
If your in rising trot you should be rising with a slightly forward motion, otherwise your behind the movement. You should think forward, then down, not up then down. If you go up then down you have no other option than to fall back into the saddle...
Click to expand...

My problem isn't the seat. I'm sat in the right position, and my balance is absolutely fine. It's sitting up straight on this one horse during this gait. I'm still rising forward, just with a bent back (and apparently I slightly tipped back head...!)

Kizzy - he is ever so slightly uneven, I didn't think this would cause such a problem but I'll certainly consider it next time I'm on him.
 
kaylouise67 said:
My problem isn't the seat. I'm sat in the right position, and my balance is absolutely fine. It's sitting up straight on this one horse during this gait. I'm still rising forward, just with a bent back (and apparently I slightly tipped back head...!)

Kizzy - he is ever so slightly uneven, I didn't think this would cause such a problem but I'll certainly consider it next time I'm on him.
Click to expand...

I probs havent explained it very well! but you shouldn't be straight when your rising! If your back is hollowing when your rising then you need to think about sucking your belly button in until it touches your spine, not possible, lol but the best analogy i can think of! And the best one to get you engaging your core body muscles which is pretty much what good riding comes down to ;)

You should be straight in the brief moment you sit, but then you should be up and forwards, straight back, not dipped, but the shoulders should go forward. If they dont, and you try and go straight up and down the basic laws of physics say you have no option other than to fall back down into the saddle
 
hollowing is a massive no-no.

Im not the best rider (far from it, I've never had lessons, seldom ride in a school unfortunately etc etc) and riding welsh cobs at my height doesnt help either but I would say Im quite tidy in rising trot...
http://www.youtube.com/user/xloopylozzax

a lot of the time i would say i could do littler rises (you should be pushed out of the saddle, not lifting yourself) but in the schooling videos i am trying(!) to allow them to move bigger with more suspension. havent updated it for months but gives you an idea- i dont slump down, arch my back or tip forwards, my legs tend to look untidy because otherwise i would need rollerskates lol

ETA- pull your bum underneath you
 
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are your legs secure?

If your legs are loose, then you will "rock" when you do rising trot - you need to become more stable in your legs so your hips can "hold" you upright :)

What I was told was that to bring your bum forward when rising which helps you stay straight :)
 
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