rising trot

[kurlysmam]

I have been riding at my riding school for about 4 months and Iam in the Intermediate group but i cant get the hang of the rising trot. can ne 1 give me any advice???:( :confused: thanx

[Maci]

Welcome to the board, I noticed you are new! When I first started, I had the on-going trouble of mastering the posting (rise) trot, but I did it! This is what helped me, but I must admit that I found it quite scary at first, until I got comfortable!

Ask to be lunged (because you'll want someone half in control of the horse for this exercise), and let go of the reins (let them sit on the neck). First, put your hands on the mane, and rise to the trot. This will make you less dependant on your hands/reins, and more "in tune" with your seat. When you feel comfortable with that, put your hands on the front of the saddle, then on your waist, and finally stretched out, away from your sides. Easier said then done! ;) Believe me, this takes patience and practice, and a realiable horse! Don't get frustrated if you can't get it at first- keep trying, and you'll eventually get it! Good luck, and hope this helps!

Maci :)

[Hevz2001]

Hi, I just thought I'd add to that....
This is what I did wrong, when I 'rose', I rose too far which meant I couldn't get the timing right. When you rise, you don't need to rise very far, just an inch or so from the saddle. :) Hope that helped, luv H:D

[Janice Corbett]

Hi Kurlysmam
When I have introduced people to rising trot I first of all suggest they 'experience' the bouncing motion of the horse trotting - this is a bit uncomfortable I'm afraid!! However, once they feel the bounce they can then start to feel the 'rhythm' - which appears quite fast. Having felt the rhythm, sing to yourself "up,down,up,down,up,down" to match the rhythm, then add the movements to the song. The christmas song, Sleigh Ride, seems to fit rising trot quite well. Try it at home - you can use any 2 or 4 beat music such as pop songs - move down to beat one, then up to beat two, down to the next beat, up to the next beat, etc. You can do it to fast or slow music. Treat it as dancing - it sounds daft, I know, but it works!!
Good luck, and let us know how you get on
Janice

[MadWoman]

And remember, don't think about going 'up', think about going 'forward', moving your crotch towards the pommel. If you think up and down you may well rise too high and this will stop you getting the rhythm.

[Janice Corbett]

Good point! It's not so much of an UP it's more . . . . . . . out of the saddle, into the saddle - oh flip, now I've made it sound more confusing!
Jx

Hello MW!!!! Will speak soon - am doing annual budgets BORING!!!!!!!

[MadWoman]

Another thought - if you get the chance, try trotting up a steep hill. This really gives you an idea of the forward motion of the hips, and is a lot easier than rising on the flat.

Hi Janice - how's Gypsy? Have fun with the budgets! We had a theft last night so I'm spending all day watching security videos. Please find me some drying paint to relieve the boredom!

[kurlysmam]

Thanx every1 for your replies. I will take them all into account, without bouncing out of my saddle!!!!!:D

[Paul C]

I've just got back from my second lesson and I managed to get a rising trot going - twice, each time for half a curcuit around the arena! :D

This is probably very small beer to you experienced people but feeling the rhythm and feeling how smooth trotting becomes once you're in sync is just amazing. I've had a really lousy day at work but this has more than made up for it. I'm so chuffed with the instructor and of course Blue who did exactly as asked:)

So kurlysmam, stay with it. If I can manage it you can!

Paul

[MadWoman]

Weel done you! Rising trot is like riding a bicycle - once you get it you've got it for life, so congratulations on getting over that major barrier!:D

[kurlysmam]

I managed 2 get it last nite in my riding lesson. it felt great.:D
The horse I was riding Trigger is a mad horse. he bites other horses so we had to go out of line and he jumps into canter i was a bit scared but he was alrite in the end.
Thak you for all your help

smam.

p.s well done Paul C on your rising trot!!!!1;)

[Janice Corbett]

Well Done!!!

We're always here for you whenever you need us

Jx

[B W]

I've written before about the rising trot and now found that someone else is having trouble. Believe me that's the hardest thing to get! I can post on school horses but not on my own horse. I'll be going along pretty good trying to remember, heels down etc and just when I'm going my horse pulls the reins out of my hand and forward I go. He pulls me off balance and then we have to stop. Does he know what he's doing? Probably so! Then we get into a tug of war with the bit. I don't know what I'm going to do with him. I should have bought a different horse. When you're trying to learn to post and the horse is pulling his head up and down, it's impossible. Anybody want to buy a horse?

[Paul C]

Sounds like your horse was much more of a challenge than Blue, the armchair they've given me:rolleyes:

I've got quite good balance anyway (lucky genes I guess!) but I'm amazed the difference you get with your heels down. This is the most difficut thing for me, but I've only had 2 lessons so I'm sure I'll get more used to it in time.

Like you said, it really felt great when I got into the rhythm and it went all smooth. Can't wait for next week!

Paul

[Georgie B]

I learnt by being told to move my "hips to hands" - as said, it's not an up and down movement, but more of a forward and backward movement, but with your hips and try and lean back slightly - shoulders back. One day it will suddenly click and you'll know when you've got it - it just happens and you think "Yes, that's it!".

[sallym]

Is what I was told. It helps if the navel is yours and the ears are the horse's.

Best wishes

Sally

[Sarah]

hello!

It is more than likely that the saddle you are riding on is not helping you at all with rising trot.

You may have read that rider should have a vertical line from their ear, through their hip to the heel. If you are sitting htis way, the movement of the horse's back makes it easy to move your hips forwards to 'rise' to the trot.

If your school has a mirror in it, look and see if (in walk) your heels are below your hips. I am sure they won't be, and this is throgh no fault of yours. In most modern saddles, the stirrup bar is set too far forward so that the stirrups hang forwards and it is very very hard not to sit with your heels forwards, like you would do on a chair. You can (in walk) pull your legs back so that your heels are under you, but if you try and do this in rising trot, the stirrup leathers start swinging and you have th egrip on to stay on and rise too high to rise to the trot.

One thing that can help with this is the Heather Moffett seatbone saver. This lets you sit further forwards in the saddle (without the risk of hurting yourself on the rise of the pommel) and is very comfy indeed to sit on. That may well solve your probelms.

There is a section on the Kinder Way part of this site on how to improve your rising trot so that may be of help to you too.

Good luck!

bye!