How do you kick a horse in trot?

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#dressage #sittingtrot #horseriding
How do you kick in the trot??
Many of us riders struggle with how to effectively influence the horse go for forward from the leg in the trot. It can be difficult, especially in the posting trot, to coordinate activating the horse from your leg and to keep posting.
Here are some tips to use your leg more effectively:
Posting trot:
Make sure you are posting correctly and that the posting trot is from the knee up. The lower leg should NOT be swinging in the posting trot. A swinging lower leg will feel like constant kicking to the horse and they will ignore the kick!
It is easiest to kick the horse as you are coming down into the saddle.
Always start by closing the calf first and then follow through with the kick. Ideally the horse responds to closing the calf (and it is much easier to close the calf than it is to kick at the trot)
Since you will be kicking as you are coming down into the saddle, the kicks will be in rhythm with the trot. So it will be kick, kick, kick until the horse moves forward.
Be sure to reward your horse when they go forward. Stop kicking and release your leg the instant that the horse moves forward!
Do NOT lean forward and pull on the reins when you kick or when the horse moves forward. This will only punish the horse from moving!
Sitting trot:
Always start by closing the calf first, then give the horse a kick if they don’t move forward. Remember that you want to teach the horse to respond to the calf, the kick is the correction for not responding to the pressure of the calf.
Be sure to take the lower leg OFF after you kick and the horse moves forward. DO NOT kick and squeeze!
For a quicker trot, try kicking twice in the same step. This is nearly impossible to do in the posting trot, but in sitting trot it is possible to activate the horse for a quicker trot by giving them a 2 quick kicks in one step.
Don’t lock up your hips when you kick! It is very important to work towards an independent seat to where you can influence the horse with the leg and the seat stays following the motion of the horse!
Be sure to maintain a forward feeling hand as you activate the horse from the leg. Often riders, without knowing it, pull backwards and give conflicting aids to the horse when they activate from the leg.
Transitions are the best way to get the horse more reactive and in from of the leg. If you are struggling to get your horse responsive to the leg, try some trot-walk-trot transitions, or slow trot to fast trot, or even trot-halt-trot transitions!
I hope this video helps you! Comment and let me know!
Happy Riding!
Amelia

[@jessicameyers2204]

Thanks so much for this video Amelia! I was just struggling with this exact problem in my lesson this week! Influencing at the posting trot feels like an impossible task to me right now - so this was super helpful!

[@lwb442]

I need to try this on my sweet but lazy horse.

[@schleichobsessed1234]

Same

[@catherinefontaine6428]

I am a dressage beginner from Canada. I ride school horses. Thank you for this video. I can not seem to be able to kick efficiently when my horse bulges out or falls in. I am not well coordinated and then it’s too late. Thanks for these great tips.

[@maggiepie8810]

Do you tend to clench your knees in the rising trot?

[@Kelly_Ben]

I lived the part where you explained when you were applying the leg as you sat. I watched the inside front leg the first time, then rewatched it focusing on the inside hind, and saw how the timing worked. It demystified the whole 'influence the inside hind' thing! Thanks for another great video!

[@amandajeffries2722]

I have found your videos really helpful in the lead up to my first ever dressage show this weekend in Australia. This video is also very helpful as it's something I'm working on with my coach on the timing of influencing our gaits.

[@hvllydur]

when i do posting trot i always fall forward, hope this helps me! Edit: it helped very much now im trying to work on my canter because i cant sit a canter very well im better then i used to be but still improving

[@coraliesentch4515]

You break the movements down so well !!! Another great, helpful video Amelia ! 👏🏻👏🏻👌🏻🥰

[@CorDarcy]

Hi Amelia, so nice to have your help with test 1 Level 3 from your video. My biggest issue is remembering the test. Too many other things to think about. It’s hard to hear if someone is calling it out. But I smile Because I’m riding my horse!

[@mirutankuru]

I have nooo idea what's going on when I'm trotting. My teacher(farm owner) is good at riding but not teaching so I was so confused haha I'll try this tomorrow, thank you!!

[@julie99nl]

Very eye opening! I've struggled with the timing of the aids. Instructor is trying to get me to feel just before the inside leg lifts is when I need to ask for more energy of that leg, but your explanation is much much simpler! When your butt goes down is exactly when I need to ask for more energy! So simple ❤️

[@judicoccimiglio2136]

Hi! I love your videos! Your instruction is practical and I love the way you show the common mistakes along with the proper way to ride. I live in Northern California. I have an 11 year old Arabian gelding. We have been learning Dressage for about a year and love it!!

[@disimiodell7886]

Do you have any recommendations on how to stay relaxed while aiding? I always seem to tense up in training.

[@CDN_Bookmouse]

I know you weren't asking me, but since I tend to do the same thing I thought I'd pop into the replies. Everything in riding happens so fast, and I like to think through what I'm doing--but there just isn't always time. So I practice what I want to do in my mind (or physically, alone in my basement, looking slightly insane if anyone were to peek in lol) when I'm NOT riding. I found watching POV videos of lessons (have a look at PonyCam!), and since you can see what happens, you can imagine what aids are being given and when. I rewind and watch the same moments over and over and practice the aids in my mind. The idea here is to remove the necessity of thinking through things in the moment. I'm working on trying to build muscle memory. Even just imagining it has really improved some things I'm working on! (Quarantine, amirite?) While you're riding, maybe try this: have you ever had an instructor say "prepare to trot...aaaand trot"? Try practicing that in your mind. If you're going to ask for a transition, think about how you're going to do that one or two letters before you actually give the aids. You give yourself a moment to think things through--focusing on relaxing first before you give the aids. The idea being that you'll train yourself to automatically make sure you're relaxed when giving ANY aid. Eventually it will become more automatic and will move from a conscious effort to a subconscious check. You'll come to associate relaxing with giving an aid; ideally the two will sort of merge into one thought. I practiced this over and over and over for opening my outside shoulder since I tend to turtle up, especially in the corners or on a circle. It's still a work in progress, but my instructor has to remind me maybe 75% of the time now when it used to be more like 98%. It's definitely got a ways to go before it's totally automatic, but it's more instinctive than it used to be and that's progress! (I'm also working on accepting that some days "a few moments of tiny progress" is just all you're going to get for the day. I've had days where it's like "I got on the horse, everything from now on is a bonus" lol) Hope any of this was helpful!

[@disimiodell7886]

Bookmouse this is so helpful! Thank you so much. It’s hard sometimes because I’m a head trainers assistant so I work with and condition a lot of PSG horses and work with a lot of young horses that are in the training program.. so it’s things that like I should know but I still to this day catch myself doing it (ya know??). I’m really relaxed with the upper level boys but I think I have a tendency of becoming tense on the younger ones. Maybe if I video myself more so I can watch too because 90% of my rides I don’t have a instructor watching. It’s a shame really haha I love your input and I will try all of these that you suggested thank you 🙏

[@kmiklaszewski]

@Disimi Tension in the Rider is one of the most common things that I think riders have an issue with and that greatly interferes with the horse and I think instructors see it a lot. I definitely think the advice given from the person that also wrote to you was very good. I was also taught to visualize and use your mind’s eye to see you doing what you want really well and with writing you always need to prepare prepare prepare even between transitions and between half halts. One thing that helps me loosen up and what I do with writers of all levels, is to have them do exercises from head to toe on the horse in walk trot and canter just like you would do on a lunge line that helps a writer with balance position in finding a strong core and an independent seat. Forcing yourself to move and loosen your joints and independently move different body parts while trying to maintain your balance and having your seats in the right spot with your seat bones in the correct position, is a great way to be able to maintain your pelvic position and a strong core while helping to maintain looseness in your joints. There are some really good videos online here that you can look up for lunge line exercises to help with loosening up the body from head to toe. Doing the exercises before you start your lesson or schooling ride and as you are warming up your horse can benefit you both because while you are trying to relax, you’re also helping your horse to relax and get supple. I hope that you give it a try before every ride and see if it helps you loosen up.

[@CDN_Bookmouse]

@@disimiodell7886 If you don't already watch her, check out Tash at YourRidingSuccess. She talks a lot about fear and tension. One thing that she said that I've been trying to think about is that you can become less anxious by focusing on what your horse needs. I have trouble with anxiety and tension at the canter (she has tons of great videos on canter work and riding young, spooky, or hot horses) and it's helped me a lot to think that I'm asking him to do something for me. What does he need from me in order to do it? He NEEDS me to force myself to relax even if I'm afraid. I'm highly motivated by guilt so it's helped lol. I think you could apply a lot of her talks about fear to your situation even if you're not afraid per se. It applies to tension of any origin. She also talks about the fear of being out of control that's usually at the root of people's riding fears and how to work to let go of it. Great channel all around :)

[@danw6014]

I don't know if this will help you but maybe someone will find it helpful. I ride thoroughbred that can get very anxious and tight. I have learned to get in a calm state. I think about important I am to her when she gets afraid. I try to give her clear direction. And I always try to make sure she has some place for her feet to go. Something else that my mentor used to say. "Use what bothers them to get to their feet." I see this as an opportunity to help her and learn from her. I always look forward to my ride so I am relaxed when I get on. If I have some heavy weight on my shoulders I leave her alone. I carry my phone but turn it off to avoid distraction. Hope this is useful somehow.

[@animallover4101]

Thank you DonCarlos. You’re a wonderful demo horse !! Great lesson as always Amelia !! I saw your scores from the last show . Congratulations to you and both Harvey and Kensington 🥳🥳🥳

[@AmeliaNewcombDressage]

Thank you very much!

[@danw6014]

I enjoy how he seems to separate things out so well.

[@mariefenton5119]

I’m looking forward to putting this great lesson into practise.

[@elnajensen6929]

Thanks Amelia, as always a great and instructive video.

[@danw6014]

Great video. I have struggled with being smooth in my posting and developing good rythm with my horse.

[@jhamner9484]

Don Carlo is such a good boy!! Thank you Amelia you have helped me a lot and your technique of explaining is very easy to understand for me. Thank you thank you!! I’d come for lessons if I didn’t live in another state!!!

[@deevine7940]

Really fantastic instructions!!! I’m a new rider in BC and you covered information I really needed but have struggled to get. Thank you!

[@AmeliaNewcombDressage]

I'm so glad that it helped you!

[@susangillham8771]

Hi Amelia, I love your videos! This is a really clear instruction. I really do lock up at this sit trot. I will work on following seat as the most important part if the aid to go forward. I'll let you know what happens!

[@darialois1]

Thank you for all you’re tips xx

[@iix23]

Thanks for the help. I am a new rider and get my lessons in Mandarin (as I live in Taiwan) and eventhough I am fluent in Chinese,, the subtilities get lost in translation. It's a great video. Clear, to the point and with good examples. Have a good day.

[@pariahmouse7794]

HOW DID YOU KNOW!? You posted this video THE DAY AFTER my lesson where I struggled with this, haha, I think you are reading my mind! I am only a year into lessons, I am getting a better feel every time it seems, but for every one thing you get down a million more things spring up to learn, it is what I love (and what can be a tad frustrating sometimes!) about riding! I have just now gotten my posting smooth enough to start thinking about influencing with the leg at the same time, and it is HARD! I thought it was just me being a novice, haha, good to know a lot of people struggle with this! I can do it properly about 50% of the time, but the more frequently I need to kick (let's be honest- the horse I ride will walk from a squeeze, if he's feeling fresh, but you almost need a nonstop KICK to keep him on the trot.) And that can very quickly throw your seat off, haha! I am going to watch this again before my lesson! I don't know HOW you knew I needed this video at this exact time, but it is VERY MUCH appreciated! Get the canter videos ready, too- once I get this down, that is NEXT, I can't wait!!! 🐎💞🐎

[@AmeliaNewcombDressage]

Oh good! I'm so glad that the videos are helpful!! And yes the learning in dressage is endless!

[@jocelynemeurant6259]

Great video and advices ! Will try it tomorrow...sitting trot is so hard 🙄

[@Cateret]

Excellent explanations and demonstrations as always, thank you😊 .

[@Chanasternberg]

Great tips! Thanks

[@Kateyangyuqing]

Great, clear advice. This whole time I'd been trying to kick (or rather squeeze/calf bump) on the way UP! By the same token would it be better to half halt on the way down as well, considering that involves a degree of squeeze? Half halting is something that is taking me a while to get the hang of. But now I'm confusing myself because the inner hind leg comes forward when you rise and would be more influenceable with the half halt at that moment? And yeah keeping that lower leg still is something I have to work on. I rode my instructor's sensitive mare once and I didn't realise how active my lower leg was until then - she kept thinking I was telling her to go forward. So as my instructor said, I told her she's a good girl and let her go forwards every time that happened as that had been what I had essentially asked of her. One thing we have been working on since then is posting to the trot without stirrups which is YOWCH!!!!!! But thanks I really like your clear way of explaining things. I have a great instructor who is fantastic at explaining things too but sometimes hearing something from different people helps for me to understand what I'm supposed to be doing with my own body.

[@cathyacton1565]

Thanks Amelia. Great video as usual. Really clear. Now I've just got to master it 😊 tend to lose good upper body position when kicking. It's hard to gain an independent seat when you only ride a couple of times a week. Also I've never used spurs. Do they make the "kick" more effective with minimal effort? Particularly with a less responsive horse. I try to squeeze as I find kicking quite difficult. Thanks again for sharing so much of your rider knowledge. So generous of you. Cathy (UK)

[@AmeliaNewcombDressage]

You're so welcome!

[@Kateyangyuqing]

Same I've been really guilty of the kick and lean forward thing. But my instructor points it out so I've just got to keep practising, I usually do it when I'm too busy thinking about something else because it's not yet fully ingrained in me (which just takes practice). And yeah while its hard for those of us who don't own horses and only have weekly (or twice weekly) lessons to get a lot of practice, there are a lot of things we can do out of the saddle to help us. And even in our lessons. For instance I spend a LOT of time on the lunge working on my seat, every hour long lesson I'll spend at least 30 mins on the lunge. The progress may be slow but it's definitely there. Just keep practising and look up exercises that can help you out of the saddle. We just have to make use of what is available to us.

[@luciemarinov129]

very helpful as I make a few of these common mistakes like locking up my hips and not giving the inside rein and not keeping heels down etc!

[@aamnaal-sowayegh6887]

Thank you.. I’m gonna try these tips today 👍

[@AmeliaNewcombDressage]

Have fun! Let me know how it goes!

[@reneenowicki6859]

So helpful! No one has ever explained that to me before.

[@esinsarioglu2446]

You are such a good teacher! I really enjoy your videos and learn a lot from them. Thank you! ❤️

[@AmeliaNewcombDressage]

Yay! Glad they are helpful!

[@michelekanefsky7511]

Terrific vid! Really good explanations and demonstrations! Thanks as always-from NJ!

[@joannarodriguez4319]

Thanks for showing this, helps a lot with beginning riding🥰

[@TheOpus480]

Thank you soo much I've been struggling to understand this. I will try this in my next lesson.

[@mell8285]

GREAT VIDEO! Proper ways to use your words when teaching use of aids is important. There is a big difference between saying pressure with your leg< or moving your horse off of your leg or even a bump is much preferable to saying kick. Especially when teaching young people.

[@CDN_Bookmouse]

I definitely think, especially for new riders and children, that bump sends a very different message to them from kick. I think it also helps keep the lower leg more still while giving the aid and that thinking of it as a kick can lead new/young riders to lift their heel, move the lower leg back, and use their heel. It certainly did when I was young!

[@eva-karinakesson388]

Thank you for all your great videos. Keep up this fantastic work. Your videos has really helpes my riding. I´m sitting here in Sweden waiting for new videos.

[@sharonbaker2442]

Hi Amelia, I love all your videos, you have helped me so much! I’m from New Zealand 😊

[@AmeliaNewcombDressage]

Hi! Glad to hear this!!

[@julierussell8876]

so am I ! Had my horse for 25 years in Ohariu Valley, Lived in Newlands until Feb of this year, moved to the Horse Capital of NZ - Cambridge!

[@yourlocaldeadperson_]

Yees thx for making this!! To the classes that i go they dont give u stirrups till you know how to ride without them, and they gave me mine a wile ago and im doing the “sit up trot” (i dunno if thats what you call it 😅) and its very hard to kick the horse, thank u so much this helped me tons

[@judithbauerjohnson2817]

Great video, great tips! I’ll watch it again to make sure I remember and can include it in my next rides. :)

[@MightDontCare]

Very good video!

[@sabrinafan6658]

Very, very helpful!!助益極大！！

[@CDN_Bookmouse]

Really helpful video! I think it would be good when talking about using a kick to emphasize that it's a motion of the lower leg and not booting the horse with your heel. I think the word "kick" can unintentionally send a bit of the wrong message to beginner riders. I know you did talk about squeezing and using your calves, but I just think it would be good to demonstrate the "do nots" of giving a reinforcing aid to make it really clear what it's NOT supposed to look like (as far as the actual movement of the lower leg is concerned). I would love to see more videos on the best timing for giving aids, especially for transitions!

[@kmiklaszewski]

I agree. I think there are not as many instructors that go into specific little details that need to be taught especially at the beginner and lower levels. I see so many instructors telling kids to kick with the heel and to kick it kick rather than teaching the rider to use the inside of the meaty part of your calf and press directly inward. I see so many Younger or beginner riders using the back of their calf and or making the motion of scrubbing their heels on their horse’’s sides because they are squeezing and gripping and also pulling on the rains and then their instructor is telling them to kick kick kick but they are pulling on the rain so it’s always a vicious cycle. I do see a lot of these riders bending the knee and bringing their foot and heel back and up when kicking the horse or trying to give a so-called leg aid because they are never taught that when you were riding the horse you don’t really bend your knee to give the leg aid with your heel and I think a lot of lower level riders and beginner riders are not taught in detail as much and they assume that Kick means with the foot or heel in order to do that they use their leg like they normally would by using the strongest muscle in their upper leg and bending the need to get the job done. I hope that makes sense.

[@sabinelloyd8532]

I agree on the terminology "kick" to many beginners means a great big bang with the leg. I prefer to say nudge or touch with the leg.

[@BintyPaul]

Thank you

[@3Grays]

So helpful!!

[@caprihorse.studios5054]

This video was so helpful! I always struggled to get into a canter. Thank you!

[@AmeliaNewcombDressage]

You're so welcome!

[@syedmohsin5288]

But this is throttling my friend not cantering

[@martinafrouzv]

Hello! Thanks a lot for your explanation, I really appreciate it. I am beginner, so I really need it. Especially are great the closer and slow motion videos. I wish you all the best :-)

[@shirleybroady]

If I post from only the knee up, how do I keep my heels down? Or am I taking this advice too literally? When I work on my leg position, I have to push down with my lower leg in the up phase so my lower leg does participate in posting. It’s the same for sitting trot and canter. Is this wrong? Your videos and the comments are a treasure!

[@alligallicus]

very informative as usual, thanks!!

[@lyla_eq]

YESS!! I NEED THIS!! I have a lazy silly big strong gelding. His name is lightning.

[@christelrosa7682]

Lovely lesson ❤️

[@AmeliaNewcombDressage]

Glad you think so!

[@katrineandersen7243]

Thank you!!!

[@beateindahl8100]

Thanks for a Great video, this is helpful with the trot work for my young arabien horse :)

[@maggiepie8810]

One thing that I used to struggle with a lot was clenching my knees, which makes it nearly impossible to use the leg aids efficiently.

[@betsysheridan4971]

Love this ❤️

[@Luca-sb5ri]

I tried to kick in trot last week and fell off 😅 thanks for this

[@jordanwhite5470]

Love watching your videos; wish you also did Hunter style!

[@janchampness8818]

hi Amelia enjoy your videos thank you Jan Champness from New Zealand

[@AmeliaNewcombDressage]

You are so welcome!

[@art_rant7144]

I don't ride dressage but this helped a lot! Thank you!

[@AmeliaNewcombDressage]

Yay!! Glad it helped!

[@hkhorses9658]

Thanks for your vids, simply the best!👍👍👍 Helpful and beautiful, both you and the horses!😍 Is it that you kick using the inner side of your feet, or the inner back part of your feet? or you kick using the inner lower part of your calf only with no contact between the horse and your feet? Also I normally need to swing my calf outwards quite a bit before kicking, then my trainer said I should not open my calf outwards in order to kick, but I feel hard to give an effective kick without swing out first😅 maybe my legs are relatively shorter and my muscle is not so strong yet...I can see you don't swing your calf forward, but looks like you do have a little bit swing of your lower calf outwards before the kick, right? thanks！

[@AmeliaNewcombDressage]

Hi! Yes for sure you have to take the leg off in order to give an effective kick. You can kick with the inner part of your leg or sometimes if it is necessary turn your toe outward and kick with your heel or spur.

[@hkhorses9658]

@@AmeliaNewcombDressage Thanks so much Amelia🙇‍♀️🙇‍♀️🙇‍♀️for your detailed reply🌷🌷🌷

[@susanbaker7550]

Hi Amelia. I am from Michigan. Liked this video alot, very helpful. Please clarify when you are in seated trot & take your leg off after you kick you mean calf is off, correct? Sometimes I have trouble maintaining my contact with inner thigh when I kick. The kick comes from the knee down, correct? Would love to see you do video on keeping contact with your inner thigh. Thanks again! Sue

[@kathleenbrunken3087]

Wonderful

[@alisongriffin1041]

Very helpful!! Ali from the UK

[@AmeliaNewcombDressage]

Thanks Alison and thanks for watching!

[@AmeliaNewcombDressage]

Also, I’m giving a free webinar on Show Season at the start of may you can sign up here www.ameliasdressageacademy.com/show-season/ Also, if you want a free mini course to get your position in the strongest shape to execute your dressage aids, take my free rider position mini course here www.ameliasdressageacademy.com/riderpositionminicourse/? Do you love my content? I’d love if you left me a review on google! g.page/r/CYIGmCINXFOQEAo/review I’m also on FB and IG facebook.com/amelianewcombdressage & instagram.com/amelianewcombdressage/ Also, and this is super helpful too, join Amelia’s Dressage Club on Facebook, it’s a really active and engaged community of riders and no question goes unanswered! facebook.com/groups/ameliasdressageclub/ And finally, there’s my website! www.amelianewcombdressage.com/ And you can also sign up here for weekly dressage tips sent to your inbox www.ameliasdressageacademy.com/subscribe/ Ok that’s the lot I promise. Have an awesome day! 🐴

[@AmeliaNewcombDressage]

Which is harder for you? Kicking in posting trot or sitting trot?

[@supernoodle704]

Posting, for sure.

[@sarinahzamir4087]

Sitting🤣

[@anettelober2763]

For me it's posting trot. Thank you for sharing. I look forward to you're videos every week. Anette ( sweden)

[@falizianme5846]

I'm going to say probably sitting since I think i tighten my hips some... I'll have to ponder when I can ride again! 🙃

[@sarinahzamir4087]

falizianme yes mee to!

[@kellykuczak636]

I love your channel and would love a chance to ride in a clinic with one day. Do you travel and do clinics ?

[@AmeliaNewcombDressage]

Yes! You can find more information here amelianewcombdressage.com/clinics/?KZbin&General

[@robyncarroll9928]

Love your vids. Can I ask what saddle that is that you use please?

[@AmeliaNewcombDressage]

Custom Saddlery

[@Alice-jz6kq]

I’m struggling with keeping a horse forward and not going really slow, and every time I kick my stirrup slips back and I sometimes take the weight out of it, so am I supposed to kick with my heel or my whole foot or calf? (My heel also goes up when I kick with my heel and I don’t know how else I can kick)

[@vsmox8653]

My biggest flex is dont need anything to make my horse move just my voice 😂😂

[@christinelegrange]

Thanks for this. I really don't want to use the stick or kick the horse too hard. I struggled with a horse this week. He starts to trot but when we get to a curve he just stops midway. Any suggestions?

[@-dusty_butterfly-]

I’m mostly watching these for fun cause right now I’m more focused on holding the reins basically without spilling my ice cream and keeping my heels down

[@safwantahiru5040]

💯💯💯very helpful

[@elisevanmourik]

Hi Amailia, I'm from the netherlands and i ride a horse that loves to walk behind the vertical line with her heas and she wants to stay there she leans on my hand. I wonder what your advice wil be. beste regards Elise

[@katieheller3788]

I have the hardest time sitting my warmbloods trot. She has so much suspension. Any tips for that? Or just practice, practice, practice.

[@CDN_Bookmouse]

Not sure if this will help you, but this visualization is helping me with my canter seat. She told me to think about if you could put space between every vertebra in your spine. Imagine the whole thing can sort of flex upward and expand and contract (like an accordion on its side, you know?) We focus a lot on movement forward and back and side to side and seatbones and everything like that. It's really helped me to think about expanding upwards to keep my back soft. At the sitting trot, she also says to think about putting more space between each of your individual ribs. It sounds weird but it helps me focus on being able to flex up and down kind of like how everyone talks about opening the hip angle? Try thinking about letting your back and ribs do the same. Ideally it will help soften your back which will let you move up and down with her suspension more freely. Hope that helps at all :)

[@hannahfear5278]

She has heaps of videos on sitting trot

[@madisonchildress4270]

Id love to see this done in the canter. My horse is extremely behind the leg and refuses to go forward (he dosent have any medical issues) , When i use a dressage whip he kicks out and doesn't change the canter. I've done tons of transition work with him but it doesn't seem to help. Plus i do not use spurs so that is out of the option (as i only lease this horse) is there anything i might be doing wrong or that could be influencing him not to change his stride??

[@AmeliaNewcombDressage]

Good idea for a video! If he kicks out to the whip, tap him again and persist until he moves forward. He has learned that kicking out gets a reward and gets the rider to leave him alone!

[@jordanwhite5470]

@@AmeliaNewcombDressage Does he ride this way for other riders? If so, could be a re-training issue; he's taking advantage of you.

[@f.horstmann8447]

One of the reasons why I like sitting trot a lot more than posting is the kicking part haha. but overall leg control?

[@zubizubi8759]

GREAT

[@barbelliott8289]

(What a Lovely BIG horse Don Carlos is!!! So willing and so forward and 'lofty' for a big heavy guy!! What kind of horse is he (sorry if this is off topic - just curious..lol) I am lucky to have a 'forward' filly - it is hard for ME to keep up with her....she is very side sensitive...lol

[@AmeliaNewcombDressage]

He’s a warm blood!

[@Kateyangyuqing]

Yeah he's a stunner! Lots of cadence.

[@jyothibabu471]

Hi Amelia, I found yr video helpful. How to be friend with a horse. I feed greens or fruit to horse and pat him before riding. I will talk to him when riding. Is anything I can do, so that horse become friend to me and understand me.

[@samfav1430]

Do you point your toes outward when you kick your horse because the horse I ride does not react to the kick.

[@yay2349]

Hi amelia I am asking how to kick in extended canter TYSM

[@AmeliaNewcombDressage]

In extended canter, if you kick too much you may end up in a gallop or in unbalancing your horse. The seat should be the primary aid asking for the horse to stride larger.

[@yuvrajyuvrajsingh5166]

Best

[@user-zx9rk3te9j]

Hello. Im just startande again whith my riding after a lot of years. Im struggeling whith postning trot. My muscels are so weak. How can I train them???

[@AmeliaNewcombDressage]

Check out my rider fitness workshop! dressage-training-progress.teachable.com/p/fitnessworkshop

[@nyxcin1]

I always thought the aids should be invisible, light as possible. Never more than needed with the objective of using the lightest effort to get the same response.

[@AmeliaNewcombDressage]

Yes, you are correct! But sometimes you may need to give a bigger aid if the horse doesn't respond to the light aid. This video might help clarify for you: amelianewcombdressage.com/dressage-training/my-1-secret-to-improve-your-riding/

[@evelynnlignowski7137]

I have trouble kicking in the canter my leg ends up swinging like a door hinge 😐

[@ThingsgetbetterAT]

In rising trot You kick during up or down?

[@AmeliaNewcombDressage]

It is easiest to kick when you are down in your post. Check out the video where I go into more detail!

[@skylarashwell1357]

OMG i have finally found a queen!

[@adaadames1312]

Every time I try to kick at the trot i feel like I loose my stirrups. Any cure for this?

[@AmeliaNewcombDressage]

Hi Ada! Here's a video that will help even though it's based on canter. kzbin.info/www/bejne/oYman4Ofibireq8 Also, if you’d like me to send more dressage tips into your email inbox every Wednesday, you can sign up to my mailing list www.ameliasdressageacademy.com/subscribe/ (If you’re already familiar with all this and have received this before, apology for the unnecessary message, I’m being super thorough today!) I’m also on FB and IG facebook.com/amelianewcombdressage & instagram.com/amelianewcombdressage/ Also, and this is super helpful too, join Amelia’s Dressage Club on Facebook, it’s a really active and engaged community of riders and no question goes unanswered! facebook.com/groups/ameliasdressageclub/ And finally, there’s my website (for when all the social media goes down again 🤣) www.amelianewcombdressage.com/ Ok that’s the lot I promise. Have an awesome day! 🐴

[@alyssasouthvalley8881]

💙💙💙

[@meriembenaziza5632]

It looks like your right stirrup is longer than the other one

[@AmeliaNewcombDressage]

hmm... usually on this horse the right one is shorter! He likes to push the saddle over to the left!

[@CDN_Bookmouse]

I think the shade on her foot is causing a sort of optical illusion where your brain uses colour to determine position and is wrong. Like that checkerboard illusion or ones where the lines are all the same length and you're like no WAY, but they are.

[@meriembenaziza5632]

Thanks for the explanation ❤️

[@CentaurHooves]

I think Trot is the hardest...

[@AmeliaNewcombDressage]

It can take a lot to get used to but this video should help you! ink kzbin.info/www/bejne/ppaldIWPhqaJfK8 Thanks for watching!

[@Dylan-ez5qx]

for me the sitting trot is harder...

[@orlagh_trys_Eventing]

My pony is lazy tho

[@ol1viaa_h]

I love how they call it 'kick' its not kicking its giving leg😑

[@tenapus]

What is really the purpose of a drop noseband?

[@OliveDeuce]

U shouldn’t have to kick a horse at all I really wish trainers would stop teaching kids this. You’ve heard of soft hands but have you heard of soft feet also? It should take the lightest amount of pressure for your horse to walk off. Before someone says their horse is lazy so they have to kick- you have to teach your horse to be reactive to light pressure. It takes time and it’s a process not an event, but it can 100% be done. And before someone else says that the lady in the video didn’t even kick her horse- I still don’t like the terminology in the title. You could say “how to ask your horse for a trot”.... Horses can feel flies land on their skin, we cannot. It’s very sensitive, kicking hurts and it should never be done, If you’re a good rider, it should look like your feet never even move. No hate, I just want people to realise this so they do better for their horses. Most likely people will not listen to me because I’m not their trainer or they think they know everhthing already. If I helped at least one person and their horse then that’s all that matters. Side note: I’m really only saying this because of the title, and because I used to take western lessons years ago and I REMMEBER the trainer would tell me to kick the shit out the horse. She already taught me to kick him hard, but when he wouldn’t cooperate she yell “KICK HIM, KICK HIM” and I’d literally do it as hard as I could because she said to and I didn’t know any better. It’s wrong.

[@Summerbe550]

Sorry but in my opinion the legs have to be calm and aids should be used effectively.

[@cryptoloji3011]

HOW TO SPEAK THE HORSES DO YOU WANT TO LOOK AT THE VIDEO