The Old Gray Mare

Posting At the Trot and Picking Up the Correct Diagonal



Posted: Sunday, September 18, 2011

by The Old Gray Mare
www.DressYourHorse.com

Many riders naturally feel when they have picked up the correct diagonal. Not everybody is able to get the diagonals right all of the time, however. Hopefully, this article will give you a few pointers that can help with this diagonal thing.

You might also want to check out my article, Posting on the Correct Diagonal – What Is It and Why Do It. It’s short, easy to read and explains posting.

If you have your own horse and practice posting on him, it’s actually easier to “learn the feel of the trot.” You learn to feel his gaits, and partner up with him. Everything you learn about your horse he also learns about you. Both of you develop into a team. As you develop and perfect your teamwork, everything gets easier, including picking up the correct diagonal.

Perhaps you ride different lesson horses and are finding it problematic to get that correct diagonal on some of them. Know that riding various horses is a distinct benefit in developing riding ability – Experts say that riding different horses develops you into a better rider because each horse is a unique character with distinctive gaits.

First of all, lets review posting. If you are riding to the right when you enter into the ring, you should be up and out of the saddle when the horse’s front leg NEXT TO THE RAIL is up. That is the right diagonal. When you turn around and the fence is on your horse’s left side, as his left front leg is up, you’ll be posting on the left diagonal. Remember: left foreleg and right hind leg work together at the trot and, conversely, right front leg and left rear leg move together.

If you are learning and have been unable to accurately get the correct diagonal (or you just cannot tell), it might be important to visually look – with instructor permission, lean over and look down until you see the leg up (or the shoulder move forward), then try to rise into the post the next time it’s up.

You might try posting as soon as the horse trots and you’ll probably be correct every time. Another way might be to count in even numbers. For instance, count 1 – 2 post; or sit the first few beats, count 1 – 2 – 3 – 4 post; or sit a little longer, count 1 – 2 – 3 – 4 – 5 – 6 and then post. Just remember it’s even numbers.

If you remain unsure of yourself, visualize and say up and down in concert with the raised leg on the rail. Observe the horse’s shoulder next to the fence. As that shoulder and leg goes forward, rise up. It is the same as counting. Just say up down, then post, and so on.

Sometimes it is hard to see the shoulder moving forward. In that case have someone tell you when the shoulder is forward or the leg is up. Remember the feel and the look and it will just come to you.

If you have picked up the wrong diagonal, fix it. Sit a beat and rise. Learn this well.

Learning to post diagonals takes a lot of practice. The sooner you can learn the process, and the sooner you correct mistakes that you make when posting and picking up the incorrect one, the sooner you will get proficient.

Here is another trick you and your instructor or assistant can use. It involves a visual cue. Use one long piece of bright color ribbon. Tie the ribbon right above the horse’s knee on the side you wish to post. (CAUTION: TIE LOOSE. DO NOT TIE SO THE RIBBON IS TOO TIGHT OR INTERFERES WITH CIRCULATION!) Now watch the leg with the ribbon as you pick up the post. As the leg readies to go up, rise into the post.

If you don’t get diagonals right away, take a deep breath, relax, and think about what you are doing. The horse leg rhythm stays the same. Watch the leg, catch the movement and go for it. Don’t stress …

There you go. You’ve got it. Great job!copyright Heidi Rucki of dressyourhorse.com
Up and out of saddle posting on the left diagonal-- note horse left front and hind right are up. Rider is out of saddle, hence left diagonal. Apologize for the darkness of picture - that's me some years back. Note also the big "NO NO" - no boots. Hey, when you get to ride and aren't wearing boots, you still jump at the chance as I did. Here I'm riding a Jack McGrane horse.

The Old Gray Mare writes for www.DressYourHorse.com and her Blog sites.
Heidi Rucki brings expertise as a horsewoman, dog lover and stained glass/mosaic artist. She is an accomplished freelance writer in the horse industry. Writing online as The Old Gray Mare, many of her current articles can be found on www.DressYourHorse.com. In the past, Rucki wrote for numerous horse organizations including The Connecticut Horse Council. She took early retirement from Phoenix Home Life where she wrote mutual fund prospectuses and was responsible for their submissions to the Securities and Exchange Commission. The Old Gray Mare writes to share knowledge and her love of horses for everyone but especially for novice and new horse owners. Besides her two main websites, she has recently published three new blog sites. Of those, her favorite is www.BeautyOfHorses.com.
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