Posting the trot is a necessary skill for all horseback riders who ride English to learn. It is also one of the more difficult skills to truly master. However spending some time focusing on that skill alone can make it easier to master.
What is the Posting Trot?
The posting trot, or rising trot, is the act of shifting your pelvis forward when the horse’s outside leg goes forward and you are bumped up out of the saddle. You shift forward as the horse takes you up. Then you sit down lightly just behind the pommel at the horse’s movement takes you back down. Posting the trot doesn’t need to be forced. Instead it should be moving with the horse’s movement. Posting is not pushing against the stirrups and it is not standing up and sitting down.
Correct Stirrup Length for Posting the Trot
Making sure that your stirrups are adjusted to the correct length is essential for mastering the posting trot. To make sure that your stirrups are the right length, sit astride your horse and remove your feet from the stirrups. Allow your legs to hang down against the horse’s body. If your stirrups are the correct length the tread of the stirrup should be at the same length as your ankle bone. Stirrups that are too short will make it uncomfortable for you to post. Stirrups that are too long will make it very difficult for you to post correctly. At first the change in stirrup length will feel weird and make take some time to get used to but it will help you out in the long run.
How to Post the Trot
If you do not have any experience posting the trot the best way to learn is on a lunge line. Have your trainer or someone you trust lunge a trustworthy horse while you ride so that you can concentrate solely on your own movement. Practice lifting yourself out of the saddle, into two-point, and balancing there for several moments. This will help you figure out how to control your body. Once you are reading cue the horse to begin trotting and feel the horse’s bumps as it moves. When you feel an upward thrust move yourself up and forward and then let gravity bring you back down before repeating the motion. If you find this difficult try counting one/two. Rise on one and sit back down on two.
Keeping your Hands and Legs Still
While you are posting the trot you need to keep your hands as still as possible. This will help you keep your balance and stop you from accidently pulling on your horse’s mouth, which he would not appreciate. Stop yourself from moving your hands up and down as you move up and down. Instead flex through your shoulders and elbows. Your legs should also remain as still as possible. Try to keep your leg from the knee down still. Try not to grip with your knees, don’t let your leg swing and try to keep your ankles stiff.
Mastering the posting trot takes a lot of practice and it won’t be perfect for a long time. Be patient and take time to make your posting trot the best it can be.
