| Riders have a couple of choices when it comes to | | | | horse's back. It further prevents you from feeling the |
| how to ride a horse at the trot. If you are riding a | | | | horse's action and learning to move with the horse |
| western horse that jogs (a slow trot), then of course | | | | rather than independently. |
| you are going to sit the gait. Any horse, moving slowly | | | | SOLUTION: If you find that you are making this very |
| at this gait should be ridden by sitting in the saddle. | | | | common mistake and can't seem to find a way to |
| But, what do you do when your horse trots fast and | | | | overcome it, try posting without stirrups. Without the |
| with high knee action? You can learn to sit this trot as | | | | stirrup as a "crutch", you will quickly get the feel of |
| well, bit it's darn difficult and nearly impossible for any | | | | letting the horse's action thrust you up, rather than |
| substantial length of time. | | | | generating that propulsion yourself with your feet. |
| Instead, riders learn to post in the saddle. Posting is a | | | | After all, you cannot stand in a stirrup that isn't there! |
| gentle rising up and down in the saddle in unison with | | | | Once the horse thrusts you up, you use your thigh |
| the horse's gait. | | | | muscles to gently keep your balance and lower |
| Remember, the trot is a two-beat gait with the horse's | | | | yourself back into the saddle. Remain loose, though. Do |
| diagonal legs striking the ground simultaneously. For | | | | not tense up anticipating the use of those muscles. If |
| example, the horse's rear left leg hits the ground at the | | | | you remain relaxed, posting will come to you much |
| same time his right front leg hits. Then, the other two | | | | easier. |
| hit the ground together, and so on. | | | | After you touch down in the saddle, you are lifted up |
| This action can be very jarring to a rider. Posting | | | | once again by the horse's action. This rising and |
| alleviates that problem. When a rider posts at the trot, | | | | lowering action continues. Of course it depends |
| she is rising out of the saddle in unison with one set of | | | | somewhat on the horse, but posting should generate a |
| diagonal legs and sitting with the other set of diagonal | | | | small motion, no more than a few inches. And, |
| legs. | | | | exceptional riders will post in such a fluid motion that |
| Properly executed, the horse's motion thrusts the rider | | | | they look as though they are floating up and down. |
| out of the saddle during one stride and then the rider | | | | You do not see a defined up and down but rather a |
| lowers herself back into the saddle with her thighs | | | | sweeping action. That should be your goal. |
| during the next stride. This becomes a rhythmic rising | | | | My advice is when you are learning how to ride a |
| and lowering with each and every stride. | | | | horse and how to post, learn the proper way to begin |
| Sounds easy! But, here's the problem: When riders first | | | | with. Feel the horse, let the horse create the propulsion |
| learn to post, the motion is described and maybe | | | | that lifts you out of the saddle, not your feet. You'll find |
| shown to them, but not thoroughly explained. | | | | that by doing this, you will post only a few inches out |
| HERE IS THE MOST COMMON MISTAKE MADE | | | | of the saddle and you will feel his gait through the |
| BY RIDERS LEARNING TO POST: The rider puts | | | | saddle and in your seat much better. |
| undue weight in their stirrups in an effort to push | | | | Posting will become second nature after your initial |
| themselves up out of the saddle. Standing in the | | | | learning process. It's much like riding a bicycle. After |
| stirrups creates a seat that is contrary to good posting | | | | learning how to post at the trot, you will be able to post |
| and makes it that much more difficult! | | | | on any horse any time in the future! You'll probably |
| Posting from your feet like this causes you to rise too | | | | experience an "AH-HA!" realization when you "get it" |
| high in the saddle, only to plop down too hard on the | | | | and you'll never forget how! |