To Sit or Rise?

A horse working over its back is what we are wanting to all strive for.

RISE or SIT???

This seems an obvious one, but it does need to be said, for the lower levels….

RISE to the trot if your horse is prone to hollowing and / or tightening through the back. Rising will encourage the back to soften and swing through more freely, so increasing the length of stride, ability to engage and so will achieve self-carriage more easily. If you yourself are prone to getting tense / nervous, then rising will help you relax and will in turn lower your centre of gravity.

So many competitors come into the arena sitting to the trot with the back clearly tightening more and more, with the steps shortening all the time. I can’t believe I’m the only judge urging / praying / hoping in vain that at some point, they’ll start rising. I think that this type of competitor thinks they look smarter when they sit and that I’ll judge them on how ‘smart they look’, I DON’T! I always look at your horse and how he moves / performs.