by Rena Sherwood

Created on: April 10, 2008   Last Updated: June 25, 2009

Posting to the trot in English riding not only saves your seat bones, but your horse's spine as well. The constant bump, bump, bump will fray the nerves of the most placid horse. The bumping will also cause you to loose your balance and fall. Sitting the trot is for experienced riders only, and only to be done with slower, more collected trots.

These are trots the average horse is not interested in doing. Most horses like to trot with speed. For example, trotting is the most common way a wild horse gets around. Most of your riding time will be spent at the trot, so you may as well get comfortable.

Pick A Shoulder

When you are in the saddle and ask your horse to trot, glance down to see the shoulders. Take notice of the shoulder closest to the fence or wall. This is the shoulder you want to time your posting with. When the shoulder goes forward, you want your seat to be out of the saddle and when the shoulder goes back, your seat will be back into the saddle.

The Post

It's better to practice posting at the walk so you have more control of your horse and your balance. When your muscles get the hang of it, then you can try at the trot. Everyone learns how to post in their own time. Some riders pick it up immediately some need a couple of weeks or lessons.

When your horse's shoulder goes foreword, you know you have to get your rump out of the saddle. How do you do that? Not by boosting off of the stirrups (although beginners at their first lessons might be allowed to do this by their instructors). You squeeze with your inner thighs and knees and use to boost you up and down.

The force of the horse's trot will also help to launch your rump off of the saddle. Like with anything else having to do with riding, posting will be easier to get the hang of over time. Almost everyone feels a bit awkward when they start out. You don't need to clear the saddle by a foot just a fraction of an inch is fine.

Eventually, your muscles will know what it's like to smoothly post the trot. They will remember what position to go into to get you posting. When you get the hang of it, it feels glorious.

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