The Posting Trot on the Diagonal Lead
Today, Sunday, January 30th 2011, my second group lesson at the Farm, was a chilly day. I had the company of a Chestnut horse, Romeo, three advanced riders, and my instructor. Romeo is a quiet, sweet, horse, good with beginners. I arrived early and found an opportunity to spend time bonding with Romeo. I petted Romeo and tried massaging his neck and foreleg for about 10 minutes. I would like to think he appreciated it as he gave me a pretty good riding lesson.
Today I learned posting to the trot on the diagonal lead. I focused on keeping my seat independent of my upper body and the lower legs quiet in the stirrups. I’m becoming more acquainted with the rhythm of rising to the lead diagonal, although I didn’t feel the beat on several occasions. An interesting aside, I previously thought I must post with my thigh muscles, but my lower-legs lose a grip of the horse’s barrels causing my feet to dangle. Holding my legs quietly in the stirrups takes a higher priority than posting with your thighs so I had to switch priority for the time-being. My instructor said it will take time for my legs to adjust to maintain legs and post properly with the upper leg muscles.
My instructor said I’m on the cusp of getting it right. A few references on posting trot on the diagonal lead are below:
Today, Sunday, February 6, 2011, after several failed attempts to post to the correct diagonal trot, the instructor asked which leg are you rising on? Wrong, she said. How can I have it wrong after reading articles about this technique. Listening carefully against my own will, I heard her say go down when the outer front leg goes down. It was exactly the opposite of what I was saying to myself in my head. I started to wonder if she were testing me so I questioned her statement. The instructor further clarified that while the outer leg goes down, you must go down. When the outer leg goes back, you rise.
A great feeling that now I could concentrate on my feet dangling from the awful saddle, posture, and breathing. The lesson ended promptly at noon, but I can’t wait till next week to practice more trotting on the right diagonal lead.
Lesson 4: Celebrating Minor Successes
On February 19th, I had my fourth lesson. I did learn a few other neat things, on the other hand. I learned to use my calves to indicate to the horse to stay on the outer rail. So, if the horse tried to cut a corner going counter clockwise around the barn, I push the barrel with the left leg while grabbing the right reign and loosening up the left reign.
I also learned a technique to keep the horse at a trot speed by kicking the horse’s barrel with my back heels at a straight angle. Previous I was using my calves but the horse rarely acknowledge a calf push versus a heel push.
The biggest reward of the lesson, was relaxing on the horse during the trot, and breathing steady while keeping my eyes in the direction I want to go.
Learned to stop the horse properly by keeping my body centered and legs in line with my entire body while tugging gently and firmly with the reigns.
Today I learned posting to the trot on the diagonal lead. I focused on keeping my seat independent of my upper body and the lower legs quiet in the stirrups. I’m becoming more acquainted with the rhythm of rising to the lead diagonal, although I didn’t feel the beat on several occasions. An interesting aside, I previously thought I must post with my thigh muscles, but my lower-legs lose a grip of the horse’s barrels causing my feet to dangle. Holding my legs quietly in the stirrups takes a higher priority than posting with your thighs so I had to switch priority for the time-being. My instructor said it will take time for my legs to adjust to maintain legs and post properly with the upper leg muscles.
My instructor said I’m on the cusp of getting it right. A few references on posting trot on the diagonal lead are below:
- Diagonals Demystified
- “Perfecting the Posting Trot” by Sharon Biggs Hackney, Horses Illustrated, September 1999.
Today, Sunday, February 6, 2011, after several failed attempts to post to the correct diagonal trot, the instructor asked which leg are you rising on? Wrong, she said. How can I have it wrong after reading articles about this technique. Listening carefully against my own will, I heard her say go down when the outer front leg goes down. It was exactly the opposite of what I was saying to myself in my head. I started to wonder if she were testing me so I questioned her statement. The instructor further clarified that while the outer leg goes down, you must go down. When the outer leg goes back, you rise.
- Horse – front outer leg down, as rider lowers, and
Horse – front outer leg up, as rider rises
- Horse – front inner leg down, as rider rises, and
Horse – front inner up, rider lowers down
A great feeling that now I could concentrate on my feet dangling from the awful saddle, posture, and breathing. The lesson ended promptly at noon, but I can’t wait till next week to practice more trotting on the right diagonal lead.
Lesson 4: Celebrating Minor Successes
On February 19th, I had my fourth lesson. I did learn a few other neat things, on the other hand. I learned to use my calves to indicate to the horse to stay on the outer rail. So, if the horse tried to cut a corner going counter clockwise around the barn, I push the barrel with the left leg while grabbing the right reign and loosening up the left reign.
I also learned a technique to keep the horse at a trot speed by kicking the horse’s barrel with my back heels at a straight angle. Previous I was using my calves but the horse rarely acknowledge a calf push versus a heel push.
The biggest reward of the lesson, was relaxing on the horse during the trot, and breathing steady while keeping my eyes in the direction I want to go.
Learned to stop the horse properly by keeping my body centered and legs in line with my entire body while tugging gently and firmly with the reigns.
