Other variables include the amount of height the horse gets in his trot, and your saddle. I used to 2-point all the time with my old horse, Shadow. He had a *huge* trot, with a lot of air underneath it. I could never really post his trot, as it was just too big for me. I also had a dressage saddle that made me very balanced, so 2-pointing was easy.
Caisson's trot is not nearly as "airy", and is therefore very easy to post to. My current saddle puts my feet a bit out in front of me, so 2-pointing is hard - it is the saddle, not the horse. So - I find I post on Caisson, because that is easiest right now. (New saddle coming, so that may change).
I do miss the two-pointing: I never had to worry about over-loading one diagonal. :)
I really like to two point most of the time. I find my horses move more evenly this way. It does require more leg strength, apparently, as my novice riders seem to find this hard to do. It is something to consider if it works for you and your horse. If a horse prefers one diagonal over the other I like to do a little more on the "weak" side to even the sides out. During a ride, especially a 50 or longer, i wouldn't change things too much, as I feel it could make your horse sore. Look to your own self: balance, rigidity and body strength to be sure as a rider you aren't making the horse move a bit differently. Even a saddle pad one inch more to one side can change the balance a bit ! Find a friend or trainer to observe you periodically- it seems to help a lot ! Happy Trails !
- Heidi Helly
ps Happy Veterans Day to all the Heroes who help keep us safe !
