INFO:

Do your legs shoot forward in the rising trot? There are a lot of reasons this can happen, and like most things in riding, it’s not black and white. It’s not just a quad-dominant pattern or just a glute-driven one—everything is firing in different proportions and constantly adapting to the movement of the horse. But with the riders I work with, I often find that shifting their mental model of the rising trot from a squat pattern (where the knees travel forward and back) to a hinge pattern (where the hips initiate the rise) can make a big difference. When you squat, your quads extend the knee, which works well on the ground—but in the saddle, with the knee acting as a fixed point, this can cause the lower leg to shoot forward. A hinge movement (think deadlift mechanics) allows the glutes and hamstrings to drive the rise, helping the knee stay more stable while the upper body moves up and down. Of course, things will look different on a moving horse, but off-horse practice with a hinge or band-resisted hip movement can help build awareness. If this sounds familiar, try experimenting: think of your rising trot as a hip hinge instead of a squat, do some movement prep before you ride, and see if it helps your lower leg stay quieter. Bonus points if you video yourself before and after!