Is the sitting trot passive?

To alwaysfallingof,

Yes, I will have to "sneak" more sitting trot practice in there somehow. This RI is basically just going through the motions of teaching, anyway. All she wants is to get me on the least-expensive horse in her stable, and get through the lesson as soon as she can. So, I am in the process of trying to line up another RI. But, in the meantime, to get my $ worth out of this one, I will be doing exactly just that. I am considerate of the animal's comfort, but when you're paying by the hour, I believe his comfort must take a back seat to my learning. I do not want to go through another lesson of more rising trot, and nothing else new.
 
A good way to sneak more in might be sitting the first and last 4 to 8 strides of every transition you ride to walk or canter?

I learned to rise first then sit in short bouts. Cant say whether it would have been easier to learn the other way round but I can do both competently now so I don't think it makes much difference in the long run.

I think a lot depends on the horse....

I spent years at riding schools where most of the horses were very smooth gaited. I naturally adopted sitting trot at every opportunity once I sussed it out because it's comfortable and I get better results.

But when i bought my own horse who has a lot of upward movement to absorb, gawd I thought i'd bounce off into orbit! It's improved but still i cant sit trot for long bouts on him because I find it exhausting.

When you get tired, you start bracing involuntarily, then you lose your balance and that's when you bounce and it becomes uncomfortable for you & horse - personally I dont see the benefit of doing that for long periods of time.

I learned using a mixture of ways... transitions, sitting trot with 3 fingers under the pommel to pull myself down into the saddle, trotting without stirrups with my legs long and knee off the saddle, doing sit sit rise sit sit rise and rise rise sits....

Also helps to keep the trot slightly slower than normal which is why practicing during downwards transitions helps - as you practice you'll find you can do this with your seat.

At the end of the day you're developing specific muscle memory and feeling... doing it little and often will do wonders.

Good luck!
 
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Rookie.Rider,

I hope it goes well and you have a productive lesson. Just for the record, I do not agree that

"his (the horse's) comfort must take a back seat to my learning".

I know you probably didn't mean this how it sounds, but I really don't want people to think that you were quoting me here or that this is what I advocate.

Good luck :)
 
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