Finally, sitting trot!!

[wanabe]

I've noticed from reading posts here that instructors don't all teach in the same sequence. I got to canter in my 3rd or 4th lesson and yet it wasn't until today, in my 17th lesson that I finally got to try the sitting trot. :cool:

I wasn't on my usual lesson horse -- this one is much more experienced, well-behaved, and smaller (16.3, supposedly). My instructor said if I wanted to, I could try a trot without stirrups. I said "the rising trot (I've been Anglicized ;) ) without stirrups?!?" and she responded, "no sitting trot". So, I took off and the first thing I noticed was that I use my stirrups a lot to keep on the horse! After composing myself, my horse went into the tiniest little trot and although my instructor had said to just try it for 10 paces, I forgot and went two laps in sitting trot. However, I can't get too excited because this was such a little trot, it wasn't a real test. Still I'm pleased because my instructor said I might be sore if I did too much and yet I felt as if I could do this indefinitely.

I enjoyed riding with no stirrups too, and did my cool-down laps without them.

Also, today's the first day my instructor complimented me on my canter seat -- although I had fished for some compliments in earlier lessons because I thought I "had" it.

[kedwards]

Well done!

[laura jeanne]

That sounds great! I'm much better trotting without stirrups- as soon as I take them up I can't do it right.

[Purple Hugs]

That's great news! well done! :D
I'm heading for canter without having done sitting trot yet.. maybe there is method in their madness! ;)

[wanabe]

lj - I hadn't thought about that -- do you mean that when I try sitting trot *with* stirrups I'll have a harder time? :(

Purple Hugs -- you sound as if on a teaching track similar to my own but there are those who start learning sitting trot on the 2nd lesson and yet go a year without cantering!

[Purple Hugs]

not sure which i'd rather! will soon see! ;) although I think it'd be nice to know I can canter... assuming I'll be able to! :p

[laura jeanne]

Wanabe- no, it's just me

[hanbrad]

i havent done canter yet but sitting trot is really easy i piced it up in a day it is great. nxt week ( coz i had to cancel yesterday because of the weather bummer) ill be working towards canter what is it like wanabe
Han

[Lindsayanne]

you sound as if on a teaching track similar to my own but there are those who start learning sitting trot on the 2nd lesson and yet go a year without cantering!

I'm in that camp, I think! In fact, my instructor didn't teach me to do the posting/rising trot until I was comfortable at the sitting trot. I cantered 12 or 15 lessons before ever learning to post!

[Purple Hugs]

funny how they vary! :cool:

[wanabe]

i havent done canter yet but sitting trot is really easy i piced it up in a day it is great. nxt week ( coz i had to cancel yesterday because of the weather bummer) ill be working towards canter what is it like wanabe
Han

On a well-trained horse, cantering is fun! It's great!! And, I think it's easy to learn to sit -- easier than rising trot, for sure. :)

OTOH, on a less-than-well-trained-horse (say, a former race horse) it can get very scary if they take off on you. :eek:

You really need to have a steady leg and soft hands to be sure to not be inadvertently sending "speed up" signals to your horse, if it isn't well trained. My legs are still bouncing around more than I want.

[piftisha]

Thats so weird. How do you pick up a canter if you don't know how to sit the trot?

[Peace]

lj - I hadn't thought about that -- do you mean that when I try sitting trot *with* stirrups I'll have a harder time? :(

It might depend on your saddle. I find sitting trot with stirrups difficult in my syntethic Abetta endurance saddle, but that's because it wants to put my feet out in front of me.

Congratulations on sitting the trot! :cool:

[Gnasher]

Thats so weird. How do you pick up a canter if you don't know how to sit the trot?
I'll second that! I've always taught, been taught, and seen taught sitting trot first, then the rising, then canter. Not sure how you can get an effective canter transition without sitting trot, or actually how you go up into/down from trot itself either. Those of you who learned that way, what happens to the several strides of sitting trot before you pick up rising when you start trotting? How do your instructors teach that without teaching sitting? Also what happens to sitting to change the diagonal?

While sitting trot isn't always my favourite procedure, because I could sit before I could rise trot, it means that I can always fall back on sitting if I need to, say I loose a stirrup or have to ride bareback? I wouldn't want to keep rising without stirrups for long ;)

Karen xx

[wanabe]

Those of you who learned that way, what happens to the several strides of sitting trot before you pick up rising when you start trotting? How do your instructors teach that without teaching sitting? Also what happens to sitting to change the diagonal?

While sitting trot isn't always my favourite procedure, because I could sit before I could rise trot, it means that I can always fall back on sitting if I need to, say I loose a stirrup or have to ride bareback? I wouldn't want to keep rising without stirrups for long ;) Karen xx

I go directly into rising trot, always have. I try to go into canter from a walk but if the horse is trotting, I'll rise to it and go from that to canter and when he transitions back to trot, I again rise to it immediately.

As for changing diagonals, well, I guess I DO sit for one beat, but that's all.

I've got a new question. Since I created this thread I've done little sitting trot. I THINK my RI said it was because my lesson horse has too big a trot. I find it hard to sit to his trot unless I slow him way down. So, is there a time and place for sitting trot and rising trot or are you supposed to be able to do either under any trotting conditions and it's just a matter of personal preference?

I DID get to try a little sitting trot this morning after cantering on both reins (and without falling off during the canter!) :D

[Tangle]

Since I created this thread I've done little sitting trot. I THINK my RI said it was because my lesson horse has too big a trot. I find it hard to sit to his trot unless I slow him way down. So, is there a time and place for sitting trot and rising trot or are you supposed to be able to do either under any trotting conditions and it's just a matter of personal preference?
If the horse is stiff then his back will be stiff and, if you try and sit the trot, you'll be like a ball on a trampoline ;). Give the same horse time to warm up, get him supple and using his quarters a little and his back will move much more softly, at which point sitting his trot will be much easier.

A lot of people will use rising trot to warm the horse up, give them a chance to stretch between harder work, cool them down - anytime they want to make it easier for the horse to relax under saddle in trot :). If you have loose enough hips/back you CAN sit the trot at any time, but unless you really have to sit the trot on a stiff/tense horse it's probably better to rise ;).