Sit_the_Trot's Blog (6)

Enjoy the Ride: Confidence at the Faster Gaits

I get questions about going faster without bouncing--trotting, cantering, loping, galloping--and realize that novice riders are often intimidated by faster gaits, not realizing that riding the trot or canter on a calm, well-trained horse is fun and relaxing, even exhilarating. Part of learning to ride comes from spending time in the saddle but plenty of riders spend hours in the saddle without really learning the one simple thing that will make it enjoyable to ride: moving with the motion of th… Continue

Added by Sit_the_Trot on October 1, 2009 at 4:56pm — No Comments

Ride in the Middle of Your Horse: Developing Lateral Balance

Ride in the Middle of Your Horse: Developing Lateral Balance By Michele Morseth, MA, GCFP See more articles at http://SitTheTrot.com From Pacific Northwest Endurance Riders Newsletter Spring 2009 “Ask The Experts” column: Q: When I ride, I notice I am very asymmetrical with the way I distribute my weight, which effects my horse's balance. I've tried yoga and strengthening with some success to fix the problem, but I think now I'm just unconsciously enforcing my asymmetry, and can't… Continue

Added by Sit_the_Trot on July 31, 2009 at 6:30pm — No Comments

Ride With a Natural Seat: You Can Too!

Ride With a Natural Seat: You Can Too! by Michele Morseth, MA, GCFP ABSTRACT: Riders can ride for years without ever really moving in unity with the motion of their horse. However, you can learn new habits and posture so you ride in secure comfort. You are not your habits and at any age you can become fluid in your movement and more effective in your riding. What good riders have is an internal sense of balance on their horse. They get this in much of the same way a baby learns… Continue

Added by Sit_the_Trot on July 27, 2009 at 7:00pm — No Comments

Ride Without Fear: Build Confidence & Control in Mind & Body

"Even among experienced riders, fear or anxiety can seem like an insurmountable obstacle in riding or just being around horses. Your horse spooks and you get hurt, you experience pain and lose the ability to be relaxed and supple, you see someone else get thrown. All of these events can cause anxiety and excessive fearful responses. Because horses tune in to our emotional states, our anxiety can cause unwanted behavior like shying or what seems like disobedience. When we are calm and confident o… Continue

Added by Sit_the_Trot on July 26, 2009 at 3:22pm — 2 Comments

Crooked Riders = Crooked Horses: Develop Your Awareness of Balance and Symmetry

Crooked Riders = Crooked Horses: Develop Your Awareness of Balance and Symmetry Like many young girls, I grew up carousing around my neighborhood bareback on my pony. The saddle came out for 4-H, otherwise, I stuck to her sleek back like glue. In college, I went on to work for a dressage trainer, never thinking that moving with the motion of a horse could be a problem. In my mid-20s, lured north to the arctic, I quit riding. I moved with my husband to the Brooks Range, mushed dogs, hauled… Continue

Added by Sit_the_Trot on February 10, 2009 at 8:47pm — No Comments

Sitting on a moving horse with ease, grace, supple posture, and a deep seat = Sit The Trot!

In 1733 F.R. de la Guérinière lamented that to bring out the beauty of our horse we need “an air of ease and freedom… a controlled yet supple posture...depth of seat” but riders weren’t working to achieve it. And today? Despite knowledge of biomechanics and physiology elegance and control on a moving horse eludes many of us, Some riders don’t take the time to work on themselves. Others strengthen and stretch, yet they still struggle. Many think they just ride that way, they think they can’t impr… Continue

Added by Sit_the_Trot on February 10, 2009 at 12:33am — 2 Comments