How and Why to Post the Trot

[@mishaelwilson2257]

Amelia newcomb rules the whole wide world

[@AmeliaNewcombDressage]

🤣🤣. I wish!!

[@DanielleIreland-gd6gm]

Well done!!!!! Fantastic clarification and examples; I appreciate the explanation of how proper technique assists and is kinder to the horse, I have never had it explained to me in this way. Also, there is so much value added to demonstrating both the correct and incorrect methods; it was extremely useful and is an excellent teaching approach. Thank you for your time and effort to produce such a beautifully presented and produced tutorial!

[@deirdrepratte9231]

Love the way you explain everything out in easy to understand language. I learn so much every time I watch (and re watch) your videos. Thank you for sharing so much helpful knowledge!

[@debrastella9838]

Thanks Amelia I have a new young horse and my trainer is teaching me to post the trot! Thanks for saying why it’s so important

[@AmeliaNewcombDressage]

Awesome!

[@room104kane5]

Very helpful. My challenge is often to keep my horse moving forward and then everything else falls apart. I needed this breakdown.

[@bayleekaye1077]

my trainer and I were talking about my posting trot in my lesson this morning!! this video came at the right time:) I really struggle with keeping my leg on while posting, it always comes off. my leg is way more consistent in my sitting trot and I’m trying to work on this:)

[@lesliekot6995]

Pivot around your knee, thanks for this Amelia! I love your videos! I will take this into my ride today ❤

[@channingmartinez3228]

I love the reason why you post on the outside diagonal! That’s a really good explanation and one I’ve never heard before. My question is you state whenever we post the elbow is bend/straight then bend/straight again. Does the elbow bend when you sit or when you are up posting?? Just trying to clarify as I was watching and you’re movements are so small and precise I was having a hard time keeping up! Thanks for the video!

[@danw6014]

It's interesting to be able to compare how different two of my horses are in their movement. My Morgan is by far the smoothest horse I have ever ridden. I can sit her trot all day long. She was started right and has never been fouled by people. My thoroughbred is choppy, high headed and bracy through the shoulders. It's hard to get into rythm with her but for sure I need to be posting when I start out with her. Add in all the things that worry her of course on the up side of a post. But the reward is I know when I get on the money with her. She smooths out. She get soft and the hollow comes out of her back. I can feel her driving from behind and she practically does my posting for me. I know this goes in a different direction. People have all kinds of goals for their horses. I have one, that my thoroughbred turns loose mentally.

[@hazurajane]

Thank you for your succinct directions! Riding a clinic this morning and knew you'd be the one to give me the core basics in a way I'll remember. Thanks!

[@kathyreese7031]

Great info! Warm up with posting! Posting on the correct diagonal!

[@gracehayden8264]

When I first started riding, I remember having lots of issues with stiff hands. My trainer would say "NO CHICKEN WINGS!!" to keep my elbows in and this helped a lot! Pls do a video of sitting trot tips! (bonus points if you use a really bouncy horse!!)

[@AmeliaNewcombDressage]

Yes!! I agree no chicken wings!!

[@rsmith764]

Thanks for this. Super helpful. This made me realize everything my instructor hasn’t taught me.

[@AmeliaNewcombDressage]

You're welcome! It can be hard to fit all the theory into a single lesson :)

[@mariec6961]

Making sure there is no difference to your lower leg between walking and trotting is excellent. And your very first tip of just getting in touch with the movement of your horse first will pretty much get those hips up and moving. Instead of overthinking your own movement and then realising you might be posting but on the wrong diagonal etc because you weren’t noticing where your horse is at. Really enjoyed this video. Excellent

[@nancyschmidt8260]

That is very helpful. I watch it over and over. My two issues are my hands moving up and down and keeping lower legs still. I like the pivot analogy. Thanks for the excellent video. Nancy

[@shellynfc]

Thank you for the video and all the explanations!! I am new and struggle with posting from my feet I think. Going to watch this a few more times. Would love to see more slow motion clips of the correct way to ride in your videos… would be super helpful I think. :-)

[@tjozaki]

Thank you for this video! Your explanations are so helpful and thorough. Love the bend/straight elbows tip!

[@izzy_2806]

This video is really helpful, i have a riding assessment coming up and this has helped to re fresh my mind

[@mizzconstrued9994]

Super informative. All the info was great and educational! Leg position, hand position. Downfalls. Thank you!

[@AmeliaNewcombDressage]

Be sure to sign up for my FREE e-mail list and get FREE Dressage Tips! forms.aweber.com/form/52/766851352.htm

[@Ninaaaa443]

Thank you! I really need to keep my legs in place as you said because I swing them around a little bit.

[@AmeliaNewcombDressage]

I do too!! Need to work on this!

[@carlosbeirao6070]

Thank you Amelia for this great video. I will see it again a couple of times as there are important details on it that i would like to recheck!

[@redeigner8303]

Just learning to post and ride again . You were my first thought on how and what not to do . Thanks love it Hi Joseph love ❤️ too

[@Lynne2106]

Now I know why diagonal is so important. Thanks!

[@AlyciaSchwartz]

Thanks! Very helpful especially about the elbows

[@yevtushenko1967]

You are so absolutely awesome for doing all of these learning videos. Thank you

[@andrewbirtle3603]

Good, clear demonstration.

[@josslynamsden8796]

Biggest take away is being told and shown that the rise happens for the rider as the horses outside front leg comes forward also staying in the two count rhythm. Thanks for the demo and explaining everything as to why do the post trot correctly to showing the how of the post trot.

[@AmeliaNewcombDressage]

Yay!! Glad this is helpful!

[@katharinemagor3596]

Thank you for the nice clean posting trot demo. We are working to improve at this. My teacher was describing it as a windshield wiper motion pivoting at the knee as described by Mary Wanless...and I heard it translates to 'light trot' in German (I think of this to I remind myself no coming hard down into saddle)

[@johnjoefitzsimons1313]

Great video as always thanks again

[@rachelpalomino7701]

thank you, very helpful. My struggle is where should I be gripping in the trot? upper thigh or calf or knee? I have recorded myself and I'm one of those people who's leg swings forward in the trot...ugh. I see others and they ride 'quietly' in the legs and I want to get to that point. Any suggestions? I love to watch your videos! - Love from California!!

[@farrahrose5045]

it’s been a year since you commented this and i’m wondering if you have this answer for me so i can work on it ?

[@aniab4306]

Really helpful! Thanks♡

[@shannenkroon9794]

Loved this video! I struggle a lot with sitting tall, and not hunching forward, I have a standardbred and he has a very big bouncy trot so hard to learn on haha

[@cynthiastary8022]

Terrific

[@hannetjiecoleman6]

Thanks, well explained

[@AmeliaNewcombDressage]

You're welcome!

[@MaryOuwinga]

Another helpful video, thank you

[@kristinemcclain9028]

I'm sorry but I have to say this. WE DO NOT GO UP AND DOWN in the trot. That is such a bad thing to get started. It's our hips that lift and push forward. If you go up and down you can not stay in rhythm with the horse. If you look closely Amelia's hips are pushing forward. Up and down moves the whole body. Hips forward, only her hips are moving. I just wanted to point that out to people who may be new to riding.

[@Myyoutubechannel_2023]

Thank u so much !

[@Kira-cc4fg]

I am at my 4th riding lesson and I'm getting discouraged with trotting. I started confident and ok and the basic, also I struggled with the exercises to built the streng for the Trott but in the end they seemed to work. The last two lessons went horribly, I couldn't Trott for more that half a circle started crying because of knee and ankle pains and had to stop. I think watching this video I might have pushed too much woth my feet and legs, getting way too high and struggling a lot, rather than rotating my hips. Also I got out of breath within seconds. I will try to think about these tips tomorrow and hope they ease a bit the work. I would like to work more on walking and the correct position but my coaches are moving pretty fast. Which I like if I succeed because it's nice to Trott but when I struggle I just really want to quit and I'm also starting to be aftaid that I will solidify in my mistakes of I don't slow down. If anyone has more experience it would be nice to hear a good word, it would help me feel less hopeless and alone. I've dreamt for 20 years to start riding and it's also a big strain on my finances I just get super upset if I don't do good or feel good while doing it.

[@rosie9350]

@@Kira-cc4fg ​​⁠ I just saw your comment..and I’m dealing with the same problem..it was my third time riding and I just can’t do it ..and just like you I get so tired ..can you give me an update 🥲

[@erinjaynes]

Yes!! Thank you!! I agree! It’s hips lifting and moving from front back. Her head basically stays still and in the same place. Her body is NOT standing and sitting.

[@veroniqueviaudFaspasie_1957]

The core, all the muscles around the waist are helping you to do the movement of the rising trot plus the thighs muscles. I hope it 'll help you. From an old French rider. 😉👍🏻😊🇫🇷

[@KimbaLorber]

The thing I'm working on the most is not my own Equitation but my horse falling back to walk the instant I begin posting (well, after three or four strides, really) or if I go into two point position. It's like she thinks I'm falling off or something. It's definitely the biggest hurdle we're climbing over at the moment. I've been riding since the mid 70's so my balance is good, my position is good, I know my Equitation. I just have to convince my mare of that. lol

[@daveanderson8776]

I do struggle with this!

[@shellyday6960]

Lets see if i understand this: I should be posting to the leg closest to the rail - so if he is moving counter clockwise, I should be posting to the front R leg? And, is this correct - when that leg goes forward I go up, when it comes back and hits the ground, my butt should hit the saddle??? Am I understanding this correctly?

[@AmeliaNewcombDressage]

Yes! You got it!

[@debracarter7680]

Hi I like this video I've watched it 3 times. I've been practicing the up down on Jr my appendix. He's very bouncy on the right and the correct up- down is very hard I literally double bounce, even when counting the Up Down out loud when I'm riding. He's been this bouncy a long time. Good video and I'm getting better ice been practicing. Can you tell me if you have video on how to ride and train horse to tuck in even when riding in halter?

[@AmeliaNewcombDressage]

Thanks for watching Debra, at the moment, I haven't yet made a video on riding in just a halter, but once your horse is conditioned to going in an outline, he will prefer to carry himself properly, and he will go in the correct outline with the pressure from just a halter. Throughness comes from the back end all the way to the front. So if he's working properly at the back, and you're riding him into a contact with the halter, he will find the correct shape. Let me know how you get on!

[@hhp2788]

So am i understanding correctly when changing directions should then my diagonal always be using the inside diagonal? Meaning you will be working both sides of the horse but always using an inside diagonal? Thx good video. Helen

[@AppyDancer]

How do we know when to start sitting trot? I have a 21 yr old mare and I am 60. What point in her/my development should I be looking for?

[@meep_show]

When the horse is in its balance. With my 5 yr old i practise sitting trot but only in short periods

[@meep_show]

It depends on your riding and how your horse has been trained

[@kh.3630]

Hello, Please clarify what do you mean by "outside from leg"? which one? left or right?

[@AmeliaNewcombDressage]

Hi, The outside leg is the one closest to the rail/wall in your arena. The outside leg changes each time you change direction, so if you are tracking right, your outside leg is your left leg, and if you are tracking left, your right leg is your outside leg. Hope this helps!

[@suzannahkolbeck6973]

I feel like there is a ton of movement in your feet and lower leg. Are you applying a spur every time you sit? And if so, why?

[@ava1872]

I’m pretty late, but it’s to keep the horse engaged and in the trot!

[@rebeccaparmer2874]

I'm interested in your use of spurs. It appears that in your posting trot the spurs are hitting the horse as you rise and fall. I don't use spurs but would like your take on their usefulness in dressage riding.

[@Jazzy-kk4sk]

I'm not Amelia (obviously), but I decided to give my take on the question, I hope that's ok :) If you look at her legs when she comes around the bend of the circle, she's not making any contact with the spurs. It is why keeping the toes pointing forward, not out, is so important because then you can decide when to use them, and when to use your leg, or use nothing. If her toes were pointing out, then every time she used her leg she would have to use the spur (because the spur is then facing towards the horse instead of parallel to the horse). That also means that when the heels bounce to absorb the impact, having the toes forward means you won't be making contact with the horse every bounce, whereas if the toes are out every bounce would be kicking the horse. You can also see when she uses her leg with no spur vs leg with spur, the horse has different reactions. Spurs are used to refine aids. When you compare the surface area of your heel and the surface area of the spur, there's a big difference. All of the aids, up to Grand Prix, are in one small area so using spurs allows the rider to be very specific with exactly where each button is which helps communicate what you're asking. That's why they're so important, without them the movements are still achievable (as you can see with videos of people doing them without spurs) but generally, the quality of the movement isn't as polished.

[@youareamazingyesyou5880]

Im struggling to get the angle right in my body as it rises. im going straight up and down. and coming high out of the saddle. I cant seem to get the forward pelvic tilting motion at all

[@AmeliaNewcombDressage]

Keep practicing, it's a lifelong journey!

[@youareamazingyesyou5880]

@@AmeliaNewcombDressage awh Thank you :-) ... I will do

[@skoklarisa9596]

Yeahh same cuz my trainer said that I should STAND UP and it feels so difficult and wrong

[@Cathan1856]

The take away for me is the lower leg being still and swinging from the knee, thank you!

[@lagatka1]

But it's not literally going up and down it's the hips going forward and back in the saddle..

[@lynnes11]

Yes, I like to think of my hips as sort of swinging, a relaxed swing in time with the horse...

[@skoklarisa9596]

My trainer explained that I should go straight up, like standing up from a chair. And I just can’t get it right. She said I am leaning too far forward but when I lean back, my feet in response go forward. I will try and move hips forward and backwards instead today and see how it goes.

[@wyesmith]

So… I’ve just started riding for fun - does the weight then balance and transfer around the knee during the post? Is there much weight left in the foot or are you lighter and just using them for balance?

[@AmeliaNewcombDressage]

Think of holding a tennis ball behind your knee!

[@wyesmith]

Ok - I’ll try that thank you!

[@kellysheppard1939]

love it. thank you

[@AmeliaNewcombDressage]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@azizahgentala2757]

would you share how to keep contact to horse keeping trot? i really hard to kick while rising trot, thnk you😊

[@AmeliaNewcombDressage]

I have lots of videos on the sitting trot. Here is one that might help: kzbin.info/www/bejne/ppaldIWPhqaJfK8

[@meep_show]

I recently saw a really interesting video abt posting trot. Its from a Physio therapist who did awesome research. Its sadly in german but it basically says that the posting trot does not fasten the warming up process. I tried it myself on a better balanced horse and i didnt do posting trot in the entire session and it had no impact on the horse what so ever. The horse was actually better than usuall (which may have been her mood that day). With young horses that arent balanced i think posting trot is perfectly fine but with older, well balanced horses its not neccesary anymore if their muscles can manage to hold the riders weight properly. Heres the Podcast: kzbin.info/www/bejne/gXnSfYmmd7-BfZY

[@adnan_Ok]

Hi Amelia, if one is trotting in a straight line is there a right/wrong diagonal to post on?

[@AmeliaNewcombDressage]

That would depend if the horse had flexion or bend in the body! Great question!

[@adnan_Ok]

@@AmeliaNewcombDressage thank you.

[@PersonalTriumph2022]

How do you keep from plopping back down into the saddle ? I have not been able to ease myself down and not sure what to do ? Plopping down also makes me lose my rhythm and balance. I have been practicing the posting trot for a long time and still struggle with it. Does not look fluid like when you’re doing it.

[@AmeliaNewcombDressage]

HI Naciye, YOu've got to use your leg muscles to lower yourself into the saddle. It will come to you with practice and strengthening!

[@AmeliaNewcombDressage]

Thanks for watching and subscribing! 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! 🐴

[@leslielipko811]

I'm looking for your exercise book that I saw on tic tok. It was free could you send it to me please

[@AmeliaNewcombDressage]

Are you asking about the Training Scale PDF? Here is the link: amelianewcombdressage.com/plan-your-ride-training-scale-pdf-o/

[@falizianme5846]

I need to check what my lower leg is doing! 😳

[@traceymiller2038]

Discombobulated 🤣

[@lensimonis2271]

My back always hurts after posting for a while - like my back is jammed when I land in the saddle 😬

[@AmeliaNewcombDressage]

Check out this video, it might help: kzbin.info/www/bejne/rXi9k5yqerCifM0

[@joeyriley6354]

The posting trot is my worst gait 😭

[@melissaverdoni845]

did this help ??? i fell it will help me.

[@heatherduke7703]

I’m not sure that your lower leg demonstration was successful…

[@AmeliaNewcombDressage]

Let me know if you have questions I can help with!

[@jodyrosedahl4278]

It was helpful to me. I appreciated the explanation, and visual, of the pivot being the knee.

[@daveanderson8776]

Thank you so much this helped a lot 🐴🫶🏼