How do you stay in your seat when trotting?

Rely on your legs to keep your body in place, just the way the girth keeps the saddle in place. Wrap them down around your horse's barrel, closing them against his sides without gripping tightly. Try to sit for one full circle on the longe line. Then post to the trot and ask for a more forward trot.

Do you sit in working trot?

Although working trot can be ridden sitting or rising, problems often occur when riders insist on sitting to the trot, especially in the lower level tests. Sitting trot can prevent the horse from using his back and often results in the rider slowing the pace to make sitting to it more comfortable.

How do you use your seat when riding a horse?

Riders should try to keep their seat, upper body and core connected and balanced. As the horse progresses in training and reacts to finer aids, simply sitting back two inches is sufficient to increase the seat bone contact, while a slightly forward position will lighten the seat bone contact.

How do I keep my saddle seat?

When you bring your seat in contact with the saddle, your weight needs to be evenly distributed over three points: your pubic bone in the front and your two seat bones in the back. Your legs need to stay down and around your horse, weighted in your heels. This good leg and seat base keeps you safely in the tack.

How do you sit trot without stirrups?

Rely on your legs to keep your body in place, just the way the girth keeps the saddle in place. Wrap them down around your horse's barrel, closing them against his sides without gripping tightly. Try to sit for one full circle on the longe line. Then post to the trot and ask for a more forward trot.

Sitting The Trot | How To Move Your Seat

Why do we sit the trot?

It allows you to stay in harmony with the dynamics of your horse's gaits. It keeps you over his center of gravity, enabling him to carry you more easily. When you bounce, your shifting weight unbalances him and interferes with his movement and posture.

When should you rise in trot?

Posting or rising on the correct diagonal in trot is when you are sitting or down when your horse's outside shoulder (and inside hind leg) are on the ground. This means that you are rising or posting when the same outside shoulder and inside hind leg and moving forward.

How many calories do you burn trotting a horse?

“Riding a horse for 45 minutes at a walk, trot and canter can burn up to 200 calories. It you do something a bit more strenuous such as cutting or reining, that can come out to nearly seven calories per minute for the entire length of the riding period.”

How do you sit quietly on a horse?

Allow your upper thighs to really sit into the saddle. Try to be quiet in your seat aids. If you feel you are moving bigger than your horse, or if you are pumping through your seat and body to get him moving, work toward whispering your aids, reducing body movement, and becoming lighter over the horse's back.

Why is it easier to sit the trot without stirrups?

When you ride without stirrups your weight is totally down through your seat bones and your legs dangle at rest. You don't have that platform to rest and support your lower leg on.

Does riding without stirrups help?

Riding without stirrups allows a rider to reach another level of feel, balance and suppleness in the saddle and can be used to effectively solve a variety of rider issues, at any level of training. No-stirrup work can help a rider increase awareness of her own biomechanics as well as the horse's.

Why do horse riders move up and down?

Bouncing is caused when you get out of phase with the up and down motion the horse does when they trot. With the stride of the trot, the back comes up and lifts then travels back down again. If you don't move with that motion you end up not traveling down in tune with them as they take the next step forward again.

Are you supposed to bounce when riding a horse?

Bouncing in the saddle at any speed can leave you with a sore backside. At a gallop it can be dangerous as well, as it leaves both you and your horse off balance, increasing the chances of him tripping or you falling.

Why keep your heels down when riding?

Forcing your heel down, or letting it float up with most of your weight on the ball of your foot will distort this line. Letting your weight fall down into your heels allows you to stay relaxed and lets your leg sit against your horse more comfortably, effectively and securely.

Does horse riding help your bum?

Toned Glutes and Legs

While your friends will work their butt off in the gym, as a horse rider you'll undoubtedly already have beautifully toned legs and glutes; great for those fitted jeans and no need to dread 'leg day'. Toning and muscle building while having fun. Result!

Can you be too heavy to ride a horse?

Considering Weight

There is debate about this percentage, but the general rule is that a horse should carry no more than 20 percent of their weight. 2 Remember that this weight also includes the saddle and other riding equipment, in addition to the rider. An overweight horse cannot necessarily carry a heavier rider.