# Rising trot without stirrups



## josephinebutter2 (15 May 2007)

My friend has been told by her riding instructor to do rising trot with no stirrups to "learn to place her thigh muscles further into the saddle and learn to really control her body with them"

Does anyone else think that rising trot with no stirrups would do this?  All I can think it would do was teach you to grip with your knees.

I would think sitting trot and 'legs away' type excercises would be better for this?

What do you think?


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## horsegirl (15 May 2007)

I always thought this was to strengthen your legs as it is really hard work!


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## Amymay (15 May 2007)

Never seen the point in the exercise.  Your friend is better off having lunge lessons on a good schoolmaster quite frankly.


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## jenbleep (15 May 2007)

ive never been taught it i admit but one of my friends have. thats one out of 5 horsey friends! so i think its not normally taught. 

we used to do it to show off when we were riding bare back. i could never do it though! xx


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## Madam_max (15 May 2007)

I don't really understand the instructors reasoning behind the thigh thing really, she should have relaxed thighs.


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## H-J (15 May 2007)

Hi - Who is this friend!!  
	
	
		
		
	


	





I would have thought just no stirrup work would be better and riding in a BP to sit up tall!


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## Tempi (15 May 2007)

doing rising trot without stirrups helps to strengthen the quads and hamstrings.  You shouldnt be gripping with your knee whilst doing it, the lower leg should stay relaxed.  You also shouldnt grip with your theigh, it should be one smooth motion up and down through a contracted and then relaxed muscle as you sit back down into the saddle again.


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## samp (15 May 2007)

I used to have to do rising trot without stirrups to develop the leg muscles. I would not do it now, then again I do not really ride my horse without stirrups


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## K27 (15 May 2007)

I would have thought sitting trot no stirrups to develop the seat and (for dressage anyway) and make it deeper- you need your thighs away from the saddle so that your seat is not heavy and blocking the horses movement- its the lower leg that should be stronger/longer to keep your position


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## the watcher (15 May 2007)

I think it depends on the school of thought that the instructor comes from..I remember this being very popular 15 years ago or so when the focus was on riding off the thigh and the lower leg really being very relaxed (a bit Sally Swift influenced if I remember rightly)

Suited me at the time because I have always had a light and defensive lower leg and to this day haven't really ever managed to adapt but now I think it would be considered quite unusual


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## josephinebutter2 (15 May 2007)

HollyJane - I think you can guess - both instructor and pupil are at our yard!

Madam Max - agree with you - I don't think this is necessarily a bad excercise to do, I just did not understand her reasoning behind it.  I can understand why it would be used to strenghten the muscles, but I think they were aiming for a deeper seat.

The Watcher - I think you may have hit the nail - I have never even heard of this school of thought, but it would explain alot of her concepts I don't personally understand - and would match with her own style of riding.  Is there anything on the net that explains this school of thought and how it works?


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## H-J (15 May 2007)

In which case I think that is a bad idea! And that poor horse!  
	
	
		
		
	


	




 I think some lunge lessons on a schoolmaster would benefit them more


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## the watcher (15 May 2007)

sally swift article 

i am older than I thought..it dates back over 20 years....
this article is a bit lacking in detail, touching more in principles


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## Madam_max (15 May 2007)

Yes see I have done and sometimes still do rising trot without stirrups, but I am forever getting told off for not having a relaxed thigh.  I would've thought work without stirrups under supervision of an experienced person would be more beneficial to obtain a deeper seat.


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## Patches (15 May 2007)

I do this with my instructor. The point of the exercise was for me to learn that you rise from your thighs and pelvis and not from pivoting off the balls of your feet.

I really feel it down the inside of my thighs. Great work out. Couldn't do it and thought it was impossible a couple of years back, so I can tell my fitness has improved.


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## Halfpass (15 May 2007)

Years ago when I used to ride at a RS they used to do this and the thought was that all you weight should be on your knees and you should grip the saddle with your knees and not rely on the stirrups. Things sem to have changed loads since then and the emphasis seems to be more on balaence as opposed to gripping (much better IMHO) so I can not see the point in this excercise but can see why some old fashioned instructors still do it.


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## alfirules (15 May 2007)

i have been doing this at college quite alot recently. i think it is supposed to improve overall leg position and apparently they do it alot in america. and some team who have been doing a lot of it came over to our college and they have really good leg positions.

its really hard work tho!


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## doodie (15 May 2007)

iv never found it hard.. but i no many people can't do it


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## soph21 (20 May 2007)

it just makes your backside, hips etc stay in right place, ive done it, it gives you leg ache but does work and gives you a better seating position


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## Sal_E (20 May 2007)

It's a great exercise for someone like me who feels inclined to put too much weight into balls of feet...


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## parsley (20 May 2007)

I would imagine that it is good for teaching you to rise without hauling yourself "to your feet" using your stirrups.  You don't have to pinch really tightly with your knees to rise - contracting the ham string and thrusting over the pommel helps


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## Sal_E (20 May 2007)

It's good for curing THIS:


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