Rising trot = impossible?

[StormTreader]

I've just had my second lesson ever - its a group lesson thing and everyone else seems to have gotten the trot right away and have moved on to cantering. I can't seem to feel trot as anything other than "I am being shoved vertically off the saddle and am only not dead because I am gripping so much" which is nonsense of course, but try telling my brain that!
The instructor is giving no individual instruction at all other than yelling "heels down!" and "one two one two!" which doesnt feel that helpful.
Can anyone give me a few basics I can try and take with me for this weekends lesson? Should I just try and stand in the stirrups before the trot starts or am I supposed to let it shove me up and try and have faith I wont fall off? I've always wanted to be able to ride but I'm genuinely wondering if I should just stop after this lesson since its just periods of terror right now.

Honestly, I find it hard to believe that people are cantering on their second lesson (either you're with a group of super-human people, or they've done more riding than you). It's perfectly normal to take at least weeks to master rising trot so don't let it get you down. I think it's just a case of you need to keep practicing (it is a bit like learning to ride a bike...). You need to feel the rhythm and try to relaxgripping with your knees will throw you off-balancewhich is why you need to keep your heels down.

Hopefully someone else with more knowledge of teaching riding will be able to help.

"I've just had my second lesson ever - its a group lesson thing and everyone else seems to have gotten the trot right away and have moved on to cantering."
I find it very hard to believe that all the others have had only two lessons and have already moved onto canter My DS learnt to ride at 18 it took him quite a few lessons to get it, he was advised to just rise up and out of the saddle in a 1-2-1-2 rhythm when the horse was in trots and not to worry in the beginning about trying to coordinate with the horse and suddenly the penny will drop and you'll wonder why you couldn't get it secondly pull on the front of the saddle to help you get out of the saddle. Also try try thinking up and forward towards the horses neck/ears (as in moving you pelvis up and forward) and then down.
"other than yelling"
You really want to avoid instructors that yell TBH no one learns well when they're being shouted at!!

Pretend that you're getting out of a chair, and try to do it in walk. I second using the front of the saddle (the pommel) for leverage. But TBH I would be changing riding schools, it took me a good three years to canter even at a shit riding school and I doubt that people on their second lesson know anything about cantering properly (leads etc).

When I used to teach I would expect it to take up to 6 hours tuition for adults to competently managed rising and sitting trot and being in independent control/and balanced. Sure, some people would get it on the first lesson, it it also depends on the horse you are riding, some have an easier stride to rise to than others. Dont worry!

I'm with Yawning. Change riding school. or at least change the instructor.

I'm with the others. If this is genuinely only your second lesson and you haven't been able to tackle rising trot, your teacher then had canter? I'm quite shocked and would definitely think about finding a better school and teacher who will take your technique and safety a little more seriously.

But yes, please don't worry. With time and practice it will come. Try and not to overthink it too much

Way to early to be doing cantering. And too early to have mastered the rising trot. It seems the others in your class are there for a refresher, rather than being complete beginners. The instructor should be helping you, not moving in the canter.

"I've just had my second lesson ever - its a group lesson thing and everyone else seems to have gotten the trot right away and have moved on to cantering."
This is dangerous, find a new instructor and riding school that isn’t pushing the group at too quick a pace, not bothering to teach technique and prioritising thrill seeking over safety. It’s your second lesson, it’s normal that rising trot doesn’t feel quite right yet. It will come but to be safe and to enjoy it properly you need to learn a basic amount of technique first.

I can confirm we were doing cantering - my horse decided I was useless (he was right) and skipped cantering in favour of going from trot to going over a small jump instead. I was already maximum scared so it wasn't any MORE scary (and hey, I didn't fall off!) but that meant the instructor asking if anyone else wanted to try, so cantering AND jumping on lesson 2 from totally new riders...
Its a set of 6 lessons so I think she is trying to speed-run us through - apparently cantering is easier than trotting because its smoother is the reasoning. This is the only place that has horses large enough to cater to heavier riders so its this or nothing, and I don't want to just fail, but I kind of also don't want to die :/

Its a group of people I know from my club of a different sport, so I know for a fact that 6/8 of us have had zero previous experience.

That is so dangerous, I’m actually shocked. You’re completely out of control, your horse bolted over a jump and rather than focusing on teaching technique and control your instructor asked if anyone else wanted to have a go at risking serious injury?! You’re not failing, your instructor is. Is she even qualified?

I’m horrified. That is incredibly dangerous. I hate to say it, but your fears are perfectly justified.

That's so dangerous it's unreal. If they're even BHS-approved, report them to the BHS, if not, report them to the council. A place like that should not be operating - do the horses look healthy and happy?

Seriously?

The place is unsafe and the instructor is mad.

The horses seem fine to me? I'm very much not an expert!

It was the Warwick International School of Riding, I'm in a medieval society so the idea was to do lessons with them and then go on to working with the Knights of Middle England. If I report it, they're going to know it was me and probably blacklist the club, I assume unplanned jumping doesnt happen a lot! It does sound like whatever happens, I have to accept that horseriding is not something I'll be doing which is rather sad.

Can you talk to the leader of your medieval society and voice your concerns with them then?

I will, but he is a very "gung-ho, just get on with it!" type - he's already suggested that I try and book an extra lesson for just me so I can get more practice in. I think I may have to talk to him this week and say I don't think I'll be doing the rest, I don't know whether to go this weekend as I'm 50/50 "Might click/might die" right now.

DD is taking her nap so just looked the owners up, they don’t seem to have any BHS qualifications but the school is ABRS approved. OP, they are really dangerous, please complain to the ABRS (association of British riding schools).

And look for somewhere else to ride. Presumably you’re not riding heavy horses (the bolting and jumping make this seem unlikely) so if this stables has a horse suitable for your weight then I’m sure it won’t be too hard to find somewhere else that does. Unless of course this place is letting you ride even though you’re really too heavy for the horse

Hi OP, I’m a (ahem) older rider and have been riding only since September.

Here’s what you have to remember, if you fall off it will hurt you not the instructor.

I got trot rising and sitting fairly quickly, but having moved to canter and fallen off have asked to go backward again.

When, and only when, I’m ready I’ll canter again. The less confident you are the more you will lose control of the horse and inadvertently startle it or confuse it.

Lesson 2 should be all about balance, control, changing reins and gentle transitions.

How big is the school that you’re all cantering and jumping about.

They are right that getting your heels down will improve your balance though. You can practice that by riding without stirrups though.

Please look for another riding school. It can take weeks to master rising trot and any progressive course will only see you doing work in walk and trot to start with. Canter is MUCH further along the line.

Anyway, to answer your original question, I was taught that whilst trot IS a one-two beat, to sit it accurately your bum actually feels one-t-two, one-t-two and you should delay your sit to the proper ‘two’ not the ‘t’ that your backside also feels. It worked straightaway for me.

It does sound mad OP!!!

"Presumably you’re not riding heavy horses (the bolting and jumping make this seem unlikely) so if this stables has a horse suitable for your weight then I’m sure it won’t be too hard to find somewhere else that does."

It wasnt really a bolt, I think it was more total confusion on the horses part as to what I was trying to do - we were trying to canter beside the jump and it had a best guess. It slowed and stopped pretty quickly afterwards.

These are BIG horses, thats why I'm saying its this or nothing right now - I'm currently 16 stones and these are horses that are used to carrying riders wearing the plate armour for the jousting shows. Everywhere else is 12 or 13 limit. And yes, it does hurt to know I've been dieting for a year to no benefit and am heavy enough to hurt horses. I totally get why the limit is there and I'd never try to ride a horse if I might hurt it.

Please report, you could be putting the school's other potential customers in danger.