Rising Trot

[MaryLynn]

We are being taught to use the up and down motion to ride along in a trot. I am having trouble getting in sync. Could the stirrups be too long or too short? What can I do to get in sync to have a smooth trot?

[Judith]

Would it be helpful to say that you go up with the horse's rise - I think of it as the horse 'throwing' me up out of the saddle! If you shut your eyes for a moment and feel the horse's movement underneath you, you will feel his motion and you just respond to it. Allow yourself to be pushed up by him. Hope this is helpful.

I guess to control the gait e.g to go down to walk you would need to slow the rise and get the horse to meet your rhythm. So it's not just a passive response...

Anyway, if I'm wrong I'm sure someone will put me right!

Good luck.

[MaryLynn]

Thank you Judith for your reply. I will work on that. Maybe after next weeks lesson I'll have better news. I only have 2 more lessons. I will probably continue after that on a semi-private lesson.

[Medalia]

Maybe, does it feel comforatble to you when you are at any other gait? If it does, then I don't think that it's neccessarily your stirrups.

Would you please e-mail me? I have a website, and I like your question. My e-mail is: Cleopatraeventer@hotmail.com

Thanks a lot!!
http://www.geocities.com/the_war_horse