rising trot – Horse Listening

4 Reasons Why We Post In Trot

posting trot — Photo Credit: NBanaszak Photography

Probably one of the first things you learn in your riding lessons is to post the trot. Initially, it might take some work and muscle memory to be able to move within the horse's trot strides, but in time, posting will become second nature and a skill you may use for years on different horses in different riding styles and events.

In fact, you might get to a point where you don't remember exactly why you're posting, only that you know you are comfortable, your horse is comfortable, and you are able to be effective and efficient within the trot gait.

While the posting makes the trot easier on the rider and the horse, there are actually other, more complicated purposes that might add a completely new dimension to how you can use the posting trot to help you become a more effective rider.

Rider's Balance

Once you have figured out the rhythm of the trot, and developed some of the muscles needed to support the forward/back movement of the post, you might get into a nice groove that allows you to post relatively efficiently and comfortably within your horse's tempo.

The horse's movement prompts you and you can stay in balance fairly easily and move with the horse as needed. Posting is especially helpful if your horse has very large movement or if the trot is very bouncy, which makes it difficult for you to sit for more than a few strides. In this case, rising can save both you and your horse's back!

Even after you learn to sit the trot, you might often go back to the posting trot just to re-establish balance and posture. The forward phase can help you improve your shoulder and hip alignment, and remember to bring the shoulder blades together at the top of the rise. The sit phase can help you establish a deeper seat as the seat bones rest into the saddle.

Energize The Movement

You can use the posting trot to encourage your horse to step forward, thereby creating more impulsion and a larger hind end stride.

Some riders tend to hold the horse back while sitting the trot, possibly because they are tight through the back or simply can't move large enough to allow the horse enough freedom in the movement. Posting helps you move forward in the saddle enough to release that lower back and allow the horse to move forward with more energy.

If you work within the rhythm of the stride, you can actually encourage the horse to energize by sending your own energy forward to the front of the saddle while in the forward phase. The horse invariably feels the energy surge and attempts to match it.

Free The Horse's Back

There are many reasons why riders might want to post in order to simply take our weight off the horse's back.

If you do long distance trail riding, you might spend considerable time in the trot. Posting trot is often the choice of riders who want their horses to move strong and fast and not have to bear the weight of the rider long term. Posting will also save the rider's back, which in turn will help the horse because the rider can be more comfortable for longer periods of time.

Even if you ride in the ring, you might want to intersperse sitting trot with posting trot for similar reasons. So after a session of sitting trot work, you might want to post just to allow the horse's back to move without your weight for a period of time.

Timing

Well, posting trot is all about timing, really.

At first, you might learn how to match our forward phase to the outside shoulder (so that the inside hind leg is free to reach further underneath the body). That takes considerable timing for the inexperienced rider.

Then you learn that you can influence the horse's tempo with your own posting tempo. Go slower, and the horse will slow down in the gait. Go faster, and the horse will match your tempo. This becomes key when you want to slow the gait but keep the strides as large as possible, and develop hind end and top line muscles through tempo exercises.

Finally, 1-2 rhythm of the posting trot can help you establish rhythmical aids. For example, in leg yield, you might want to apply the leg aid as the horse is getting ready to lift the inside hind leg (and outside front leg). So you can squeeze with the calf as you post forward so that you coincide the aid just as the diagonal pair of legs come off the ground to move - forward and sideways, in this case.

So, you see that there is more to the posting trot than first meets the eye! Use it with understanding and good feel and you will find it to be a very useful skill in all your riding endeavors!

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Why Do We Post At The Trot & What’s The Fuss About Being On The Correct Diagonal?

Back in the days of yore, when the only mode of transportation had a mane, a tail and four hooves, people would spend much of their travelling time upon a horse's back. When you stop to consider that towns were few and land was plenty, you can imagine that people would spend a whole lot of time upon a horse's back.

And so the rising trot was invented - mainly to save the poor horse's back from repeated rider bounces and conversely, to save the rider's back from repeated jarring. It makes sense, no?

At least, that's what I was told way back when I was first learning to ride. I have no idea if this theory is true at all - but after several years of endurance riding (over distances up to 55 miles) I can vouch for the relief that rising trot gives when you are considering horses as a means of long distance travel. In fact, rising at the trot can also invigorate your legs that have probably gone numb from sitting the whole time, even if you were moving at just the walk!

OK. Rather than pontificate on what I don't know, here's a cute video that is probably much more accurate and describes how the word "post" was adopted into the horse riding dictionary.

Let's face it. Many horses have bumpy trots and sitting the trot immediately may be an insurmountable task for the average beginner rider. It might actually be difficult for even the experienced rider who might have enough physical difficulties or pain to ever sit a trot correctly.

And so, one of the first things we learn to do as horse riders is to "rise to the trot" - that is, we get off the horse's back in one moment of the trot stride, and then we sit in the saddle the next moment. Over and over again, we rise and sit.

Diagonals
The second thing we learn is that we HAVE to coordinate the rise moment with the moment that the horse's outside front shoulder swings forward. So when that leg is off the ground, we are off the horse's back. We call this "posting on the outside diagonal" because the legs move in diagonal pairs in trot.

So we spend months - and for some of us, years and years (!!) - learning to post on the "correct" diagonal in effort to do what is right for the horse.

But do we know WHY?

There is a perfectly rational, biomechanical answer to why we insist that riders rise when the outside front leg begins to lift off the ground. But first, we should discuss a little theory.

How Do The Horse's Legs Move In The Trot?

If you slow down the horse's footfalls, you can see that the horse trots in diagonal pairs (unless the horse is gaited, which means that there is no trot and therefore little reason to post!!).

The above video of this gorgeous horse clearly shows the right front leg moving in tandem with the left hind. Then the left front moves with the right hind. This is why we hear a two-beat rhythm of the footfalls at the trot.

When we're first learning to ride, it's fairly easy to actually see the outside shoulder as it moves. But we're not really interested in the front leg at all.

If you're told to rise when the outside front leg is coming off the ground, what is happening to the inside hind leg? Take a look at the picture below.

Rising Trot Moment. Photo Credit: NBanaszak Photography

Clearly, the inside hind leg is off the ground.

This is a very important moment in the stride.

Because this is the only moment - out of all of the other trot stride moments - that we can influence the inside hind leg.

Why Do We Want To Influence The Inside Hind Leg?
When we rise at this moment, we are in fact encouraging the inside hind leg to step deeper underneath the body. We want that deeper step to:

provide better overall balance on turns (less leaning in)
carry more weight on the hind end (rather than the forehand)
have more pushing power into the next phase of the stride
support the horse's back through the movement

Wrong Diagonal!
Then we learn that there is such thing as a "wrong" diagonal. Because if you rise when the inside shoulder is reaching forward, what is happening to the inside hind leg?

It's on the ground. Bearing weight. Unmovable.

Therefore, you can't influence that leg at all. You might be using leg aids for more energy, but that inside hind leg is immobile, weighted down. You might want better bend, but that leg is stuck on the ground.

Timing is everything, my friend!

However...
(you knew there would be a "however..." didn't you?)

There are indeed times when you want to post on the inside diagonal. (Did I just say that??!!)

There are absolutely instances when you might want to influence the outside hind leg while travelling in a direction.

Maybe you feel that the horse needs more encouragement to use that leg deeper underneath the body. Maybe you just want to strengthen that leg for some time. Maybe you want to improve the horse's outside balance.

When we rode on our long endurance rides, we were taught to be very diligent about our diagonals. Because we spent much of the time riding straight lines on the trails, we would be strengthening (or resting) one leg at the expense of the other leg. And so we would consciously change diagonals at regular intervals in order to evenly develop and use the hind legs.

OK. Go out there and play around with the diagonals. See if you can feel the increased thrust of the inside hind leg when you are in the forward phase of your post. See what it feels like when you post on the outside diagonal. How does it change your horse's balance? Can your horse bend better on a turn or circle if you time your aids to match the timing of the diagonal?

Most importantly, have fun!

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Riding gives us the place to just be.

Of course, there are other purposes too. Some of us revel in the challenge of learning the skills required to becoming a good team member of this unlikely duo. Riding is like no other sport or recreational pursuit simply because of the equine partner that must not only carry us, but also do so effortlessly and gracefully. As we develop our specific skill sets, we also grow as human beings in character, emotional maturity and mental acuity.

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The Difference Between Rhythm and Tempo

Confused about which is which? Do you use them interchangeably sometimes? I did, until I finally figured out the difference. Although I've already had a good grasp of rhythm and tempo in musical arrangements, it took some time for me to extrapolate that understanding and apply it to horse riding.

Rhythm

When it comes to horses, rhythm refers to the number of beats in a horse's gait. So for example, a walk is a four-beat gait. A trot is two beats (diagonal pairs fall together) and a canter is 4 beats (outside hind, diagonal pair, and inside front, suspension). However, because the canter has that moment of suspension, you hear only three footfalls with a quiet moment in between.

The rhythm of the gait is non-negotiable. That is, a canter must have three footfalls and a moment of suspension, while a trot must have two. Problems arise when the horse demonstrates what is called an "impure" or "irregular" gait.

Let's say you are trotting along and you hear four beats per stride, something like a thud-thud-thud-thud in quick succession. This indicates that the trot is not in rhythm. If you were on the ground watching, you might even be able to see the legs hitting the ground at different moments. It happens quickly but a practiced eye can see it.

More often, we see horses four-beating the canter. Rather than maintaining the diagonal pair of legs for the second beat, the horse lands those legs in a one-two fashion - which results in four independent footfalls.

In both cases, the rhythm needs to be maintained. Chances are, the horse needs more impulsion, especially in turns or changes of bend. It is also possible that the irregularity stems from a physical discomfort, so you may want to call a vet to make sure there is no unsoundness.

There is one exception to these rules: the gaited horse.

Many horses have been bred over generations to produce distinct 4-beat gaits specific to their bloodlines. For example, the Tennessee Walking Horse is famous for its running walk. These horses shouldn't move in two beats in these gaits. The four-beat is the rhythm of the gait.

Developing Rhythm

When working on any particular gait, you must maintain the rhythm of that gait. So if your horse four-beats the canter, you probably need to ask for better impulsion and engagement of the hind end.

First, work on getting and maintaining distinct rhythmical footfalls.

Tempo

Once you can keep a consistent rhythm, the next area to focus on is the tempo, otherwise known as the horse's leg speed. Tempo is the second priority only after the rhythm has been established. Incorrect tempo is possibly more difficult to recognize and correct than rhythm.

Think of tempo as the speed of the footfalls. You could be in a two-beat trot, but how fast you go would be due to how quickly the legs land on the ground. You can imagine that there are many tempos within one gait. So a trot may be two beats, but how quickly the horses move in those two beats can be dependent on the horse's breed and conformation, and the rider's skills.

Many of us are prone to letting the horse (or sometimes actually "chasing" the horse) into a too-quick tempo, which can result in the horse falling to the forehand, or even breaking stride. We get into a frantic one-two rising trot that speeds up the horse, which then speeds up our posting, which then speeds up the horse even more....

You get the idea. We end up in a never-ending cycle of speed and eventually it feels "normal" to rush along on the forehand, using the rail to keep the horse from drifting out too far.

The opposite can happen too, although not quite as often. If we work at slowing the tempo down to point that the horse loses energy, we run the risk of breaking rhythm. This is often why horses four-beat in the trot or canter. Too slow without additional energy can be as detrimental as too fast.

Try This

Listen carefully to your horse's footfalls as you ride at each gait. Every horse has an ideal tempo that allows him to work with adequate energy - but not too much - so he does not lose balance.

Your horse's best leg speed is probably slower than you think. But you can try an experiment. Increase the leg speed in a particular gait and feel for your horse's threshold. At some point, your horse suddenly feels like he has to scramble to keep his legs underneath him.

Then do the opposite. Slow the legs to just before the point that your horse is going to quit. Maintain energy and see if he can soften through the body and breathe in better rhythm. Too slow, and he will likely break stride. But slow and strong might be just what he needs.

The ideal tempo allows the horse to move with less tension in better balance and in a steady, true rhythm. There is no speeding up or slowing down every few strides. Each step is deliberate and well placed. There is a sense of strong but calm energy from both horse and rider.

You can try this exercise several times. It doesn't hurt for the horse to know what it feels like to increase and decrease the tempo in a gait. In fact, it might help as he progresses into more collected work. But in the meantime, remember that rhythm must be maintained while tempo can be adjusted.

Horse Listening – Book 2: Forward and Round to Training Success

The book begins with the horse's hind end (!), considers the horse's back, moves on to rider development, and fills it all in with the fundamentals of horse riding so your horse can be:

happier in his body

happier in his "work"

better balanced all-around

Available as an eBook or paperback.

Why Rising Trot Is Not Rising At All

posting — Photo Credit: NBanaszak Photography

Not all rising trots are equal.

There are three reasons we rise at the trot. First, we might want to take our weight off the horse's back - and the easiest way to do it is to rise (or "post") every other stride in rhythm with the horse's movement.

Second, maybe we want the horse to have the opportunity to reach further underneath his body with his hind leg. By rising while the outside shoulder reaches forward (called rising on the correct "diagonal" leg), we remove our weight from the saddle just as the horse's inside hind leg comes off the ground. This encourages and allows the horse to step deeper with the inside hind leg, which is the balancing leg especially on a turn.

Third, we can influence the horse's activity level - we can change horse's leg speed by posting faster or slower. The horse tends to follow the tempo of our seat, and if we can control that tempo, we can be more effective without ever having to go to the hands or legs.

The next time you go to a show, or visit the barn when there is a riding lesson, stop and analyze the way that the riders ride the horse's trot.

Look for the riders that appear to be working most in tandem with the horse and then watch their technique. What do you notice?

They don't move up and down.

Instead, they move forward and back within the movement of the horse.

That is, their pelvis comes forward to the top of the pommel, hovers there for a moment (or even two), and then gently settles back into the saddle, off the cantle (ideally). The "forward" movement follows an upward arc toward the pommel, and the "back" follows a similar arc.

The knees are soft and the angles demonstrate little change.

What they are not doing is standing up and down in the saddle.

There is very little rise. Why not?

When you move straight up and down, you fall behind the horse's movement. As you work to regain your lost balance, you come back down heavily and push your weight straight down to the ground. This might shorten the horse's stride, throw him off balance by putting him to the forehand, and may even cause back discomfort over the long term.

Stay in balance in the trot.

If you can move forward and back with the horse's movement, you can maintain a much more organic balance.

Use the trot bounce to send your pelvis on the arc toward the top of the pommel and steady yourself at the top of the movement with your inner thighs. Then arc back with control so you can mindfully rest on the horse, causing as little discomfort and interference as possible.

If you can move efficiently within the horse's movement, you can even influence the horse's length of stride and speed. You can slow down the horse by slowing your posting down, or conversely, you can speed him up.

The next time you ride, pay close attention to your rising trot technique and play with forward/back versus up/down.

Then let us know what you think in the comment section below.

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Tag: rising trot

4 Reasons Why We Post In Trot

Finally! The Ultimate Rider-Centered Program!

Horse Listening Book Collection - beautiful paperbacks with all the excellence of the blog - in your hands! Click on the image for more information.

Why Do We Post At The Trot & What’s The Fuss About Being On The Correct Diagonal?

Finally! The Ultimate Rider-Centered Program!

The Horse Listening Book Collection - beautiful paperbacks with all the excellence of the blog - in your hands!

Click here for more information.

The Difference Between Rhythm and Tempo

Finally! The Ultimate Rider-Centered Program!

Horse Listening – Book 2: Forward and Round to Training Success

Why Rising Trot Is Not Rising At All

Finally! The Ultimate Rider-Centered Program!

Buy the book for many more riding tips! Horse Listening – The Book: Stepping Forward to Effective Riding