The Ultimate Challenge
Beginners will often find the sitting trot an impossible task.
More advanced riders who are now able to sit to the trot may
remember how difficult it was in the beginning. Unfortunately, in
an average lesson, instructors stress on including sessions of
sitting trot, without any emphasis on how it can be achieved. This
often leaves the horses with sore backs and the riders with sore
bottoms!
If
you adopt the classical seat, sitting in balance to the canter is
far more possible than sitting to the trot without a little
practice. Simply taking your stirrups away, as instructors often
do, will not magically glue you to the saddle. It takes conscious
effort to enable the body to absorb the bouncy up and down
movement.
So
how is it possible?
The
bad news is that there is no formula that will instantly hold you
to the saddle. The good news is that, following certain exercises
and in a period of time, anyone can do it!
Sitting to the trot relies on the basics of the classical seat. If
you have not reviewed the
The Back And The Pelvis
section, now is the time to do it. Sitting to the trot is all
about suppleness in the back and pelvis. The human body is highly
flexible. It is what we do in our daily lives that either improves
our suppleness or lessen the flexibility of our muscles. People
who have to do physically demanding work are much more flexible
than others who are less involved in physical work. It may not be
necessary to be supple in our bodies to carry on living, but it is
absolutely essential if we were to make true horsemen and
horsewomen.
Before we attempt to sit to the trot, we must be sure to have
considered the following three points:
-
Full understanding
of the classical seat, particularly the function of the back and
the pelvis.
-
That you have earned
a certain degree of flexibility in your muscles on the ground.
-
That you understand
the motion of the horse in the trot.
Preparation
To
be somewhat supple in the back and pelvis is preferable before you
attempt the sitting trot as this will aid in a smooth ride. You
can, of course, supple your back and pelvis through practice of
the sitting trot, although that could mean sore backs and bottoms
for quite a while. To avoid a rough start, try a few exercises on
the ground before beginning your sitting trot exercises. Aerobic
classes are excellent for suppling and strengthening all body
muscles.
Remember that preparation is always helpful. It would be
worthwhile if you take a few aerobic lessons or bring home a video
to stretch and supple up your muscles. Sky divers, for instance,
don't attempt a free jump from the airplane before they have
prepared and practiced enough on the safety of the ground. Riders
are athletes, they need to keep fit in order to perform properly,
so get in shape!
On The Lunge
Lunge lessons can work miracles on improving your sitting trot.
However, a lunge lesson can be strenuous, exhausting, and not
objective if the correct exercises are not carried out. As a
general rule, we usually don't extend a lunging session to over 20
minutes when we lunge the horse alone, but somehow the session
extends to 30 minutes when we add a rider to the horse! If you ask
for a lunge lesson at any riding school, it would normally last
for 30 minutes. If we know that lunging a horse for more than 20
minutes will exhaust him, then why do we give lunge lessons for 30
minutes?
The
point is that the horse cannot perform if he is pushed beyond his
limits. If the horse is tired, he will not give the rider the
proper FEEL. Why do we lunge riders anyway? The answer is: to give
the rider something else to think about besides controlling the
horse. If the rider begins to focus on the horse, the whole
objective of the lunge lesson is lost.
However, a lunging session can extend to beyond 20
minutes, provided that you give the horse frequent breaks
off the lunge. If you were to jog in circles
for 15 minutes, how would you feel? Chances are, you would get
drowsy and loose your balance within the first 5 minutes. Horses
are stronger than humans, of course, but it would be nice if they
were given breaks to regain their balance and refresh their minds.
Benefits Of The Lunge
Since the rider's attention is taken off control of the horse,
he/she can now concentrate on developing a feel for the trot.
Generally, the benefits of riding on the lunge are as follows:-
-
Understanding the motion of the horse, which..
-
Develops a FEEL for the trot, which leads to..
-
A
stronger and deeper seat, that enables you to..
-
Influence the horse through the most subtle of aids.
Word Of Caution!
True influence over the horse cannot be gained through rising
trot. One cannot attempt a half pass in rising trot since the seat
aids contribute much to the aids of the half pass. Similarly, if
you are able to achieve some collection while in rising trot,
beware that you are likely to have been harsh with the reins.
Exercises On The Lunge
So
you are now on the horse, ready to be lunged, but what do you do
on the lunge? A lunging session can pass by without reaching any
goal if the correct exercises are ignored. Here are some exercise
tips that will help you gain a feel for the trot while suppling
your muscles.
1. Shoulders behind the perpendicular
Stage I:
Cross your stirrups over the horse's withers and let go of the
reins, leaving the subject of control to the person lunging the
horse. Make sure that the reins are not slack - tie them in a knot
at the withers. While still in walk, align your body in accordance
with the classical seat. You may realize that it would be
difficult to let the gravity flow through your heels (heel lower
than the toes) while still relaxing your thigh and calf muscles.
The reason behind this is as follows: when your foot rests in the
stirrup, the weight of your leg is supported on the stirrup.
Relate this to when you're sitting in a chair with your feet on a
foot rest. Remove the foot rest, but keep your legs in their
position. The leg muscles, and even the stomach muscles, will flex
in order to support the weight of the legs. With the stirrup away,
the muscles will tense and contract to support the position you
want to achieve. At this point, do not worry about tensing your
legs too much as long as you sit deeply with your legs down and
far apart. Now, we come to think of the hands. With your outside
hand, hold the pommel of the saddle (the front part of the
saddle), and rest your inside hand on your thigh. The outside hand
will hold you to the saddle during the trot, while the inside hand
will aid in maintaining your balance. Time to get into action!
As
the horse steps into trot, exert a conscious effort not to let
your body move out of alignment. Tell the person lunging to keep
the horse in a slow collected trot. Only pull yourself into the
saddle with your outside hand as much as you need to prevent
yourself from bouncing. Relax your inside arm, and keep your hand
resting on your thigh. The outside hand will have a tendency to
pull you forward in the saddle, the position of the outside hand
on your thigh will help keep your shoulders square and your back
straight, therefore preventing your seat from collapsing. Your
legs may even tense up more during the trot as you grip with your
thighs to keep in balance. Beware that gripping will move the legs
out of coordination with your body, which will reflect on
weakening your seat and will make your task even harder. Do
try to relax as much as you can.
Now, slowly lean back a few degrees (approximately 20 degrees). Do
not bend your spine drop your shoulder. Rotate from your pelvis.
As you lean backward, keep in mind that your legs must not move.
Leaning back may cause a reverse action from your legs - letting
them slide forward; try not to let that happen. Rotating your
pelvis backwards burrows your seat bones deeper in the saddle.
This action is often used to encourage the horse to extend his
stride, but it will not cause such a reaction since someone else
is already controlling the horse. Hold this position for about 10
seconds before slowly returning to the upright position. Do not
count! Estimate the time in your mind. Your mind has to be clear
and simply focused on the exercise.
So
what should you expect? When you lean back, your seat bones are
brought as closely against the horse as possible. Your outside
hand is making sure you stay glued to the saddle. The effect will
be the absorption of the horse's motion in the pelvis, causing it
to rock slightly. This is an exaggerated effect caused by the tilt
in the pelvis which will be reduced when you are sitting upright.
Repeat the exercise, holding the position longer with every
repetition. Breathe deeply, stay calm, look at the beautiful sky
and know that you are enjoying the ride. Keeping a relaxed frame
of mind combats any fears hidden deep inside, so, again, enjoy the
ride, and be happy!
The
main purpose of this exercise is that it teaches the rider the
feel of the trot. It also supples the back and stomach muscles,
leading to a more flexible pelvis. The effort you will exert
trying to hold your position will eventually decline as your body
becomes stronger and your seat more independent.
Stage II: Look! No hands!
When you feel you have mastered the previous exercise, then it's
time to move on to the more advanced form of it. On average, it
will probably take you around 10 to 15 30-minute lunging lessons.
Keep your lunge lessons at least one or two days apart to allow
your muscles time to recover. Try taking 3 lunge lessons in 3
consecutive days; your muscles will surely complain!
To
begin the exercise, cross your stirrups and tie the reins as
mentioned in Stage I. Now, carry your arms as though you were
holding the reins, i.e. upper arms by your sides and forearms
parallel to the ground. There will be no holding on to the pommel
this time, but do not worry, your body will naturally absorb most
of the impact. From walk, tell the lunge person to gently urge the
horse into trot. Relax into the transition. Believe it or not,
you are now physically capable of sitting to the trot! But
how can such an assumption be made? Answer:
As the horse takes his first two strides into trot, you will
remain still and deep in the saddle, because you have relaxed your
muscles during the walk. If you begin to bounce again after the
first few strides, be aware that some of your muscles have tensed
in anticipation. But that's okay, don't panic if you feel a little
off balance. Close your eyes and concentrate on obtaining a secure
and independent seat to the trot. You will know, from the Stage I
exercise, the feel of the sitting trot, therefore, when you sense
that feeling this time, try to hang on to it.
Easier said than done.
Here is what you should do. Before you trot, secure your position
according to the classical seat while pretending that you are
holding the reins. While in trot, keep your body still and do not
allow it to move out of alignment. Imagine that your lower body
has become part of the horse. Allow your pelvis and lower back to
spring slightly to absorb the up and down movement. Knowing that
your back and pelvis must be allowed to relax will prevent your
body from becoming too stiff and rigid. Be aware that you are now
riding totally independent or stirrups and reins and you should be
proud that you have achieved a secure seat.
To
help prevent from stiffness, continue to breathe normally, relax
your shoulders, and keep your eyes closed. Eliminate all outside
distractions and focus all your attention on your waist, pelvis,
and lower back area. Remember that your upper body must remain
upright - relax does not mean collapse!
You
now have a chance to study the horse's motion in trot. Try to
visualize, with your eyes closed, which leg hits the ground, and
which leg leaves the ground. When a hoof leaves the ground, the
horse's back is lowered, and when it hits the ground, the horse's
back is raised, which results in the all-so-favored up and down
movement. Understanding the horse's motion aids in securing a
balanced seat, which is the whole objective of the sitting trot.
After you spend a few moments refining your seat in the manner
described above, it is time to bring your shoulders
behind the perpendicular. Do not attempt this exercise
until you feel that you are in balance with the horse, otherwise
you will grip and bounce and get uncomfortable. Slowly rotate from
your pelvis, exactly as mentioned in Stage I. Follow the
instructions in Stage I, while pretending that your are still
holding the reins.
There is an added benefit to this exercise over the benefits of
Stage I. Riding without stirrups and reins strengthens your seat
and teaches your proper balance without depending on anything but
your own strength and suppleness.
2. Riding Bareback
True feeling to the trot cannot be obtained in a saddle. You will
not be able to feel the motion of the horse and train your body to
sit tall and still, while discreetly absorbing his motion, if you
have not entirely experienced the trot bareback.
Start off by taking away the saddle completely. Tie a neck strap,
which could be a part of an old martingale, around the horse's
neck, and use a block to help you mount the horse. It will feel a
little slippery at first, but you will soon grow accustomed to it.
Remember that you are still on the lunge!
The
classical seat still applies to bareback riding. Align your body
as though you were sitting in a saddle while still in halt, and
maintain your position as the horse begins to walk. The neck strap
will be used for security. I would recommend tying the reins as
you did in the previous exercises since you will be holding on to
the neck strap. Your body will have gained a fair degree of
suppleness, so once your horse begins to trot, you will not be
facing much difficulty. However, only trot a few strides at a
time. Follow this pattern: Trot 4 or 5 strides, walk half a
circle, trot 5 or 6 strides, walk quarter a circle, and so on. The
walk interruptions help you relax and stay in the proper position,
while allowing your body adjust after any disturbance the trot
might have caused.
Do
not pressure yourself. Sitting to the trot without a saddle is not
an easy task, but it is extremely helpful in strengthening and
suppling your body. It will do wonders to your riding skills, and
you will notice that you are able to control your horse with
minimal aids since your seat is confident and secure. Eventually,
you will be able to sit bareback at the trot and even at the
canter.
Allow yourself plenty of time to learn to sit to the trot. It
won't happen overnight. Anything that's right is time consuming,
and anything that's rushed is not good quality. Remember that a
good seat is the essence of true horsemanship.
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