Are you ready to ride the Sitting Trot with effortless ease, but don't know HOW or where to start?
When stacking stones, it is important that the foundation is secure or everything will topple down. The same applies to the balance of the rider in the sitting trot. In order to sit with ease and balance, you must have good support first and foremost. Without that support, you will always find yourself gripping and compensating which wastes energy and reduces the ability to communicate with your horse effectively.
šĀ Stop the struggle. Learn how to help yourself and your horse to sit the trot better.
šĀ Stop enduring the movement. Learn how to let the horseās movement move YOU.
šĀ Stop the bouncing. Learn how to move WITH the horse.
šĀ Stop the gripping. Learn how to relax around the horse and let the horse carry you.
šĀ Stop the stiffness. Learn the tools to become supple so you donāt brace against the horseās movement.
šĀ Stop holding your horse back. Learn how to allow your horseās back to move in a full and healthy way.
šĀ Stop holding yourself back. Learn how to remove your own obstacles so that you can progress in your riding.
šĀ Stop dreading the sitting trot.Ā Learn how to love it!
The Sitting Trot Mastery Program is a transformative experience that will beautifully develop your sitting trot from stiff, bouncing, and rigid to SUPPLE, BALANCED, and ENJOYABLE.
Enrollment closing...
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The journey is just as important as the destination.
Luckily, you can have and enjoy both!
So manyĀ issuesĀ in the sitting trot!!! Is it really possible to go beyond them?
- No understanding of the actual mechanics
- Canāt figure out how to move WITH the horse
- Horse is too hard to sit (bounce, bounce, bounce)
- Horseās back gets tight when you sit the trot
- Horse gets angry or annoyed when you sit the trot
- Wobbling midsection
- Back pain (ouch!)
- Chair seat (oh my!)
- Sitting too heavy on the seat bones or back pockets
- Perching or tipping forward; canāt sit back
- Pinching, gripping legs
- Legs that wobble each stride
- Losing stirrups whenever you try to sit the trot
- One leg gets shorter than the other leg.
- Canāt transition from rising trot to sitting trot
- Shoulders get tight
- Bracing against the movement
- Hip flexors get tight and tense
- Legs bracing against the stirrups or bracing legs against the thigh or knee rolls
- Lifting heels and gripping with calves
- Knees come up as soon as you sit the trot
- Hands bouncing (bounce, bounce, bounce)
- Unable to keep a steady contact when sitting
- Unable to aid accurately in sitting trot
- Donāt even know how to aid in sitting trot
- Canāt keep horse forward, horse sucks back when you sit the trot
- Canāt regulate speed or tempo, horse gets too fast or too slow
WHY?! Why would you want to fix these issues? Why now?
Well, letās start with HOW YOUR HORSE FEELS? Would you like your horse to be comfortable with your movement and weight? Not flinching or dropping the back every time you try to sit the trot? Not bumped in the mouth with the reins every time your hands start bouncing because you are bouncing? Not gripped or thumped on the sides by your legs? (and it is no surprise that horses appreciate this!)
The inability to sit the trot might not all be due to your own inability. Some of it may be that your horse really is HARD TO SIT. Luckily, this is not something you just have to accept. You can change this, and in factā¦ you need to! If your horseās back and hips are too stiff to let you sit, your horse NEEDS you to learn how to help him become more supple and therefore, more āsittableā.
Or what about being able to COMMUNICATE EFFECTIVELY with your horse? Being able to give the correct aids at the correct time makes a huge difference in your relationship with your horse because your aids start to make sense to the horse! (and it is no surprise that horses appreciate this, too!)
Then, what about TRAINING EFFECTIVELY? When you can finally SIT THE TROT WELL and have greater effectiveness of your seat and aids, you are no longer stuck in the never-ending spiral of doing the same thing and getting the same lackluster results. You can finally make progress because you are able to be a more EFFECTIVE rider. (both you and your horse will appreciate this!)
And last, but definitely not least, letās talk aboutĀ HOW YOU FEEL? Would you like to feel supple, balanced, and confident in your sitting trot? What doors would that open up for you? Feel comfortable on video and in photos? Be comfortable going to clinics or competitions? Or even if it is not about how you look to ANYONE else, but you just want to feel GOOD in the saddle - for YOURSELF. (I mean, who wouldn't want this?)
Why would you WAIT to feel good, have your horse feel good, communicate well with your horse, and train effectively so you could progress in your riding? Why would you waste any more of your precious time doing anything ELSE?
-> There IS A WAY that YOU can learn this in a way that is fun AND suits YOUR learning style and curiosity (because who wants to FORCE themselves to learn dry, boring, theoretical crap without knowing how to apply it to their riding right away?)
Ā
-> There IS A WAY to learn this with reasonable EASE without huge amounts of pain and suffering (because who really wants to withstand hours of gruelling trotting without stirrups, bloody knees, and popping Ibuprofen like M&Ms?)
-> There IS A WAY to do this in a few short weeks EVEN IF you do not ride every day (because who doesnāt have a busy life to juggle and feel like they have a clock ticking ātick-tockā... and itās not like any of us are getting any younger, right?)
Weāve created a proven process that can be used by every rider! And, this is how...
The sitting trot does not need to be an elusive mystery.
Itās not unattainable. Not for you.
Ā
In fact, we have three simple golden principles we use
whenever we approach any seat issue.
But I can hear what youāre thinkingā¦
Ā
Ā
So, I'll tell you a little bit about us...
Ā
Briefly, "we" are Thomas and Shana Ritter. We run the Artistic Dressage Program, where we educate riders how to train their horses themselves, in accordance with classical principles and biomechanics. Thomas is the author of three books (and many eBooks), with another on the way.
We used to subscribe to the "many hours at the longeline" prescription. Now, don't misunderstand me, longe lessons are invaluable. But they were only a small part of the equation. And many riders do not have access to good quality longe lessons (and bad ones could be even worse than none at all).
Just "doing your time" being jostled around at the longeline, ENDURING the horse's movement, doesn't actually do anything at all to develop your seat.
The crucial component to make those longe lessons "effective", we discovered, was the right combination of tactical instruction and imagery exercises.
And then we discovered that riders could apply these exercises AT ANY TIME (even when NOT on the horse at all), and their riding and seat dramatically improved.
But then something else happened that DRAMATICALLY changed our entire approach (and accelerated the rate of progress in our students 10-fold).
One day we received an email from a new student in one of our courses. It just turned out that she was a Feldenkrais Practitioner. I had heard of Feldenkrais, and knew that it could be a revolutionary approach to help athletes of all sorts (and humans, in general). But, admittedly, we had no first-hand experience with Feldenkrais, and honestly had no idea exactly HOW revolutionary it could be!
So, a really interesting series of conversations ensued.
The result was a collaboration between all of us. Her name is Catherine McCrum and she is a Feldenkrais Practitioner and Gestalt Psychotherapist located in London U.K.
Together we have explored applying Feldenkrais concepts to riders and horses, and subsequently Catherine has enriched most of our online courses with her Feldenkrais lessons.
The results for the students should not have been such a big surprise for us. We knew it would be helpful, but we did not realize just how much it would revolutionize the way students develop their seats.
Ā
Ā Thereās a little bit more background here, in case you are interested...
In 2021, together we produced a course called "The Rider Makeover" using this Trifecta approach, and it has been a HUGE success. Then in 2022, we used the same approach to teach a course on the Rising Trot, and it also was a HUGE SUCCESS!!!
Then, in 2024, after many requests, weĀ applied the same approach to the Sitting Trot, andĀ thisĀ was also a HUGE SUCCESS!!!
NOW here we are in 2026 running the course again.
"Until I found Thomas and Shana my ethos towards training my horses was a very lonely place. Now I feel Iām in a community that āgets itā and that gives me strength and confidence."
- Maxine Lowrie
"Sitting trot has been a bit of a struggle for me after not riding for so long. This course was perfect timing for helping me help my horse move better, while helping me find my āseatā for sitting the trot again. We still have a long way to go, my horse and I, but with the help of this course we are so much further ahead than just puddling around on our own... I especially love the theory lessons, and the added Feldy lessons are terrific."
- Terrie Douglas, USA
"This course contains so much information you will want to go back and re-watch or re-listen to a lot of it. If you are a visual learner, a kinetic learner, or an oral learner, there is something for you. The Ritters bring this topic down to basics, and explain their own struggles over the years, so you know youāre not alone!"
- JH, Walnut Creek, CA
"I love it when my beautiful kind horse gets warmed up and forward and starts to flow along underneath me . Itās like riding a cloud. This used to hardly ever happen. Now Iām learning how to get us to that place more."
- Zelda Cheval
How it works...
This is a proven system to help you learn the body awareness, coordination, and balance that you need in order to confidently and effectively ride the sitting trot. You will also learn exercises and strategy to help TRAIN your horse to become more "sittable." Taught by Dr. Thomas Ritter and Shana Ritter, with rider awareness lessons by Catherine McCrum and Charlotte Zetterberg
Rider Mechanics Theory
True understanding is transcendent! In each module, you will learn the WHAT and the WHY so that you have the understanding you need in order to implement the other lessons in the course. Each section builds up on the skills and knowledge gained in the previous sections, so that your understanding and abilities systematically develop through theĀ 12-weeks of this course. Contains videos and downloadable PDFs.
Feldenkrais Lessons
With these at-home lessons you can do anytime, on your schedule, you will gain the body awareness tools you need to learn how to ride with balance, feel, and coordination. Feldenkrais is a method that helps you to understand the unconscious ways of moving that are limiting you from being able to move really well. The beauty is that it helps you make subtle changes that can yield a dramatic result in your riding.
Rider Imagery Lessons
When you have the right image in your mind's eye of what you are aiming to achieve, you are much more likely to actually obtain it. We have compiled imagery lessons (one for each topic) that can help bring these concepts to life in your mind. Then you can carry these images in your mind as you ride. For visual learners, this is the missing piece between theory and application.
Horse Training Exercises
Sitting the trot is not only about the rider. If the horse is too stiff to sit, it makes more sense to address the horse-end rather than blame it all on the rider. In each module, you will get training exercises you can use to help your horse become more supple and "sittableā. These biomechanics-based exercises help you to develop your horse's suppleness and balance to improve the quality of your horse's elasticity and throughness.
FeldenRide
Charlotte Zetterberg has developed for this course a series of short, gentle movement lessons inspired byĀ the FeldenkraisĀ Method to help you as a rider improveĀ your posture, balance, suppleness, and self-awareness in the saddle. These audio lessonsĀ are performed in the saddle and highly recommended by our students as a way of tuning into yourself and your horse as you warm up.
Bi-weekly Group Coaching Q&A Sessions
Every 2 weeks, you can attend the live Q&A session with Thomas to get all your questions answered. You can submit your question in advance, or ask live right there in the session chat. All sessions are recorded and downloadable.Ā You will get access to an electronic calendar that syncs with your calendar. It makes it easy to find the info for the upcoming sessions - and itĀ shows you the time in your timezone too!
Exclusive STM-Program Audio Podcast
Like a treasure trove of inspiration and helpful solutions, you can return to these again and again, anytime you need an added boost! You will get access to an exclusive STM members-only podcast where you can listen to every STM course training from any place, at any time. Listen on the horse, in the car, while walking the dog, or while doing barn chores.
A Schedule Built for Success (YOUR success!)
After nearly 10 years of teaching online courses, we have learned a thing or two about what online learning requires in order for students to have success. Students thrive best when they have ample time to digest each module of content before moving on to the next. We have spaced this course out so that you will have two full weeks for each module. We made this course and schedule so you can do it! Ā
āMy horse is very uncomfortable to sit in trot. Over the years none of my teachers ever gave practical tips on how to sit. The imagery parts have helped a lot. Me using those images helps my horse relax, which makes him a little bit less uncomfortable, which makes the work on collection easier, which makes him even less uncomfortable.āĀ -Ā ET
āThe Sitting Trot Mastery course has really helped my horse and I improve our balance and confidence. He is a young horse and was struggling with his balance and was actually pretty crooked. The course did a great job of breaking down the steps to help me help my horse to use himself better, and that helped me to sit better. He seems much happier and that makes me happy :)ā
- Erin Honeycutt, USA
āMost of the times I felt riding sitting trot very uncomfortable... The course gave me tools to analyze and correct my issues (the main one was tension in every part of my body!) The course was not only about mastering sitting trot, it also provided great gymnastic exercises, which I will continue to incorporate in my riding sessions... I certainly would recommend taking the course and joining the Rittersā community, which is very supportive and caring.ā
- Galina Fuks, USA
āI loved the intensive length of this class, long enough to make and see progress, but not too long that I couldnāt keep up or get distracted. The Feldenkrais exercises were a great addition to the material. The exercises included in this class have become my new favorites and I will return to this material again and again for inspiration.āĀ -Ā MS, USA
āDespite having had decades of excellent instruction, it took the Ritters to teach me to be calmer, more analytical, and therefore much more effective in my riding. Everyone is happier AND we make better progress. My horses and I all thank Thomas Ritter and Shana Ritter.ā
- Anne Zahradnik
āI admit that I felt very overwhelmed at the start of my Ritter journey and weāve had some bumps and setbacks, but a year later I feel so much more empowered and my relationship with my horse is so much better.Ā I enjoy riding again and I know that he and I are on the right path, and Iāve found the right community of people to help us succeed. šā
- Katharine Trevelyan
What's inside the Sitting Trot Mastery Program...
MODULE 1:
UNFOLD: Finding Freedom of Movement
In this module, we explore the roots of tension and bracing against the movement of the horse. By shifting your perspective and perception of how the horse's movement affects you, you can begin to allow the movement to flow through you rather than catapulting you into the air with each stride. You will learn how to set your horse up for success in the walk so that you have a better quality trot right from the beginning (which is more comfortable to sit).
MODULE 2:
BALANCE: Self-Carriage
In this module, we establish the foundations of good balance which enable you to stay centered without needing to grip to stay in the movement of the horse. When you discover your own self-carriage, you are able to relax your arms, shoulders, and legs softly around the horse. You will learn exercises that help both you and your horse achieve a high calibre of balance together.
MODULE 3:
AWARE: Becoming aware of the horseās (and your own) movement
In this module, we develop your feel and awareness. By developing your awareness of the movement,Ā you unlock the ability to befriend it. By befriending the movement, you enable the ability to work with the movement as an ally. You will learn exercises which develop your feel and understanding of the horse's movement.
MODULE 4:
CHANGE: Transitions
In this module, we explore and experience change through transitions. You will learn how to work with your transitions to improve the ability of your own body to sit the trot better and to help your horse become more "sittable". You will learn exercises which teach you how to finesse the transitions to work better for you and your horse.
MODULE 5:
MOVE: Moving WITH the horse and Letting the horse move you
In this module, we reap the rewards of all the amazing work you have done in the earlier modules. You get to learn how to work WITH the movement and let it move you. You learn how to not only not brace against the movement, but to let it flow through your body. You will also learn exercises to help the horse so that this interplay of movement between your two bodies becomes more harmonious.Ā
MODULE 6:
CREATE: Shaping the horse with your seat
In this module, you learn how to use your seat in the sitting trot to influence the horse more effectively, thereby improving the quality of the horse's movement with better elasticity and smoother swinging of the back, which make the horse inherently more comfortable to sit. This enables you to sit better, which enables you to influence the horse even more effectively.
āThese courses and the daily feldenkrais work has helped me to become looser and more aware and that has changed a lot for me. The horses really like it.Ā Finally, after two years or more of "feeling" vulnerable, I no longer feel vulnerable. IĀ feel uplifted and good about where I am, safe, secure and supported.ā
- Sharon Gallagher
Ā
āI have done most Ritter courses and love the teaching style. Thomas and Shana are amazing at getting into the reason of everything, the Why. They have helped me to decode what I feel at the end of the rein. Now any contact issues are simply information about the horse's body and as soon as I fix the cause the contact is back to being fab.ā
- Morgan Laura Osborne
Ā
ā¬297
One single payment - BEST DEAL!
Ā
Exchange rate dependent this is approximately:
USD $333
GBP Ā£249
AUD $474
CAD $476
NZD $585
3 x ā¬124
Payment Plan
Ā
Exchange rate dependent this is approximately:
USD 3 x $139
GBP 3 x Ā£104
AUD 3 x $198
CAD 3 x $199
NZD 3 x $245
Note: this is a payment plan,
not a subscription.
need help or have questions? email ritterdressage@gmail.com
āYou wonāt be sorry if you enroll. Itās really a no brainer to at least try the course because if you donāt feel it is right for you, they give you your money back and without any hesitancy or shame. The Ritters are genuine and are really interested in you succeeding. They give you tools to figure out what is wrong and how to fix it and give you lots of options. So take the course, there is nothing to lose but much to gain.ā
- Creekside Farm
"I would encourage anyone who wants to improve their riding, and especially the sitting trot, to take this course. Even if they feel their sitting trot doesnāt have any major issues, they will find insights that will make improvements far beyond just the ability to sit better.ā- Karen Cheeke, Equine Endeavors LLC, USA
The FAQ
You're bound to have a few questions, but if they're not answered here, just email us at ritterdressage@gmail.com
What level is this course for?
What if I am not a Dressage Rider or my horse is not a Dressage Horse?
Do I have the time in my life right now to take this course?
What is the content release schedule?
What is the Q&A Schedule?
What timezone are the Q&As in? What if I can't attend live?
Will there be a German version of this course?
What type of tack / equipment do I need? What do I need to attend the sessions?
What if I have questions in the course? What if I need feedback on my videos so I can know if I am doing it right?
Are there Hotseats in this course?
I am nervous to share my questions or videos with others!
How do I enroll? What if I have a payment problem while trying to enroll?
āI felt that even if I sit rather well, I struggled with using my aids freely and loosely at the same time... I am not there yet, but my riding school instructor sees a huge change in how well I can sit, and I feel the same... It is so clarifying in the details, and describes why and how, not just ādo itā."
Ā - Agneta, Stockholm, Sweden
āSitting trot is quite new to me. Iām a showjumper... I joined the course because I wanted to make the sitting trot more comfortable and effective for both me and my horses. The course has helped me to gain a better body awareness in the sitting trot. I now feel a lot quicker if a leg creeps up or a toe points out... I would recommend this course to people who want to learn how to sit the trot in a more relaxed and balanced way that feels good for both the rider and the horse."
- Maria Blomen, Ireland
āGreat online way to learn what and how to feel, and encouraging to try new ways.ā
-Ā Anon
āThese full-loaded of knowledge -courses make riding simple and understandable in its complexity. It increases the creativity in working with both horses and humans.ā
- Marie Folk
āThe courses are motivational and give structure as well as being supportive and fun. Lots of positive energy in the group.ā
- Eldur Saudadalsa
Ā
āI donāt think I realized the far-reaching effects of a good sitting trot. I feel more connected to my horse, and while I still have a ways to go, I am much more relaxed and much less ābouncyā! This course is massive in what it offers... I believe this course applies and will appeal to riders of all skill levels.ā
- BLM, Costa Rica
āIāve worked to develop my seat and be able to sit the trot for at least 10 years... So I went on an odyssey to figure it out. The Ritter classes have been excellent in improving my understanding of how everything works together... or not!ā
- Diane, Ohio
ā¬297
One single payment - BEST DEAL!
Ā
Exchange rate dependent this is approximately:
USD $333
GBP Ā£249
AUD $474
CAD $476
NZD $585
Ā
3 x ā¬124
Payment Plan
Ā Exchange rate dependent this is approximately:
Ā USD 3 x $139
GBP 3 x Ā£104
AUD 3 x $198
CAD 3 x $199
NZD 3 x $245
Note: this is a payment plan,
not a subscription.
Enrollment closes in...
00
DAYS
00
HOURS
00
MINS
00
SECS
Ā
need help or have questions? email ritterdressage@gmail.com
āI think I've been in every online course the Ritters have offered. Every course has been invaluable in training my horses. Even my gaited horses have benefited from the information and exercises in these courses. The feedback and support from the Ritters and group members adds so much to the course material. The theory and details given have taught me to think through problems and choose the right path for each individual horse. No cookie cutter training here.ā
- Sandy Kern
āBesides the course material, this is THE most supportive, encouraging, warm group of equestrians you will ever encounter in your horsemanship journey. It truly doesn't matter where you're at in your horsemanship journey, EVERYONE is welcome and treated with respect.Ā ā¤ļø My FAVORITE part about the way the Ritters structure their courses is that you can tweak practically every principle and exercise they present to suit the individual needs (and limitations) of you and your horse.ā
- Laura Comotto
