Among the many riders I have come across over the years, having a good solid seat at the trot seems to be one of the most difficult to learn. The reason for this is more to do with our mental state than the difficulty of the motion. We try to mentally “sit to the trot” thus trying to force our seat to stick to the saddle and this actually causes the exact opposite effect of what we want to achieve. When you try to force your seat down, you actually tighten up your back and leg muscles. This creates resistance, and a hard surface so to speak, which in turn will cause you to bounce against the saddle. The other problem I have found from among my students is that you rely too much on your stirrups. At the sitting trot the stirrups really serve no purpose other than a resting place for your foot. When you rely on the stirrups, you create tension in the leg which again creates resistance and hence bounce.

To learn to sit to the trot you must think “soft”. Imagine yourself sitting in a couch, not in a saddle. Then imagine your upper body as a sign board stuck on a stick, which stays upright or slightly forward and square to the saddle. Then imagine your lower body is a bowl of jello and your legs like wet spaghetti. Your seat moves with the saddle and the movement of the horse just like jello wiggles in a bowl. Squeeze slightly down in your core, belly button, to anchor the jello and everything from your waist down should be as soft as you can imagine getting it. The softer you are the more you stick to the saddle. Watch the video and pay particular attention to his body posture, upright but relaxed.

(video provided courtesy of istock)

At the ranch we teach our students to sit the trot bareback because then you have no stirrups or saddle to rely on, your body naturally centres itself more quickly and legs remain soft more readily when you let them hang or wrap gently around the horses belly. When the knees start creeping up, you start to bounce so you learn to let those legs hang loose. The weight of your legs will naturally help keep your seat in the saddle. Also, the more relaxed you are the more relaxed your horse will be and thus will have a smoother trot. Remember, soft legs, soft seat equals a good sit. Enjoy your next trot in the saddle.