Isn't it just typical?

[Trewsers]

Isn't it just typical - have just gotten to actually liking cantering and now its killing my poor back and tum!:eek: Anybody else have this problem? Might it be an age thing (am 36 and not as fit as I thought:o ). Recently, I've been doing lots of cantering (and weirdly enjoying it:p ) but boy have I suffered the day after!!! A long hot bath helps, but I don't want to live off panadols and live in the bath for the rest of my days!!! Will it go do you think or am I doing something drastically wrong with my cantering?????

[No_Angel]

if its your back and stomach, maybe your tensing. holding your back straight and tensing your stomach. eventually you might get a 6 pack:p but i wouldnt reccomend it for your back.
im glad your enjoying cantering, ive always loved it myself, but my mom was scared to death, only recently has she actually done it without me forcing her.

[Trewsers]

I know how your mum feels:D ! Until recently I was jelly legged at the thought of it. Just hope that I can relax, cos like you suggest, I think its the tensing / straight back thats making me ache!!! Wouldn't mind a firmer tummy though:p :D !!!

[kedwards]

It isn't an age thing (at 36, you shouldn't be falling apart just yet:D ), but it certainly could be a fitness thing. Sitting correctly and following the movement in sitting trot and canter does involve using the abdominal muscles and to some extent the support muscles in the back.

Doing some out-of-saddle fitness work on your core body muscles (a lot of people like pilates and yoga for this) can be helpful. However, just as important is just time in the saddle figuring out your seat. With practice and instruction, you'll get so your body comes to automatically tense only the muscles that need to be tense and can relax the ones that don't.

[CMR]

Also just doing sit ups helps build core strength.

[Skib]

Yes, I know this. You get to love cantering, belt about day after day and it hurts. I dont think there is anything wrong with you. It may be a general problem even with good riders.
My wise teacher (I quote her like Mark Rashid quotes the Old Man) warned me this would happen, and wanted to protect me from it. Of course I didnt believe her till it happened to me, just the same as you.
The stress on your back is greater with some horses - depends on their action when cantering (I ride some lovely smooth canterers and others not so good).
It also depends on speed. Faster the bumpier. As you get more confident you are likely to canter further and use leg to move the horse on?
So the better you get at cantering the more damage it does your spine.
That is why my teacher urged me to learn forward seat in canter - which I havent really concentrated on lately as the instructor who was specially helping me left the yard - but with which Mehitabel helped me in a thread last summer. However, even if you dont use forward seat, my teacher says, one can rise just a fraction forward in fast canter to take the weight off your spine.
Sprenger style stirrups also reduce the wear on your joints.
But in the final analysis my remedy is not to canter fast and long on two consecutive days. Moderation is a great solution. Some days I dont even canter at all. Because once you can canter and enjoy it, you dont have to prove to instructors, or to yourself, that you can.
I have degenerative back problems and even in my 40s exercises made that worse. Riding improves my back over all - I just shape the riding to my needs.

[Wobblydeb]

Will it go do you think or am I doing something drastically wrong with my cantering?????I think this depends on whether you are getting jarred, or simply using muscles that aren't accustomed to working so hard...

I'd second kedwards, that absorbing the motion takes a HUGE amount of muscle activity in your back and stomach. Even once I could follow the horse properly I used to get a bad back, but since I've been riding more regularly it hasn't been a problem :) I guess my muscles are in better shape now :)

[momofsix]

My OH has the same problem. He just learned to canter and was so excited, but his back is killing him. He still gets jarred a lot. Our doctor gave him a back brace to wear and that seems to help some. He only wears it for riding, and it helps him sit up in the saddle, too.

[Trewsers]

Thanks for the replies! I get the feeling it could be a few things, indeed, it might just be muscles that aren't used to working:o or, it could be that I'm tensing up and not absorbing the movement like I should (think this might just be the most likely). Also, as Skib says, moderation is key - I've been so pleased with myself that I'm confident about cantering that I've been really pushing myself on - and doing a lot (well, a lot for me) of cantering work daily in my schooling. Kedwards, somebody else mentioned yoga - think I'll have to look into this - sounds like it could compliment my riding and help me build some strength. :)