How Do You Post On A Horse? Beginner Guide

Posting on a horse means rising up and down in the saddle in time with the horse’s trot. This action helps you ride comfortably and keeps the horse happier during faster work.

Starting to ride a horse is an exciting journey. Learning the basic horse riding techniques is the first big step. For beginners, mastering the post, also known as the two-point seat or rising trot, is very important. It lessens the jarring impact on your body and helps you learn balance. This guide will walk you through everything you need to know, from getting ready in the barn to staying balanced at a steady trot. We will cover mounting a horse, proper riding posture, and even some simple horse care basics.

Preparing for Your Ride

Before you even think about getting in the saddle, good preparation sets the stage for success. Safety and comfort are key for both you and the horse.

Gear Check and Safety First

Your gear must fit correctly. Ill-fitting gear can cause discomfort to you or lead to issues with the horse. Always check your equipment before you ride.

Essential Rider Equipment

Helmet: Always wear an approved riding helmet. It protects your head.
Boots: Wear boots with a small heel. The heel stops your foot from sliding too far through the stirrup.
Pants: Choose comfortable riding pants or jodhpurs. Jeans can cause chafing.

Checking the Horse Tack

The gear on the horse is called tack. Correct saddle placement is vital. A saddle that slips can cause a serious accident.

Saddle Check: Make sure the saddle pad is smooth. The saddle should sit squarely on the horse’s back, centered behind the shoulder blades.
Girth Tightness: The girth (the strap under the belly) must be snug. It should be tight enough so the saddle does not slip, but not so tight that it hurts the horse. Two fingers should fit snugly under the girth when the horse is standing.
Stirrup Length: For posting, your stirrups should be slightly shorter than for sitting the trot. This helps you rise easily.

The Importance of Mounting a Horse

Learning the right way for mounting a horse is a core equestrian skill. Always mount from the left side (the near side).

Approach: Walk to the horse’s left side, near the shoulder.
Mounting Block: Use a mounting block if the horse is tall or you are a beginner. This keeps you from reaching too high or putting too much weight on one side of the saddle.
Stirrup Placement: Place your left foot firmly into the left stirrup.
The Lift: Hold the reins gently in your left hand. Place your right hand on the back of the saddle or the pommel. Push up with your left leg. Swing your right leg smoothly over the horse’s back, avoiding kicking the horse’s hindquarters.
Sitting Down: Settle gently into the saddle. Do not plop down. Put your right foot into the right stirrup.

Grasping the Horse Gaits

To post effectively, you must know the horse gaits. Posting is used specifically during the trot.

The Walk

The walk is a slow, four-beat gait. It is rhythmic and steady. You sit solidly in the saddle during the walk.

The Trot

The trot is a two-beat gait. The horse moves its legs in diagonal pairs. For example, the front right leg and the back left leg move together, then the front left and back right move together. This creates a rocking motion. This rocking motion is why we post.

The Canter

The canter is a three-beat gait, faster than the trot. You typically sit the canter, though experienced riders may post at a slow canter (a hand gallop).

Table 1: Gait Basics and Rider Position

Gait	Beats per Cycle	Rider Action	Purpose
Walk	Four	Sit Deeply	Slow, controlled movement.
Trot	Two (Diagonal Pairs)	Post (Rise and Fall)	Balancing faster movement.
Canter	Three	Sit Mostly	Faster, smoother movement.

Deciphering the Posting Rhythm

Posting is an up-and-down motion timed perfectly with the horse’s trot. It saves your back and the horse’s back.

The Basic Concept of Posting

When you post, you are momentarily taking your weight out of the saddle as the horse lifts its back. This allows the horse to move its back muscles freely without absorbing your weight constantly.

The trot has two diagonal beats. Posting should match these beats. You rise when the horse takes weight onto one diagonal pair, and you sit down when the weight shifts to the other diagonal pair.

Finding the Correct Diagonal

This is the trickiest part for new riders. You must know which diagonal you are on. The diagonal is named after the front leg that hits the ground last in the diagonal pair.

If the horse’s right front leg hits the ground just after you push up, you are on the “Right Diagonal.”
If the horse’s left front leg hits the ground just after you push up, you are on the “Left Diagonal.”

How to Tell Which Diagonal You Are On:

Watch the Shoulder: When the horse is trotting, watch the outside shoulder of the horse.
The Push-Up Moment: You push up from the stirrups just as the outside hind leg and the inside front leg hit the ground together.
The Sit Down Moment: You sit down as the outside front leg hits the ground.

If you post when the horse is moving away from the diagonal pair, you will feel a bump, and the horse may slow down or feel uneven. This is called “posting on the wrong diagonal.”

Tip for Beginners: In a riding school or lesson, your instructor will often tell you, “Post left!” or “Post right!” Just listen to their cues at first. Once you feel the rhythm, you can figure out the diagonal yourself.

Step-by-Step Guide to Posting

Now let’s focus on the physical action itself. This requires balance and core strength, not just leg power.

H5: Generating the Movement

Do not use your hands on the reins to pull yourself up! Your hands should maintain a steady contact with the horse’s mouth. All the power comes from your legs and core.

The Starting Position: Begin at a walk. Ask your instructor to ask the horse to trot. As the horse begins to trot, keep your seat deep for a moment until you feel the rhythm start.
The Push: When you feel the horse move its legs in a diagonal pair, gently shift your weight to your heels. Push up slightly through your legs, allowing your hips to lift just clear of the saddle. Imagine you are pushing your hips upward toward the ceiling, not forward toward the horse’s neck.
The Hold (Suspension): Stay suspended above the saddle for a brief moment. Keep your knees soft and your calves resting lightly against the horse’s side. Your shoulders should stay directly over your hips.
The Descent: As the horse’s back comes up to meet you (the other diagonal pair lands), slowly and smoothly lower your seat back into the saddle. Do not drop or slam down. Your weight should settle gently.
Repeat: Immediately prepare for the next upward push.

H5: Maintaining Proper Riding Posture While Posting

Good riding posture prevents strain and aids control. When posting, your body should act like a shock absorber.

Eyes Up: Look forward, not down at the horse’s neck or your feet. Look where you want to go.
Shoulders Back: Keep your shoulders relaxed but upright. Avoid slouching forward.
Hips: Your hips should move vertically, straight up and straight down. They should not swing forward or backward.
Heels Down: Keep your heels dropped slightly lower than your toes. This anchors your leg and helps absorb shock.
Knees and Thighs: Your knees should remain close to the saddle flap, but you should not grip tightly with your inner thigh. Gripping too hard locks your lower leg and prevents you from absorbing the motion.

H5: Stirrup Use and Weight Distribution

The stirrups are your base of support, not handles to hang onto.

Ball of the Foot: You should balance your weight on the balls of your feet (the wide part just behind your toes). Never put your whole foot in the stirrup.
Weight Transfer: When posting, most of your weight shifts from your seat to your feet during the upward phase. When you sit down, the weight redistributes back into the saddle.

If you find yourself leaning forward or back, adjust your stirrup length or focus on keeping your hips directly over your heels. Poor weight distribution is a common hurdle in learning beginner horse riding.

Troubleshooting Common Posting Problems

Many new riders struggle with the rhythm or balance. Be patient; this takes practice.

H4: Difficulty Finding the Diagonal

If you constantly feel the horse resisting when you post, you are likely on the wrong diagonal.

Try This Drill:
At a slow trot, focus only on gently lifting your seat an inch off the saddle, then sitting down. Do this without worrying about timing for a few seconds. Feel which way the horse naturally wants you to lift. Once you feel a “lift” from the horse’s back, use that moment to push up. Once you think you have the right diagonal, ride that direction for a full minute. If it feels smooth, you got it right! If it feels jarring, switch your upward movement immediately.

H4: Gripping Too Hard

When riders get nervous or lose balance, they often squeeze with their knees or calves.

Consequence: Gripping too tightly prevents your body from moving naturally with the horse. It makes the ride rougher and tires the horse quickly.
Fix: Practice rising and sitting without holding the reins for balance (have your instructor hold the reins if necessary). Focus on hanging your legs long and letting your weight settle into your heels.

H4: Bouncing or Slamming Down

Bouncing happens when you use too much leg strength to spring upward or when you let gravity slam you back into the saddle.

Fix: Think “slow up, soft down.” The upward motion should be controlled by a gentle push from your legs, while the downward motion is a controlled lowering, meeting the saddle softly. Imagine you are lowering a feather onto the saddle.

Transitioning Between Gaits and Stays

Mastering the post means smoothly moving between gaits and maintaining the correct seat when needed.

H5: Moving from Walk to Trot (Posting)

This transition must be smooth.

Sit deeply in the saddle at the walk.
Use your legs gently to ask for more energy (a half-halt, then a leg squeeze).
As the horse steps into the trot, allow your hips to lift out of the saddle following the natural rhythm you established earlier.

H5: Moving from Post to Sit (Stopping the Post)

When you need a calmer pace or need to halt, you must stop posting.

If you are posting, you are on one of the two diagonals.
Wait for the moment you are supposed to sit down (when the horse’s inside hind leg and outside front leg are landing, or when the outside front leg lands, depending on how you define the diagonal).
Instead of pushing up again, simply allow your weight to settle firmly back into the saddle and stay there.
If you sit down at the moment you should be pushing up, you will feel a bump, and you are now sitting the trot. If you sit smoothly, you have successfully changed to sitting the trot.

H5: Moving from Post to Walk

To slow down from a posting trot to a walk, use your voice (“Easy”) and your seat before your reins.

Use a gentle squeeze with your legs to maintain energy momentarily.
Lightly close your fingers on the reins to signal slowing down.
When the horse slows its pace and breaks into a walk, let your seat settle fully and relax your legs slightly.

Beyond the Basics: Developing Equestrian Skills

Posting is the foundation for more advanced equestrian skills. As you improve, your seat becomes more independent.

H4: Developing Core Strength

Posting requires you to balance your body over a moving platform. Your core muscles (stomach and lower back) are crucial for stability.

Exercise: While posting, try briefly releasing one hand from the rein and placing it on your hip. Then switch hands. This forces your core to stabilize without relying on the reins for balance. Only do this when you feel very secure.

H4: Understanding Horse Handling

Good horse handling includes effective communication through your body. When you post correctly, you are communicating clearly. A horse that is not constantly fighting your weight bouncing on its back is happier and moves better. Confident, rhythmic riding encourages the horse to use its back muscles correctly.

H4: Introduction to Different Types of Trot

Once posting becomes automatic, you will notice different types of trot.

Working Trot: A steady, balanced trot used for general riding and schooling. This is where you spend most of your posting time.
Lengthened Trot (or Posting Trot Extended): The strides get longer, and the horse covers more ground. Posting becomes slightly more bouncy, and you must push upward slightly more forcefully to keep up.

Brief Note on Horse Care Basics

Remember, riding is only part of the picture. Good riders know their animals. Basic horse care basics include checking their legs for heat or swelling after work, offering fresh water, and ensuring their blankets (if used) are dry. A happy, sound horse makes posting much easier!

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

H3: How long does it take to learn how to post?

For most people, learning the physical motion of posting takes a few lessons. However, learning to find the correct diagonal consistently might take several weeks or even months of consistent riding practice. Consistency is key to making it automatic.

H3: Can I hold the saddle horn or pommel while posting?

While tempting, you should avoid grabbing the saddle for balance. Holding on prevents your seat from following the horse’s motion. This stops you from absorbing the shock correctly, causing you to bounce more and interfering with the horse’s balance. Use your legs and lower body stability instead.

H3: What is the difference between posting trot and sitting trot?

The posting trot involves rising out of the saddle in rhythm with the horse’s diagonal pairs to absorb the shock of the two-beat gait. The sitting trot involves staying deep in the saddle, absorbing the shock with your seat and core muscles. Beginners usually start with the posting trot because it is physically easier to manage the movement.

H3: Should my stirrups be shorter or longer for posting?

Stirrups should be slightly shorter for posting than for sitting the trot. A shorter stirrup length brings your knee up slightly, allowing your thigh to stay close to the saddle flap and your hip to lift more freely. If the stirrups are too long, it is hard to push up effectively.

H3: What if my horse keeps breaking back to a walk when I try to trot?

This usually means you are using your hands too much or squeezing too hard with your legs when asking for the trot. Try a clear voice command (“Trot!”) followed by a gentle, steady squeeze with both lower legs just behind the girth area. Relax your hands immediately after giving the command so the horse doesn’t think the leg squeeze means “slow down.”