back ache and riding

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nicole1968

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just wondering if anyone else finds that if they ride certain horses it gives them backache i find that if i ride choppy striding horses that move like a pony it kills my back and some horses i really cant canter
 
I have a bad back anyway so riding bouncy horses isnt the most comfortable, but I just bought shock absorbant stirrups which are really good, less stress put on your back. Also, work really hard on your position, I find the more pain Im in the worse my position is, but when I get it just right Im not as bad! Particularly in canter, nake sure youve got your bum underneath you and your sitting as deep as possible...I find a bit of work without stirrups helps a treat :)
 
Really long striding horses are the worst for me. But generally your back shouldn't really hurt if it is 'healthy' in the first place, so may be worth incorporating some yoga into your week to help keep it stretched and strong. I also use sprenger stirrups and the heather moffet seat save to help my back. :)
 
lara b said:
Really long striding horses are the worst for me. But generally your back shouldn't really hurt if it is 'healthy' in the first place, so may be worth incorporating some yoga into your week to help keep it stretched and strong. I also use sprenger stirrups and the heather moffet seat save to help my back. :)
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Fab advice !! Yoga is a fantastic way of improving strength and flexibility in your back.

Try to engage your core muscles around your tummy when you ride, this will support your lower back
 
Yes but I find its to do with the,saddle rather than the horse. I have long thighs so if cramped into a saddle with big knee blocks in the wrong place I air differently and hence get horrendous back ache. Wintecs are often the worse for me.
 
If i stand up in my stirrups for any length of time (my RI is a meanie) my back starts to hurt and my instrctor says it because i dont engage my core muscles as much as i should. If yoiu youtube core muscle strengthening exercises that would help!!
 
I do yoga 3 times a week - it is quite a bit to fit in but I am learning to teach next year in India so need the practice.

Either or will help your riding, balance, strength and fitness as well as taking a bit of time out for yourself. you could get a DVD - I quite like the Geri Halliwell body yoga DVD I think it is about 2.99 on play.com with free postage.
 
Have had an unstable sacroilliac joint for years - brilliant osteopath put it 85% right, but I too ache in the saddle. I have a really chunky cob which doesn't help. I find stirrup leather length is the thing that makes the difference, and you can fine tune it bytucking the leather end through the two weight bearing bits etc. I normally prefer to ride very long ( Endurance/cowboy length) but can only do that on slender horses. So I've winched up a notch and it does ease things. I also find that changing the stirrup length during a ride can be helpful.

Have you tried a support belt? I used one for a bit and although hot, it was SO comforting.

I feel I may end up riding Western. Everyone tells me how comfortable that is.
 
Rose Folly said:
Have had an unstable sacroilliac joint for years - brilliant osteopath put it 85% right, but I too ache in the saddle. I have a really chunky cob which doesn't help. I find stirrup leather length is the thing that makes the difference, and you can fine tune it bytucking the leather end through the two weight bearing bits etc. I normally prefer to ride very long ( Endurance/cowboy length) but can only do that on slender horses. So I've winched up a notch and it does ease things. I also find that changing the stirrup length during a ride can be helpful.

Have you tried a support belt? I used one for a bit and although hot, it was SO comforting.

I feel I may end up riding Western. Everyone tells me how comfortable that is.
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i have this too, the only style of riding that doesnt hurt is race riding! I have a prolite back support wich really helps with 'normal' riding, just gives enough support and makes you sit up better to stop the ache in the first place. highly reccommended, theyre only about £35 or so too.
Also, try riding a really long backed horse, i have an old mare like this and the 'swinging' action of her back end usually sorts out my back by the end of the ride!
 
lara b said:
Really long striding horses are the worst for me. But generally your back shouldn't really hurt if it is 'healthy' in the first place, so may be worth incorporating some yoga into your week to help keep it stretched and strong. I also use sprenger stirrups and the heather moffet seat save to help my back. :)
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This for me as well! I find my TB's walk really stiffens me up but my 14hh cob has a really short stride and I find it so much easier to sit to.
 
I have arthritis (lumbar vertebrae and both SI joints) so bought a pony specifically to cater for my back problems, (I'm 44). I still want to actively compete, so chose a registered M&M breed. I hade to make a checklist of the points which would benefit my back, and eliminate everything that would cause more pain. My key points were - not too tall, for tacking up, rugging, mounting and dismounting. Nice length of stride - not too long, not too short and choppy, no high knee action, action free and smooth. Width - not too wide as this would put too much strain on the SI joints. Temperament - kind and sensible but forward going to ride.
My checklist led me to the New Forest Pony (a Connemara would have also been suitable but they are Soooooo expensive !).
In the height range (13.2hh - 15.2hh) suitable for my needs (and I don't care what others think of adults on ponies, my back is b*****ed, end off !), I had to eliminate the following breeds for the reasons shown -
Welsh C and D - both too wide and can be exciteable and very energetic. I would have loved a nice Welsh if I didn't have back problems :(
Highland - Waaaaaay too wide.
Dales - Too wide and has a bit too much knee action (would jolt my arthritic joints).
Fell - Again, too wide and has quite a short stride (ouch).
Exmoor - Fun ponies to ride and would have been ok but would be limited to just showing. I wouldn't manage endurance, and I wouldn't expect an Exmoor to manage RC comps against horses, but I do love the breed :)
Dartmoor, Welsh A, Welsh B, Shetland - All too small.
So, to answer the OP, thats how I manage riding with a bad back, buy a horse that fits your needs re back pain :D.
 
thanks ill ave to look at the support belt, its so true that certain types of horse really make a back problem worse glad it isnt just me, its funny cos everyone tries to get me to lenghthen my stirrups but i find shorter ones help support my back i tried dressage lenghth a few weeks ago after which my back went again, wont do that again my horse that i have at the moment isnt very kind to my back, i didnt choose him ended up with him by default, but i am debating wether to sell him cos of this but its so hard as he is so good in lots of ways
 
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Hi nicole1968. Have you thought of having a long talk with a really good saddler? They can be hugely helpful, and will take both your, and your horse's needs into consideration.

Cuppatea. You reminded me of what I'd forgotten. When my back was really gross, I had a hunter mare with a lovely long swinging walk. The osteopath said he could always tell without asking me how recently I had ridden, as after a ride my back was always in so much better nick. But I love my presentshort-backed choppy little cob and she's with me for good, so I just work round it as best I can.
 
My back tends to play up badly if I fail to ride the day before !! I find the constant, gentle flexing really helps to keep me supple. Though I do ride in dressage saddles 99% of the time so the posture that goes with it may be a help.
 
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