Roberta, I completely agree with you. I have been reading everyone elses reponse to
trotting up or down hill. Everywhere I ride there are hills (or mountains) and very
little flat. I would never get anywhere if I walked up and down hill. I let my horse
pick her gait going uphill which is usually a trot, canter or if the hill isn't too
steep, a gallop. When she gets to the top she always breaks into a trot for the
downhill. The speed of her trot depends on the steepness of the hill. When she trots
downhill she uses her rear to propell her instead of her front legs and it is very easy
to stay balanced. I never get off for 2 reasons. I have asthma and running does me in
and most of the ground around here is rocky and I feel that it would be too easy to slip
and get trampled by your horse. Also I am a lightweight rider and I tend to ride as to
help my horse up and down hills (I ride standing forward out of the saddle on the
uphills and on the downhills I lean back).
Carol