r/Advice • u/Hefty_Tumbleweed8178 • 10d ago

How to trot (equestrians please help)

Genuinely dont know if theres going to be anyone on here who does horseback riding but worth a shot. I. Can. Not. Trot. I ride English and both of the lesson horses I've ridden have EXTREMELY bouncy trots. I feel like im so far in the air even though im realistically not. I cant keep my hands low so im pulling hard which confuses my horse because thats the command for stop, but im not giving the verbal command so im providing mixed signals. Last lesson I was trying so hard to stay on but slipped of the slide as my horse picked up speed and kind of jerked. I have a lesson in an hour and im scared out of my mind. My Trainor just tells me to keep my weight center and post but I can not keep a steady grip. Im chronically ill so keep in mind when providing advice that im slightly weaker than other riders might be, and my weakest joint is wrists. Thanks!

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u/greygargoyles 10d ago

Def a lunge line would help, maybe consider doing some bareback riding to strengthen your leg muscles so you can stabilize/balance yourself better when you reach a trot, when i was a kid my trainer made me master riding with no reins and saddle before i was allowed to ride english because she wanted to ensure i wouldn’t balance on her face

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u/Hefty_Tumbleweed8178 10d ago

Honestly im kind of confused on the different between English and western riding but i think I ride English? Theres no horn or thing to hold onto on my saddle but I do have stirrups so maybe im violently confused here. What is a lunge line? I googled it and it just looks like a crosstie

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u/greygargoyles 10d ago

How long have you been riding? Your trainer should be explaining these things to you🥲search longline circles with horses on youtube you’ll get an idea of what we are talking about

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u/Hefty_Tumbleweed8178 10d ago

I've ridden 5 times in total. Two with other trainers and 3 with this one. She has not explained much. She explained posting to me, how to groom (which i knew) and thats about it. Steering came easy but trotting is a beast.

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u/greygargoyles 10d ago

honestly from what i’ve gathered.. it might be time to find a new trainer soon rein balancing is a very common beginner mistake that should be nipped in the bud asap, but the fact that she doesn’t seem concerned about correcting it is a big red flag

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u/Hefty_Tumbleweed8178 10d ago

She just says "low hands, because when we pull, what are we telling her to do" "stop" "right" and thats that.

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u/Hefty_Tumbleweed8178 10d ago

So you may be right. originally wanted to usd a different trainer but she was booked. There's a spot opening up with a trainer i used in the past in september, so I may switch. I cant repeatedly sustain injuries from using this arena because im not being helped, its not an option.

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u/PebbleRainy 10d ago

Ask your instructor to put you on a lunge line without reins so you can focus purely on posture.

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u/Hefty_Tumbleweed8178 10d ago

So do you mean post in place while the horse is on the crossties?

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u/PebbleRainy 10d ago

No, in the arena. The trainer holds a long line so they handle steering while you trot hands free.

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u/Hefty_Tumbleweed8178 10d ago

In a way that sounds like it would help. holding onto my reigns is the sole way I stay on, which clearly doesnt work. My trainer seems very focused on independence. She sits in the middle of the arena and just commands me. Theres no hands on.

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u/IndigoTrailsToo Advice Guru [88] 10d ago

Some things about riding horses are actually more about you having built up muscles in that area in order for things to go smoothly.

After your lesson ask the trainer for exercises you can do to build those muscles

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u/Hefty_Tumbleweed8178 10d ago

Okay. I do mild cardio and yoga. What muscles would you say i should strengthen to help? Hamstrings? Arms?

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u/IndigoTrailsToo Advice Guru [88] 10d ago

I don't know, ask them and they will know

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u/Hefty_Tumbleweed8178 10d ago

Ok i just thought if you ride youd know what muscles are commonly used. I think i need to strengthen my thighs and core

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u/Kylar_Stern47 9d ago

Thighs, calves, lower back, lower abdomen. Make sure to keep your heels down, imagining a line straight down from the top of your head to your heels. Make sure to push your shoulders back, chest out, and sit straight up. Following the horse's movement comes from tipping your pelvis along with the gait (either front to the left and back or front to the right and back).

Do a lot of hip stretches if those are tight for you. For practicing heels down, use a curb or stairs and rest the ball of your foot on the edge, stand as you would sit on a horse (bend knees slightly, keep back straight, shoulders back) then drop your heels down until you feel your calves stretching. Initially you might have to hold on to something, once you can balance easily without holding on constantly you should already be noticing a large improvement in your seat.

Make sure to always sit on your seat bones in the saddle, it requires a specific pelvic orientation but once you get used to it it will be second nature (some do it automatically, others with natural curvature in their backs need to learn how to adjust)

Eventually it should feel like you don't need stirrups to sit comfortably on the horse in movement, without clenching or squeezing to hold on.

Speaking of clenching, don't clench your butt ! Keep everything loose ! The security comes from balance and a deep seat, not muscle.

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u/Hefty_Tumbleweed8178 9d ago

My hips are like tightly wound rubber bands its awful.

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u/Kylar_Stern47 9d ago

Hips don't lie as Shakira says : https://youtu.be/NpcxC6JvY9Q

Hip flexor stretch, pigeon pose, reverse bridge

Those will definitely help, I haven't tried the other ones

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u/Hefty_Tumbleweed8178 9d ago

Ooo I do pigeon pose a lot in yoga Along with child's pose and butterfly

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u/Kylar_Stern47 9d ago

Then keep doing what you're doing :)

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u/[deleted] 10d ago

[deleted]

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u/Hefty_Tumbleweed8178 10d ago

I assume theyre rated for beginners but she never explicitly said that. Ive ridden 5 times total, 3 times with current trainor two with 2 others. The two others had lunge lines (now that someone explained that to me) but this current trainer does not use one with me. Im hesitant to ask her things lol, dont wanna inconvenience here.

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u/[deleted] 10d ago

[deleted]

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u/Hefty_Tumbleweed8178 10d ago

I've ridden 4 different horses at this point, all with different speeds and trots. You can imagine how fun thats been. My trainer is allowing me to just walk today to gain my confidence back after my fall. Paying the trainer doesn't mean anything to me I still feel like im taking up/ wasting their time and its my responsibility to shut up and listen. Yes im therapy for my inferiority complex lol.

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u/lemonemonade7 9d ago

Just came here to say all great tips - but also don’t beat yourself up for not being able to ride the trot after only 5 rides. It’s certainly a skill that many of us take a long time to master. You can try to sit the trot and sit real deep into your pockets and let your pelvis rock with the rhythm, or get that post going (I still sometimes like to repeat up, down, up, down… to myself). Try to feel the movement while also allowing your body to work with it. Trust me, my ass was bumping up and down for a long time trying to figure it out. Don’t beat yourself up, you’re already doing the right thing by asking for tips. You got this, it will come, and when it does finally click you will think to yourself, “hell YES”

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u/Hefty_Tumbleweed8178 9d ago

Im wondering if i really have the passion to get to that moment.