# That Darn Right Diagonal!



## cowgirlfitzy (Jan 27, 2009)

I'm new to riding English and I'm having trouble in the posting department. I can pick up the left diagonal everytime but not the right one. I look, I feel and I just can't get it! ERRRR!

Any advice???


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## xilikeggs0 (Sep 14, 2008)

Bounce?


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## shadowsgirl (Jan 23, 2007)

Do you have an instructor? If you're with a good instructor you would master the posting thing in 5 weeks or less.


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## cowgirlfitzy (Jan 27, 2009)

Thanks! My horse doesn't have much of a trot. More like a western jog. We are working on getting a bigger trot out of him. 

I took another lesson today and I'm doing much better. I'm starting to pick the correct one more often now. 

I was just wondering if anyone had any tips for feeling which one.


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## shadowsgirl (Jan 23, 2007)

I just look down and then sit a beat if I'm off. I've been riding english for over 15 yrs and I still can't pick up the correct lead 100% of the time. I do pick it up correctly the majority of the time, but I always visually check it by a quick peek at the leg.


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## IrishRider (Aug 7, 2008)

I don't pick it up 100% of the time either. I just check to make sure I'm up when the leg on the wall is up. Rise and fall with the leg on the wall. If I'm off then I just sit a bounce and correct it.


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## back in the crosby again (Feb 4, 2009)

Oh I had a hard time with this when I started posting, too. My best advice is to get your horse moving out a bit more and then try sitting the first few beats, then start to post. I found if I waited a beat or two I would pick it up correctly. If your horse has a slow western jog this will be more difficult. Even after riding for years I still have to correct my diagonal on occasion.


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## Fisher.Cat. (Dec 26, 2007)

What I do is I feel for the outside front leg's movement. Try to picture in your mind when the horses leg goes forward, and just rise with it. I'll sit for a couple of beats while i figure out when that leg is moving forward, and once i find the rhythm I post. It might help to have someone lunge you at the trot and close your eyes to really pay attention to the rhythm.

I'm trying my best to explain how i get it, but I'm pretty sure that isn't all that much help haha. All I know is that is what i do and I get it 100% of the time without having to look.

Good luck :] & I'll try to think of better ways to explain it.


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