# Riding Critique (posting trot in Western)



## Cheyennes mom (Aug 6, 2010)

relax. Your arms look kinda tense. Haha I'm completely opposite to you, I have always learned to post, so now that I'm entering shows, I need to sit trot my western classes. Haha, wow were complete opposites! Ur sitting trot is awesome I just wanted to add! Cheyenne has a REALLY REALLY bumpy trot so I can never get it!
Well um.. So ya relax ur arms and bend them in instead of straightening them out. I also wanted to add that ur horse is beautiful btw! (I'm easily sidetracked)


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## ErikaLynn (Aug 3, 2010)

You look a little tense, like you are consternating real hard on posting which is understandable since you just learning. With practice you'll get the rhythm, try keeping your elbows bent that might help with keeping your hands in place. If you feel her slowing down just drive her forward with your legs and keep her moving.


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## Cowgirl101 (Oct 12, 2010)

You like to tense, relax a bit more. At the end of the video you look like yo were pushing the stirrups to much foreward. 
Your back is straight,unlike mine .
That's all I saw wrong and I do ride western.


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## corinowalk (Apr 26, 2010)

Let the motion push you up. You look like you are forcing the post. 

Good luck!


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## farmpony84 (Apr 21, 2008)

I don't think you look that bad at all. Put your weight in your heels, you are kind of posting from the ball of your feet and that's not quite right. Put the weight in your heel, same as western and then the post actually comes from the inner thigh rather then the lower leg. I don't think she's spooking at the flowers, she's looking out past that towards the trailer and the barns. I think her mind is just wandering. You need to keep her paying attention to you and her job but over all you guys look good and she is a darling horse....


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## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)

Cute horse! I have a weakness for buckskins. 
You do look tense, but who wouldn't , knowing that they are being videotaped. Your arm IS stiff but at least your hand maintains a fixed position , relative to the horse's motion, so that the rein isn't snapping tight, loose, tight, loose, as some folks do. 
The problem is that you are posting form your KNEES! Your body weight has stopped at your knees, therefore your entire lower leg is ineffective and the heel comes up. AND, when you post solely form your knees, your energy just kind of rigidly stops there and it puts you in a fragile position; if the horse "propped" (stopped suddenly) you would be thrown forward off the pivot point of your knees.
So, get your weight flowing down your thighs, through your knees into the ankle and heel. Think of your heel being kind of focussed at your horse;s hind feet. This will help keep the energy down and back. Also, think more of your pelvis coming FORWARD rather than so far upward.
If you pick up your horse's trot so that there is a bit more forward energy it will be easier for you.
You will be a really cute English pair!


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## Cheyennes mom (Aug 6, 2010)

It also looks like your focusing on going UP. I did this too when I first learned to post trot. then when I switched instructors (a more expirienced one) she had told me that when I'm posting, it doesn't have to be 'up to the mountains' it can just me up and FORWARD. Don't just stand, you have to push your waist forward. That helped me a lot!


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## AmberPick (Jul 13, 2010)

Thanks for all the feedback!! And she is a DOLL I love her, she's one of the lesson horses. She's usually so lazy and doesn't want to trot (like this day) but the day before she was the spunkiest pony! I felt like I was riding two different horses so it was a nice switch up!! She's a sweet little thing though!!

I'm not sure why I look so tense, I had like three videos but apparently my camera only wanted to save one?!?! I am still having the problem with posting where when I really get it she says I do great but when I don't get it I feel totally akward!

How can I work on being more relaxed.. I'm assuming just getting more time in the saddle? I am also having a hard time with being aggressive, mainly because the horses I rode when I was younger never wore bits so I feel like if I'm pulling too hard on the reins I'm going to hurt her poor little mouth! I know it's just pressure it's just my natural reaction!


And about the posting with my thighs.. If I just concentrate on keeping my heels down it seems like I can post much better.. Does that sound right? Maybe that's what I need to concentrate on more is keeping my heels down.


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## Shenandoah (Aug 9, 2010)

For relaxing, try just taking a deep breath and then slowly letting it out. (Or even just breath in the first place - something we all often forget to do when we're concentrating hard :lol: ).
When you let out a big breath, your muscles tend to relax along with it.


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## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)

Do something in addition to posting; like do a figure of some kind or work at making a good circle. In other words, engage your mind and your horse's mind instead of just going around the rail.
Posting the trot can really free up the hrose to move out more. IF you sit the trot and don't know how to do it really well (I dont), this will tend to dampen down the horse's trot, posting it will free it to be more energetic and ground covering. Once you learn how to post the trot easily, you will be able to do it in your sleep and go for miles without being tired.
I am just the opposite, I can sit the trot for short periods of time but don't find it comfortable to want to do it for long.


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## Eliz (Jun 16, 2010)

Well, at least you're not pulling yourself up with your arms! 
Just sink your weight to your heels and breathe. From there it will be much easier to post more forward than up, and everything will fall into place.

I still can't post properly in a western saddle, something about it makes it hard NOT to go "up"! ;P


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## Cheyennes mom (Aug 6, 2010)

I have a little pattern for you adding to what TinyLiny said! Start goin around the arena, then make a circle at each corner. If you have a rectangular arena not a square one, then also make a circle in the middle of the long end! It's sometimes tricky, but it get's your mind going and your horse's. You can do it at a walk, trot and canter. Walk just feels sooo slow, and canter can be tricky, but trot is great! If your horse is slowing down whenever you circle, your circle is getting too small. In this activity your circles should all be even sized, and don't worry about speed, or turning sharply.


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## mom2pride (May 5, 2009)

You need to anchor your seat with your heels a bit more...as you are not really using them that way now. That will help you feel a lot more secure, as it will put your body inline better.


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## AmberPick (Jul 13, 2010)

Cheyennes mom said:


> I have a little pattern for you adding to what TinyLiny said! Start goin around the arena, then make a circle at each corner. If you have a rectangular arena not a square one, then also make a circle in the middle of the long end! It's sometimes tricky, but it get's your mind going and your horse's. You can do it at a walk, trot and canter. Walk just feels sooo slow, and canter can be tricky, but trot is great! If your horse is slowing down whenever you circle, your circle is getting too small. In this activity your circles should all be even sized, and don't worry about speed, or turning sharply.


Sounds awesome! I think I will try that next time we're in the longer arena!! The thing with this mare is that she won't slow down if we're turning sharply, probably because I am being a little more aggressive (which I'm not very good at) but if I do a larger circle she stops.. The hardest part of riding for me so far has just been keeping her at a trot. I don't know if it's me or her, or just a combination of me not being aggressive and her not wanting to trot.. But we are going on a trail ride this week so we'll see how we do together outside of the fence!! 

Thanks for all the help everyone!!


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## AdrienneS (Aug 13, 2010)

Since your riding western I think you could lengthen your stirrups a bit they look a little short.. That might help lengthening your leg and allowing your heels to go down. Then balancing will be a bit easier


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## Ilovemyarab (Jun 1, 2010)

What I do when I'm teaching someone to post is start in a roundpen. A lunge rope is optional. I'll tell them to close their eyes and FEEL the horse. Really think about it. When is the front inside leg moving forward? When is the back outside leg moving forward? I've seen people gain a lot of confidence when they can not worry about where the horse is going and just focus on balance and timing. This helps them pick up the right diagonal when riding solo in an arena too.


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## Saskia (Aug 26, 2009)

Also, dropping your stirrups a few holes might help. Focus on heels down


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## Frankiee (Jun 28, 2010)

I find posting should come from your heels and I notess that your heels arent down at all it may help if you put them down and turn your tow out. What also helps is when your up for 2 beat and sit one. btw you and your horse look awesoem together!


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## Equine Angel (Oct 31, 2010)

For relaxing I actually will close my eyes some. Also practicing with arms out to the side up in the air helps to. The only thing that stuck out to be was your heels need to be DOWN. You went forward a little bit but not bad just watch your shoulders.


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## Cheyennes mom (Aug 6, 2010)

AmberPick said:


> Sounds awesome! I think I will try that next time we're in the longer arena!! The thing with this mare is that she won't slow down if we're turning sharply, probably because I am being a little more aggressive (which I'm not very good at) but if I do a larger circle she stops.. The hardest part of riding for me so far has just been keeping her at a trot. I don't know if it's me or her, or just a combination of me not being aggressive and her not wanting to trot.. But we are going on a trail ride this week so we'll see how we do together outside of the fence!!
> 
> Thanks for all the help everyone!!


No problem! As for keeping her going, try riding her with a crop sometime. My horse will keep on going even if she just knows that I have a crop. I often don't even have to use it! I suggest waving it infront of one of her eyes then the other eye so that she knows that she'll get it if she doesn't behave. Of course you don't have to hit her, just a tap works just as well. Remember to only use it to make your horse go faster. Don't use it for punnishment.
If you keep on using the crop then eventually you can ride without it and she should be respecting you better. If she doesn't then grab it the next time you ride, and keep on using your legs! Make sure that your not pulling on her mouth making her stop at all. I used to be all western and barely english so I needed to learn to use my legs lots too. Somedays Cheyenne would be crazy somedays she wouldn't do anything. That's another thing that's good about the pattern that I told you about. If your horse slows down, then you need to use your legs! Also if your horse cuts your circle or anything then redue it until you get it right and THEN move on to your next circle. I find it works really well! 
Hope this helps!


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## RideroftheWind (Jul 15, 2009)

ummm no helmet? thats kind of risky....


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## Hunterjumper7654 (May 28, 2010)

You look like your really tense. Take a deep breath and relax. :} You look like your center of gravity is a bit out in front of you and it looks like your holding yourself with the ball of your knee. Push your heels down just like you should while riding, Let the motion of the trot guide you into the "up" because you look like your forcing the post.
Other then that you look great and your horse is so pretty.


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## smrobs (Jul 30, 2008)

I will also vote for letting your stirrups out a hole or 2. It is pretty hard not to post from your feet in a western saddle if your stirrups are too short. One other thing is that your reins might be too short as well. It looks like you are having to lean forward a bit and kinda stretch your arms out in front of you just to keep from bumping her in the mouth. Your hands appear to be pretty soft in spite of that though. You might consider getting a pair of split reins, that way, you can make them as long as you need to be to give her freedom with her head but still keep your arms where they need to be and have a straight back and a deep seat instead of leaning so far forward. Ideally, your upper arm should come almost straight down with your elbows close to your sides, then your hand should be angled to where it is almost pointing to the horse's mouth. 

This isn't the best picture and I certainly don't have the best horsemanship, but it kinda gives you an idea of what I am talking about. I also keep my stirrups what would be considered fairly short for a western rider because it makes it easier for me to ride a horse that bucks, but it does make it hard to post without pushing off from my feet. If I weren't riding colts, I would have them longer.


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## Lonestar22 (May 22, 2009)

RideroftheWind said:


> ummm no helmet? thats kind of risky....


And that's her risk to take. I'm sure she knows it.


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## aforred (May 12, 2010)

Try squeezing with your calves when you go down to get a little more energy in the trot. A more energetic trot is easier to post to. You have gotten great advice on relaxing and dropping your heels. I like the book Yoga for Equestrians for breathing exercises.


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