Does it ever stop hurting?

Mistletoeandawine

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I'll set the scene... Up to mid 20's full on rider, worked full time but kept 3-4 up to county standard showing as well as riding for others and judging, then career got in the way and it stopped.

Anyways, working in Southern France and my client says come meet my wife and horse. She (wife) has injured ankle so is not riding properly at the moment, but would you like to ride her (horse)?

So I pottle up and think, I'll have a little sit and amble for a few minutes. 30 mins later and I politely dismount and give the horse back with the broadest smile I've had for nearly 20 years.

I have lost my seat, but other than that on face value I can still get a pretty tune out of something. She (wife) has offered me the opportunity to ride her (horse) as much as I like to get her fit again and school her "as the English are the best"

Whilst I am sitting on my hands to not seem to over eager I'm of course going to say yes as they are both so lovely. But my question is, does the pain every go away? I've used muscles I'd forgotten I had and today I feel like John Wayne. Should I just push on through it and they muscles will remember what hard work feels like and gradually stop shouting their distain?

PS I only have a shower in my studio flat and the pools not ready yet so my normal hot bath or swimming stretching are out of the question..

TIA
 

rachk89

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Oh yes the pain will go. But for the next few times you ride you will be in pain sorry. Push through it you will be fine. Even hot showers will help ease the muscles too doesn't have to be a bath.

I had the same everytime i took a break from riding. It goes away.
 

Goldenstar

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Get the bathroom as warm as you can then run the shower on hot for a few minutes before turning it down and getting in then have a good shower and dress in some clothes a little warmer than you need .
The pain will go but it will take a while the more you ride the quicker it will be over .
 

cobgoblin

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Of course it will go away as you retrain the muscles...not saying it's not going to really hurt though!
I've had several breaks from riding and I find the feeling that you've lost your seat more disturbing than the pain,although I have been known to carry a cushion around.

Eta..a stiff drink helps with the muscles!
 

alliwantforchristmas

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pilates on the ball helps stretch muscles that have forgotten they could. took a long break and did pilates and ball exercises before getting back on and found it really helped. well, i think it did, as although I hurt it wasn't as bad as i was expecting.
 

Red-1

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I am sorry, but living in the south of France, the swimming pool not being ready, AND a free lovely horse to go ride...... you are not engendering pity in me here!!!!!
 

Dave's Mam

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Oh I feel your pain. I was 20 years out of the saddle & oh my. I actually fell in the front door after my first ride & couldn't move for days!

& yeah, South of France, pool, lovely horse. Pffffffft!
 

Mistletoeandawine

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Thanks everyone for your contributions, glad there will be some light and the end of the tunnel

And believe me the unending homesickness, limited English conversation and 12 hour days are the balance. The other half is over for the weekend but the riding will be a welcome distraction cos as much as it's great being here there is no place like home.
 

sunnyone

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Enjoy it while you can !
The summer is coming and with it the scorching heat (25° in Bordeaux last week already) and the huge flies will be around soon. No French brands of insecticide seem to do the job!
Thus riding early or late in the day is the only option, and you may not have that time luxury available.
 

Mistletoeandawine

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Thanks for the advice on the flies. Maybe I should bulk buy some stuff through the other half in the UK and he can ship it over! I'm still getting used to the equipment differences, are fly sheets and fly masks used much here to help the horses out? I've yet to find the equivalent of a tack shop here. For purely reference purposes of course!! Stable management is either very different to how I remember it or things are different intercontinentally.
 

sunnyone

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Try Decathlon, there is normally a half decent ( note half) tack area down the back of the shop. We always buy salt blocks from there.
Intersport have a slightly better area. I have just washed one of their non-filled New Zealand rugs and it looks like new again. Its now had 3 winters use, and been used a lot as mare feels the cold a lot more than she used to so wore it a lot more this year. No detergent, just water.
Look also in the shops whose name ends in Vert. We have Gamm vert, they sell feed and basic supplies.
Agree about tack shops, I found one at a show, that is based in the prefecture city, went there and found most of their stock is kept across the road in a locked store so browsing was almost impossible.
Have to admit we did import Deosect for fly control. You can probably get sensibly priced fly masks etc from Leclerc Sport shops. I found one style of mask rubbed my horses noses, so ended up sewing acrylic sheepskin round them.
Over the years I've found each owner and livery yard has their own idea of stable management, so I just try to go with the flow. I don't necessarily like it though. Best idea I've seen was the the poney club in Zaragoza, Spain where they had fully grilled tops to the stables built round an open courtyard; and then externally they had heavyweight shower curtaining so that they could ensure sun and flies were excluded as necessary. Horses could peer out the rest of the time.
 
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