Improving Sitting Trot

[Tiger Lily]

Hey guys,
So I've been working on my trot at my weekly lessons for a few weeks now, and we've been improving. Doing much better in corners. However, my sitting trot still needs some work. When I sit the trot, I tend to bounce around a lot and subconsciously start to post or stand at the trot. Any tips on improving? ( I ride English hunt seat btw)

 

[Skib]

Can you sit in walk and feel the side to side movement of the horse under your seat? First one side will dip and then the other. When the horse walks there is a four time beat to the gait. What you are feeling is the movement of the hind legs under your seat bones.
Now luckilly for us the movement of the hind legs is the same in trot. It comes faster, in two time but if you breathe deep and relax you should be able to feel the same movement under you in trot as you did in walk. One of your hops will dip a little and then the other. The secret of sitting trot is to relax and allow this side to side movement.
You have to be aware of it - because if you get tense you will bounce when the horse pushes up on one side and that push is what makes beginers think there is an up down movement.
Even when rides go up and down in rising trot, the horse is trotting with this same side to side movement, and you can feel it between your legs as the tummy of the horse swings from side to side to make room for the legs to come forward.

 

[KP nut]

Sitting trot is hard. You need to flex your back to absorb the movement and this flexing movement can be elusive at first!
In riding you need to be relaxed as in not braced against the movement, and also not gripping. But you also need to have good muscle tone to keep your trunk still when the horse is moving. That blend of relaxing some muscles while maintaining tension in others is a real skill. So when people say relax they don't mean flop. They mean keep your knees loose, and allow your back to flex and at the same time have some tension in your core muscles so you don't wobble around. And sit evenly so you don;t start slipping. It's hard! I'd just sit for a few beats at a time at first and build from there instead of trying to do it for too long initially.

 

[carthorse]

Since this is in lessons what does your instructor say? She can see you so should be able to give specific advice, all we can do is guess & give general ideas.