The Rising Trot Mastery Program is a powerful experience that will dramatically, almost magically, transform your rising trot from embarrassing and clumsy to elegant, refined, and EFFECTIVE.
Enrollment closing...
00
DAYS
00
HOURS
00
MINS
00
SECS
You are a work in progress, my dear. And so is your Rising Trot.
Let’s FIX all of these rising trot issues:
- No understanding of the actual mechanics
- Can’t find the right rhythm
- Posting too high
- Sitting too heavy
- Ahead of the motion
- Behind the motion
- Swinging legs
- Leg too far forward
- Can’t get correct diagonal
- Don’t even know which diagonal is “correct”
- Can’t change diagonal smoothly
- Arm stability, elbows sticking out
- Upper body rigid and tense, Bracing
- Lower body tight and tense
- Too much reliance on stirrups
- Lifting heels
- Unable to keep a steady contact when rising
- Can’t connect the horse, can’t connect the hind legs
- Unable to aid accurately in rising trot
- Don’t even know how to aid in rising trot
- Can’t keep horse forward
- Can’t regulate speed or tempo
- Can’t control straightness of the horse
- Don’t know how to do lateral movements in rising trot
- Trouble with transitions (down transitions, canter transitions, transitions to sitting trot)
- Can’t use stirrup-stepping in rising trot
- Uneven posting, crookedness in rider, overweighting inside leg
WHY?! Why would you want to fix these issues? Why now?
Well, let’s start 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 sit in the saddle? Not bumped in the mouth with the reins every time you rise? Not thumped on the sides by your legs? (and it is no surprise that horses appreciate this!)
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 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, let’s talk about HOW YOU FEEL? Would you like to feel composed, balanced, and confident in your rising 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. (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 riding time?
-> 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?)
-> 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 doesn’t have a busy life to juggle and feel like they have a clock ticking “tick-tock”... and it’s not like any of us are getting any younger, right?)
We’re going to tell you right now how we’ve created a proven process that can be used by every rider!
The rising trot does not need to be tricky.
It’s not black magic.
In fact, we have three simple golden principles we use whenever we approach any seat issue.
But I can hear what you’re thinking…
So, I'll tell you a little bit about us...
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 two 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 Practioner 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.
In 2021, together we produced a course called "The Rider Makeover" using this Trifecta approach, and it has been a HUGE success.
Then we started getting the requests to do a course using the same approach for the Rising Trot.
One year later, and it is here...
"Until I found Thomas and Shana my ethos towards training my horses was a very lonely place. Now I feel I’m in a community that “gets it” and that gives me strength and confidence."
- MAXINE LOWRIE
Introducing...
The Rising Trot Mastery Program
The Powerful, 9-week Trifecta Experience to FIX all your Rising Trot woes and miraculously, almost magically, transform your rising trot from embarrassing and clumsy to elegant, refined, and EFFECTIVE.
6-module course taught by Dressage Trainer, Dr. Thomas Ritter, and Feldenkrais Practitioners, Catherine McCrum and Charlotte Zetterberg.
Weekly theory lessons covering the what, why, and how of each problem so that you understand the foundation of each issue.
Weekly imagery lessons you can put to use whether you are riding regularly or unable to ride at all.
Weekly Feldenkrais lessons you can do OFF the horse and reap the benefits while ON the horse. Some lessons are proven favourites and others are completely new, created specifically for this course.
Live Q&A Sessions There is nothing like getting your questions answered live! Every 2 weeks we hold a Q&A session and you will be invited for the duration of this course.Facebook Community, ongoing support and discussion.
HotSeats add-on available for specific coaching help from Dr. Thomas Ritter (optional for additional purchase, but not necessary)
Enrollment ends...
00
DAYS
00
HOURS
00
MINS
00
SECS
How it works...
This is a brand new, never-before-offered course being released for the first time in 2022. Taught by Dr. Thomas Ritter and Shana Ritter, with rider awareness and imagery lessons by Catherine McCrum.
Rider Mechanics Theory
Theory is illuminating, even enchanting! 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 the 9 weeks of this course. Contains videos and downloadable PDFs.
Feldenkrais Lessons
With this 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 movingt 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 seven 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.
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 ask your question beforehand by submitting to the Google Doc, or ask live right there in the session chat. All sessions are recorded and downloadable. 6 total sessions. You will get access to a Google Calendar that syncs with your calendar. This makes it easy to find the info for the upcoming sessions when you need them, and you are less likely to forget them!
Exclusive RTM-Program Audio Podcast
Like a jar of treasures you come back to admire, again and again! You will get access to an exclusive RTM members-only podcast where you can listen to every RTM 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 over five 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. Also absolutely vital are regularly scheduled times for "catch-up" and integration. We have spaced this course out so that you will have two full weeks for each module. Periodically through the course, we have also added weeks purely for catch-up and integration. You can do it!
“I've been doing Ritter courses for a few years now. Through their instruction and examples, I've transformed from a skilled but driven, frustrated, rider into one who is calm, happy, and analytical in my training. I rarely get frustrated now that I have a big selection of Ritter tools in my training tool kit. When my horse doesn't respond as expected, instead of getting annoyed, my reflexive reaction now is, "That was interesting. Why did that happen and what should I do differently? What exercise will help me explain this better?" Despite 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.”
- Anne Zahradnik
“The Ritter courses have given me my confidence back too. A year ago, I was almost ready to give up and just be an owner and find someone who could ride him. I dreaded doing anything other than hacking as I would feel so despondent when I left the arena, and we were stuck in a cycle of 1 step forwards 2 steps back in our training. I felt overhorsed and completely inadequate. I did the Thinking Rider Challenge about this time last year, and signed up to WWH without hesitation. It was the best decision I could have made! I admit that I felt very overwhelmed at the start of my Ritter journey and we’ve 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. I enjoy riding again and I know that he and I are on the right path, and I’ve found the right community of people to help us succeed. 😊”
- Katharine Trevelyan
What's inside the RTM Program...
Break #1 - August 22-28, 2022
Break week for catching up, assimilating the info, or going back and reviewing the previous modules before we build on the foundation further.
Break #2 - September 12-18, 2022
Break week for catching up, assimilating the info, or going back and reviewing the previous modules before we continue to build your understanding and skills.
Wrap up - October 2-10, 2022
This final "wrap up week" is for practicing, implementing, catching up, and assimilating the info while still getting 100% support from us in the Facebook Group and the final Live Q&A session.
This first round is our beta round and so, in exchange for your weekly feedback and permission to share your success story with the world at the end of the course, we’re offering a 50% discount off our full pricing. Upon successful completion of the beta round and completing the below requirements, you will be granted lifetime access to the course content of this program and all future updates or re-releases of the course as well as future bonuses. (Scroll down to read beta student requirements.)
“These 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. Finally, after two years or more of "feeling" vulnerable, I no longer feel vulnerable. I feel uplifted and good about where I am, safe, secure and supported.”
- Sharon Gallagher
“I 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.”
- Morgan Laura Osborne
“You won’t be sorry if you enroll. The Ritters’ courses are so detailed and they allow you to ask the questions you were afraid to ask. You can send videos of your problem areas and get personal instruction. You will find so much support and a community of fellow riders to develop lasting friendships all over the world. It’s really a no brainer to at least try the course because if you don’t 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. I have taken several of their courses and am an alumni for this one. I have definitely seen progress in both me and my horse. I love that they put attention on the horses faults in addition to the rider. Most of the time I always felt like I was to blame and the horse was an angel saint. Not anymore. They give you tools to figure out what is wrong and how to fix it and give you lots of options. I still struggle with some concepts so don’t despair if you feel overwhelmed. It keeps getting better. So take the course, there is nothing to lose but much to gain.”
- Creekside Farm
The Gallopin' Gorgons FAQ
You're bound to have a few questions, but if they're not answered here, just email us at [email protected]
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? Can I pay with bank transfer?
Beta Round Student Requirements:
1. The beta course requires a one-time investment of €247. When officially released again, it will be priced higher (price yet to be determined).
2. Complete a survey at the beginning of the course to help us better identify your rising trot issues and how they impact your riding, so we can fill in any gaps in the course content.
3. Two testimonials for the course: One written, One video. Optional: be featured in a case study interview before the beginning of the next course.
4. Complete the course and stay on schedule. Attend the Q&As or watch the recordings afterwards.
5. Complete a 20-minute end-of-the-course Questionnaire. Let us know: What did you like? What didn’t you like? Was anything confusing? Was anything missing?
“I highly recommend any of the courses that are offered. I took a horse with a muscle disease that was so crooked that he was literally unrideable and he is now rideable a little over a year later and completely symmetrical in his body. He is still a work in progress, as they all are, but my vet could not believe the physical change in his musculature and that such a change could take place from riding exercises. He had extreme high/low hoof syndrome in his front hooves , and his right hind had a negative palmar angle and a bull nosed appearance. His hooves now all match. So the change in his body and his feet has been nothing short of amazing. I followed the course and some parts he was not capable of but we participated to the best of his ability and I now have my horse back.”
- Michelle Dorsey
“For all of you who are still doubting to sign up - just do it. It can be life changing in your riding journey. I was member of the first beta-course and learned so much. Going a second time through it made the foundation and understanding even deeper. So for me it was a 10-second decision to also sign up for the upcoming course about horse and rider.”
- Nan Brünig
“This full-loaded of knowledge -courses make riding simple and understandable in its complexity. It increases the creativity in working with both horses and humans.”
- Marie Folk
“The courses are motivational and give structure as well as being supportive and fun. Lots of positive energy in the group.”
- Eldur Saudadalsa
✨ Voilà...
need help or have questions? email [email protected]
“Anything’s possible if you’ve got enough nerve.” - Ginny Weasley
“I 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.”
- Sandy Kern
