1. Alter your stirrups
On a long horse-riding day, alter your stirrups a little at lunchtime, meaning the strain affects different parts of your body in the morning and afternoon sessions, giving sore bits a much-needed rest.
2. Lead your horse to water
Before long breaks from riding, get off and lead your horse for the last couple of hundred metres or so. This will give your legs a valuable stretch (and the horse a chance to cool down) before you sit down for lunch or at the end of the day.
3. Change your pace
Take every opportunity for a change of pace, as this gets you out of the saddle and into a different position. Obviously the terrain dictates the pace but even standing in your stirrups for short periods will help to keep the blood flowing.
4. Change your trousers
Take a couple of pairs of different riding trousers. Riding trouser seams are often what cause the most painful rubbing and chafing and one pair may cause more problems than another. Seat savers and cycling shorts are well worth considering too. But at the very least bring along a pot of Vaseline!
5. Sweeten your ride
Some sweets or chocolate bars can go a long way to raising everyone’s spirits during a long day in the saddle.
Richard Dunwoody is a former jockey with a long and successful riding career. Since retiring he has travelled extensively and undertaken expeditions to both the Arctic and the Antarctic. He regularly leads horse riding trips to Mongolia, Romania, Cuba and Botswana for Wild Frontiers.
