Teaching rising trot

[mangobiscuit]

Hi

Am in the process of teaching my daughter (6) to rise in trot. She's very comfortable sitting and doesn't unbalance even though it's usually on my horse which is far to large for her!

Is there any tips of describing how to perform rising trot (as I fear it's my failing teaching methods rather than her inability to actually do it) or should I just let her carry on bouncing around and hope she naturally starts to rise with the rythym (sp) of him??? She sometimes looks like she's almost doing it........

Or do I just sound like one of those pushy parents haha

 

[eohippus]

In halt, position the lower leg and hold it then ask her to raise herself up and down for a few beats to get used to what to feel for. when trotting ask her to shout a two syllable word, could be her name, horses name, something funny, what ever, in rhythm with the pony, you obviously say it with her, So on the first syllable she sits on the second she rises, you get the picture. with one hand ask her to hold the saddle if needed.
It will come eventually for her, do it as a learn while you play sort of thing, then she will not realise you are actually pushing her.
Best of luck
Get someone to take a video for prosperity.
Dawn

 

[_April_]

The best thing I remember was being told to try to kneel up and down rather than trying to stand up and down.... hope that makes sense is difficult to describe lol!

 

[piaffe]

I just did it in halt first "up..down..up..down", then in walk and then tired it in trot!

It didn't take my 2 very long to pick it up and they are 5 and 7. My 6 year old now does it naturally and looks so sweet! I lunged her this afternoon and she was getting her pony (who is too big, at 13.2) into canter on her own!

 

[teapot]

Get her standing up in her stirrups in the walk, use a neckstrap to help her hold onto something so she's not using the reins.

Then if you can run along side for the first few times and keep saying up down, up down. I used to hold the kiddies' leg & pony at first so they can concentrate on just getting the 1 - 2, 1 -2 bit sorted. Then you can let go of their leg, then the pony etc.

Some kids pick it up quicker than others so depends on the kid really.

 

[mangobiscuit]

Thanks for all the advice!! We shall put it into practice tmro and see what happens. Would be so ideal if we could find a smaller neddy to practice on - would make the running alongside and leg holding a bit more easy for me!!!

Am so unfit that after about 20 secs of running alongside whilst trotting I'm absol

utely KNACKERED!

 

[icklechlo]

also, if you get her to ride up and down to the outside leg in walk, hopefully diagonals should come naturally because you have taught her to rise at the same rate as the outside leg moves

 

[filly190]

I would lunge the horse and show her how the legs work in the two beat. She's young but she will enjoy counting and will understand. Then I'd get some horsey videos and play a game of counting up down etc. By explaining something in a simple way she will see it as fun.

By the time you have done all of that she will be dying to have a go on her pony and I think she will pick it up really quickly. It is often harder to try to explain and get her to do it when on the pony.

Get her to sit on your knee and play horse and you can then teach her how high to rise and not to come down with a smack on the saddle. At riding schools you cant give kids these type of lessons and it often takes longer to teach them.

 

[GTs]

I learnt my rising and pony club flap at the same time - they went hand in hand with eachother.

 

[Bossanova]

Lots o standing up and sitting down, thats quite good fun for kids and once she gets the hang of it and a bit more strength, ewncourage her to do it in the rythm