Finally got my sitting trot but my horse will now stop while doing it?

[KaylaSaidWhat]

Pff there will always be an issue, won't there?
Did some no stirrup trot and then when I tried to sit the trot with stirrups it just clicked. It was the most amazing feeling. I finally did it haha
BUT now that I can actually sit the trot, my horse will just randomly stop. He won't just go back to walk, he'll full on stop. My instructor said that MAYBE I'm just pulling on the reins a little but that's not it because I tried to lengthen the reins and not pull on them and he still stopped. Personally, I feel like he wasn't comfortable with me sitting the trot. I'm on the heavier side so maybe that's what it is? I'm by no means huge, just a bit chubby and definitely within the 20% of the horse's weight but still quite heavier than the 10 year olds that ride him. I just have a feeling that's why he was stopping.

 

[carthorse]

First of all well done on getting it!

I suspect that you're either sitting heavily and/or bracing and he's choosing to take that as a stop aid. Next time try thinking of keeping your posture too and checking any tendency to slump or collapse in the saddle to absorb the movement, or bracing your leg forward in an attempt to push yourself into the saddle. Also remember that sitting trot is often a cue to the horse that the rider is going to ask for a transition up or down and if he's a laid back type he may decide to anticipate this and come to a halt, so unfortunately you're going to have to keep riding him forward. But now you've got the feel of it I expect you'll find you can soon stop this.

 

[Skib]

Cross posted, replying to OP
One way I was taught to halt was to close my legs round the horse. When 4 legged animals move, their rib cage needs to swing from side to side to give the hind legs room to step forward. First one back leg and then the other, according to the swing.
If you stop the swinging of the rig cage, the horse halts. If you have no stirrups your legs probably brush the sides of the horse encouraging forward movement. But if you add stirrup leathers and put weight in them so they press onto the side of the horse, the leathers may prevent the ribs from swinging from side to side and the horse will stop or slow down.

 

[carthorse]

@Skib if you're sat on the horse how are you going to stop the rib cage from swinging? You're sat on to of it, you're going to be moving with it. The horse may be trained to listen to the leg closing like that as a slow or stop aid but it isn't because they can't continue forward.

 

[Jessey]

Well done there is always something, that’s part of learning! Enjoy the learning journey!
You can definitely put to much stop into your sit, while sitting you still need to ride forwards, there’s a fine balance! You’ll get it with a little more practice no doubt.

 

[Skib]

@Skib if you're sat on the horse how are you going to stop the rib cage from swinging?

I think it is clear that what you consider correct does not always coincide with what I have been taught. Unless you are side saddle, when one sits on the horse, one leg of the rider hangs down on each side of the horse. By closing your legs you can restict the swing of the barrel of the horse, both to create a straight halt or simply to slow down the horse. I dont think you can put a brake on the swing of the body of the horse unless you are sitting on it.

 

[Skib]

To add to the above. How and when did I learn this halt? It was in dressage lessons. You trot up the centre line and need to halt square half way between X and the end of the school. Then salute. My dressage lessons were fun in that it boosted my ego to get something really good. But I suspect that if one isnt military there is little point.

 

[carthorse]

@Skib you aren't restricting or stopping the swing of the ribcage your just applying an aid the horse has been taught if it's been reasonably schooled. Since you're keeping the horse engaged and not hauling on it's mouth you should get a better, squarer halt or contain the energy to steady it, but it's from training not restriction. I wish it was as easy as restricting the swing of the barrel to stop them, on some onward bound types it would be a God send if we could do that and make it extremely difficult for them not to slow down! But what you describe is simply correct riding of a reasonably schooled horse, if the horse is unschooled it won' work unless you also make your seat heavy enough to hollow the back and disengage the hindquarters.

 

[newforest]

What I have learnt with horses is there isn't really any one way or right way all the time.
What I was taught when I learnt to ride was this - "look down and if you can see you feet your leg is in the right place"
That was correct at the time I learnt, but I believe that's no longer correct these days as it puts you into the wrong position.
Just because you were told something, taught something years ago, doesn't necessarily mean that it's still going to be the right way or correct way now.

 

[carthorse]

Lol @newforest , I was taught look where you want to go and it wasn't uncommon to hear RIs asking riders if they wanted to be sitting on the floor!

 

[GypsyCobs_13]

what could be happening is the horse might be scared that you will fall of i trained my horse that if i take off my stirrups during the ride he should stop incase I'm falling off but that is just a thought, whenever he slows down even a bit just give him a little squeeze to keep him going