Newbie re-rider - ohhhh the agony! Help!

[Hanfleur]

Hi folks!

My 3 () daughters started riding a couple of weeks ago and as they have a private lesson and the smell of horsey poo went to my head, I decided that I was going to join them too. I had my first hour in the saddle in 25 years on Sunday (so 4 days ago) and have been in total agony ever since - particularly my inner thighs and knees.

Does anyone have any tips for me? I'm meant to be training for a charity run in November but I can barely hobble the length of myself just now and am slightly scared about next weekend's lesson!

Thank you!

Hot baths, deep heat, stretches and walking. Then ride more often.

It won't hurt as much next time, but stretch before and after your lessons!

I empathise, i foolishly decided to go on a half day trek a few weeks ago, my legs lost all strength after about an hour and myankles got so sore I took them out of the stirrups to stretch them, pony decided to unexpectedly trot downhill and I fell off! Very embarrasing, sore legs and shoulder and neck. Im sure if id still been doing regular yoga like i was a few years ago i wouldnt have hurt so much. I actually looked up some exercises for horseriding (lots of squats and lunges) as i was appalled at my lack of leg strength and would like to ride more regularly again.

Foam roller! Hurts but will DEFINITELY help if you can bear the pain!

As you've found, riding uses a completely different set of muscles to pretty much any other exercise so you will ache at first - got to say an doing an hours lesson as your first time was probably ambitious - maybe try building up from 30 mins - 45 mins- an hour for your next go? You could always do 30 mins twice a week to progress quicker?

Otherwise, hot baths and deep heat are the best thing for when you accidentally break yourself as most riders sometimes do . Pilates is just about the best exercise to build your riding muscles (aside from more riding) - ideally done with an instructor to make sure you are doing it right, but you can find some good exercises online to start off with, just google stretches for riders or exercises for riders - things like hip flexor stretches, squats, calf muscle drops, anything which builds the core all help!

Thanks so much everyone! Followed some of your tips and have finally transitioned from agony to uncomfortable lol. Have made this week's lesson 30 mins!

Good luck! A shorter lesson is a very sensible idea, not just for the sake of your muscles - you have to think about so many different things when you’re learning to ride that I find my brain start to get fried after 30 minutes anyway...

As far as being sore goes, I started lessons again earlier this year after a very, very long break (I learned to ride badly as a child). I was I agony after the first time for a couple of days, then gradually got used to it. Lessons stopped over lockdown so I didn’t get on a horse for 3 months, but surprisingly I wasn’t too sore after my first lesson back - I could feel that my muscles (especially in my inner thigh) had been working but it was fine.

Pilates has helped enormously with my core strength so I’d thoroughly recommend that plus stretching and loosening up before and after your lesson and Epsom salt baths are wonderful.

I’m so glad I started riding again - my lessons are one of the highlights of my week