Bucephalus
5th Jul 2004, 04:31 PM
If you're one of those riders who has spent months bouncing around without stirrups or doing entire lessons in sitting trot just to get the hang of it, try this instead: ride a Dales pony!
My sitting trot has improved over the past year but I still bounce a bit and that's the reason I have trouble staying in balance to ask for canter.
Then last week I rode a Dales pony. I watched a lesson beforehand and wondered why none of the riders went into rising trot...until I got on a pony myself.
Basically you don't need to rise! I tried to rise at first but found there wasn't enough bounce to push me up from the saddle even though the pony was trotting with some energy.
And best of all, because the pony's trotting action was so gentle I really got a good chance to practice sitting to the trot without tensing up.
Canter was so smooth too!
We were riding on a pretty long rein as the ponies are used to trekking and need to pick their way around steep and rocky tracks.
My sitting trot has improved over the past year but I still bounce a bit and that's the reason I have trouble staying in balance to ask for canter.
Then last week I rode a Dales pony. I watched a lesson beforehand and wondered why none of the riders went into rising trot...until I got on a pony myself.
Basically you don't need to rise! I tried to rise at first but found there wasn't enough bounce to push me up from the saddle even though the pony was trotting with some energy.
And best of all, because the pony's trotting action was so gentle I really got a good chance to practice sitting to the trot without tensing up.
Canter was so smooth too!
We were riding on a pretty long rein as the ponies are used to trekking and need to pick their way around steep and rocky tracks.