Sitting Trot

[TJohnson]

Hello all!

I have just begun taking lessons at a hunter/jumper barn after riding dressage for the last 3 years. Please excuse my stupidity, but what part of the body am I supposed to ‘absorb’ the motion of the sitting trot? I have always been very successful at the sitting trot in a dressage but cant seem to feel tidy while sitting the trot in the jumping saddle. I want to tuck my rear and my trainer keeps telling me to stop (ha!) but my muscle memory is so strong! Any guidance would be very helpful!

[Larbear]

Yeh it’s a whole lot easier to sit the trot with longer stirrups or no stirrups that’s for sure. I find sitting trot in my jump saddle with the stirrups short hard!

[FAW]

Flat class, lengthen them by all means. Hunt saddles, sitting trot is hard, especially on a springy horse

[Momateur]

My horse’s trot is like riding a pogo stick, so I feel this. I really try to focus on letting my heels absorb the shock. Also, you really have to slow the horse down to sit the trot. That’s not really acceptable in dressage, but it’s absolutely normal and expected in h/j/e.

[merrygoround]

@Momateur

My horse’s trot is like riding a pogo stick, so I feel this. I really try to focus on letting my heels absorb the shock. Also, you really have to slow the horse down to sit the trot. That’s not really acceptable in dressage, but it’s absolutely normal and expected in h/j/e.

Sadly too true. Most hunt seat saddles are not kind to the rider attempting sitting trot. I’ve found them hard and unforgiving.

Usually it’s the middle your back , low down that absorbs the trot. Just above the seat.

[joiedevie99]

IMHO, it’s an entirely different thing. Just treat it like learning something new. Slow the horse down so you have less trot to sit. Your knee and heel will open and close a little to absorb some motion, and your upper body will move up and down a bit like a teenie tinie pogo stick. Your upper body positive/spine will stay neutral. You aren’t looking to use your abs and pelvis to follow the movement.

The flat phase at the Maclay finals typically includes sitting trot. It should be easy to find some videos.

[Janet]

I am not a hunter expert by any means (I am primarily an eventer), but I do sit the trot in my jumping saddle. I think about “sitting” on my inner thigh rather than my seat bones… My seat bones kind of “hover” over the saddle.

Also remember that the hunter sitting trot is SUPPOSED to be slower than the posting trot.

[alternate_universe]

I was taught to think about sitting straight down on my seatbones, with my torso at an 11:00 position, versus the bolt upright position in dressage.

[painteduniverses]

I second Janet’s comment about sitting on your thighs! (Not sure why this helps but it does). I really struggle with sitting the trot…one thing my trainer has said that really helps me is to think of absorbing the motion with your hips, using your hip flexors as the primary stabilizing muscles, and keeping your upper body steady.