OW, the pain!

[cinammontoast]

Embarrassing question coming up: sitting trot is agony (at the front!) :after about 10 minutes; should I be sitting back on my pockets more?::o

[sancho]

Yes definately!!! :eek:

You should try to sit deep into the saddle, with your legs as long as you can.

If you are sat on your 'front' bottom then you will be sitting too far forward and your seat will not be safe. :)


Have you tried without stirrups?


p.s its not easy but it will get better, honest!

[Bertie]

Sounds to me like your sitting too far forward, you should easily be able to rest you hand width horizontally (fingers to wrist) on the pommel and the same hand width behind you (Bwtn the cantle and the start of your bum).

If your getting pain I would suggest opening your hips more and flexing your pelvis upwards so your really sat on your bottom.

Then again I used to ride at a riding school and the sitting trot was like riding a razor blade but that was down to the saddle and this maybe the case your having.

Hope it improves though there's nothing worse :eek:

[JOJOBA]

This is actually quite a common problem so dont worry! If you do a search you'll probably find stuff on here about it already ;)

You dont really want to be sitting too far back as that will have a bad effect on your riding position, and trying to keep the front of your pelvis off the saddle will just make you ride tense. Unless of course you lean forward and curl up, in which case that's probably what's doing it! Look into padded pants ;) available from most horsey stores, try not to ride in seamed jodhpurs, and if possible, use a seat saver if the saddle is hard or try not to ride in small saddles. Used to happen to me when I rode in a 16" saddle on a pony I rode, there simply wasnt enough room for me! I ride in 17.5" or 18" saddles now (though Im only slim but it's more to do with thigh length etc) and feel much better! Also try and relax and absorb the movement though I know how hard that is when you're in pain!



xxx

[Kathryn128]

well, everyone's said all the riding part of it above (well done guys) so I'm just going to recommend some of those knickers with reinforced gussets you can get from tack shops etc. It provides a soft barrier between your front and the saddle!:)

[Kittycat]

I can't add to the riding tips but I will say that a pair of padded cycling shorts (ok, it does feel as though you are wearing a nappy but what the hell!) have saved me from some very uncomfortable moments... :D

[Brandy Snap]

I had this problem with the new saddle I got for B.

But I've had it for about a month now and I'm finding it much more comfortable. I've always had a tendencey to sit on my 'fork' tho (when your pelvis tips so your sitting on your 'front bottom' rather than on your seat bones.

[cinammontoast]

God, you lot are brilliant! Thank you all so much. I'm gonna try everything. Just got offered a ride on a 16'2 mare at the weekend from a quite unexpected source and will let you all know!

[cinammontoast]

P.S. Does it ever stop?!

[Kittycat]

Eventually.....! :)

[colettybetty]

Invest in a Heather Moffat seatsaver - you'll be sooooo comfortable and you can bung it and off really easily if you ride different horses.

[cinammontoast]

Just went to try out share-amazing horse/owner-love them both! First thing I noticed was the seatsaver on the saddle-boy, what a difference it makes! I did lots of trot and no pain! Thank you all! (Scary moment-this horse is stunningly responsive compared to the RS hacks I'm used to and she went into canter without my asking: think my legs were swinging cos the stirrups were a bit long: feel more secure when I'm in jumping length. Love this game!)

[Mistertron]

Hey tell us more about the share of course WE WANT PICCIES!!!!

p.s glad you are not in pain anymore :eek: i bruised myself in an inconvienant place during sitting trot once! very ouch!.

[cinammontoast]

Will do piccies if owner doesn't mind-seeing her Saturday so will ask then. She is beautiful!:)

[gl1]

LOL if it hurts your doing it wrong hun - keep practicing (Unless you are on a Stuben saddle - when sitting trot is like being kicked up the A---se!)

[Wally]

If you don;t know how to put things right how can you keep practicing? By repeating the wrong exercise all the time will not make you improve.

Firstly look at your saddle design, stuuben saddle are an abomination, and if it's hurting you it will feed back and hurt the horse in the long run.

You need to rock on your seatbones, grow taller with every stride and allow your back to flex and straighten to absorb the rise and fall of the horse's back.

A H Moffett seat bone saver will make a badly designed saddle easier for you to sit in.

[Bay Mare]

What Wally said (again ... twice tonight ;) ).

Also ... try and feel what the horse is doing and let the horse move you instead of trying to do it all yourself. One thing that most of us are guilty of is trying too hard! :D

Ideally you could get a session (or two) on a simulator that simulates the trot (in that the two sides work independantly like a horse's back) with a good instructor so that you can get the idea of absorbing the movement without having to concentrate on what the horse is doing.