Learning the Rising Trot – Posting
The term posting has a rich history. Originally, most riding horses did not bounce in their intermediate gait. Then the aristocrats of Europe, England specifically, decided that the horses pulling their buggies and carriages looked smarter with a higher and sharper two-beat gait. Consequently, they started breeding hard-trotting horses with that high motion. The richer the noble, the more horses they would put into a team, until it required someone to be on the front horse of the team to help steer them. Usually a servant was given this privilege as a post. Riding these high stepping horses was very difficult as they trotted, so they began rising and falling in rhythm with the horse. That type of riding was labeled posting, and has retained that name ever since.
So what is a rising or posting trot? And why does a rider need to know how to ride it?
Many riders unfamiliar with English riding often ask that question.
The trot is a two beat gait that is faster than a walk. When learning to ride the trot, endeavor to let your body ride with the horse. Keep your seat soft so that you don’t bounce as the horse does its suspension above the ground between steps. In last month’s lesson on the trot, we learned that there are some horses with so much suspension or animation that it is nearly impossible for beginners to remain seated as they trot. With such horses, you allow your body to rise out of the saddle on the first beat, and come down on the second beat, rising and falling with each complete stride of the horse.
Whether you are an English or Western rider, you need to learn how to post for two reasons. 1) Long rides need a change of motion from the trot to avoid tiring you or the horse. 2) It is the best way for you to pick up the rhythm of the horse so that you can quickly match the horse’s rhythm. You may be able to ignore rhythm up to this point in your riding experience. However, you will not be able to post without the ability to match the horse’s rhythm.
It is very important that riding forward, stops, turns and sitting trot are all part of your “unconscious competency” skills before you ever begin to try to ride the rising trot. Rushing skills only risks causing everything to fall apart, and makes it harder in the end for you to learn and the horse to endure.
Begin your posting trot at a sitting trot. Feel the horse’s one-two beat. Feel what the horse’s hips are doing to your position in the saddle. You should feel a defined lift from side to side as the horse’s hips move. After getting this feel well into your muscle memory, make sure your legs are perfectly straight under your seat; allow your body to rise as you feel the outside hip of the horse lift you. When you feel the horse’s hips lift you, his out-side back leg is pushing on the ground which means his outside front leg is rising. (When you are posting in an arena, you should be rising with the outside front leg. “Rise and fall with the leg on the wall.” This is referred to as a diagonal and is standard in arena riding.) As soon as you rise, allow yourself to lower easily into the saddle seat again. As soon as you reach the seat, begin another rise. If you spent any time dancing, this whole concept will be much easier for you.
Your lift should be facilitated by slightly straightening your knee, not by pushing into the stirrups. Lowering begins as you bend your knee. Your feet should ride lightly in the stirrups, evenly below your seat. If your feet are out in front of you, you will not be able to rise out of the saddle any more that you can lift yourself out of a recliner chair without using your hands for help.
Do not use the reins for help in lifting! If rising does not come easily, find an instructor who can put you on a longe line and coach you in correct seat, and rhythm. Otherwise you will confuse the horse as you learn to post.
This skill often takes several months in lessons to accomplish, so don’t be discouraged if you don’t “get it” to begin with, just practice rhythm activities between lessons.
Darleen Finnigan, ARIA, & CHA Certified teaching for over 11 years at Saddle Soar Ranch, Inc. in Edgewood, WA. Specializing in teaching adult beginners, as well as teaching how to ride and train gaited horses. Also your regional Ortho-flex saddle dealer. 253 927-6899 or www.saddlesoarranch.com
