| If you have trouble sitting the trot you | | | | seat bone is lifted, the other is dropped. If |
| aren't alone. Many riders who are learning | | | | for some reason you can't do this, you may |
| the sitting trot have trouble getting an | | | | have weak muscles in that area, or your hips |
| independent seat, and some riders find that | | | | and back might be tight. Strengthening, |
| their seat bones aren't anywhere near the | | | | stretching, and yoga or pilates will all do |
| saddle when they should be! Well, with a few | | | | wonders to making this area stronger and more |
| simple tricks you'll be able to sit the trot | | | | supple. |
| in no time. | | | | |
| | | | Once you've mastered the chair, time to move |
| First of all, because the sitting trot uses | | | | on to your horse! Sit up nice and straight so |
| the word "sit," many riders make the mistake | | | | that your back is directly over your hips and |
| of thinking that the action is passive. | | | | seat, and alternate one sit bone at a time, |
| Hardly! You don't just sit there during the | | | | following your horse's movement. Don't round |
| sitting trot. If you think of the sitting | | | | your back, and be sure to keep your hips |
| trot as an active process, you'll be well on | | | | flexible and soft so that you can follow the |
| your way to improving it! | | | | movement of the horse. If your body is in |
| | | | correct alignment, your legs will be relaxed |
| A bad sitting trot is something that builds | | | | and your knees will be down and back. Your |
| on itself and gets progressively worse. In | | | | spine will absorb the bounce. |
| most cases, it starts during the down motion. | | | | |
| As the saddle drops down, the rider doesn't | | | | Okay, so let's say you've mastered the |
| move with it. Instead, the rider drops down | | | | sitting trot but for some reason, it still |
| just as the saddle is beginning to move back | | | | isn't working. And let's say you've |
| up. The result? The rider's seat slaps the | | | | determined that the reason is that your horse |
| horse's back. A horse who is having his back | | | | is still dropping his back and stiffening up. |
| slapped will stiffen up and drop his back, | | | | If your horse isn't ready-if he isn't relaxed |
| and once he does this, the trot is just about | | | | and engaged, with his back lifted and |
| impossible to sit. | | | | swinging-don't sit the trot. It could be that |
| | | | his back isn't strong enough yet. You can |
| In order to correctly sit the trot, you must | | | | help him develop the right muscles for the |
| be able to follow the saddle as it moves | | | | sitting trot by alternating sitting and |
| down. And to make this even more challenging, | | | | posting. Sit until you feel him drop his |
| you need to do it quietly one seat bone at a | | | | back, and then post until he is relaxed and |
| time. | | | | ready again. Pay attention, and be sure to |
| | | | post when your horse shows signs of |
| The good news is, you don't need to make your | | | | discomfort. This is a good way to build his |
| horse suffer while you master the sitting | | | | strength without souring him on the sitting |
| trot. You can make a hard wooden chair suffer | | | | trot. |
| instead. Straddle the chair with the back in | | | | |
| front of you, making sure that both of your | | | | For more great horse training tips, just |
| seat bones are in contact with the chair. | | | | click one of our links in the resource box |
| Tighten and relax each seat bone, one at a | | | | below . We hope you will stop on by and say |
| time. Keep alternating sides so that when one | | | | hello. |