sitting trot gone to @#$!

[BackintheSaddle]

Arghh - worst lesson last night! I COULD NOT sit the trot. I was in an all purpose saddle instead of a dressage saddle, but STILL - I can sit the trot, I know I can! I was off balance and boucing all around. Poor Barney was very confused as my weight kept shifting. I'm sure I bashed the poor boy in the back more than once. I tried dropping my stirrups, which helped for a while, but then everything went to pieces again. So frustrating. Must do some sit-ups so that my tummy muscles are strong enough for me to sit taller. Grrr. Back to the barn with me and my very sore pieces :) Try, try, try again, that's what I say. Maybe we'll just have a nice canter to make up for it (assume I haven't forgotten that as well!)

[IrisSilverMoon]

if you like I'll come work with you on sitting trot...*devilish grin*

:D

nothing like 45 minutes of seat work on the lunge to improve your sitting trot...:p

[Evol_or_revert]

It comes with time, once you fully relax no stressing about it.

lunging and lots of forced sitting trot work can help. But I hate it :rolleyes: remembering back to learning to ride way to much sitting trot with no stirrups.

Good luck :D

[BackintheSaddle]

A lunge lesson (or ten) is exactly what I need. Unfortunately, my instructor is recovering from a broken hip, so she's not terribly mobile at the moment, poor thing. I think I'll ask one of the more accomplished riders if they wouldn't mind lungeing while instructor watched - that way she could stay off her feet. I detested lunge lessons as a child, but I definitely respect their importance in regaining an independent seat. Last night I was thinking so much about my leg/body position that I nearly rode Barney into a traffic cone. He's such a good boy - he'd go through the wall if that was what I told him to do. Yup - no stirrups, no hands, and my mantra "this is good for me, this is good for me, this is good for me" :)

[PromiseMe]

Just keep trying :) You'll get there! It just takes practice...

And just a thought...of course i am not to judge from just several lines of a post...but you should probably master sitting and rising trot before moving on to cantering ;) just a thought.

[kedwards]

I second the longe lessons, even if it means having someone else longe while your instructor watches.

Also, when not on the longe, perhaps work on just a few stirdes at a time. I don't believe that sitting trot is one of those things where "no pain no gain" works. Instead, I think it's one of those cases where the phrase, "perfect practice makes perfect," is more appropriate. Once things get a little squirrely, both horse and rider are unbalanced and uncomfortable, and things tend to degenerate. Better to come back to walk and start over.

[leviskipperette]

i find it much easier to ride my horse (who ive been told is very bumpy, but i dont see how she is), and a few other horses trot bareback than with any saddle. i barely ever use a saddle, but i put one on when i let my little sister ride. ive been doing bareback work for a few years i and i think it has really improved my riding. i do almost everything bareback from taking a walk up the road, to loping a few barrels, to, one time, chasing geese (not a good idea, the geese didnt seem to enjoy it so it really turned into a horse and rider chase, eeek!). but anyway ive really learned to stick to the horses back and absorb the movement esp at the trot. i dont know if it helps at all but if you feel comfortable enough maybe you could try doing some bareback work.

-meg

[Megans mum]

I agree that bare back is great for sitting trott' and for giving you a secure seat in trot or canter' not tried gallop:rolleyes: I used to ride bare back all the time in the winter cause it is warmer and easier to just hop on and go out' Now I have a treeless saddle it is so comfy that I tend to put that on most times' best of luck' ;)