Becoming a Better Rider Day 21 – Trotting Without Stirrups
And yes, here we are at day 21 of our 31-day challenge! How is everything going for you so far? Are you finding the exercises and plan easy to keep up with? Or do you feel like you are falling behind? Remember this challenge can be custom made to your specifications, and what you want to work on. If doing something different every day is difficult, maybe work on one thing a week. There is no right or wrong way to do it, as long as you are doing it, and then you will see progress.
Day 21 isn’t too bad, in my opinion but it will make your legs feel like jello if you do it correctly. And probably your abs too.
More Stirrup-less Work
Today we are going to be working without stirrups again. And we are going to intensify this by trotting without stirrups, both sitting and attempting a rising trot.
The first thing you need to do is remove your stirrups from your saddle. You can just run them up, and cross them over the front of the saddle, but I have found it to be easier and more comfortable to remove the stirrups from the saddle all together.
You will need to have a way to get onto your horse, or be a gymnast and vault on. But for me, having a mounting block is the easiest way to climb aboard without stirrups.
Ok, so now you are on your horse, less stirrups. You need to revisit good form while on your horse. Pay attention to where your legs and arms are. How are your hands? How is your posture? These are things to think about on the beginning. Now ask your horse to move forward at a walk. Are you able to maintain your balance? If you are, do a couple of laps around your riding arena. Go both directions at the walk, and when you feel comfortable, ask your horse for a trot.
First Things Next
When you first ask for trot, you will want to be going forward in a sitting trot in order to keep your balance. I would not suggest you have your horse move off in a really extended trot because you could end up bouncing right off of him! You want his trot to be slow, and this will be easier for you to sit. When your horse is moving in a slow trot, you are also not bouncing as much, which in turn will save his back. Bouncing on your horses back is not pleasant for you OR him.
Continue your slow sitting trot both directions of the arena. I would suggest doing this for no more than 5 minutes. Have you ever trotted without stirrups for a full 5 minutes? It isn’t easy, unless you are a very fit and accomplished rider. After you have completed sitting trot, bring your horse back to a walk, or even halt.
Spend a few minutes in walk and stretch your legs.
Time For Rising Trot
If you are feeling up to it, you can now try rising trot. When you are doing this, it will be a little bit different than rising trot with stirrups. You won’t be able to launch yourself out of the saddle. It will be more like a slight rise up and forward. But it is slight. You will be using your thighs, and using gravity while your horses foot falls to push yourself up out of the saddle.
It is difficult to explain, but once you feel it, I am sure you will understand.
If you can do rising trot 1 time around your arena, this is enough for your first time. But every day that you ride, take a few minutes without your stirrups, and try to go a little bit further, and a little bit further with your rising trot, without stirrups.
Why No Stirrups?
By working in this exercise consistently you will increase your muscle strength of your inner thighs, as well as your lower abdominal muscles. It will help to stabilize you in the saddle, as well as help with your balance as well as posture.
That’s it for today!
Once you have your arena work done, your horse is put away along with your equipment, draw the big red “X” over day 21. But don’t forget to write down your plank time too.
And as always, be sure to recognize yourself for a job well done, and be proud of how far you have come, even in only 21 days.
