Teaching a horse rising trot???

[Sarah W]

Hello all.

Bit of a strange one I know but bear with me. My OH recently got his first horse, a gorgeous 11 year old Lusitano gelding. We got him from a dealer so don't know much about his background other than he *might* have been to bullfighter school and failed his "I'm not a scaredy cat" exam

OH is very much a beginner - he is having regular lessons - but they have gelled, nay, fallen in love with each other and he is hacking out gently to get Troy fit. However there is a small problem in that Troy, like most Portuguese horses, has never experienced someone rising in trot!! In fact he prefers to avoid trotting wherever possible and goes straight from walk into a lovely collected canter most of the time! We will be taking advice from the instructor but would also appreciate any tips to introduce him to a rising trot without him getting anxious about the whole process (he is a bit of a worrier..)

Thoughts?

Thanks a million. X

 

[Oddjob's Wife]

Having a Spanish horse myself straight from Spain, I'd be surprised if he isn't used to someone doing rising trot - if you look at you tube videos, they do school much in the same way we do. What happens if you are on board?

I can only suggest that you do sitting trot with just the odd rise to start and gradually increase the number of rises! Don't know if that's any use and hopefully someone else might have something more constructive

 

[mcnaughty]

Lots and lots of transitions walk, trot, walk, halt etc in both rising a sitting trot using your voice and seat as aids.

 

[sbloom]

Have you had a balanced experienced rider try the trot on him? Obviously beginners tend to be rather unbalanced and that may be upsetting him.

 

[touchstone]

I'd start by making sure there is little/no contact on the rein, ask quietly for trot over trotting poles and the minute he breaks into canter bring him back and ask again. I'm sure he'll get there with perseverance.

It could be that the aids are a bit heavy for him and a lighter 'ask' is needed.

 

[Sarah W]

Thanks for the good ideas! Yes, we will be getting an experienced rider to school him. And thanks for the trotting pole suggestion - we don't have a school as such but there is a small field we can use.