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.
𑁍 Stop the struggle. Learn how to help yourself and your horse to sit the trot better.
𑁍 Stop enduring the movement. Learn how to let the horse’s movement move YOU.
𑁍 Stop the bouncing. Learn how to move WITH the horse.
𑁍 Stop the gripping. Learn how to relax around the horse and let the horse carry you.
𑁍 Stop the stiffness. Learn the tools to become supple so you don’t brace against the horse’s movement.
𑁍 Stop holding your horse back. Learn how to allow your horse’s back to move in a full and healthy way.
𑁍 Stop holding yourself back. Learn how to remove your own obstacles so that you can progress in your riding.
𑁍 Stop dreading the sitting trot. 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.
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The journey is just as important as the destination.
Luckily, you can have and enjoy both!
How do you transcend all of these sitting trot miseries?
- No understanding of the actual mechanics
- Can’t figure out how to move WITH the horse
- Horse is too hard to sit (bounce, bounce, bounce)
- Horse’s 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; can’t 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.
- Can’t 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
- Don’t even know how to aid in sitting trot
- Can’t keep horse forward, horse sucks back when you sit the trot
- Can’t regulate speed or tempo, horse gets too fast or too slow
WHY?! Why would you want to fix these issues? Why now?
Well, let’s 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 fact… you need to! If your horse’s 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 “sittable”.
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, let’s talk about 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?)
-> 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’ve 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.
It’s not unattainable. Not for you.
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.
There’s 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!!!
Now, in 2024, after many requests, we are applying the same approach to the Sitting Trot!
"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
"Well, after watching Catherine McCrum's video I realized I have been doing the rising trot backwards all these years, pulling my pelvis forward when I rise and pushing it back when I sit..no wonder it's felt so horrible. 🙃"
- Vickie Hurewitz
"Sometimes I get too much in my head, so giving myself something else to focus on brought the rising trot more into a flow. I think the musical side of me found the Waltzing trot to the most impactful."
- Sue Ann Shmitz
"I love it when my beautiful kind horse gets warmed up and forward and starts to flow along underneath me . It’s like riding a cloud. This used to hardly ever happen. Now I’m 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 and imagery lessons by Catherine McCrum.
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 the 8 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 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.
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 "sittable”. 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.
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. 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 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 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. 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!
Beta Member Exclusive Upgrade
This course is a BETA course which means it is the Premier release of this course. When we run a course for the first time, we keep flexible on the content so that we can add to it and shift to accommodate the requests and needs of the students. This can sometimes mean that the course duration will be lengthened accordingly. It also means that, as a beta member, you will get FREE upgrade to the next run of the course including all of the live Q&As. (more info about the beta version of the course is below)
“I found the rising trot course very beneficial. My horse was quite unbalanced at the time and was rushing forward whenever I moved from sitting to rising. This with my poor ability in rising trot - collapsing my torso and leaning forwards, it was no wonder we were struggling! The course provided a clear structure to help improve riding position and rising trot biomechanics. Comparing my entries into the hotseats from the beginning to end of the course I can see clear improvement in my riding technique and my horses way of going which I have been able to take forwards in the longer term. My horse has improved significantly in his way of going since the first run of the course and I am looking forward to the re run so I can further refine our rising trot technique.” - Rachel Forster
“What a great way to improve communication even more and get great feedback with such small changes. At first I couldn't imagine anything. But with time and new approach I have now felt that I have a good connection most of the time. The inner pictures are very very helpful. I'm also one of those people who have to go out and do it!”
- Tanja Pohlmann
“This has been really good course and I have learned even more great visualisations 😊 I have got one moment where I felt seat being secure, pelbow efficient and the horse half-halted himself, when he tried took the reins and lower head. Felt amazing 🥰 ”
- Maija Ylämäki
“I have learned so much. The best things in this course for me: There is no wrong diagonal! Pelbow connects! I heard of it in another Rittercourse, and tried it once in a while, and it really helps against flattering arms, floppy reins, and my mare always turned her ears, when I used it - so she must have felt some difference! The self assessment is such a good idea! Best it is combined with the wisdom of Dr. Thomas who can tell if we are self assessing truly.” - Tanja Beeh
“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
“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 Sitting Trot Mastery Program...
* This is a tentative outline and schedule. This is a BETA course.
Therefore, the content and schedule may shift to accommodate the evolving nature of this kind of learning journey.
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).
October 18-31, 2024 (2 weeks)
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.
November 1-14, 2024 (2 weeks)
MODULE 3:
AWARE: Becoming aware of the horse’s (and your own) movement
In this module, we develop your feel and awareness. By developing your awareness of the movement, 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.
November 15-29, 2024 (2 weeks)
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.
November 29-December 12, 2024 (2 weeks)
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.
December 13, 2024- January 2, 2025 (3 weeks includes 1 week for Holiday Break)
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.
January 3-16, 2025 (2 weeks)
And (because this is a BETA course), this is just the beginning. We can include anything else you suggest that is not covered here.
Tentative Course ending date: January 16, 2025.
“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
€347
One single payment - BEST DEAL!
Also in Other Currencies:
USD $385
GBP £295
AUD $567
CAD $525
NZD $630
ZAR R6720
3 x €140
Payment Plan
Also in Other Currencies:
USD 3 x $155
GBP 3 x £119
AUD 3 x $230
CAD 3 x $210
NZD 3 x $255
ZAR 3 x R 2710
Note: this is a payment plan,
not a subscription.
12 x €40
Payment Plan
Also in Other Currencies:
USD 12 x $45
GBP 12 x £34
AUD 12 x $67
CAD 12 x $60
NZD 12 x $75
ZAR 12 x R 775
Note: this is a payment plan,
not a subscription.
Enrollment closes in...
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need help or have questions? email [email protected]
“You won’t be sorry if you enroll. 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. 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.”
- Creekside Farm
"I love this experimentation with awareness around rider balance. It worked a treat, the trot became powerful and I remained in balance. We felt one! Ever since taking the Learning Style quiz on The Thinking Rider Challenge, receiving confirmation that I'm predominately a Kinesthetic learner (which in my gut i knew 😉🤣) I've realised how important it is for my learning, to GO OUT AND DO IT! It leaves one with a feeling of empowerment (I can actually work this stuff out for myself) happiness and a sense of achievement."- Anne-marie Spear
The 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?
How does a beta course work and what are my obligations?
“I found this course to be very helpful. Although I was already familiar with a lot of the concepts, the course material brought greater clarity and depth of knowledge to my understanding of the rising trot. I think that every teacher of beginners should take this course! Even though I already teach many aspects covered, I found it to be helpful in clarifying and instilling confidence into my teaching.”
- Julie Graber
“Before I took the Rising Trot Mastery course I was struggling with rising trot. For Years. My legs flapped and I lost my balance and I was frustrated. My instructor did not provide the right information for me to improve my technique and understanding. Taking the course both improved my technique and gave me an understanding of the way to approach long term improvement in my riding. The Rising Trot Mastery course was a fabulous way to jump start my lifeline equestrian journey!
- Julia Harkola
“Pelbow is such a good description. It is maybe the most important thing to me in terms of being a correctly balanced and connected rider. ”
- Kitty
“These 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
“[Celebrating] that I have learned how to use my seat to give cadence in my rising trot. ”
- Kathy Haywood-Rand
“When I first listened to Thomas’s video, I felt the PELBOW concept in my body (albeit sitting comfortably in front of my computer) and felt that it was a significant piece to the puzzle. When I get the PELBOW feeling, everything feels better organised and connected. With the videos – I have found it helpful to watch them and then go and experiment and then watch the video again – I hear things that didn’t really land the first time and it helps finesse the application of the ideas. Definitely worth spending the time on this aspect.”
- Lisa McFayden
€347
One single payment - BEST DEAL!
Also in Other Currencies:
USD $385
GBP £295
AUD $567
CAD $525
NZD $630
ZAR R6720
3 x €140
Payment Plan
Also in Other Currencies:
USD 3 x $155
GBP 3 x £119
AUD 3 x $230
CAD 3 x $210
NZD 3 x $255
ZAR 3 x R 2710
Note: this is a payment plan,
not a subscription.
12 x €40
Payment Plan
Also in Other Currencies:
USD 12 x $45
GBP 12 x £34
AUD 12 x $67
CAD 12 x $60
NZD 12 x $75
ZAR 12 x R 775
Note: this is a payment plan,
not a subscription.
Enrollment closes in...
00
DAYS
00
HOURS
00
MINS
00
SECS
need help or have questions? email [email protected]
“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
“Besides 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. ❤️ 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.”
- Laura Comotto
