Stretching Before Riding

[Kat8Tootsie]

I dont no about anyone else but i find after riding i get an extremely sore back althought im not completely sure its from riding i am pretty sure it is but does any one else have this problem :confused: :confused: and is streching a good idea? could stretching make me a little less tense to ( im not nervous but my back constantly ACHES:( )

Any advice would be appreciated:)

[Shadowlark]

http://www.softclinic.ca/stretching_news.html


Maybe some of that will help :) I do several before I ride Some Shoulder, some quad and the hip and Glut.

It's made a BIG difference for me, helping my arthritis, and relieving my back, it generally allows me to ride in better balance, despite some of my "issues"

[Galooop]

yeah, my back often hurts too...mainly when riding those bumpy horses! make a concious effort to keep relaxed and not to tighten up. I know it's temping to tighten up to avoid the bounce, but it will be alot more comfty if you just relax to the rythem!:) I find reaching foreward and trying to the horses pole is a nice streach and just twisting around in general!!:p

[Keket]

I don't so much stretch before riding as during riding. I'll do ten minutes or so of canter, and then walk on a loose rein for a lap or two around the arena. I'll take my feet out of the stirrups, rotate my ankles, rotate my shoulders, neck, stretch my back a bit by turn back and forth in the saddle, and then it's back to proper position and more work. Doing this a few times during your ride really cuts down on the aches and pains the day after.

[fishiz3434]

I strech when i'm on the horse, doing around the world, reaching toes with no stirups and with stirups lieing across the saddle on my belly and lying back whne facing forward bring my knees up to the pommel and standing on my knees, all this is spose to be good but i dunno if it'll help your bac

[jenren!!]

I have back pain so i know the feeling, however it is not due to riding. Think about how you sit in the saddle - if you sit slumped that wont do you any favours. If you are sitting tall and straight yet you still get back pain, maybe its more of a long-term problem.

Jenny xx