Sore Hips

[leviskipperette]

Recently Ive been helping a woman retrain a Morgan from western pleasure to dressage. This means that about once a week she gives a mini lesson for me and then I ride him 3-4 days that week. Hes a very nice horse and has very smooth (western pleasure) gaits. But lately Ive been noticing that when I get down my hips are sore, after about 15 minutes it goes away, but I get so stiff. Im in good riding shape, and when Im not riding him I ride my other horses. Ive been doing this dressage thing for about 2 months now, and im just noticing the soreness. Does this happen to anyone else? Is it the saddle? Is it me?

This picture is more than a month old. I now have breeches and a pair of real dress boots to use. Fancy fancy compared to my jeans and muck boots. Picture doesnt really do him justice as hes a real looker, but its the best I can do.

[Daffy Dilly]

Is he wider than your horse? You could try a Heather Moffat seat saver, as that would basically make the bit you are sitting on a bit narrower I think. Bay Mare will know more about it than me :)

Or perhaps a different saddle is putting you in a different position?

[coss]

i dont' know if it has anything to do with it but it does look like you are reaching for your stirrups (?)
do you ride dressage on your own horses? it could be that you are stretching more through your hips

[leviskipperette]

Hes actually much narrower than my horse. Shes a very fat arab, basically has no withers at the moment and Ive been riding her bareback since her saddle doesnt fit. I use a western saddle on the rest of my horses, or just go bareback also.

Its strange I wasnt sore when I first started though.

[leviskipperette]

I actually had my leg bent here because I was trying to get him to square up. I was trying to get my heel on him. Since then Ive actually dropped the stirrups a hole, about 3 weeks ago, it makes it easier for me to get my leg on him.