How to Post

If you know how to post at the trot, you can smooth out a rough ride. Few horses offer a sit-worthy ride at the extended trot. Posting is the rhythmic rising and sitting motion that allows you to remain in balance with a horse that’s too rough or fast at the trot to sit comfortably. The energy from the hindquarters will naturally push your hips up and slightly forward in the saddle with every other stride. On the downbeat of the trot, your seat softly drops back into the saddle.

Allow the horse's energy to lift you from the saddle. Push evenly into your stirrups. Keep your weight evenly balanced over the balls of your feet, and stretch down through your heels (keep your heels even with or slightly lower than your toes) as you rise. Also, try to keep your shoulders over your hips as you post. Only your hips should move forward, not your entire upper body. Try to keep the motion smooth and in rhythm with your horse's trot. It's easy to get "ahead" or "behind" while posting. If your horse is having trouble staying consistent, you might be out of sync with him.

When traveling on a circle, you’ll also need to time the up-and-down rhythm of your posting to help your horse stay in balance. This is called "riding on the correct diagonal." If your horse is circling or turning to the left, rise as your horse’s right foreleg reaches forward. If you are circling or turning to the right, rise as the left foreleg steps forward. Watch your horse’s shoulders as he moves at the walk and trot to determine which leg is forward. Ultimately you’ll want to be able to tell by feel alone. If you are having trouble feeling the movement of your horse’s shoulders, close your eyes at the walk. Out loud say, “left-right, left-right” in time with your horse’s moving legs. Open your eyes to see if you got it right.

When you’re at the trot, keep your eyes focused ahead and imagine your arms swinging in sync with your horse’s shoulders to help you feel your horse’s diagonal movement. If it’s safe to do so, you can also try closing your eyes for a few strides to help you tune in to your horse’s motion. When you’re first learning how to post, glance down with your eyes to see if you’re on the correct diagonal. In time, you’ll develop a feel for the different diagonals and be posting like a pro.

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