How to Sit the Trot

Know why you bounce. Riders bounce at trot because they get out of sync with their horses' motion. As the horse trots, your rhythm doesn't follow his because your hip is not flexing in time with his strides. Most riders think of the trot as an up, down, up down movement. It is true that the trot is a lateral, two-beat gait. However, you can follow the trot and move with it as you do the canter. It's all about flexing your hips.

Close and open your hip joint. The hip is the joint that allows us to move with our horses. It's not about your knee hanging loose or even about sitting behind your horse, as some people think. Keeping your knees soft (and not pinching) is important. Sitting behind your horse is wrong. In order to sit the trot, there is flexibility involved. While at the walk, sit deep in the saddle and move with your horse. Your hips open and close as your horse's back legs push her forward. With each stride, your pelvis moves. Observe this action and remember how it feels.

Soften your knee. Many riders pinch with their knees. While it's a common fault, a pinched knee destabilizes the rider's position. A fixed knee acts like a board nailed to a post--it causes the board to swing. Proper leg position means that your leg hangs around the horse's barrel and there is contact from the inner thigh down to the calf. If you allow your leg to hang long and loose, your knee will automatically move away from the saddle. You don't want your knee out too far, and you don't want your knee so tight against the saddle that your lower leg swings and your upper body falls forward.

Work on the lunge. Dropping your stirrups and working on the lunge line is the best way to improve your position. If your instructor has not suggested it, ask him to put you on the lunge with a steady, quiet horse. Take off the stirrups, use side reins and work at all gaits without hands. Now that you are not using your stirrups or hands for balance, you have to work with your horse. It may be scary at first to give up this control, but it will make you a better rider. The lunge line builds your core strength and develops your legs.

Stay toned. Riding horses is a sport like any other. Keep your back, abdomen, legs and arms toned and fit. Do stretching exercises like yoga and cardio workouts such as aerobics and swimming. Fit riders are better riders. Sitting the trot is about muscle strength in the abdomen, legs and back as well as fluid, mobile joints. It you have a strong core along with flexible hip and knee joints, you will be able to sit the trot.