How to do a Rising Trot

Here at Chapman Valley the majority of our visitors haven’t ridden a horse before. Therefore we are often that person’s first introduction to mounting, basic controls, then later when they’re feeling more comfortable, how to trot and canter.

The hardest thing to learn in horse riding is the rising trot. Some may think the initial steering and stopping is hard to master, but this can often be taught and understood in a short 1:1 lesson (like the ones we do at the start of every horse ride. However once you’ve mastered this and you’ve gotten over the initial nerves of mounting such a large animal, quite often the rider is ready for the next challenge – to experience the thrill of going faster! We’ve taught hundreds of people how to rise to the trot, and here are our best tips!

Most important – You’re going to need a sensible and tolerable horse. If you don’t have access to a horse like this, please don’t try going faster. We don’t want you getting hurt so early in your riding career!

Firstly – you must have full control of your horse before going faster. That is so important I’m going to repeat it … you-must-have -full-control-before-going-faster!! If you’re still struggling with basic control, such as steering your horse exactly where you want them to go, or difficulty making the horse stop or slow down – these issues are only going to magnify when you increase the speed. When you’re travelling faster things go wrong much, much quicker. Take it slow, build the foundations of your riding skills before jumping in the deep end – and maybe you won’t fall off!!

We always encourage people to try this little exercise before attempting the trot. At a stand-still, stand up in your stirrups – right up so your hips come forward over your knees and your bum is all the way out of the saddle. Ensure you can hold this for 10 seconds (REAL seconds not fast counting!). Practice until it happens, then allow your horse to walk forwards and do the same as your horse is walking. Practicing at the walk will do wonders for your balance – and prepare you for what’s to come. It will teach you two things; leg positioning – too far forward and you’ll fall backwards, too far back and you’ll fall forwards. It’s also great to give you a feel for which muscle groups will be used in the trot.
Be careful that you do not use the reins to stabilise yourself. If you are having trouble standing up, you can use the front of your saddle and release as you feel comfortable, but please don’t use your horse’s mouth as a handle.

When you’re ready to trot, you want to make sure your reins aren’t too long. You want to gather any slack, so if you start to lose your balance you can ask your horse to stop straight away – rather than mucking around with finding your reins whilst you’re hanging off the side headed for the ground. When your horse goes faster their neck will collect and bend slightly, so the reins can be a little shorter than you would usually ride with.

It’s best to start with just a few strides to get the feel of the trot. The sensation of trotting cannot be described, other than really bumpy! At first, just concentrate on keeping your balance. After a few strides come back to the walk. It’s possible your feet may have slipped in the stirrups – remember heels down/toes up!!!

Once you’ve collected yourself, try again. This time feel for the rhythm of the horse. Then try to stay standing for a second after you get bounced up in the saddle. The idea is to stand on every second beat.

That’s about all we can tell you, now all that’s left to do is practice!

Things to remember:

• Keep those heels down and the ball of your foot on the stirrup! If your feet slip through the stirrups too much you won’t be able to stand (or rise!)
• Keep your hands nice and low – below your bellybutton is good. If your hands are any higher you’ll become top-heavy and put yourself off balance. It’s also no good for your horse’s mouth.
• Relax. The more you think about it the harder you’ll bounce. Go with the flow.

Of course you can always come and visit us! Chapman Valley Horse Riding – the best horse riding in the Hunter Valley!