Managing hypermobility / EDS with riding

[elscott]

Hi everyone!

First of all, thank you so much for all the kind and helpful advice you’ve shared with me in my previous posts as I get back into riding. It’s a wonderful community here, and I really appreciate the support. I hope in time I’ll be able to return the favour as I regain experience in the saddle!

I wanted to reach out for some guidance from anyone who has experience riding with hEDS (hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome) and related like PoTS. When I rode previously, I suffered from recurrent groin injuries that eventually led me to stop. Years later, I was diagnosed with hEDS and have since had abdominal surgery, which has left me with weakness between my lower abdomen, pelvis, and groins.

Over the years, I’ve had physio with mixed success, and my fitness level is not what it used to be. Now that I’m returning to riding—just for hacking and to enjoy my love of horses, not competing anymore—I’d love to hear from anyone who has experience managing similar issues. How did you strengthen these areas to allow you to ride successfully?

Would you recommend finding a physio with equestrian experience, or is there a specific system or program that helped you build back strength? Bonus points if you know of any equestrian-focused physios near Letchworth/Hitchin! Someone kindly recommended Activate Your Seat, which I’m looking into—it sounds great for targeting the muscle groups I’d need.

Tack & Stability​

I’m also thinking about the best tack setup to minimise strain and aid stability. I’m short (5’2”) with short legs, so I need to find a narrower-build horse for comfort. I’ve heard that a narrow twist saddle and shorter stirrups can help, but I’d love to know:

• Are there any saddle brands/models you’d recommend for someone with my build and needs?

• Are there any clothing, boots, protectors etc that’s helped?

• Any other tack or gear that’s helped you with stability and minimising injury risks? (including from falls)

• I’m planning to start off sharing a horse 2-3 days a week before eventually getting my own down the line. Is it ever possible to use your own tack on a share? Or does tack need to be fully fitted to the individual horse?

Apologies for the waffle, but I’d be so grateful for any advice on both strength-building and tack / fit recommendations. Any personal experiences, tips, or physio recommendations would be hugely appreciated!

Thanks so much in advance!

Best,
Emma

 

[FitzyFitz]

Most of the EDS riders I know ride in pretty normal tack, but all prefer narrow twist saddles to avoid hip strain. Often wide tread stirrups are useful too as it keeps your foot/ankle a bit more stable. For injury risk, a grab handle on the saddle for sudden wobbles and back protector/air jacket might be useful.

With a share horse, the tack does need to fit it. Saddles definitely need to be individual but theres no reason you couldn't use your own stirrups/reins/seat saver etc if that sort of thing helped you.

Also, regular pilates or similar if you're not doing it already will help a lot with your strength on and off the horse.

 

[maya2008]

What we do:
1) Ponies not horses. The impact of dismounting from a horse nicely pops joints out and it’s just too big overall - lifting a bigger haynet, heavier wheelbarrow for mucking out as more full - just more potential for damage!
2) Safe/polite ponies. You don’t want sudden movemements to jerk your joints. If I am working with youngsters I wrap my joints in advance to try to prevent injury.
3) Wide tread stirrups, plus I sit rather than rise a lot for trot and so does my daughter.
4) On bad days, a good bareback pad - climb on from a block, go for a low impact wander - no pain or issues.

Prepare to be absolutely exhausted as your body builds core muscles to support you again and to perhaps need to wear a hip belt while you build muscle around your pelvic region.

 

[Kaylum]

Have you had any lessons on a mechanical horse. It might be good to see if you can manage riding.

 

[Cloball]

I only have mild focal hypermobile joints. Definitely have your own stirrups/leathers/reins if that helps. Unfortunately with share ponies you get whatever saddle the owner has/fits the horse. This can be ... Interesting.

I also ride a pony but she is extra wide . It took me the best part of a year to regain my riding muscles luckily my girl tends not to spook dramatically and I put a grab strap on the saddle just in case.

@sbloom understands a lot about pelvic stability and saddles. She has some good material online.

 

[elscott]

Most of the EDS riders I know ride in pretty normal tack, but all prefer narrow twist saddles to avoid hip strain. Often wide tread stirrups are useful too as it keeps your foot/ankle a bit more stable. For injury risk, a grab handle on the saddle for sudden wobbles and back protector/air jacket might be useful.

With a share horse, the tack does need to fit it. Saddles definitely need to be individual but theres no reason you couldn't use your own stirrups/reins/seat saver etc if that sort of thing helped you.

Also, regular pilates or similar if you're not doing it already will help a lot with your strength on and off the horse.

Hello! Thanks for your reply.

It's reassuring to hear that most EDS riders manage well with normal tack, but it makes sense that a narrow twist saddle is generally preferred to avoid hip strain. Good to know about tack with a share horse—I completely understand that saddles need to be properly fitted to the horse, but it’s great to hear that I could still use my own stirrups, reins, or seat saver if they help with stability and comfort. That flexibility will be really useful!

I like the idea of wide tread stirrups for extra foot/ankle stability, and a grab handle on the saddle sounds like a simple but smart addition for any sudden wobbles! A back protector or air jacket is definitely something I’ll be looking into as well—better safe than sorry.

I used to do reformer pilates, which really helped. I do have a reformer but I'll see if I can get an instructor to get up and running again.

Really appreciate the advice—thank you!

 

[elscott]

What we do:
1) Ponies not horses. The impact of dismounting from a horse nicely pops joints out and it’s just too big overall - lifting a bigger haynet, heavier wheelbarrow for mucking out as more full - just more potential for damage!
2) Safe/polite ponies. You don’t want sudden movemements to jerk your joints. If I am working with youngsters I wrap my joints in advance to try to prevent injury.
3) Wide tread stirrups, plus I sit rather than rise a lot for trot and so does my daughter.
4) On bad days, a good bareback pad - climb on from a block, go for a low impact wander - no pain or issues.

Prepare to be absolutely exhausted as your body builds core muscles to support you again and to perhaps need to wear a hip belt while you build muscle around your pelvic region.

Hi there!

That’s really interesting—I hadn’t actually considered ponies before as I always associated ponies with being little firecrackers, so I hadn’t thought they’d be a good fit for a steady, safe hacker. I had been looking at 14.2hh-16hh, but only finer-boned, narrower types to avoid putting strain on my hips and joints. I’d been considering Connemaras (I’m from N. Ireland and have experience with the breed), Arabs, TB crosses, and lighter ISH types, but based on your experience, what pony types would you recommend?

What would you look for in a share pony?

I'm keen to avoid unpredictable/sudden movements. I don't have a history of dislocations, more muscle injury, which I feel lucky about. Still a good shout to wrap joints though. Avoiding groin injuries is front of mind as this was my main issue.

I’m based near Hitchin/Letchworth, and I’ll be starting out with a part-time share. My main aim is hacking, with some light schooling to rebuild confidence and strength, so temperament is really key.

I've received consistent approval of wide tread stirrups so will definitely get these. I used to rise trot but transitioning to a sit trot would be wise. Bareback pad for bad days is genius. I will absolutely be using a mount block, I can't imagine getting on with stirrups only now! A gentle, low-impact wander is my aim.

I’ll definitely prepare for serious exhaustion while my core muscles rebuild! I hadn’t thought about using a hip belt for extra support, but that’s a really helpful tip while strengthening my pelvic region again.

Thanks so much for all the advice—it’s given me a lot to think about! Would love to hear your thoughts on pony breeds and what to prioritise when looking for a safe share pony.

Best,
Emma

 

[elscott]

Have you had any lessons on a mechanical horse. It might be good to see if you can manage riding.

Hello!

That’s a really good suggestion—I haven’t tried a mechanical horse before, but it sounds like a good way to test my stability and strength in a controlled environment before getting back on a real horse. I'll see if I can find a facility that offers this.

Thanks for the idea—definitely something to consider!

 

[elscott]

I only have mild focal hypermobile joints. Definitely have your own stirrups/leathers/reins if that helps. Unfortunately with share ponies you get whatever saddle the owner has/fits the horse. This can be ... Interesting.

I also ride a pony but she is extra wide . It took me the best part of a year to regain my riding muscles luckily my girl tends not to spook dramatically and I put a grab strap on the saddle just in case.

@sbloom understands a lot about pelvic stability and saddles. She has some good material online.

Hello!

That’s really helpful to know—having my own stirrups, leathers, and reins sounds like a good idea if it helps with comfort and stability. And yes, I can imagine that with share ponies, you’re stuck with whatever saddle fits them. I will try and see what is possible.

Your pony sounds fab—even if she’s extra wide! I love that she’s sensible and doesn’t spook dramatically, which must have been a big help while you were rebuilding your riding muscles. I’ll definitely take inspiration from you and put a grab strap on the saddle for extra security.

Thanks for the @sbloom recommendation—I’ll look up her material on pelvic stability and saddles, as that sounds really relevant to what I need.

I really appreciate the advice!

 

[sbloom]

Agree with wider tread stirrups certainly, you may find that 90 degree slots at the top, a weighted or laterally wedged stirrup may help, and that may depend on your saddle and the ribcage shape, and how it ends up making you sit. What works to stabilise your legs and pelvis will be very different to what works for someone else.

Ponies is a good bet for that dismounting issue however I recommend any riders with any sort of weakness get a tall 4 step mounting block made with a wide platform top, so you can dismount onto the block. Often ponies are wider so you might pay the cost of an easy dismount with hip issues.

I do think there might be options that you could use that suit you AND fit the horse or pony without having to use the owner's saddle. It would need very careful handling in terms of communication as you can imagine, as the received wisdom is that the saddle should be fitted 90% around the horse and so you should use the owner's saddle at all times.

Ultimately a kind of "neutral" fit, that's really functional for the horse even if it doesn't tick SMS type boxes, but allows the horse to move well, can be plenty IF we can really optimise and stablise the rider. A stable rider is an easier load to carry and a rider that is truly functional in the saddle is going to be able to help the horse more.

 

[maya2008]

Hi there!

That’s really interesting—I hadn’t actually considered ponies before as I always associated ponies with being little firecrackers, so I hadn’t thought they’d be a good fit for a steady, safe hacker. I had been looking at 14.2hh-16hh, but only finer-boned, narrower types to avoid putting strain on my hips and joints. I’d been considering Connemaras (I’m from N. Ireland and have experience with the breed), Arabs, TB crosses, and lighter ISH types, but based on your experience, what pony types would you recommend?

What would you look for in a share pony?

I'm keen to avoid unpredictable/sudden movements. I don't have a history of dislocations, more muscle injury, which I feel lucky about. Still a good shout to wrap joints though. Avoiding groin injuries is front of mind as this was my main issue.

I’m based near Hitchin/Letchworth, and I’ll be starting out with a part-time share. My main aim is hacking, with some light schooling to rebuild confidence and strength, so temperament is really key.

I've received consistent approval of wide tread stirrups so will definitely get these. I used to rise trot but transitioning to a sit trot would be wise. Bareback pad for bad days is genius. I will absolutely be using a mount block, I can't imagine getting on with stirrups only now! A gentle, low-impact wander is my aim.

I’ll definitely prepare for serious exhaustion while my core muscles rebuild! I hadn’t thought about using a hip belt for extra support, but that’s a really helpful tip while strengthening my pelvic region again.

Thanks so much for all the advice—it’s given me a lot to think about! Would love to hear your thoughts on pony breeds and what to prioritise when looking for a safe share pony.

Best,
Emma

Hi,
I wouldn’t focus on breed at all - I would look for safe and sensible and (depending on your weight) somewhere from 13.2hh up. You probably don’t want: Highland, New Forest, cob. All of those tend towards more bolshy on the ground and wider in the saddle.

I’ve seen plenty of mixed breed ponies who were narrower. I own a 13hh mixed breed pony who is very very narrow and had a wonderful 13.3hh sports pony once who was narrow - she was just the sweetest ride. Both of those were Arab crosses. Most ponies are also narrower if they are kept at a good, healthy weight and not allowed to get too plump! In terms of behaviour - there are plenty of saintly ponies out there. I went out hacking today with my children, riding bareback in the sunshine, on three ponies all under 14hh. Not one put a foot wrong.

I would perhaps get a few lessons in at a riding school if it’s been a long time, then pop up a wanted ad, widen your height range perhaps down to 13.2hh and see what is available. I would mention in the ad that you need something narrow for your hips and see what you are offered.

 

[elscott]

Hi,
I wouldn’t focus on breed at all - I would look for safe and sensible and (depending on your weight) somewhere from 13.2hh up. You probably don’t want: Highland, New Forest, cob. All of those tend towards more bolshy on the ground and wider in the saddle.

I’ve seen plenty of mixed breed ponies who were narrower. I own a 13hh mixed breed pony who is very very narrow and had a wonderful 13.3hh sports pony once who was narrow - she was just the sweetest ride. Both of those were Arab crosses. Most ponies are also narrower if they are kept at a good, healthy weight and not allowed to get too plump! In terms of behaviour - there are plenty of saintly ponies out there. I went out hacking today with my children, riding bareback in the sunshine, on three ponies all under 14hh. Not one put a foot wrong.

I would perhaps get a few lessons in at a riding school if it’s been a long time, then pop up a wanted ad, widen your height range perhaps down to 13.2hh and see what is available. I would mention in the ad that you need something narrow for your hips and see what you are offered.

Hi again! Thank you so much for your advice—I really appreciate it!

That’s really helpful to hear, and I’ll definitely shift my focus away from breed. It’s great to know that height from around 13.2hh+ could work, as I’d originally been looking slightly taller.

Your hack today sounds perfect. That gives me confidence that I shouldn’t overlook ponies just because of past experiences.

I did think about going for lessons before getting a loan but wondered if I would find a suitable horse/tack set up that won't lead to injury. However, I'll call up one or two schools and explain my situation to see what they think. I'll make sure to mention the need for a narrow build in my ad.

Thanks again—this has been so helpful!

 

[sbloom]

Yes anything bred with British Riding Pony ie show pony type, and some others of course such as the aforementioned Arab, may not be particularly wide. Though Arabs can be very wide too, interesting how crossing them with ponies often does end up with something a little narrower....I anbsolutely agree that breed is seldom predictive of width,

I would just be careful that narrow isn't just saddle, includes ribcage lower down, and narrow for a saddle isn't because the horse has muscle wastage and hollows either side of the wither, plenty of owners don't realise this is an issue.

 

[Fingerontheneckstrap]

In terms of gear I found that the Acavallo gel out seat saver has not only really reduced pains in my back/hips/groin areas but also very helpful if the horse has a spook or stumble for stability! I had to get a second saddle for my new horse a few months back and got another seat saver for that too! Mine is just the regular one but I do know they do ortho-coccyx ones for more specified shock absorption!

I also love my flex-on stirrups, they’ve greatly reduced knee and lower back pain for me however as a user has said above most wide stirrups that are at a bit of an incline will do that for you!

I do try to always have a neck strap for a bit of stability, and if I’m doing something and don’t particularly want the bulk of a back protector, the airo wear body protector is great, but be mindful it’s nowhere near as protective as a regular body protector.

I’m only 26 so I probably don’t feel the full effects of EDS just yet as I might in a few years time, but I go to a Pilates class twice a week and do at home Pilates at least 3/4 other days a week. I think muscling up your core and glutes is so essential to ensure you’re using your body correctly when riding, and not causing wear and tear on joints that are already a bit troublesome! I do think keeping linked in with a physiotherapist would be a great idea because while your body is adjusting to something like horseriding, you’re wakinf up a lot of muscles/ligaments/tendons/joints that maybe haven’t been worked in awhile, so they can definitely help work out any niggles before they become a bigger thing.

All of the best with your riding journey, I find riding actually helps my EDS a bit as it means I’m active and staying strong and can support my body a bit better, but certainly a high risk activity in the cases of falls, or hurting yourself!

 

[Billabongchick]

I use elasticated ankle wraps to stop my ankles turning outwards and make sure my boots are well fitted especially through the ankle (so no riding in country boot styles).

Have also found wide stirrup leathers helpful for leg stability and Correct Connect reins with the squidgy leather pads really great for my poor grip/sore fingers.

I do ride a big horse as am heavy but always use a decent tall mounting block and have a Polyjump one with wheels which is easy to move for taking out and about to avoid putting my back out getting on/lifting heavy steps into lorry.

 

[Billabongchick]

Also I can’t ride cobs so would avoid those. I used to wonder why it hurt so much when I schooled for friends on their wider horses and now understand why since finding out I have EDS! Which is probably why I’ve always preferred TB shaped horses otherwise my hips pop out! I remember as a kid being made to lift our thighs away from the saddle to get our seat bones seated/centred in a lesson and for me it was horrifically painful.

The mechanical horse idea is a good one if you haven’t ridden for a while.