Male riding clothing question - NOT a troll thread!

HeyMich

HeyMich

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I have a 13yr old son, and his posture when riding is totally awful. He sits back on his bum bones, so to speak, and he hunches his back over and almost rolls his shoulders forwards etc, all the total opposite of how it should be. Regardless of this, he's a cracking wee rider, absolutely loves flying around the countryside on his pony, but I (and his instructors) feel that his seat and posture is holding him back, as he can't ride with his seat effectively and has no fixed core.

I'm totally of the mind that it's his boy-anatomy that's causing the problem. He's tall and skinny, and has no meat/fat to cushion him at all! He rides in tight, padded cycling shorts (under his jods - jods for boys are another issue which we'll discuss later), as he gets sore seat bones so he says the padding is needed. But perhaps this isn't holding his boy bits out if the way enough, so exacerbating the problem. He won't talk to me about it though, as he's, well, a 13 yr old boy. My OH isn't horsey so "just doesn't understand". Great.

I'm keen for my son to be able to produce grandchildren for me at some point in the future. Selfish, I know.

I'm thinking of tweeting William Fox-Pit to ask what underwear he wears. I know that could be slightly misconstrued, but I'm just a concerned mother... Honest!

Any advice?
 
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palo1

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Hmm, it is tricky tbh. My lad went through this but now, at 15 he is perfectly fine; good posture and comfortable. But he has grown upwards and outwards hugely in the last 2 years and now actually looks like a bloke! More weight on the legs as well as more muscle appears to have helped but I don't know what to suggest tbh; just wanted to say that he is not alone!
 
Snow Falcon

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I, too, have a hunched back droopy shoulder 13yo son! He has to ride in a seat saver as the saddles are too uncomfortable for him without. Our ponies are foresters, on the wider side and as a male pelvis is narrower he finds them harder to sit on. I, on the other hand have no trouble!

Finding reasonably priced riding attire that they aren't going to grow out of within a few months is indeed challenging.
 
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HeyMich

HeyMich

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palo1 said:
Hmm, it is tricky tbh. My lad went through this but now, at 15 he is perfectly fine; good posture and comfortable. But he has grown upwards and outwards hugely in the last 2 years and now actually looks like a bloke! More weight on the legs as well as more muscle appears to have helped but I don't know what to suggest tbh; just wanted to say that he is not alone!
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Thanks Palo. It's a shame that as a society we're so prudish, and don't openly talk about these things. I don't know any instructor, male or female, who would ask these sort of questions to a teenage boy in a lesson, and it may actually be the one thing that unlocks his riding.
 
DabDab

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Sounds like the saddle doesn't really suit him? I just to lean back a lot when I was younger (still do if I don't get on with a saddle) and I think it is more to do with my proportionally long thigh bones. However, the last time I was talking to an actual bloke about anatomy differences he was saying, from a classical dressage pov, that men need more padding at the front of the saddle making it effectively rise higher, which is the opposite from what I would have guessed.

Maybe you could find a saddle fitter used to fitting saddles for men and see if they can help?
 
HeyMich

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Peregrine Falcon said:
I, too, have a hunched back droopy shoulder 13yo son! He has to ride in a seat saver as the saddles are too uncomfortable for him without. Our ponies are foresters, on the wider side and as a male pelvis is narrower he finds them harder to sit on. I, on the othet hand have no trouble!

Finding reasonably priced riding attire that they aren't going to grow out of within a few months is indeed challenging.
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I absolutely feel your pain. Let's start up a support group for our gangly, emotional, hormonal, growing-like-weeds boys. I think gin should be involved.
 
HeyMich

HeyMich

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DabDab said:
Sounds like the saddle doesn't really suit him? I just to lean back a lot when I was younger (still do if I don't get on with a saddle) and I think it is more to do with my proportionally long thigh bones. However, the last time I was talking to an actual bloke about anatomy differences he was saying, from a classical dressage pov, that men need more padding at the front of the saddle making it effectively rise higher, which is the opposite from what I would have guessed.

Maybe you could find a saddle fitter used to fitting saddles for men and see if they can help?
Click to expand...

That's interesting. I wonder if most saddles are more suited to female anatomy. It's actually a new saddle that he's riding in, the old one had the same effect. Worth a question next time we have the fitter out to see us though, thanks.
 
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I second getting a gel seat saver. He may also benefit from a different saddle. I had the opposite problem when I loaned a hunter from a male friend for a while and had to buy a new saddle because I found his one incredibly painful to ride in. I bought a cheap-ish synthetic and sighed with relief!
 
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palo1

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HeyMich said:
Thanks Palo. It's a shame that as a society we're so prudish, and don't openly talk about these things. I don't know any instructor, male or female, who would ask these sort of questions to a teenage boy in a lesson, and it may actually be the one thing that unlocks his riding.
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Yes, it is ridiculous really and sad. My lad has his dad to discuss these things with thankfully as they both ride though my OH moans about his knees hurting if he rides in walk for too long lol...!! My lad is also lucky in that he mixes with quite a few male riders so motivation to keep going has been strong and now he is big, muscly and confident; being in the saddle is pretty natural to him now. I can only suggest that supportive underwear (stretchy but 'form fitting' boxers for eg) might help to keep everything secure and in one place, as well as a seat saver and possibly an appointment with a saddle fitter who might at least be able to look at and explain how the saddle itself is impacting on him. Both my OH and son have been much more comfortable with a half panel saddle with extra long flaps and cut quite forward, no knee rolls and a flatter seat. That is just luck though because that is what fits the horse beautifully too. Sbloom might be able to shed some light on anatomical stuff as well.

Cross posted with above!!
 
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Orangehorse

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In the past riding astride was a male thing, obviously generations of boys didn't have any problems, so is it the design of the saddle? Although I have noticed that the "bag of potatoes" posture is a common thing for boys.
 
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Orangehorse

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Round shoulders, sitting on the back of the saddle with the legs forward, I've noticed it quite often. Not while actively riding obviously.
 
Kat

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My husband uses a heather moffett seat saver if he has to ride in anyone else's saddle. They give a bit more padding and slightly alter the fit of the saddle for the rider but not the horse. Worth a try.

He also says snug fitting briefs are essential to keep everything up and out of the way.
 
PinkvSantaboots

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All said:
rounding the shoulders like the first photo
(its the best photos i could find )
View attachment 76967View attachment 76968
Click to expand...

Your position is nothing like a bag of potatoes in those pictures, a slight rounded shoulder thats all which I think most people do at times I know I do.

I think orangehorse was referring to a very slouched chair seat way of riding:)
 
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phizz4

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Having landed on the pommel of a western saddle following one particularly large buck I ride in a cricket box to protect my man-parts. You can get boxer shorts with a pouch at the front to hold it, but I just tuck it into my y fronts. Sorry for the explicit detail.
 
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