This article is from the September 2020 Horse Deals magazine.

Sit-Sit, Stand-Stand

with Ally O'Neil

With many strings to her dressage bow, Ally has enjoyed success at State and National levels, judges through to FEI and has been fortunate to spend time training in Europe. Ally quotes her most significant influences as long term mentor Adam Riess and enjoys training, focussing on improving her posture and position from the learnings of the great Richard Weiss.

This exercise is performed in trot.  It’s a great exercise for riders of all levels but it is actually quite challenging. The aim of the exercise is to make sure you are balanced in your posture, sitting in the most effective position so it is easier for the horse to carry you.

Overview

In trot, you will sit for two beats, and rise for two beats. And repeat! Instead of rising up and down to the trot in the normal “up-down, up-down” two-beat rhythm for a normal rising trot, you will be rising for two beats, “stand-stand” and sitting for two beats, “sit-sit”.

What you will gain

• Improved coordination with your posture in the trot rhythm

• A more positive influence on the horse’s rhythm, and improved ability to keep energy and momentum

• Greater awareness of where your ‘centre’ is, with a more engaged core

• Taller and more upright upper body position

• A more stable lower leg position

Before you start

Make sure you are warmed up and the horse is travelling nicely forward in the trot, keeping a clear rhythm and tempo. Keeping the horse travelling forward needs to be the priority in this exercise, as keeping the momentum will be a huge help in getting yourself coordinated and getting the hang of it! Keep in mind that this exercise will get you using muscles that you never knew you had — or didn’t have! — so keep your sessions short but try to dedicate a few minutes to this each time you ride to really see the results in your posture and position.

The exercise

1. Start by standing in your stirrups as tall as you can in the trot and STAY in standing trot for at least a few circles. Think about keeping your hips well upwards and forwards, and even over the front of the pommel of the saddle, with a very straight and tall upper body. This will help your body awareness in the trot rhythm and help you understand just how tall you will need to be upstanding in your posture to keep your balance and out-of-the-saddle-stance in the STAND-STAND. Give yourself a little break (your legs will really be feeling it!) and then get ready to try the SIT-SIT, STAND-STAND.

2. From rising trot, try one repetition of SIT-SIT, STAND-STAND, and then continue rising trot on. Give yourself time to coordinate, and then repeat a single repetition. It is actually harder than it sounds, and it is better to maintain the quality in this exercise, really focusing on keeping up with the rhythm in your posture with positive coordination, than to really lose your balance altogether and slap down in the saddle on the horse’s back. Use the rising trot in between your repetitions to keep the momentum as the horse will usually begin to slow down. As you find yourself becoming more confident and balanced in the single repetition, try two repetitions, and then so on.

Ally’s Tips:

• Feel the rhythm in your feet, and in the stirrups. Use them as a platform for your balance, with flexible ankles.

• Try to land REALLY lightly in the saddle for the sit-sit, and quickly spring back up for the stand-stand. If you fall back and slap down in the saddle, it can be difficult to get yourself back up for the stand-stand. Think, ‘(stand) TALL-TALL, (sit) LIGHT-LIGHT’. Imagine you are sitting on a hot potato!

• Don’t overdo it. Quality over quantity, but regular practice will really make a positive difference.

Watch Ally ride through the exercise here: www.horsedeals.com.au/news/rise-trot-exercise

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