Pay attention to knee pain
When I ride for over an hour or so, my knees start to ache. What can I do?
Common problem, you’re not alone! There are two common issues that will cause achy knees. The first is when your stirrups are putting tension on your feet to tip your toes in toward the horse’s nose. Although this might not cost you a blue ribbon in equitation class, it does put undue pressure on your knees (usually felt on the outside lower part of the knee cap). The wider your horse, the more common this problem is.
Twisted and wrapped stirrups are the best option—unfortunately not common on saddles. A leather worker can usually do the job for under $50. You can also try the old broom trick: Stick a broom handle through your stirrups to “train” them to turn whenever you’re not riding. Or purchase already turned stirrups, available in both English and Western styles.
The second achy-breaky knee issue comes from lack of movement. Horses are used for physical therapy because their three-dimensional movement passively moves a rider’s muscles and joints. Every time a joint moves, synovial fluid and blood is pumped through, lubricating the joint. If you are getting stiff or sore, chances are that you aren’t allowing that movement.
The best fix is to reduce any tension you hold in your body while you ride. Bringing awareness to your joints and their movements is key. Next time you ride, make it a point to “check in” with your joints— specifically the knees, since they are the problem area, but also the joints below and above (the ankles and hips, in your case).
Can you wiggle your toes while you ride?
Do you feel the right-left-right-left of your legs extending and heels dropping as your horse walks? Check the wrinkle in your pants just behind your knee. You should feel a change when your horse walks. A relaxed leg allows for movement to reduce any impact created by the horse’s footfall.
There are a ton of after-market accessories— neoprene-padded stirrups, gel-padded seats—that people use to increase comfort or support body aches. The issue with these products is that they reduce your proprioception, or sense of where your body is in space. Achy knees are just one of the ways your body is communicating that something isn’t right. That’s a message to analyze what you’re doing rather than reach for a band-aid solution. If it doesn’t feel good to you, it probably doesn’t feel good to your horse either! Ride more comfortably, and your horse will thank you!
Christina Savitsky, owner of Buckaroo Balance, teaches riding clinics nationwide and offers lessons locally. She and her husband manage a ranch in Northern New Mexico with their daughter, Border Collie, hounds, barn cats, horses, cows, and wildlife. Contact her at christina@buckaroobalance.com