rising trot w/o stirrups

[elenapopov]

So what is the proper way of doing rising trot without stirrups? I have tried it, but I seem to severly grip with my knees and I tense a lot. Obviously I'm doing something wrong.

[girl-friday]

I can't seem to do it at all, it's well hard. Be interested to know if anyone has advice too :)

[vjwuk]

Think I done this (haven't done it for a while), by clenching thighs you can push pelvis forward and back. I had to do it when I lost plot on rising and was coming too high out of saddle

[Trewsers]

eek, have never tried it, tho my old teacher once threatened me with it:p :D Something on my list of "might try when have become super fit".....:D

[breeches]

i think i would have more chance to become pope than to do it

[domane]

I can do it of sorts... but then I was trained "the old way" - when you were told to "Grip! Grip! GRIIIIIIP" with your knees.... :o

[horse__obsessed]

I can kind of do it, but I find it very tiring and cant explain it!

A cheating tip though;)
Do sitting trot when instructor isnt looking:o and then slouch and sit straight so it looks like youre going up and down;)

Just joking of course;)

[CMR]

It's not that different than doing it with stirrups. You just push with your thighs, but let the natural bounce of the trot 'throw' you up. I find it easier to do when I let my legs just dangle, and not hold them in stirrup position, but I've noticed many people do the oppisite.

[num]

i agree cvreagzayn. it used to be easier for me with my legs out of heels down stirrup position, but my RI made me keep the position every time :rolleyes:

guess she was right though, after doing it enough it comes natural to keep my leg position now.

[joey_olop]

With great difficulty and pain haha :D

[lilyharvey]

grip hard with your legs (as long as your horse isnt too forward going! :eek: ) and push yourself up! will do some photos 4 u next time i do no stirruping in the school!

[Sammii]

I enjoy doing it it makes me feel like i'm working for the trot with all my muscles instead of just my legs.

I think i can do it pretty well because when i have stirrups i do rise with my hips whereas plenty people rise from their stirrups.

I've got a video somewhere i'll try and find it for you :)

[Afellpony]

Used to do this quite a lot but with arthritis etc now I dont even try! It's quite hard but it's a good exercise.

[Tangle]

Don't try to "rise" :p

That's not actualy a facetious comment - you're not aiming to lever yourself out of the saddle at all. Unless the horse has a VERY bouncy trot, your bum probably won't even leave it! All (I know, I know....) you need to do is control the bounce. I always found it was more a tightening of the buttocks to lift the hips during the "rise" and then a controlled relax for getting back down.

Definitely don't grip! The more you tense, grip or try to work too hard, the more uncomfortable you're making if for the horse - so the horse will speed up and hollow his back, making it even bouncier for you to try and deal with. Stop trying so hard, lean back (ie sitting trot position) and let the horse do most of the work - I think rising trot no stirrups is where I always found it easiest to see I'd got it right, because the horse always showed me :cool:

This sounds really daft, but it's almost easier to do a good rising trot without stirrups than with - the most common error is people trying to generate their own "rise" and taking the stirrups away makes that sooooo hard to do. The hard bit is keeping that "don't rise" feeling when you get your stirrups back ;)

Good luck :)

[Colour_Crazy_Gi]

I have to do it the most difficult way and OMG it hurts! Zola hates me tightening up ATALL so even if i tighten up my thighs just a bit to push myself up, she shoots off and thinks there is something scary behind us, so i have to push up from me feet! :eek: It hurts, but its good for you, especially bare-back! I love it! Jumping bare-back it the best (with no-hands :p)

[SupaTania]

I agree with Tangle, its the "simple" matter of controlling the bounce.... Of course i can only do it for a few strides before going all over the place, but its a concientious effort not to bounce like a potato sack, and control the fall back into the saddle, don't even worry about the rising, the hoss will do that for you. Just work on sitting back down softly.

its tough!