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How do you post the trot in Western?

Updated: 10/27/2022
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Babytigera

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15y ago

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From Horseman's U.com:

Posting the trot in western is the same as English. Remember, horses cannot distinguish the difference in disciplines, only humans do. The movements of a single horse are the same regardless of a Western or English saddle.

Posting was invented to give rider and horse relief from constantly jarring in the saddle.

Diagonals were created to allow the outside legs (in a bend) to extend farther (they have more distance to travel) AND to allow weight OFF the inside leg during the rise of that leg, since it carries the majority of the weight when circling or bending. "Rise and fall with the front leg on the wall" is often used to describe 'when' to rise the post, but when no wall is present, you rise with the outside front leg to the bend you are riding.

If you've never posted before, try to 'feel' the two beats to the trot. Posting is the rising and falling of each beat, and it is a natural movement for a rider.

To begin learning to post, first learn to do a 'half seat', where you rise out of the saddle, drop weight in your heels (shock absorber) with the ball of your foot in the stirrup. Start at the walk and continue until you are comfortable with standing for 20 strides. Also, please do not try this on a skittish horse. Find one that's quiet and sensible. When performing this exercise, do not use the reins for support: a horse's mouth is sacred and should be treated with care and respect. If you need to, hold on to the horn, then graduate to holding the mane until you can balance without any need to hold on.

The balance you will learn from this exercise will help with the balance you will need to rise and fall at the trot, so it is important that you learn this and work at it. it will also help you to learn the post faster and help with balance for staying on during sudden unexpected moves from the horse. Learning to keep weight down in your heels and not 'stand' in your stirrup will serve you in any discipline.

Next, try the 'half seat' at the trot for short strides until you are comfortable with 20 strides again. Once you have the feel of balance without the need to hold on to anything, (average 5 to 10 tries for about 5-8 minutes per time) it's time to post.

Rise and fall with each diagonal movement. An important tip to remember: don't stand in your stirrups. This advice is not my recommendation as it teaches new riders to stand on the balls of their feet and sit upright. Proper posting is the forward 'roll' off the thighs with a soft rise. Many riders get into the habit of an up/down movement and have difficulty later relearning this. Too much up movement is wasted motion that can add stress to the horse's kidneys and spleen, and back muscles. A good post uses thigh muscles to lightly 'touch down' on the saddle, then back up again. It is not about sitting or dropping weight in the saddle on each post. It's a great way to tone the legs!

There really is no secret to any horse riding; it's just getting out there and practice, practice, practice; ride, ride, ride. In time you will pick up the 'feel' and rhythm of posting, and apply the principles of diagonals to refine and help your horse.

April Reeves

Horseman's U.com

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15y ago
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Q: How do you post the trot in Western?
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Related questions

What is the difference between the English and western trot?

The difference between thw western trot and the English trot is simple. The western trot is called a jog, which is much slower than the English trot. The English trot is called a trot, which is much quicker than western jog. Also you are not suppose to post in a western saddle you only do that in an English.


Can you post in a western saddle?

Of course you can. But most Western riders use a sitting trot. But when you trot, make sure you are on the right diagonal. :)


In the western discipline what is the equivalent of a trot?

The equivalent of a trot (in Western Riding) is called the jog. The differences are only verbal.


Does extended trot mean posting trot?

No, posting or rising trot is a way to ride the trot and you can post any type of trot. Extended trot is where the horse lengthens it's trot stride to cover more ground. Typically this causes the trot to smooth out a bit making it easier to sit the trot.


Can you have a walk and trot horse riding competition?

Yes. Riders in Western Pleasure, Equitation, and Dressage can compete in walk/trot classes.


How can you do a sit-trot on a horse?

A sitting trot in English riding or hunt seat is simply a slower trot in which the rider does not post. The rider takes a deep seat and absorbs the horses movement without posting in the saddle.


Is the jog preformed in dressage?

The jog is generally a western movement. The english equivalent would be the trot, which is more forward-going than the western jog. Dressage at the high levels requires several types of trot: collected, working, and extended. Arguably the passage is also a very slow, animated trot.


Should you post when you lope?

No you shouldn't, posting(or rising) is only used in the trot or jog :)


What happens to a riders body when a horse is trotting?

When you are riding a horse at a trot you can either sit the trot (something that require a lot of practice to be able to do well), or do a rising trot where you post (go up and down in the saddle) in time with the horse's outside leg.


How do you not feel like your going to fall off of a horse in the trot?

Squeezw with youe calfs and post!


Of a skip walk canter and trot which is not a gait in horses?

a skip. the horses main gaits are walk, trot, canter, and gallop for English horses, but walk, job, lope, and gallop for western


What do they call it when a horse does a canter but in the speed of a jog or trot?

collected canter, or in western terms, a lope Andalusiangirl