Yes Omg I always just say I need to ride more the muscles are not use for everyday use or like u use then when riding. When I sore I know I had a good ride ;) I always take it as a good thing.
Brittany

Speaking from experience, the more you ride, the less sore you'll be. The only cure is more riding. It will go away after awhile.

Phantommustang, Yeah I figured that.

Thanks Brittany for the encouragement!

Absolutely!!!! Especially if i haven't ridden in a while i get very sore but as the others say, it does get less and less each ride until eventually you will not be sore at all :-) Doing some stratching of your back and legs before and after a ride helps aswell. I find pilates is great for strengthening all those core muscles we need for riding too.
Happy riding!
Janelle

There is an old saying, "no pain, no gain". That is so wrong !!!! If there is pain there is a problem.
If you are experiencing pain while riding, there are several factors.
1. the muscels you use are underdeveloped
2. your saddle is too wide for you
3. you have improper posture
These are all fixable.
1.When lying on the floor, with your hands at your side,palms down, feet flat on the floor with knees bent: lift your pelvis as high as you can and hold for the count of 8. Lower and repeat 10 times.
While sitting in a hard backed chair, tilt your pelvis upward and hold for the count of 8, repeat 10 times. Squeese your butt with each of these exercise as hard as you can and hold.
2. The best saddle made for women is the "Freedom saddle". the reason, the crown is built up and lifts your pelvis upwards, while allowing your body to find it's natural position. The legs will drop, the back will arch and the hips will not be too far spread. Any saddle can be made this way, have extra padding put into the crown.
3. Your posture can be corrected by; standing as close as you comfortably can against a wall. Feet planted firmly and bend your knees (as if you were sitting), hold for the count of 8 and do this for 10 repetitions.
Doing these simple things will help you to endure, without pain.
With anything build yourself slowly. You wouldn't ask your horse for a loupe before a walk, the same for us.
Once you are able to do these things comfortably, with no pain at all you are ready for longer sessions in the saddle.
Take care,
Ronda

I've always recommended stretching and a warm bath to my adult beginner students at the riding school. Those who ignored this advice generally realized why I suggested it two days later. ;)
.
Ronda, great advice!

Thanks for the advice!

Just to add a little thought. If you are tense and trying to ride the best you can, you are going to get sore. When I first started riding (more years ago than I would like) I was so sore it was difficult to walk for a few days. I was riding and English flat saddle and so you needed to keep centered act. I finally learned that the muscle on the inside of your legs and your hamstring muscles need to stretch and relax. Once I started riding with balance I was no longer sore. I did not ride for almost twenty years and when I started again I was much older and far less flexible than I was in my 30's. I never have been sore since I started again.
So once you get your body use to sitting a saddle and you are not having to squeeze your legs all the time you will get to ride for hours without soreness. It is also good advise to sit in a hot bath and let the muscles recover. Ronda's suggestion regarding your saddle is good advice make sure the saddle fits you as well as you horse. (Riding bareback helps teach your muscles how to keep you in balance)

Cheers!

I just want to say something: I think my posture in the saddle is not what's effecting me nor do I think my saddle is too wide. I don't think I'm tense. The soarness is mainly in between my legs.

Horse addict it seems as if your soreness is just due to conditioning :-) we don't use our inner thigh muscles much in everyday life so they get a good workout when we ride! I haven't ridden in almost a year as my riding horse died last june and my new one isn't under saddle yet so i am expecting some sore muscles when i do get back to that :-)
Janelle

Horseaddict,
The muscles we are talking about are a group, they are the pectineus, gracillis and the adductor longus. Each one of these are connected to each other and allow us to spread our legs. They are also used in giving birth.
These muscles are not used in everyday walking and can only be strenghened by specific exercises.
If you do not want to be sore after riding, work them.
And I'm sorry but if your inner thighs are sore, your saddle is too wide for your build.
Are you posting correctly, with the rhythm of the horse, is it a gaited horse, smooth ride.
If you have ever watched Buck Bucannon you will see him, while on the ground, before riding, stretch.
He spreads his legs as far apart as possible and reaches for the ground, he also puts his leg on a fence and stretches his body towards his foot.
Unless your body is use to this you can injure yourself badly and even tear muscles. This is something he does always and everyday.
So do I!!!! Try it, slowly. The further apart the legs are the easier it is. You then bring them a little closer together and stretch to your left, then right. Keep your body straight.
Ronda

Hi Ronda, yes I post correctly, I'll try the exercises of streching you suggested before I go take a lesson next time.

Hi horse addict - must admit I had a bit of a laugh at your post. Yes we have all had this soreness I am sure at some time! It usually happens when you have first started riding or you have re-commenced after a fairly long spell. As the others indicate it is all because your muscles are not used to this new type of exercise. The more you ride the less sore you will get however if you change your horse and ride on a wider horse or in a wider saddle the soreness will re-appear. I rarely get sore these days but when I occasionally take my extremely fat warm blood out for some exercise sure enough it hurts the next day!! Keep riding, try to stay relaxed and do Ronda's great exercises and sure enough it will disappear!!

Thanks Maggie! Yes I guess this does seem quite humorous, but I'm used to soarness now. Lol!

It shouldn't last after a few rides so if it does you should get yourself checked out. Do hope it disappears soon!

I don't ride often, so I'm sure I'm fine.