Are you open to having a little fun together today in your riding? If so, I have created this episode of the Daily Strides Podcast for you to listen to as you ride your horse. If you are subscribed to the podcast already, you will find this episode on the date it was originally published; the 20th of January 2020.
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If you are not already subscribed to the Daily Strides Podcast – why not?! You can find all the detail and subscribe using your favorite app HERE.
Okay, so assuming that you have now gone ahead and found the episode on your phone, I suggest giving it a listen now and then again when you are actually riding your horse.
The goal is to increase your awareness around what you are doing while in the trot in order to more positively influence the trot itself.
Other Episodes to Help with Trot:-
There are a few more episodes of the podcast I wanted to bring your attention to that also deal with this topic or support some principles mentioned in this episode.
Remember, start somewhere, and then build from there…
Working Towards a Consistently Better Quality Trot
When was the last time you went out riding with the sole intention of improving your trot? Trotting is a gait we spend a lot of time when in the saddle. Yet, for many riders, it is an afterthought in their schooling plan…
I think the reason for this is due to most riders feeling like they have ‘mastered’ the trot when they can manage a few ‘up-downs’ without being bounced out of the saddle! It tends to get put on auto-pilot after that point, and promptly forgotten about it!
If this has been the case for you and your horse, today is the day we take the trusty trot off of auto-pilot and begin consciously working on establishing and maintaining a better-quality gait. Read More…
Conscious Transitions Between Walk and Trot
So there you are, walking along and at some point or another, you find yourself having to ask for trot. You might walk a little faster, perhaps include a little jig jog or two until, 4 or 5 seconds later, you are finally trotting.
This is not ideal at all! But what is it about transitions between walk and trot, and not just walk to trot, but also trot to walk, that has a lot of us think they are not so important?
Is it because it is the first real transition up the gears that we usually get to grips with when learning to ride? Most riders will have experienced going from walk to trot within the first lesson or three. Or is it because we become so used to the trot being a wee bit bouncy, to begin with, that we are less than careful about trying to create a smooth transition into it?
Whatever the reason, the transitions between walk and trot are some of the most overlooked by riders and it’s a pity because it is a transition that when given the attention it deserves, it can really and truly change your whole experience in the saddle and help you create that seamless communication between rider and horse. READ MORE…
Finding the Correct Diagonal in Trot
There you are, happily trotting around the arena, delighted at the fact that you can ‘post’ correctly; until someone goes and bursts your bubble by pointing out that you are on the wrong diagonal… “Sit for two” they shout your way… And you’re thinking ‘Come again?’!
Being on the correct diagonal is to do with rising or posting to the trot. We know that when our horse trots, his legs move in diagonal pairs, the front inside with the back outside and the front outside with the back inside.
Your horse’s way of traveling, in diagonal pairs, is what creates the two-time beat that we experience in trot. The 1,2,1,2,1,2… or, when we rise or post to the trot, the up, down, up, down, up, down. READ MORE…
Rising or Posting to the Trot
Have you ever sat down (no pun intended) and thought about how correct your rising or posting in trot actually is?
Rising or posting in trot is one of the first aspects we learn when starting out riding a horse… We happily spend hours trotting around the arena or along the trail, up-down, up-down, up-down, without ever stopping to consider if the movement we are performing is helping or hindering our horse, or our own performance as a rider.
The trot is a two-time beat, 1 2 1 2 1 2 1 2. This 1 2 is caused when the pairs of diagonal legs move together underneath you; off-fore with near hind (creating the 1) and then near fore with off hind (creating the 2).
Understanding and Refining Your Halt Halt
Riding horses is all about balance. It’s a balance between your aids, it’s actual balance sitting on your horse. However, one of the most essential, yet difficult balancing acts is the half halt. There is an ever-shifting balance between the aids, the rider and the horse. In this episode, I want to dig a little deeper into the half halt with some practical advice you can use immediately to get results.
What is the half-halt?
The half-halt is a communication aid between you and your horse. It is your way of bringing your horse’s attention back to you, in order for you to then give directions about what you want him to do. READ MORE…
Increasing Your Horses General Responsiveness
Are your horse’s response times a little dismal? Do find yourself asking… and then waiting… followed by maybe asking again… then maybe, just maybe, on the fourth or fifth request, you are lucky enough to get a response?! Responsiveness is the factor that can make all the difference with you and your horse when working together.
Riding is a little like day-to-day life in this regard; quick response to something will often set the tone for how the relationship will proceed from that point. Slow or non-existent response times lead to frustration, hold-ups, loss of attention and energy. They leave an overall bad taste in your mouth. READ MORE…
All the Episodes Straight to Your Phone
Remember, you can get all the above episodes and hundreds more straight to your phone when you subscribe to the Daily Strides Podcast. There are new episodes published every Monday and are perfect for helping you to do more with your 50% of the ride.
Happy Riding
Lorna
