BUMB ‘N’ GRIND

Sitting Trot – Before you can be effective in the sitting trot, you need to become skilled at putting weight in the saddle. Most riders sit on their seat bones and pinch with the knees.

• First tip: Always practice the sitting trot when you and your horse are warmed up.
• Second tip: It will be easier if you let go of those adduct muscles that are gripping for dear life and getting in the way of gravity! Do less, not more when going from rising to sitting.
• Third tip: Experiment with sitting heavy – like a sack of spuds – to feel the weight of your seat in the saddle. Don’t keep it though! Just feel it.
• Fourth tip: “In the trot, the hip has to trot, not the hand” – N.Oliveira

So, take a two step approach:

• Step 1. Whilst rising concentrate on feeling your pubic bone and seat bones as the three-point contact.
• Step 2: Take sitting trot and sit tall, stretch your neck upwards, letting your full weight rest on these three points, feel the rhythm, and move your seat in a pelvic rocking motion. This is important! Exaggerate if you need to, to begin with, just to help you feel the motion of the horse.

Hey listen, I know that you will not get sitting trot by simply taking on board these tips! I could write a book, the subject is vast and very, very difficult. But practice a little at a time, as soon as you feel everything tensing up, rise for a stride or two and sit again.

It will come, as always – be patient.