READY FOR ENDURANCE

By Derriere Equestrian Sponsored Endurance Rider Katie Bedwin

Endurance riding is fun, thrilling and addictive. But for some people it can cause some physical discomfort while they are getting used to the longer distances and the adaptions they may need to make to their conventional riding position. This also applies to pleasure rides. Common issues for those new to longer distance rides are tension and pain in the lower back, and fatigue in the knee joints.

There’s an excellent article by American endurance rider Priscilla Lindsey called ‘Equitation for Distance Riders’, whereby Priscilla states that riding in harmony with the endurance horse's movement is achieved by riding in balance ALL of the time. “When the rider is not in balance, excessive muscle tension (grip) is used. This results in rider fatigue, and consequently ‘pounding’ the horse's back. Riding in balance requires only good muscle tone, rather than tension, to keep the rider light in the saddle.” Priscilla explains that the faster trot, gallop and up-hill rides require the rider's centre of gravity to be over the heel, with the rider’s shoulder AHEAD of the vertical line (the one that is drummed into us as beginners as being ‘ear/shoulder/hip/heel’. The endurance rider’s hip, when taking the ideal, forward, lighter seat, is behind the vertical line, counterbalancing the rider’s shoulder. The successful endurance rider’s pelvis in a true vertical position, neither tipped forward (e.g. where the rider has a hollow back) nor tipped backward (e.g. where the rider has a rounded back). If you can easily feel your seat bones, rock back and forth on them in the saddle until it feels like they are pointing straight down at the ground beneath your horse's belly, advises Priscilla in her article.

Once you have honed this adaptability with your riding, you will hopefully find that any lower back pain or discomfort in the knees that you were experiencing over longer distances is reduced as you begin to use your body differently.

Other areas that affect rider comfort when tackling endurance or pleasure riders is tack and clothing. Gel, foam or sheepskin saddle covers or ‘seat savers’ are very useful, and the saddle itself makes a difference - if you’re not investing in an endurance saddle, a GP should suffice; choose wide stirrup irons to spread the weight distribution across the ball of your foot. Consider investing in padded riding underwear like the Derriere range, as when the rider is comfortable within the saddle, there is less likelihood of compensatory misalignment of the spine and pelvis. Breeches-wise, look for garments without excessive seams. The Derriere Equestrian Treviso Training breeches work in harmony with the Derriere undergarments, ensuring all fabric surfaces come together in a symbiosis that completely eliminates chaffing, abrasions and discomfort in the saddle.