Posting Trot Exercises to Improve Equitation
Equitation is an important part of riding for all disciplines, as it helps to allow the horse and rider a better line of communication. The term equitation refers to the position of a rider on a horse, or, as Merriam-Webster would say, “the act or art of riding on horseback”. Equitation is truly an art, and likewise takes time and practice to perfect. While nobody is perfect, there are many ways to improve equitation that can benefit riders of every level. Here are some exercises you can try to improve your equitation!
Up for Two, Down for Two
A way that riders can help to improve balance when posting the trot is by practicing standing up for two trot steps and sitting for two trot steps. In other words, instead of an “up, down, up, down” cadence, the rider can think “up, up, down, down” instead. This exercise is good for helping the rider find where their core needs to be, as well as what area of the saddle they need to be in, as they will either get left behind or too far forward if they are not focused on their position.
No Stirrup Work
While no stirrup work is often a dreaded part of lessons for many riders, it is another great way to build balance, as well as the necessary muscles for riding. At the trot, riders can drop their stirrups for both sitting trot or posting trot, holding their leg in the correct position (heel down and in line with the shoulder and hip). For more advanced riders, practicing this while someone holds your horse on a lunge line can be very beneficial and increase difficulty; for riders who balance off of the reins when the stirrups are taken away, the lunge line method also allows you to put down the reins, putting hands on your head, hips, or in an “airplane” position where your arms are straight out. It is important to note that when dropping the reins, they should be kept in such a way as to not become long enough for the horse to step on, and that riders should only do lunge line work with others that are familiar with lunging horses and horse safety.
Continuing the no stirrup work trend, a good way to ensure that a riders’ seat is balanced on both the left and the right side is to drop one stirrup at a time while continuing in the trot. If a rider tends to lean more to one side, it will become very apparent quickly when only utilizing one stirrup at a time. Riders may switch between stirrups for a lap around the arena or for a couple trot steps; each rider is different and may find that different distances or periods of time while switching between stirrups may suit their needs best.
Two-Point Transitions
Two-point, although primarily used for English disciples that require jumping, can be used for people in all disciplines to improve their equitation. In this position, riders must focus on their core muscles as well as maintain the necessary contact given by leg aids to create impulsion from the horse. Riders can practice doing the two-point on its own, or, for increased difficulty, practice the two-point when performing both upward and downward transitions, such as the walk to trot transition and the trot to walk transition. This exercise may also help riders who struggle to use leg aids while posting at the trot, as it forces the rider to use their leg similarly to when the leg will be given as the rider stands up to post.
The Stick Behind the Back Method
We have talked a lot about the core and leg muscles, but what about the upper body? Riders may struggle with arm placement when riding or leaning too far forward or backwards. One way to ensure that riders are using their upper body properly is to have them use a sturdy stick-like object such as a dressage whip behind their back, keeping the stick in front of their elbows. This will help the rider find a better upper body position, use the proper back muscles when riding. This exercise can also help riders with hard hands become more aware of how much pressure they normally use when their arms are free versus held back by the stick.