Sitting to the trot position

[adgirlthegreat]

Heather Moffet describes sitting to the trot. It sounds very logical and I can't wait to try it. However, I have a question how can one sit to the trot having one hip bone go forward then the other but at the same time flexing the pelvis forward and back. Does your pelvis automatically flex back and forth when you are doing left hipbone forward then right hipbone forward?

[Maria]

I find that if I think about letting my seatbones follow the movement of the horse's back then provided I don't fix my lower back it will flex in and out with the horse's movement naturally.

[intouch]

Just like it does when you walk - or jog.

[Silver1]

I had a lot of problems with that as well, its really hard to explain, I still can't do it bareback, but I found that if you just relax and concentrate on "Sticking" you end up doing it anyway.

[Heather]

Hi All,

You merely allow the seatbones to rise and fall with the horse's back- there should be no conscious effort to do this. The small of the back flexes in order to absorb the up and down bounce of the trot stride- tihs is the only conscious movement you make, and then only to begin with- it is a bit like learning to drive, you have to be aware of everytihng you are doing to start with, but after a while, changing gear etc becomes an automatic response.

It is the same with riding- I dont consciously move my lower back- it just happens, but when you are learning- it helps to be made aware of exaclty what the back should be doing, not just told to sit deeper or relax the back and other rather unprecise statements that really dont tell you what to do.

The easiest way to feel the right movement in sitting trot is to keep the trot really slow and soft to begin with and only do a few strides at a time- you will feel the back swinging and dipping and rising far moer in a slow soft trot, than in a fast choppy one, or even a trot that goes on too long so that you start to lose the feel.

Do it in small chunks and greadually increase the number of steps- dont try to do whole circuits of the school, unless you have a horse who will happily continue to trot in a nice soft, even rhythm, and not start to lose the quality and bounce you to bits!

Heather

[adgirlthegreat]

I get it, I think, but it is still left hip then right hip at the same time? And by rise and fall you mean up and down? So does that automatically mean that the pelvis would go forward and back again?

[Heather]

Hi there,

One hip/seatbone is up whilst the other is down, just as when you walk or run. Try it walking and running on the spot- the feeling is exactly the same in your pelvis and lower back. Alexander teacher Joni Bentley calls your seatbones 'seatfeet', which is a good way to liken it- your seatbones take the place of your feet- otherwise the movement is the same.

Place your hand on your spine in the small of your back, on the sacro-iliac joint- and as you run feel the flexion there- that is the exact same flexion as you need to absorb the movement in sitting trot. The bigger the horse's movement, the more flexion there needs to be, but not that horrible belly wobble that is seen when riders try to absorb the movement by relaxing in the saddle like a rag doll. the abdominal muscles need to be firm and taut, but not pulled in, to support and stabilise the upper body.

However, the more collected the steps, the less teh pelvis needs to flex, the sheer spring in the horse's joints shock absorb the movement and as it is more upward than forwards, the pelvis stays more or less upright the whole time, with only a very controlled, small spring-like flexion in the lower back.

Heather

[adgirlthegreat]

So what my trainer said is correct. You don't want to be "loosey goosey" you want to be like a hard boiled egg. She always says to tuck you but under as well. Would this be a correct position?


I think I get it I am going to try it as soon as all this snow melts!!

Thanks!

[Teth]

I have just been reading the threads regarding sitting trot,
and the question I would like to ask is, don't you have to know or should I say feel which hind leg is coming under in order to move the correct hip forward.

[BackintheSaddle]

My sitting trot goes best when I take a few deep breaths, and I think about having relaxed shoulders, and sitting on my "back pockets". I also ask for a slower trot that when I'm posting a working trot. Thinking about having relaxed shoulders seems to keep my back and hips more supple.

[ros]

Don't try to confuse yourself for the moment by worrying about which leg is doing what. Just let your hips follow the horse, like Maria suggests. Imagine a string puppet - if you sit it on your hand and move your hand about under it (keeping its head and upper body in the same place) its joints will simply follow the movement of your hand. That's what you're doing when you "absorb" the horse's movement in your back and pelvis. It's a lot less complicated than you think.

I found the breakthrough for me was when someone told me I was actually allowed to let my hips swing from side to side as well if they needed to, instead of just backwards and forwards! If you watch a lot of riders who bounc in sitting trot, they appear to be trying to move their seat up and down from front to back alone, rather than allowing that easy swing.