Embarrassing question!

hersh72

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Aug 23, 2004
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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!
 
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.
 
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.
 
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
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.
 
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.
 
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.
 
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 ;)
 
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.
 
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.
 
Girls only

I've had that happen too. Even ended up with splits in my skin :eek: :eek: 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
 
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
 
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:)
 
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...:eek:

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!
 
Me too!

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.
 
Moral: Buy decent jods!!

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!;)
 
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.
 
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.
;)
 
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