A sack of potatoes goes for a ride

[johnnysauntie]

I'm crawling back into the saddle after an extended break, due to knee injury and surgery. I feel like I'm starting from less than zero! My riding muscles have turned to mush, and I'm relearning my seat, balance, etc. Ugh, it is brutal. The worst effect is that unless you're riding quietly and balanced, Jag gives you just the worst trot - I call it his Standardbred imitation - head up, back hollow, and he's got a lot of I guess you'd call it suspension - it's a pogo stick. Because I'm not currently balanced or quiet, I'm reconnecting with his trot from hell. I'm trying to moderate his speed with my posting but even that is really difficult now.

I'm pursuing PT with the doc, and doing pilates and cross training to build strength.

But I'm looking for ER input on exercises to do in the saddle to help firm things up, because I'm a total mess up there.

Thank you!

[Lis]

I feel your pain. I cracked a few ribs recently and that was enough to through me out of whack..add a 16.3hh growing and gangly 4 y/o and an already messed up knee..and it's been fun.

[alisonph]

JA, Trotting (posting) a 20m circle with no stirrups helps very, very quickly build some nice muscles. Don't push too hard at first. Before you know it, you'll be doing 20 minutes without stirrups. It has helped me in all areas of riding.

[niaru]

Hahaha, Alison, that is TORTURE! I'd much rather sit the trot w/o stirrups for 15 mn than do just 3 mn of posting w/o stirrups!

I feel your pain, JA. When I ride by myself I don't ride nearly long enough (or hard enough!) to get any fitness benefits out of it. Today, I decided to keep cantering in 2-point until a car went by the ring. So we cantered. And cantered. And cantered. No @\#! car ever went by and I had to quit because my calves were BURNING! Pathetic. We didn't even canter THAT long, either, and Charm was just good as gold, soft and balanced, no excuse there either, lol!

So I've decided to get lessons regularly again. Starting with 30 mn sessions because I KNOW I won't be able to last an hour!