Embarrassing question!

[hersh72]

Okay, this is a bit embarrassing and a question I feel I can’t ask my instructor.

We were doing a lot of sitting trot in class last night – so much in fact that I’ve hurt myself in err, umm an intimate female area.

Our teacher is always telling us to tuck our bottom underneath us, but what exactly does that mean? I’ve interpreted it as kind of tilting your pelvis forward, but it shouldn’t hurt down there should it? Am I getting is all wrong?

Everyone else was complaining last night how much their thighs were killing then but all I could think was “never mind my thighs, my **** is killing me!!!!”

Thanks in advance for any help!

[Mehitabel]

tucking your bottom under you is a way to stop that - you shouldn't be sitting on your 'bits' unless the saddle is a funny shape. try to tilt the top of your pelvis (your hipbones) back, so the bottom of it is coming forward and you're sitting back on your seatbones instead of on your fork with your bottom behind you.
also you might be arching your back too much, try straghtening the lower back or almost rounding it.

[Wally]

If you are doing so much sitting trot that it is making your legs ache this is doing you no favours at all.

Short, sweet and of good quality until you have the physical core strenght. Everything must be worked up to slowly, you'd never dream of starting weight training with the weights at their maximum, so why do riding instructors insist on doing round after round of sitting trot with folk who should be doing no more than one or two long sides at a time. All you do is make your muscles sore and then you cannot control them, in the long run it makes like difficult for the horse. :(

It sounds like, as Es says you are tilting too far forwards. Imagine the big muscles of your backside and thighs spreading as much of you over as much of the saddle and horse as possible. Now imagine your musles acting like shock absorbers for your bony bits, seat bones and fork etc. If you had jeans on try to imagine sitting more on the back pockets, don't tuck your tail bone under you or you'll end up looking like a duck and as Es points out you'll over arch your back.

The trick to a good sitting trot is try to sit lighter and lighter, not deeper and heavier. Feel the rocking motion in walk that happens to your seat bones, then feel the same happening in trot, but much faster and more pronounced, then let them seatbones rock and let your upper body grow taller and lighter with every stride, stretch up and up. suck your belly button in then keep it there but in a relaxed poised position, this is where the trick lies, you have to have very, very strong stomach and back muscles to support and control a good sitting trot for any length of time. Work up slowly to it.

[denise42]

I had a friend that had the same problem you do, with getting sore in the ' personal area ' she was told to think of it as sitting on the back pockets of her jeans. She said it cured the problem for her. :)

[nirikina]

Some instructors I've had made me do endless circles in sitting trot thinking I'd get it eventually. Well, after a few minutes of shuffling round trying to get in a good position I'd get too sore and couldn't relax and start bouncing. That's not going to teach you anything. It's hard to contradict your instructor and not sound like you're whinging. Think about investing in a
seatbone saver (http://www.newrider.com/Kinder_Way/The_Rider/seatsaver.html)
Also, until your position and technique improve, try adding extra padding via two pairs of knickers or a sanitary towel.

I would add to Wally and Es's advice, try keeping the trot slow and controlled to start with, then as you can manage that ask for a more active trot. You might find it easier to practice without stirrups so your legs can hang down lower.

Hope this helps.

[Samsky]

You'll probably find that sitting trot will be more comfortable if you sit on your bottom as tipping forward makes you bounce more.

[Ginger Thing]

You can buy padded riding knickers with either the seat or crotch area padded. www.rideaway.co.uk stock them.

[clipclop]

Quality not quantity is what you need to aim for.

Sound like you are bumping around alot. Take advice from the other about how to sit and go for the quality of the trot for a few strides, then try again and again utill you can build it up.

I found personally if the horse is quite narrow and not rounding it's back properly it can make for a more uncomfortable ride.

[hersh72]

Thank for all your responses.

I'm going to take your advice on board and I like the image of sitting on the pockets of your jeans. I prefer to have someone explain things to me in a visual way like that - it helps me understand much better. Tucking your bottom under you doesn't really help me at all!!

I'm also going to invest in some of those knickers you suggested - never heard of them before, so cheers.

[Esther.D]

Just to say that the knickers do work - when I broke my coccyx they were the only way I could actually put bottom to saddle again for about a year! However they are deeply unflattering, definately Bridget Jones pants..and baggy too (on me at least and I am not skinny) - so definately to be worn when only you will see them :D ;)

[Skib]

What are your jodhpurs made of? And do they have seams coming up inside your legs?
I rubbed myself raw and bleeding in one early lesson and my teacher at that time apologised for making me ride so long with no stirrups (as Wally says) - BUT now I blame the basic riding school jodhpurs I started with.
I was suddenly sore after hacking last month and noticed that my old winter jodhpurs I was wearing had 4 seams up inside the crotch which were rubbing and very harsh because 100% nylon. It seems crazy to sell beginners jodhpurs like that. My usual cotton jodhpurs from Rideaway are soft, dont have seams up inside the leg and dont slip so much on the saddle.

[PromiseMe]

haha lol thats funny....LOL

wait till you try it bareback...OMG OMG!!! That hurt SO much there i was practically crawling into a little ball on my mare's back. Her back is soo bony and spiney! omg...it HURTS. i feel your pain there!

But with a saddle its OK.
Your instructor is right...tuck your bottom underneath on you. Right now your probably more perching up and sitting on there, than on your bum. YOure suppose to be on your bum. Put all yoru weight into your bum...which is the fleshiest part of your body and will absorb the shock and hurt less for you.

And you could also try those saddle seat savers that are fleece ;) if its THAT bad.

[Grace O'Malley]

I've had that happen too. Even ended up with splits in my skin :eek: :o It might not be your position, though that something to think about. Maybe the saddle doesn't fit you that well, or is very hard. I've noticed huge differences between saddles in my level of comfort. Also some horses are bouncier than others, and if you're doing lots of sitting trot, it can get uncomfortable. Also check for poorly placed seams in your jods and underwear, as well as the softness of the fabric.

Good luck!

Grace

[JOJOBA]

I ride my horse in a dressage saddle, and have recently been riding other horses - all in GPs.
The difference in them is unbelievable! The riding school horses saddles are very hard and uncomfy, and made my legs and seatbones ache, and a normal GP that was very comfy ended up injuring me in the aforementioned manner :p. Repeatedly.
I must just be very used to riding in my dressage saddle - I sit totally differently in it and it is much more supportive.
(plus it's light as a feather - unrelated point but a good one, all the other saddles Ive ridden on have been really heavy).
I love my saddle.
I have heard this problem talked about before - on a Channel 4 documentary. Apparently people sometimes get surgery to correct it *eek*. I think in a lot of cases it's just the way youre made - some people get it and some people dont *lucky*.
xxx

[pengapenga]

this thread has tickled me pink:D :D but only laughing because I have been there :D

all advice has been very helpful.

I found sitting trot bareback the most comfortable, I suspect that I went into the correct position naturally, whilst under saddle I had to work on it a bit more, largely due to a very uncomfortable saddle! I also found that after bareback riding my sitting trot in the saddle was much improved:)

My daughters instructor got into the saddle to show her the correct position before the penny dropped:)

[Lovecat]

I used to have this problem - although the seatsaver did help, what I found most immediately helpful (don't try this one out with witnesses around!) was to physically pull my bum under me by reaching under from the front and yanking myself forwards... if you get the idea...:o

Also I found that as I paid more attention to how I sat, I realised that I sat this like in the office too and made a great effort to 'retrain' myself - it took a while but I find I'm a lot more comfortable both at my desk and on a horse now!

[madferret]

I have this problem too to the extent that I would bleed! - from my knickers and seam of my jodpurs rubbing against me :eek:
However, its better since I've got my HM seatsaver (which I love!)
and I'm going to invest in some proper jodpurs with no central seam.
Good luck hope you find a remedy. Padded knickers are supposed to help or big soft knickers like Sloggi.
Like the others have said though a lot of its down to position in the saddle.

[Drummers mum]

My friend got a huge blister on her bum from jods rubbing. I laughed my socks off but I don't think she found it in the slightest but amusing!!lol!!

Edit: all problems solved in a treeless saddle, they are sooo soft and comfy!;)

[Kerry Claire]

I occasionally get this problem - if I do lots of sitting trot, try it on a really fast or bouncy horse or ride a bony horse bareback.

Lovecat - your idea's probably the best way I've heard yet - just tried it a second ago on the chair and even now when I'm not riding I can feel how it would make a big difference.

[friedegund]

I feel your pain! Remeber when you were young and rode your (ie stole) your older brothers bike, acted like a smarta$$, and slipped off pedals and fell onto the crossbar? Yep...... pain kinda like that!

In my second lesson I had to do sitting trot, I bounced around like a sack of potatoes, gripping with my knees and praying that somehow I would sat on and not end up in a broken heap in the middle of the ring. Next day I had a HUGE bruise on my right inner thigh, right at the very top of my leg, not a pretty sight, and so VERY painful.

So, like you I came here and asked waddup wid the seat? The sitting on your back pockets thing worked for me, no more inner thigh briuses and umm......."crossbar" pain.
;)

[toohorsemad]

I know what you went through! It happened to me when we did a lot of sitting trot about a year ago so now I really sit in my sitting trot and make sure i don't hurt my bits!

[hoofhearted]

I also have this problem (was glad it wasn't just me!). I do think its because I tend to over arch my back and tip forwards into a fork seat, but don't seem to be able to stop doing it. Have tried the suggestion about sitting on jeans pockets but it doesn't seem to help. Any more tips?

[pedantic]

Being a bloke it's even worse, I rode a 17 hand something on holiday at llandudno couple of years ago, the horse was brilliant but the saddle was dreadful for me, good job the ride was only a half hour, although we did ride out the next day as well, sssssssssssssssssssssswwwwwwwwwwwww, sometimes get a bit sqaushed in my treeless saddle as you sit deep if bugerlugs stops dead to scratch his nose, not quite so easy to pad things in my department as in my jods it might look like am pleased to see everyone all the time :D

[JOJOBA]

Ive bought padded knickers - they feel like a nappy :p but I'll let you know how they go.
Robinsons (www.robinsons-uk.com) had some jodphurs recently, now that I think about it, that might help. They were fleece lined (nice for winter!) endurance jods, and said they were 'padded in all the right places'. Pretty cheap too - were on offer. I'll check the site for you and see if they're in - might be worth a shot (and if they work let me know :p)?

xxx

[Tangle]

Hoofhearted - sounds a little like you're in the same boat as me :o:rolleyes:

I've had a couple of private lessons recently and they've really helped - to start with we found out that I physically couldn't sit in a good position in halt, let alone walk or trot. If I managed to sit on my seat bones, my feet were round the horse's shoulders - just due to stiff hips. So I've been doing lots of round the worlds, and lots of stuff in walk, focussing on keeping my seat right. My legs have gradually been improving, but it's been bugging me so I went to see the physio - basically my back is hypermobile while my hips aren't - so I can sit with my heels under my hips under my shoulders, but only by tipping onto my crotch and over arching my back. But because that's what my muscles are used to, I can't just change it, even though I know what the problem is. But I'm working on it - and private lessons are good as you get all the attention and all the nagging :o:D

[JOJOBA]

Here we go!

Endurance Jodhpurs
Especially designed for endurance or anyone who spends long hours in the saddle. The padded seat gives extra comfort in the crotch and leg area that makes contact with the saddle. Elastic grippers on the ankle area helps stop jods rising up.
Prices start from £22.00
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Features
Padded Crotch
Elastic Ankle Grippers
Elasticated Waist

Specifications
Polyester/Elastane/Spandex Mix

http://www.robinsons-uk.com/product_images/detail/23907-01.jpg





In relation to what Tangle said maybe some Pilates would help if your hips are tight - being able to sit right on your bum is something Im working on at the moment - Im far too stiff for my age :o !


xxx

[Tangle]

Im far too stiff for my age :o !
Exactly :o. I'm back to the physio this Thursday to be chucked in the pool - and I've got to get an exercise ball so I can have instruction on it. Actually, must go and do my exercises or I'll be in trouble..... :p

[pedantic]

Being as I wear ladies jods :o because all the mens one are one colour and HORRIBLE :( , maybe I could try the endurance ones, I will have to wait a while now as the french sticky bums I bought last week cost me £45.00 and missis might not like me buying another pair so soon, the sticky bits around the bum and inside legs do seem to work well to stop slipping around in the saddle :)

[ajhainey]

padded cycle shorts underneath jods have literally saved my ass on long hacks before (I have the same problem, although it is getting better over time) - might be worth a try as can be worn with any jods? Also make sure underwear has no, erm, inconvienient seams ;)

aj xx

[dcp]

Ouch!! I can experience this in just walk. Never knew you could get joddies with no seams will invest. Also are all these seat savers so expensive?

[nuttymanxmare]

I know exactly how you feel.

Ive been told im sitting on my F***y (instructors words not mine) and I have to tuck my bum in!!

When I do it I must admit things do feel much smoother. Its really good to have things explained in a descriptive way it tends to sink in better (It does with me anyway!)

[jacxXx]

not quite so easy to pad things in my department as in my jods it might look like am pleased to see everyone all the time :D

hahaha
this thread is very amuzing, try riding bare back, on a skinny horse, with high withers ...whilst jumping!!! ouch ouch ouch!!

[Trewsers]

Pedantic - have you not tried Robinsons for mens jods???! OH gets all his front there, he usually struggles, but they do their own brand £16 a bargain and he loves them. :D ps, found that very funny on your other thread reply - about looking like you're pleased to see them all the time :D :p !!!

[mellissa]

Sorry so say it fellas, but men do look funny in tight breeches. Reminds me a bit of Robin Hood:Men in Tights!!!

But then, I also look pretty rubbish in the numerous pairs of expensive high waisted breeches that I have bought! Oh to be a tall supermodel.

Anyway, I had a Prix st. George dressage rider competing my horse earlier this year while I finished University and he said that he would only choose certain makes of breeches- Pikeur or Cavallo in the men's rage because they have pleats at the front which leave room for adjustment of the other leg. It is true, he does not look bad in his breeches. Also, apparently if you are sitting correctly, you should not squash your wedding t***le.

[Captain Equidan]

Oh yeah, try being a man! Sitting properly is fine for your important parts, but in all honesty, if you're not wearing supportive underwear - you know about it!

Also, needs to be longish in the leg - reach mid thighs - otherwise it all bunches up either side in your groin and that hurts I can tell you.

Jumping is a different story though - its all in the timing. Fold to soon or too late and you spend the remainder of the lesson as Mickey Mouse!

I honestly thought women had no trouble with riding and genetalia! There is nothing there to get in the way! Learn something new everyday.

[sweuzo]

i only got pain recently after getting better at sitting trot, and i just can manage sitting more on my bum for some reason.