# simple question... Am I sitting right? newbie



## Horsef (May 1, 2014)

It would be best to ask your instructor, they can actually see you.

As with everything to do with horses, it depends on what you are trying to achieve and on the horse you are riding. I will sit like you if I want to keep the horse active. It isn't unusual that your bum hurts if you don't have enough padding. School horses generally need to be ridden forward and stop if you aren't actively encouraging them with your seat, like you are doing when sitting like you are sitting (amongst other things. Lots of them need additional encouragement from other aids, like your legs).

But some horses (which you are unlikely to be riding for a while) are what horse-people call "forward". That means that, instead of being "lazy" like most school horses, they prefer going forward to stoping. Such horses, depending on their level of training, might need you to be very, very still in order to not be too "forward", i.e., not rush ahead without waiting for your instruction. Horses will interpret your seat bones as telling them "faster". On a "forward" horse which hasn't been thought to "collect", it results in a fast, disjointed ride (never mind about "collection" just yet, it means that the horse tucks their back legs underneath them and used their back end more than front). On such horses I either tilt my pelvis back so that my seat bones point forward or tighten my thigh muscles a bit so that my seat bones aren't in contact with the saddle.

Just to add to the confusion, some horses will have been trained to slow down if you bear down with your seat bones and stop following their movement.

I think I'm just confusing you, ask your instructor 😁


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## Horsef (May 1, 2014)

Just to answer your actual question, yes, your bum will hurt initially if you don't have enough padding. However, if you keep taking lessons you will develop more muscle which will make it more comfortable. You actually need to be absorbing the shock by contracting and releasing you thigh and seat muscles in the rhythm of your horses trott. This will take time to develop and learn.


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## redshepherd (Apr 26, 2017)

Oh right, I forgot to specify- when I asked my instructor, she said I was sitting correctly... But I just felt doubtful, since it feels so uncomfortable lol! And yes, my lesson horse is very calm but very lazy and would prefer eating and stopping, unless I keep kicking/squeezing haha.

Your post actually makes total sense and helps a lot, even though I may not be riding a forward horse in awhile, I now know what having the seat bones on the saddle do to the horse. Thanks! By "enough padding", do you mean the bum/legs will naturally develop a thickness in that area after awhile?


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## Horsef (May 1, 2014)

redshepherd said:


> Oh right, I forgot to specify- when I asked my instructor, she said I was sitting correctly... But I just felt doubtful, since it feels so uncomfortable lol! And yes, my lesson horse is very calm but very lazy and would prefer eating and stopping, unless I keep kicking/squeezing haha.
> 
> Your post actually makes total sense and helps a lot, even though I may not be riding a forward horse in awhile, I now know what having the seat bones on the saddle do to the horse. Thanks! By "enough padding", do you mean the bum/legs will naturally develop a thickness in that area after awhile?


Yes, you will develop muscles needed for riding. They will not "cover" your seat bones, but rather make it possible for you to decide exactly how much pressure on the saddle you want to exert. These aren't just you bum muscles but also your thigh muscles and most importantly, even though it doesn't make obvious sense just yet, your "core" muscles - the muscles which keep your torso stable.

Also, not that it's important to you just yet but is worth remembering in case you start wondering why something you are trying isn't working, the horse needs to be thought how to interpret your seat. Very highly trained horses listen to the slightest change in their riders seat. Most begginer school horses don't, for a very good reason - they would be all over the place with begginers trying to find their own balance.


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## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)

only a photo would give me enough info to make any sort of judgement. 

when I roll too much forward, I get sore on my seatbones.


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## TXhorseman (May 29, 2014)

Any new physically activity may cause discomfort initially. Trying to sit comfortably often causes us to sit poorly. This is true generally, but can prove especially detrimental when riding horses since the better we sit the better our horse responds.

The discomfort you feel may, in part, be caused by the saddle. Try various saddles if possible to see if you can find one that is more comfortable.

While one’s riding position will vary depending on the activity in which one is engaged, it is best to begin with a “basic” riding position. The best description of this which I have read was written by a Greek general named Xenophon about five centuries before the birth of Christ. He advised sitting on a horse as though one was standing, feet apart and knees slightly bent – a horse just happens to be between them. This position contrasts with how one sits in a chair. When sitting in a chair, the individual’s weight is concentrated on their seat with their feet further to the front. When standing, the person’s weight is centered above his feet.

Even when sitting with one’s head over shoulders over hips over heels, there are other things to consider. If a rider tenses the muscles of his crotch defensively, he become stiffer and will bounce more. In contrast, if a rider releases unnecessary muscular tension, his weight will be distributed throughout his seat, legs, and feet. One’s seat spreads across the saddle, his legs wrap naturally around the sides of his horse adhering to them simply because of gravity, and his feet rest on the stirrups in the same way they rest on the ground when standing.

There are other things to consider, but these will hopefully help you begin to become more comfortable in your riding. The more comfortable you become, the more comfortable your horse will become, and the more pleasant you riding will be.


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## Foxhunter (Feb 5, 2012)

Hey - want some of my extra padding? I will even mail it from the UK for free! 

It is not an uncommon problem, you could look into treating yourself to a seat saver, a pad that fits over the saddle, it would help you a lot and they aren't costly.


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## Avna (Jul 11, 2015)

Most every new rider ends up with sore pin bones for awhile. That's where I used to hurt when I got on a horse after years of no practice. But I also tend to sit with my hips cocked forward, which really doesn't help. Tuck your tailbone under. If it doesn't go away with regular riding, get a more padded saddle. Some are really hard!


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## trailhorserider (Oct 13, 2009)

Some saddles may be more comfortable for you than others. And the size of the saddle might also make a difference. I ride western, so I don't know about English saddles, but western saddles vary a lot in their comfort and sizing.


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## jaydee (May 10, 2012)

trailhorserider said:


> Some saddles may be more comfortable for you than others. And the size of the saddle might also make a difference. I ride western, so I don't know about English saddles, but western saddles vary a lot in their comfort and sizing.


 English saddles definitely do differ in comfort too!! Mostly steered by quality and condition of the saddle. It can make a big difference in comfort levels especially when learning and you haven't developed rhinoceros hide in the parts that matter!!
A photo or video would help members decide how well (or not) you're sitting but you could invest in some padded underwear or a padded seat saver for a while if you're really suffering


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