1st Lesson Aches

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nicolamary

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Aug 12, 2003
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Had my first lesson on Saturday for an hour and am now in agony and can barely hit the brake/clutch to drive my car. Is this because I'm new to it/unfit. Is this to be expected and will I be ok in time for my next lesson on Saturday. Somebody said I should of just done half an hour and I'm beginning to think they were right. :eek:
 
Well, I ride 5 or 6 times a week and have been riding for years and after my hack on Monday I'm aching!

Not that I'm trying to put you off :D but you can still ache when you've really working hard either in lessons or hacks it's just the pain will not be as intense next time!

Hope you enjoyed your lesson though and welcome to the world of riding!
 
aches

This goes beyond an ache and its worse in the groin area, getting lots of sniggers and funny glances as I waddle round my office!!! I've even had to take pain killers!

I was actually suprised but the instructor had me cantering, could this of been because I told him I had ridden but it was over 20 years ago?

Hope I'm ok for my next lesson on Saturday.

Thanks for the encouragement.
 
LOL, I love riding aches, HEHE only becuase we have such fun and the next day we like GRRRRR never again but we still go and do it!!!

I have to admit my riding muscles never ache anymore, but maybe if i rode more than a god hour or something like 1hr and 45 mins then I would probably get them!! dont worry, Do some stretches before!!!

Have fun!!!
 
Ouch

A few years ago I went for a 2hr hack after not riding for about 7 years and biy did I ache - I think I severely felt it for about a week! It does get easier I promise but as already said the aches can still come back though after a hard lesson!

Think of it as a pleasant reminder of what you have been up to!
 
Doing stretches after you get off the horse, like you're warming down from an aerobics session, will really help avoid that 'aargh, I've seized up' feeling the next day.

I'm extremely unfit - riding is the only exercise I do - and I've found the stiffness/pain does improve with time - however, now I've started sharing and riding 4 times a week my bum-bones are absolutlely aching, so I've got a seatsaver and am trying it out for the first time tonight... if it doesn't help I'm just going to have to stick a pillow under there!

BTW - cantering on your first lesson in over 20 years? Brilliant! Hope you enjoyed it and it was worth the after-effects!

Cathy:D
 
for the past 2 weeks I have had a different instructor and I've been in agony for about 3 days afterwards (mainly my stomach and back muscles) - but I keep thinking - if they're aching then they must be working.

However I do LOVE post-exercise aches, makes me feel very virtuous!:D
 
I was pretty gobsmacked to be cantering after 20 years to be honest, my muscles are now even more gobsmacked!

The instructor kept telling me I was on the wrong leg (which means nothing to me), I was hoping he would explain the theory behind this but he didn't....maybe this comes on lesson 2.

Cantering round the whole arena was ok but I had trouble doing a canter around half of the indoor arena, my horse kept turning in tighter and tighter circles and I felt a little unsafe as if she would slip and land on me, she was 16.2 so she was a big horse and this unnerved me a bit. I know I was probably doing something wrong for this to happen so lets hope I can improve on it this Saturday.

If I don't get any theory this week I'll speak to the instructor on a one to one basis.

Maybe I should buy a book?
 
NicolaMary

I've been riding for 6 years now and my instructor is always saying stuff I don't understand! I gather this is quite common...

The 'wrong leg' business is something I had to look up in a book, there's also an explanation on-site. It's basically that the horse should strike off into canter on the leg of the direction it's going in ie if you're cantering to the right, then the right front leg should go out and down first. If they do it with the inside leg instead (ie the left leg in that example) then it can throw them off balance. If you put your outside leg back and your inside leg on the girth when you ask for canter it's supposed to make them go onto the right leg. However, on our school horses, to make them canter we are basically told to 'sit and kick' and it's only through this board and my own reading that I've realised there even is a canter 'command'!

But then I am a bit slow:eek:

SallyM - thanks, that's a relief!! Looking forward to my lesson tonight now (I want to practice transitions a lot as last week in the school, after months of only hacking, it became very apparent that mine are crappy)!!

Cathy:D
 
Like everyone mentioned, it gets better! I remember my 1st lesson I didn't ache but I guess because I didn't trot, the 2nd-3rd lesson was pain galore! By 4th lesson, you won't ache so much because your body will sort of be used to it 'somewhat.' Had another lesson this morning and I still ache here and there but not like before where I could barely move. The pain/soreness is all good and it gets better, thank goodness!:D I ordered my seatbone saver last week and still waiting...wish the mail would hurry!:)
 
My lessons won't start for nearly a month but based on what I am reading here, I think I will make it my practice to hit the pool on the days I'm not riding -- it's gentle, limbers you up a bit and then you can ease some aches in the whirlpool!
 
I have to admit I got a smile out of what you said bebophutch! :D My legs and arms are sore the morning after my riding lesson and I guess, although it is uncomfortable, it kind of makes me feel like a REAL equestrian! :D (I love that word!) :D

However, nicolamary, this does sound worse than aches like I get. I wish I had some advice for you but I don't really know what to say. Frankly though, I am SHOCKED that they had you cantering your first lesson in twenty years! :eek:

~Rebekah~
 
I found a miracle cure for the aches, its called Tiger Balm! I started using it on Monday and I was amazed......it actually made walking easier which is always a good thing. On the instructions it says it is also good for warming muscles up prior to exercise!

Anyway I went back to the stables on Wednesday evening (just to watch) as two of my friends were also having their first lessons. Anyway the owner of the school suggested I joined the lesson for the last half hour and just walked round gently to try to make the groin muscles a little more supple. Anyway I took it very gently and had a little trot and canter at the very end of the lesson. Her advice was in fact correct and although it was a bit uncomfortable when I first mounted it got easier and the aches have now gone (I have another 1 hour lesson tomorrow).

I was also suprised to be cantering on my first and 2nd lesson but the owner of the school says I am more than ready, so I suppose she being the expert I can only go with the advice she gives.

Thanks for all your postings.

P.S I'm also riding the biggest horse in the school 16'2 and it feels like I'm straddling a huge wide armchair, maybe this is why I was hurting so much afterwards!!!! Bring the next lesson on.
 
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