The "I Hate My __ [insert necessary-for-riding body part]" thread

[myhorsefaith]

Ok, so I'm just frustrated with my body. I need to vent, I'm going to take you all with me.

Its not my body's fault, its mine and my desk jockey ways. But I am overly annoyed with my left hip/leg. Why o why can I not get it under myself? my right leg works just fine. Left leg creeps forward, knee over saddle flap :dead:

I. Hate.It.

On the plus side, I've been doing a ton of stretching both at home and on the horse, which has marginally helped.

Everything else is pretty good!

So, what on you would you change? Bad hands? balance? leg issues? back? knee? What gets in your way of riding well?

[GoForAGallop]

My boobs. Good friggen lord, I weigh just barely over 100lbs, and I have DDD's. (E's, depending on which company.) If the average pair of D's weighs up to 20lbs, I can only imagine how much my monsters weigh. Add in the fact that I have a tiny ribcage (30/32) and these suckers pull me forward and there's just nothing I can do about it!

The stress of remaining upright against the boobs is all allocated to my lower back, which KILLS on a regular basis. I'm on prescription painkillers, and my doctor has told me that within a few years, it's going to come down to a choice between breast reduction surgery, or back surgery to try and repair and shore up against future damage. Ugh.

The only positive thing I have to say about them is that when/if I do fall off face-first, they provide a comfy landing.

[FlashGordon]

Lack of fitness. After coping with a serious illness in 2008 I'm left with.... no muscle, and no stamina!

I have decent balance and can skate by to some degree, but my weaker left side is clearly evident.

With a sharp, responsive, but sane horse, I'm ok. But if I have to work to get what I want, or ride through any antics, I am done after about 15 minutes!

Ok I am the whiney poster of the week I think. Sorry folks. ;)

[missamandarose]

I hate my....

Tummy/"pooch"... I swear there are muscles under there... and they aren't half bad, as far as strength goes, and thats the part I need for riding... But my lord you'd never know it looking at my flabby belly that is so gloriously highlighted when wearing breeches. Double that when I have to tuck in my shirt. I've been working hard with diet and exercise since August 1, and I've dropped a pant size... but still... in breeches... *shudder*

[Slewdledo]

#1 is thighs. They are strong but do they have to be so BIG?

Knees...they're creaky.

Chins ;) don't make for good riding pics from the side. Or front, for that matter.

Boobs, they are waaaaay too bouncy.

[ReSomething]

If I knew then what I know now - I'd have appreciated my scrawny 17 year old body and treated it better!

Balance and stiffness are my two issues. I get plenty of exercise from work but it is limited in scope. I need to stretch and possibly do Yoga or Pilates, or the exercise ball you sit on. Cardio and losing weight are next, but I would really appreciate being to sit a canter without the tension that comes from subconsciously trying to protect my lower back from "too much" movement.

[see u at x]

Ditto what GoForAGallop and missamandarose said. My back has been killing me lately, and if there's any way I can get my insurance to cover a reduction, I am SO doing it. And God help the poor people who have to witness me wearing breeches and are forced to see my tummy. :eek:

[Woodland]

My GIANT shoulders! I always look like a linebacker :(

[easyklc]

...arthritic knee. The damn thing kills me this time of year when the weather turns wet and cold. I can't take glucosamine, but some other OTC's are working fortunately. But, I love to ride so I flinch through it and will for the rest of my days. I am increasing my fitness routine this winter to get in better aerobic shape for eventing in 2009. My mare has been working her ass off, so now I have to catch up with her fitness. Less beer and more stretching too. :lol:

[Skeezix]

My body parts when they refuse to do what I tell them to do!

But mostly my knees that just keep getting creekier and creekier.

[Ainsley688]

My right side. I swear it has a mind of its own. The leg is weaker, the hand is a "gimp" hand (ya know, gay-man floppy-wrist syndrome...) and the arm just doesn't work as well. Probably doesn't help that off a horse I'm right-side dominant, lol.

Oh, and the fact that I've discovered that riding jackets are not made with the wide-shouldered, long-armed, skinny waisted in mind. (Since I have broad shoulders and long arms, I should have bigger boobs and a bigger waist...right? Not!):lol:

[downthecenterlinetheycome]

I didn't ride for 3 months (long story).

Goodbye, muscles.

I was working bareback on devil, green, slippery ponies for 3 months, which greatly improved my seat, and my sitting trot. :D (And my ability to sit buck, bolt, spook, rear, etc). Then I don't ride for 3 months. My muscles are GOOONEEEEEEE. I tried sitting the trot yesterday... What did I get... zilch... Just awful all over again. :mad: I tried dropping my stirrups... slippy slidey! There goes seat of velcro. :no:

So, other than my current lack of muscle, I hate my knees, because I SHOULD NOT BE STIFF. I am 14. I should NOT have swollen stiff creaky knees. :( And my bunions get in the way of bringing my toes in.

Oh, I hate my back and shoulders too. >.< I lean forward because of my lower back. It has a ridiculous natural arch... Good for hunters, bad for dressage! And my shoulders creep...creep...creep forward.

Flash, I think I am the whiny person of the week. :lol: Kapish?

[Catersun]

*smirk*


I'll vote for ALL OF THE ABOVE..... cause... well... I just had a baby... ECK EC KEC.. I don't even want to THINK about what I look like in breeches right now .... *gag*

[SkipHiLad4me]

My overall lack of fitness! I find myself with little time to ride these days and I work in an office environment so my fitness level has gone down the tubes. I mainly hate that I have no core strength so that I can make myself sit. up. when I ride rather than assuming the jockey position :rolleyes:

[JoZ]

Iliotibial bands! Two years ago I didn't know what they were or that I had them. Now they are the bane of my existence.

Here's how the chiropractor described it, I still find this both interesting and hilarious: I am large (chiropractor didn't say that part but I inferred, LOL), with short legs for my height and small feet. I am also a bit knock-kneed. I do self-care for the horses at a place that has very uneven ground, and mud. My iliotibial bands work overtime like guy wires to keep me from falling. Oh did I mention I'm also a klutz?

So I have these bands of steel running down the sides of my thighs and attaching to my hips and knees. Works great for keeping me on my feet. Sitting on a horse? Owie owie OWIE!

[BlueEyedSorrel]

My right pelvis/hip/leg. I had an ugly crash almost 5 years ago that resulted in a pelvic fracture. That leg is still not as strong as my left:mad:. This is despite 3 months of PT and an exercise program involving swimming and low impact aerobics that I stuck with for nearly a year (a record for me when it comes to non-equine exercise!). My heel comes up, my leg swings back, my balance is off. I'm better the more I ride, but in the last 1.5 years I had to retire my old packer and then my younger mare got hurt in a freak pasture accident and was laid up 4 months. I've taken lessons and "borrowed" rides on friends' horses, but it is not the same as riding a reliable horse of your own 4 days a week.

My orthopod, my PT and various MD colleagues all say that I've made an excellent recovery. By any other standard I have--I walk fine, I can swim and do aerobics (though my jogging days are over), I can lead a normal life. But I just hate the effect on my riding. I'm a little bit of a perfectionist:D and this just drives me nuts.

BES

[jumperpony]

right hip and entire lower back. Both are out of whack from a nasty fall and injury 5 years ago and hurt all the time, especially when I ride... Chiro hasn't helped, so I'm guessing PT is my next course of action.

[Sakura]

I just want my pre-pregnancy abs back. I miss them :cry:.

[Alexie]

all of it *sob* :lol:

[Paddys Mom]

Left leg - no muscle at all!!
Trainer yells - "more inside leg!" and I look and it is missing. ;)
She will then joke that I haven't brought my left leg with me to the lesson.

[PnkPanthr]

my right leg!!

my left leg can stay perfectly quiet, but yet my right let goes in a compete circle!! GRRR! we worked on it in my last lesson, so it is getting better, but its still so frustrating!!!

[life lives on]

The horrible elbows and shoulders. I can not keep my elbows in and stay in place they way I would like to but at least I don't have chicken wings they I use too. Also keeping my shoulders up, together and back. Plus, doing all this well keeping my rib cage up.

Help for everyone with muscle problems: I had horrible back pain at the age of 13-16, but with the help of a chiro and actually learning to ride correctly I'm mostly pain free now. For people with the pain caused by muscles take a look at the way you are riding. As my coach tells us learning to ride huts like he!!, but once you develop the proper muscles and form it will not hurt as much.

[Sudi's Girl]

My hips - they're too narrow to allow me to point my toes forward :( - And after 20+ years of riding, I'd definitely consider myself bowlegged. *sigh* Oh yeah - and the rickity knees. I got those too. After riding for more than 30+ minutes or doing any jump work, I DREAD dismounting.

Yep - I can always find something to whine about! :lol:

[Ted the Peep 'Ho]

I would put my mom on a strict diet - no more sharing my peeps!!! - so she is like, 50 pounds or something, because I think I should not have to carry any more than maybe 75 pounds on my back. I'm a TB after all, we are not built for comfort, we are built for speed!

I don't know who started what, but she and I are both crooked in our right hips and we hold our tension right at the withers and we don't articulate our hocks. I suspect SHE started it, and you know, horses are fabulous mimics.

She is also funny dyslexic, and sometimes our trainer rolls her eyes because my mom will think she is going right into the arena wall when she's not. And I always have to think - did she mean canter? Or counter canter? because sometimes she forgets left and right.

Other than that, I am pretty buff and have nice pecs. I don't think you can say that about my mom.

[jeano]

all my arthritic joints, but especially my fingers. I have lost most of my grip strength and manual dexterity. Tacking up can be a nightmare, esp in cold weather. Grippy reins are my friends!

[RomeosGirl]

yeah, I'm a member of the "hate my right hip" club. I just can't use that leg as effectively, when I do really focus on it I lose the feeling in my right foot. Then my right heel comes up & I lose that stirrup. AAARRGH

[boston's mom]

My left hip/sciatic nerve has completely let me down:cry:

[mjrtango93]

Well lets see currently is it my butt it has a mind of its own lately and insists on being stuck out when I ride. :D I have no idea where that came from! All I hear is "tuck your butt" and "don't stick your butt out". Honestly I am not trying to stick my butt out, I would much rather it hide underneath me like it is supposed to. I think it comes because as I've gotten older I have mild sculiosis (sp? butchered that one) and I have a larger curve in my lower back then I should. But damn it makes your crotch hurt with too much sitting trot! Also my knee is pissing me off again lately, but I pretty much have an erector set in there from a fall 9 years ago, perhaps I should have listened to the doctor about that part where you were supposed to take all that junk out again.......nahhhh what do Dr's know anyways?:winkgrin:

[summerhorse]

all of it *sob* :lol:

Same here.

[Trevelyan96]

My short little legs and midriff! Barely clear the flap on a close contact saddle, let alone on a dressage saddle... LOL, not without $4K for a custom one, which I do not have and am not willing to spend for my current inadequate, erratic, riding. Oh and balance... forget that too. I can barely WALK upright! :lol::lol:

[Trevelyan96]

Lack of fitness. After coping with a serious illness in 2008 I'm left with.... no muscle, and no stamina!

I have decent balance and can skate by to some degree, but my weaker left side is clearly evident.

With a sharp, responsive, but sane horse, I'm ok. But if I have to work to get what I want, or ride through any antics, I am done after about 15 minutes!

Ok I am the whiney poster of the week I think. Sorry folks. ;)


Flash, I m right there with you, except I'm jealous that you have enough balance to skate by!

[Vesper Sparrow]

My short alligator arms and my weak left side present the greatest hindrance to my riding. We won't even get into the aesthetics of my body...:lol::lol:

But in any case, I don't think we should dwell on our faults too much. I guess there are a few lucky ones with perfect bodies for riding but I imagine they are few and far between. The rest of us do the best with what we've got and I think we deserve a medal for trying.

[Runinonjoy]

1. My football-player shoulders
2. My abs, which were strong at one point but now are like jelly
3. My fingers/toes, which lose circulation completely if it gets below 40 degrees (I have raynaud's)... and unfortunately that happens pretty often in NY winters! :rolleyes:
4. My toes (again), because they seem determined to point out :mad:

[Duramax]

I hate my knees. My nickname could be Pinchy McGee. Can't seem to not pinch with my knees when I jump. :sigh:

[ef80]

These extra pounds.

Birth Control, why must you aid my poor diet and relatively sedintary job in making me so FAT. Really, all I ask you to do is to keep me protected from the horrible affliction known commonly as pregnancy and you decide that to do this, I should suffer the indignity of rapidly becoming lil' miss fatty-fat-fat-fat.

Oh and Bank account, I'm still not talking to you either.

And my elbows. I like to counterbalance around corners by doing a one-armed chicken thing. Beautiful arms along the side, but the second I start to go around the corner, my elbow pops out.

[kashmere]

curse you, freshman 15 :sigh:

[00Jumper]

My creaky old lady hips. :( I am 21 years old, I should NOT crack like old wood every time I shift my hips! DAMN YOU GENETICS. :lol:

[tikihorse2]

I want to be as skinny as I was in my 20's. Model-skinny! I still have the ultra-long legs and arms, but they're on a more, ah, shall we say, padded body? :D Not obese, but fluffy. (I'm with ya on WTF is up with the sizes on riding clothes? Now that I can afford almost anything I want, can I fit into them???)

Arthritis. My dear Tiki jammed my left index finger good and proper whilst bucking one day, and it's never been the same since. My right leg has a pretty good case of sciatica due to two bad falls as a child.

Getting older sucks!!!

Kim

[cranky]

I hate my huge butt!

[myrna]

I'm 57,i want my 21 year old body back!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! but i still ride 4 or 5 times a week,with a weekly lesson.

[murphyluv]

I'm sorry, I'm finding this hilarious!! But I am not perfect, I should not be laughing. My ghetto booty definitely sticks out. And leftover habit of leaning forward from hunter days is haunting my current dressage career (or lack therof).
Crooked as Gumby in the saddle. I had to stare at my horse's butt while cantering right to actually ride straight. Feel guilty for subjecting my horse to this. Quite possible his sacrum is out-- which means it probably started with me :(...
My left hand also has a mind of it's own. It does things I am not even aware of. and it also refuses to go thumb on top- which means the elbow sticks out as well.
AND ALL of these bad habits come back with lack of fitness. If only you could start where you left off after a several month hiatus... darn.

[cranky]

Iliotibial bands! Two years ago I didn't know what they were or that I had them. Now they are the bane of my existence.

Here's how the chiropractor described it, I still find this both interesting and hilarious: I am large (chiropractor didn't say that part but I inferred, LOL), with short legs for my height and small feet. I am also a bit knock-kneed. I do self-care for the horses at a place that has very uneven ground, and mud. My iliotibial bands work overtime like guy wires to keep me from falling. Oh did I mention I'm also a klutz?

So I have these bands of steel running down the sides of my thighs and attaching to my hips and knees. Works great for keeping me on my feet. Sitting on a horse? Owie owie OWIE!

If you can afford massage, I've found this very helpful with tight ITBs. Mine are chronically tight from running (it's a very common running thing), but once I started getting regular massages I've found that they're much, much better.

[TBKate]

The genetic jackpot that gave me bursitis in my hips and arthritis in my (scoliosis afflicted) lower back, all gleefully manifesting when I was 19. :mad: Said genetic jackpot also gave me DDs, which I don't mind, actually, except that it's a b*tch to get hunt coats to fit. Oh, wait, almost forgot my naturally forward sloping shoulders! My lessons are generally an endless string of "Shoulders up! Lift your shoulders! Drop your shoulders into your back pockets!" ...and so forth.

Beloved Trainer enjoys pointing me out as the exhibit of her most physically incorrect specimen/student. *sigh*

[downthecenterlinetheycome]

My creaky old lady hips. :( I am 21 years old, I should NOT crack like old wood every time I shift my hips! DAMN YOU GENETICS. :lol:

Hey, I'm 14, and every time I so much as MOVE, someone knows, because I either creak, or pop, or crack. Pop pop pop as I move. I feel like a stopmotion video. :P Snap crackle pop.

And my hands are arthritic. >.< So annoying. I'm with you, DAMN THOSE DAMN GENETICS! :P I get the bunions, the arthritis, the whole lot.

[JustABay]

from my terrible back with blown discs, dislocated shoulder, busted ribs, busted hands, busted feet, busted nose, jiggly gut, muffin tops, cottage cheese thighs, arm jiggle, ridiculously big boobs, everything grossness!

AH! I feel a little better now:D It's not that bad but some days I just want to wake up in a body that works and that doesn't hinder me when I ride.

[WhisperHeart]

right knee that that creaks and cracks whe i stand up or move wrong and starts to reall hurt if i ride to long/hard....i'm 18 and like others of said i shouldn't have theese problems...atleast not yet anyway.

and my balance i woul love to be able sit the trot well and be able to trot bare back but do not have the balance for it yet

and for my boobs to stay put i don't like the consistant jiggle jiggle bounce when riding.

[amdfarm]

I've got the genetic problems that plaque me often and in everyday life. Dysplastic hips (DDH - only about 1/4-1/3 of my hips/balls (ha) actually go in the sockets and the angles are all messed up) which leaves lots of laxity and tightness both from keeping my hips in place. In other words, I basically waddle when I walk. It didn't help (found out after the fact, naturally) that I ran in track, sprinter, hurdler and long jumper from 7th grade all through high school.

I also have chondromalacia/crappy knees that makes the patella not track even remotely close to center and it's very painful when riding. I can only ride about 15-20 minutes before I'm in so much pain I can't stand it and then dismounting is a real treat, too.

Couple bulging discs in my lower back, SI and sciatic nerve problems on the right side, probably stemming from the hip problems.

Balance is all screwed up from surgery almost two years ago. Walking is often a challenge, let alone sitting on a moving animal. :)

Last but not least, arthritis and bone spurs in my neck and nerve pain that radiates from my neck, through my beat up shoulder and right arm. Just lovely I tell ya.

I snap, creak, crunch, pop, grind and thunk.

Heels down all of the ride is very hard for me. And I can't sit a trot on my big stallion to save my life. I can on my smaller gelding just fine, but not him. It's frustrating.

I'm 37 and wake up most mornings feeling and sounding like I'm 80.

[talkofthetown]

I hate my ankles- I literally can't get my heels down. It's not as big a deal when you're an up-downer, but when you start flinging yourself over cross country jumps, you really wish you had that security in your legs. :(

WHAAAA!

Much better, thanks! :lol: