Sit to his trot
Anyone who’s tried it knows that an effffortless-looking sitting trot is, in fact, far from effffortless! Read on for fifive easy ways to help you sit like a pro
Perfect your sitting trot skills
1Are you both ready Never sit to the trot on a horse that isn’t ready and the same applies to you. If you don’t feel established in sitting trot, do most of your work rising. Most professionals work even their advanced horses in rising trot to help develop their horse’s swing and back strength. 2Develop skills on the lunge To develop your sitting trot, lunge lessons or regularly working without stirrups can do wonders. If your horse isn’t ready to play host to your practise sessions, most riding schools offer lunge lessons and even specific ‘work without stirrup’ lessons. Our top tip during these lessons is to try to avoid holding on to the pommel – some instructors recommend it but you should be mindful that this will only exert a force through your arms, pulling back onto the saddle and it won’t help you to develop any balance or core strength. It’s really important that you learn to use your seat and core for balance and not to rely on the reins for support. 3Take small steps to success Sitting trot doesn’t have to be conquered in the very first sitting (excuse the pun) so don’t keep going until you feel like you’re about topple off. Start off gently, only trotting for a couple of strides before walking again. Repetition, little and often, is the key to success in sitting trot.
4 Develop your core Being floppy in the saddle won’t make for a pretty (or comfortable) picture in the saddle when sitting to your horse’s trot. It’s important not to be tense but to sit up tall, stabilise your frame and allow your hips to follow your horse’s trot rhythm. Your knees and ankles should also be soft to absorb any shock. Regular core strength exercises will help you to achieve a sitting trot that looks effortless and pilates is excellent for this. Some places even offer equine-specific pilates. 5Sit tall, look ahead As the saying goes, keep your eyes on the prize and not on the flfloor (we may have added that last bit). Always be thinking about looking ahead, keeping your shoulders nice and square over your hips and fight every urge to drop that chin. Now, say hello to your effortless-looking sitting trot.