Horses 101, Riding the Trot
By Darleen Finnigan, Saddle Soar Ranch
You are ready to move faster and learn to trot if you have accomplished the walk and all its parts to the point you are an unconscious competent. That means you ride correctly without thinking about it at the walk forward, turning both ways and halt. You should be using your eyes, hands, legs and seat to communicate your wishes to the horse without deliberately thinking about what you are doing. If you start trotting before accomplishing this, everything will “fall apart” as soon as you speed up to a faster gait.
Many people do not like to trot their horse because they bounce or feel like they are bouncing as the horse does it’s two beat, diagonal trot. The bounce may be partially or even entirely eliminated by learning to ride the trot correctly. This will depend somewhat on the horse you ride. Some horses have such an upward impulsion that there is no way to sit a trot. You must post the trot on these horses. Next month we will discuss posting. Practice the following steps for the next few times you ride, and hopefully the trot will become part of your riding muscle memory.
- Ride your horse for 10 minutes just at a walk, either closing your eyes, or looking softly into the distance, thinking about how the horse’s hips are lifting your hips with each step he takes. Keep your hips very soft, and flexible, allowing your hips to rise and fall with each movement of the horse.
- Do not grab, cling or grip with your hips, thighs, calves. Keep all your muscles totally relaxed, except your abdominal muscles, which should be tightened slightly. Do not push your feet into your stirrups for stability. It is better to be on a dependable horse so you do not rely on your stirrups for this exercise.
- Shorten your reins enough to be able to slow your horse down after you ask him to trot, without pulling the reins back into your body.
- Very important: Do not allow your shoulder to ride in front of your hip joint, even a small amount, once you begin trotting. If you do, you will bounce, and bounce hard once you begin trotting. This is one place in learning to ride that you benefit from a pair of eyes watching you. Most people lean forward when they ride without realizing it, especially when they practice a faster gait for the first time.
- Ask your horse to go faster with very light leg aids, keeping him from going too fast. At this point, you want a very slow jog, trot.
- As the horse speeds up, you again allow your hips to move with him, almost moving them side to side as his hips lift and fall in rhythm.
- You will feel a lift and lowering of your body, but it should not be a bounce. Your hips (seat) should remain in contact with the saddle.
- If bouncing, check one of the following: Stiffening of your seat muscles, leaning forward in the saddle, gripping with your legs, or you may have a horse with a very animated trot that is only suitable for posting. Even these horses can be ridden at a sitting trot, but you may be more successful learning to trot on a smooth horse.
- You will be more successful learning to trot in a lesson environment. It is a very hard exercise to learn correctly without the eye of an educated coach, instructor.
After you have mastered the trot, if you still find it uncomfortable, you may want to consider an “easy-gaited” Walker, Missouri Foxtrotter, Paso Fino, Rocky Mountain or one of the many other no-bounce-at-the-trot breeds. They are becoming very popular and desirable for anyone who likes to move out in trail riding faster than a walk, and/or has back problems and cannot tolerate even the softest sitting trot. You still need to learn to ride them correctly to maintain their easy gait, but once accomplished, it is a smoother ride.
Darleen Finnigan, ARIA & CHA Certified, teaching for over 11 years at Saddle Soar Ranch, in Edgewood, WA. Specializing in teaching adult beginners, as well as teaching how to ride and train gaited horses. Also your local Ortho-Flex Saddle Dealer. 253 927-6899, or www.Saddlesoarranch.com
