Tipping forward in trot

devilwoman

devilwoman

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Any tips to keep in the correct position, I don't ride very often and when I do I only happy hack but i;m finding myself more and more when I rise to trot tipping forward with my upper body, it's driving me mad because I know i'm doing it but as soon as I stop concentrating on it I lean forward again.
 
My YO stands in the middle of the school and yells and me :D

In all seriousness it worked. Everytime my position 'falls out' she shouts 'check!' and leaves it up to me to remind myself of how I'm supposed to be sat.

If she catches me being lazy on a hack, I have to take my feet out of the stirrups and 'find them seat bones!' This also helps you sit up straight.
 
I'm reading a book at the moment called "Centred Riding" by Sally Swift, she has such a great way of explaining stuff and there are exercises in it that help with tipping forwards. I got mine out from the local library, but I'm going to buy a copy I've been so impressed. Might be worth a read?
 
You could imagine having a heavy rucksack on your back. Also think about 'opening' your breast bone, that tends to make me sit up and bring my shoulders back.

I agree that Sally Swift has really good visual ideas for correcting posture problems in the saddle - worth a read.
 
Thank you some great tips there, will put them into practice when I next venture into the saddle, off to e-bay to look that book out too :)

brighthair, no my hands tend to go forward with me, I look a right mess to be frank ! old habbits ................
 
JustJasper said:
I'm reading a book at the moment called "Centred Riding" by Sally Swift, she has such a great way of explaining stuff and there are exercises in it that help with tipping forwards. I got mine out from the local library, but I'm going to buy a copy I've been so impressed. Might be worth a read?
Click to expand...

Oh yes, that's a great book! I love how she describes things... like using teacups and beach balls :D
 
JustJasper said:
I'm reading a book at the moment called "Centred Riding" by Sally Swift, she has such a great way of explaining stuff and there are exercises in it that help with tipping forwards. I got mine out from the local library, but I'm going to buy a copy I've been so impressed. Might be worth a read?
Click to expand...

Just got it off e-bay for £4.75 plus postage, well pleased, looking forward to it arriving now, thanks.
 
My instructor yells at me 'arm links on' so I have to bend my elbows (elastic), shoulders back etc etc..works a treat!!
 
Try getting someone to video a lesson for you, works a treat. I did a dressage test earlier in the year and a friend videod it, oh my goodness, what a tipped forward numpty I looked like :eek:
Since then have concentrated on sitting up and lifting my hands, agree that to begin with felt to be leaning back, but it does work.
 
You can be too upright in trot - you should be able to maintain your "up" position for several beats without toppling back into the saddle. I see lots of people so "upright" that they are behind the horse's movement and completely out of balance. I'd rather rather see you tipping a little forward than leaning over backwards - it's much easier to correct!
 
Have you checked how your saddle is placing you - often tipping forward can be the result of a saddle that is a little low in front compared to the back, or the saddle is sliding back once the rider is on board.

Another is the riders leg position, are your legs sliding back too far?

Check that when you sit in the saddle again that you are sitting on your butt not your crutch.

There are times too when the rider has legs to far ahead of them so that in order to rise they have to lean forward to centralise their balance.

Checking and correcting your position before doing anything is ideal as it makes you aware of your body.
 
I have this problem too and have used many of the above great suggestions to work on correcting it. I would add one more that I've really been trying to work on recently - think about how you carry yourself when you aren't on a horse. The chances are you round your shoulders forward and don't carry yourself then as well. Work on that and get your body used to be carrying itself a bit more all the time and it should become a little more intuitive when you are on a horse.
 
Rather than legs too far back, also check if they are too far forwards. You may be leaning forwards to compensate. Try standing up (off the horse on a flat surface) then bending your knees with your back straight - your feet will be under your hips and shoulders in the "correct" riding position. Now lean forwards - you'll notice that your feet are under your knees, your bum and hips are behind and your shoulders have come forwards to counter-balance.

Saddles can make a big difference to leg position (there's one saddle at the yard that I can barely do rising trot in as it pushes my legs so far forwards!) but definitely get someone to video you as a first step, then compare your position with the pics in Centred Riding (I agree, it's a great book!).
 
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