Tips for rising 'too high'...

S

Switchthehorse

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So i have been irritated by the fact my hands go up and down in rising trot... and finally I have the answer!! My instructor pointed out the other night that my girl has such a big stride that i am rising higher than i need to whilst i sort of wait for the next stride to start and hence my hands are going up with my body... its not my arms moving but instead the whole of me.

Just to put this into perspective, been riding 30 odd years, not a novice, and they don't move SO high that i am yanking in the mouth or anything like that... it just looks a bit ungainly and i am continually on a quest to be one of those 'quiet as mice' stressage riders who hardly move a muscle!! Add white gloves and my dream is ruined :)

Anyway we agreed if i could get my stirrups two holes longer that would help, but we also tried working on my just not rising quite so high, so kind of slower but staying closer to the saddle, only now its so ingrained I just couldnt do it!!???

Any tips? Random question i appreciate!

Thanks in advance!!
 
Hi! I have exactly the same problem but for the opposite reason, my welshie's stride is so short and choppy that if I don't put my mind to it he bounces me a mile out of the saddle!

The only thing that seems to work for me (sorry if this sounds patronising!) is to really concentrate on using my inner thigh to rise and not my knee. Once you've got your thigh/bum muscle clenched you'll find it's harder to rise higher. It's absolute agony after a while and feels like a real struggle but hey no pain no gain! I clench my bumcheeks as I rise and make sure my tummy muscles are clenched too and this gives me alot more stability and stops me from rising up too high. I hope i've helped because this fustrates me too! :) I was also told that thinking of it as "forwards trot" as opposed to "rising trot" helps, as the movement you want to acheive is forwards and backwards as opposed to up and down!

Sophie xx
 
In my experience people who rise too high/put too much effort in often end up behind the movement.
Some good exercises for this complaint :D include:
1. Rise for 2 sit for 2
2. Rise and stay risen in the saddle for as long as you can hold your balance (do not lean on the poor beast's mouth)
3. Think of taking your hips forward to the ears rather than up and down.
4. Practice riding downwards transitions without using the reins - using your seat alone.
Good luck with the boingy boingy trot :p :D
S :D
 
Shilasdair said:
In my experience people who rise too high/put too much effort in often end up behind the movement.
Some good exercises for this complaint :D include:
1. Rise for 2 sit for 2
2. Rise and stay risen in the saddle for as long as you can hold your balance (do not lean on the poor beast's mouth)
3. Think of taking your hips forward to the ears rather than up and down.
4. Practice riding downwards transitions without using the reins - using your seat alone.
Good luck with the boingy boingy trot :p :D
S :D
Click to expand...


I must print this post out and staple it to my "pony's" neck:D
 
Rising trot without stirrups? Then you get the feel of how high (or actually, how low) you should be rising. Then you can try to re-create that with stirrups.
 
Hi - you need to soften your shoulders and elbows. As you rise, to keep your hands still you need to open your elbows, then as you sit your elbows bend again.

To help you get the feel, put a thin neck strap around your horses neck, lose enough so that when in rising trot you can hook your little fingers in it and carry your hands at the correct height.

Then practise holding the strap in your little fingers and keeping the neckstrap taut and feel what your arms are doing. Also remember to think swing your hips between your hands, lifting your body from your knees, leaning a tad forward from your hips will allow for your mares big trot.
 
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