# Help!! How long did it take you to master rising trot?



## Nikkibaby88 (17 February 2017)

I have done riding lessons as a young child on and off ( due to mum and dad being able to afford it which is fine).

But now as a adult I want to learn I tried group lessons but they wasn't teaching much in the 30mins so I went private with another riding school which is far better she doesn't pander to anyone she just tells it how it is which is what I need a good kick up the bum!

She always makes me ride with a whip (which I'm not used to holding reigns and whip from previous places so this was new)

She keeps telling me the horse is not slow and will go but he needs telling and a lot of leg sometimes the horse doesn't even feel me squeezing so I have to give him a little kick but no soon as he started doing a faster walk he slows right down again what am I doing wrong?

Then rising trot I am slightly improving on but I keep losing my right stirrup when she's telling me to give him some leg to keep him going how do you find the chance to give the horse a little squeeze when still rising?

Lastly my steering is awful my hands keep drifting away towards me upwards I don't know if it's because I'm concentrating on everything else too much but I'm getting all frustrated with it all wondering if I'm cut out for riding  like when you want your Horse to turn or it turn before you want it to do you pull the out to the side of back towards you to get him to turn? I've been told I pull outwards to much.

Please be nice just looking for advice on how everyone else started and how they go on when they was in my position?

Wondering if it's my footwear that isn't great...just normal knee high boots?

To make matters worse I had a go of a friends horse the other day he,s a 15hh cob just a plod thought I'd have a little go practicing my posisition ect just in walk everything was going well he was being so well behaved then we were approaching the fence a little too close but I couldn't get him to turn away from it and as my foot hit the fence he spooked dragging my stook foot out of the fencing on a awkward angle then I went crashing to the floor (I was ok ) just very sore and a bruised ego! Think I will safely be sticking to riding school horses for now lessons learnt.


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## Amye (17 February 2017)

First thing: don't worry! and stop stressing about getting everything perfect straight away. Horse riding takes practice and there's ALWAYS something to learn no matter how long you've been riding 

I will try and answer some of your questions but honestly alot of it is just practice practice practice and without seeing you ride it's difficult to say exactly what you're doing wrong. 

Horses shouldn't need kicking constantly to keep going, but this can be common in riding schools horses as they end up getting nagged with the legs and switch off to the leg aid. My horse used to be like this and what you need to do is work on not kicked constantly. If you kick the horse every stride then he will learn to only go forward when being kicked and won't keep going forward of his own accord. What I do with my horse is ask nicely with my legs, then slightly harder with my legs if I don't get a response and then I use my stick to tell him to move forwards. He responds to the stick and I tell him he's a good boy and take all pressure off so he knows - move forwards = no hassle. Over time he has learnt to respond to the leg first and I don't have to use the stick anymore.  I might not be explaining that very well but I would explain to your instructor you find it hard to get him to move off your leg and ask them for advice.

Tbh, most of these questions you need to ask your instructor as they're the ones that are watching you ride. 

With loosing your stirrup - you're probably kicking you leg backwards when asking the horse to move forwards, which is why you're loosing the stirrup. Concentrate on keeping your heels down and leg as steady as possible. When you need to give a squeeze think about squeezing with your calf as well not just kicking back with your heels - so it's an inwards squeeze not a backwards. I was always taught to squeeze on the 'down', so as you sit down squeeze. Again, this is just practice and as we can't see you ride I can't guarantee that's what you're doing but have a word with the instructor!

In regards to turning, are you just pulling on the rein or are you using your leg too? When turning the horse you need to use your leg to get them to bend their body otherwise they will just turn their neck and you'll struggle. Pull back lightly on the rein to get them to bend their neck, then use your inside leg to bend the body (so just put pressure on with your leg). Make sure you also don't let the OTHER rein go too loose (the one you're not turning with) as this can cause the horse to overbend the neck.

What happened with the cob sounds like an accident - in that situation you need to 'push' the horse over away from the fence with your outside leg - so the leg closer to the fence push him over away from the fence and you shouldn't catch your leg.Make sure you keep your toes pointing forwards and that should limit the catch of you catching on he fence!

Most of this stuff you'll need to confirm with your instructor. But really don't worry! Enjoy learning to ride, it'll all come with time. Rising trot is (in my opinion) one of the most difficult things to master when learning to ride. One day it'll just click and you'll never forget how to do it! My OH has recently learnt to ride and for ages he could rise every other time, it took a while to get the rhythm.

ETA: Getting some proper riding boots will probably help with your leg position. You can pick them up pretty cheap secondhand

Also: can your instructor give you a few lunge lessons? That way you don't have to concentrate on keeping the horse going as the instructor does that part and you can concentrate on your position. They are really useful.


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## Nikkibaby88 (17 February 2017)

Amye said:



			First thing: don't worry! and stop stressing about getting everything perfect straight away. Horse riding takes practice and there's ALWAYS something to learn no matter how long you've been riding 

I will try and answer some of your questions but honestly alot of it is just practice practice practice and without seeing you ride it's difficult to say exactly what you're doing wrong. 

Horses shouldn't need kicking constantly to keep going, but this can be common in riding schools horses as they end up getting nagged with the legs and switch off to the leg aid. My horse used to be like this and what you need to do is work on not kicked constantly. If you kick the horse every stride then he will learn to only go forward when being kicked and won't keep going forward of his own accord. What I do with my horse is ask nicely with my legs, then slightly harder with my legs if I don't get a response and then I use my stick to tell him to move forwards. He responds to the stick and I tell him he's a good boy and take all pressure off so he knows - move forwards = no hassle. Over time he has learnt to respond to the leg first and I don't have to use the stick anymore.  I might not be explaining that very well but I would explain to your instructor you find it hard to get him to move off your leg and ask them for advice.

Tbh, most of these questions you need to ask your instructor as they're the ones that are watching you ride. 

With loosing your stirrup - you're probably kicking you leg backwards when asking the horse to move forwards, which is why you're loosing the stirrup. Concentrate on keeping your heels down and leg as steady as possible. When you need to give a squeeze think about squeezing with your calf as well not just kicking back with your heels - so it's an inwards squeeze not a backwards. I was always taught to squeeze on the 'down', so as you sit down squeeze. Again, this is just practice and as we can't see you ride I can't guarantee that's what you're doing but have a word with the instructor!

In regards to turning, are you just pulling on the rein or are you using your leg too? When turning the horse you need to use your leg to get them to bend their body otherwise they will just turn their neck and you'll struggle. Pull back lightly on the rein to get them to bend their neck, then use your inside leg to bend the body (so just put pressure on with your leg). Make sure you also don't let the OTHER rein go too loose (the one you're not turning with) as this can cause the horse to overbend the neck.

What happened with the cob sounds like an accident - in that situation you need to 'push' the horse over away from the fence with your outside leg - so the leg closer to the fence push him over away from the fence and you shouldn't catch your leg.Make sure you keep your toes pointing forwards and that should limit the catch of you catching on he fence!

Most of this stuff you'll need to confirm with your instructor. But really don't worry! Enjoy learning to ride, it'll all come with time. Rising trot is (in my opinion) one of the most difficult things to master when learning to ride. One day it'll just click and you'll never forget how to do it! My OH has recently learnt to ride and for ages he could rise every other time, it took a while to get the rhythm.

ETA: Getting some proper riding boots will probably help with your leg position. You can pick them up pretty cheap secondhand

Also: can your instructor give you a few lunge lessons? That way you don't have to concentrate on keeping the horse going as the instructor does that part and you can concentrate on your position. They are really useful.
		
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Well she does tell me to give him a squeeze with the leg first and if he doesn't listen then one decent kick to get him going rather than several small kicks and if that doesn't work a tap on the shoulder with the stick, but he never feels me squeezing so I'm wondering if I'm not doing it right or in the wrong posistion but as soon as I've got him into a faster pace walk how do I keep him at that he slows back down after a few strides.

With the trot I do try to squeeze when I go back down but feel I don't have enough time to do the squeeze before the next ride and then when I try I end up bouncing everywhere and always lose my right stirrup it's so annoying lol.

Ahh right so say if I wanted to turn left I'd pull the left reign back towards me slightly but do I also squeeze the left leg? 

Yes it was just a accident I literally was right next to the fence that my foot was wedged between the horse and fence and that's what frightened him it hasn't put me off tho my first fall had to happen at some point I guess.

I just wonder how il keep my seat and balance at canter when I can't get trot right I'm either good with the rhythm but my hands drift or concentrate on my hands not drifting then lose my rhythm.

What do they make you do on lunge lesson?


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## Amye (17 February 2017)

Nikkibaby88 said:



			Well she does tell me to give him a squeeze with the leg first and if he doesn't listen then one decent kick to get him going rather than several small kicks and if that doesn't work a tap on the shoulder with the stick, but he never feels me squeezing so I'm wondering if I'm not doing it right or in the wrong posistion but as soon as I've got him into a faster pace walk how do I keep him at that he slows back down after a few strides.

With the trot I do try to squeeze when I go back down but feel I don't have enough time to do the squeeze before the next ride and then when I try I end up bouncing everywhere and always lose my right stirrup it's so annoying lol.

Ahh right so say if I wanted to turn left I'd pull the left reign back towards me slightly but do I also squeeze the left leg? 

Yes it was just a accident I literally was right next to the fence that my foot was wedged between the horse and fence and that's what frightened him it hasn't put me off tho my first fall had to happen at some point I guess.

I just wonder how il keep my seat and balance at canter when I can't get trot right I'm either good with the rhythm but my hands drift or concentrate on my hands not drifting then lose my rhythm.

What do they make you do on lunge lesson?
		
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It's difficult with riding school horses because you're not the only one riding him. So he will pick up bad habits from all sorts of riders. You can only do your best, if he slows down he gets the process again, squeeze, kick then a tap with the stick if he doesn't listen. He will realise that - when he slows down he gets this hassling again and will hopefully keep the pace up for longer. It all takes time and isn't a quick fix! 

Mention it to your instructor that you feel he's not responding to you and see what they suggest. They should come up with some solution or something else to try and shouldn't just let you struggle on.

The trot is honestly just practice! You will get the hang of squeezing and rising but there's not really an easy trick it's just a case of keep trotting and trying to rise at the right time and you will get there. 

Yes, so when you're turning you'd put your left leg on. I always think of trying to bend his body around your leg.

Don't worry about the canter yet. You will get trot and your balance will become stronger, then you'll start cantering 

On a lunge lesson the instructor will put you on a lunge line and will control the pace for you. And that will leave you to concentrate on your position, your hands etc. It'll be good for your rising trot as you won't have to worry about squeezing to keep trotting you can just concentrate on getting the rhythm of the rise, and keeping your hands still as you won't need to steer either. The instructor should give you pointers as you're going along to correct your position and stuff.


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## cootuk (21 February 2017)

I'm a year in to riding with one lesson a week, so I know where you are coming from.
It seems sometimes that you aren't getting anywhere, then things click into place.

"She always makes me ride with a whip" 
It's a good aid to make the horse listen as riding school ponies can be dead to the leg. Use it sparingly and wisely. Mostly the threat of using it is enough to make them prick their ears and speed up a bit.
I find it easier to hold in my left hand, but not happy at all in my right hand, though you should swap it to the inside when you change direction.
At worst you need to hold both reigns in one hand and give a good crack on their bum to wake them up and show them who's the boss.

"I have to give him a little kick but no soon as he started doing a faster walk he slows right down again"
Horses can sense an inexperienced rider and take it as a chance to be lazy. 
It's also a little pelvic thrusting in rhythm with the walk to encourage more energy as well as the squeezing.


"how do you find the chance to give the horse a little squeeze when still rising?"
Your contact in your legs should be the inner calf. As you sit, you should squeeze a little with your calf. 
If you're constantly kicking then you're losing that contact. Though they do sometimes need an outside leg kick to encourage them. Also I'm being taught to keep my knees off the saddle unless I want to transition down. 
When I first started I did find it easier to squeeze as I rise, but apparently it's squeeze as you sit. My brain still needs to work on that one.
You should also be glancing down every so often to check you're on the correct diagonal, sitting for two if necessary.
As the horses front outside leg comes forward, you should be rising. 
I still find it hard to make them trot faster by rising faster and squeezing harder until they wake up and start listening to me.

"I keep losing my right stirrup "
I do this lots. I think when I stand normally I lean on my right leg so my body is probably out of balance from years of this.
I need to push down into the stirrups more. I was told to shift my whole body more to the right a little bit to force myself to take weight into that stirrup.

 "Lastly my steering is awful" 
The turn should be from your whole body, not just by reins.
When you turn, your inside knee should be wide off the saddle with contact maintained on the outside leg, so the horse can bend round your open knee. Your upper torso should be twisted towards the direction you want to go. Hands should be low and just enough rein for contact. Then not much pressure is needed to encourage the head to turn. Your hands should stay low and near your body, not wide.

 "Wondering if it's my footwear that isn't great...just normal knee high boots?"
As long as they are a good fit with a proper heel.

 "the fence a little too close"
Even in the school you can clip the boards or posts as you go round. It happens.
Riding other horses it good. Every one is different and can teach you different things.

"canter"
That's a whole new bag of worms.
My transition up initially was like doing the funky chicken with arms and legs everywhere.
A lot is psychological. Right now I can get a good transition up, but then lose it at the corner where my left hand comes up and right leg follows up too. It is a mental thing about going round the corner and all the things that could go wrong, rather than right. You will find you're better in one direction than the other.

Things take time.  Getting the basics right is so important to every next step.
Lots of circles and pole work for direction control and transitions. 
Lots of no stirrups to make you work your legs and develop your seat.


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