Ok, I'm well aware that many issues can cause a horse to get back sore, including saddle fit, traveling inverted, rider not sitting trot correctly, etc. But my horse and I have been working dressage now for almost a year. No soreness. He is progressing amazingly well, considering he is a western pleasure dropout! Gryphon is a 9 year old Paint gelding who looks more warmblood than anything else.

We have been working on laterals and he has been doing very well. On Sunday we warmed up in our usual way at walk and long trot. Then we started doing some shoulder in. He gave me one long side of the arena's worth of the BEST shoulder in he has ever done. I could feel him really swinging through his back for the first time. He was so light in the bridle the reins felt like paper.

As I was brushing him afterward, I noticed he was tender in the loin area. Not under the saddle, but about four inches behind it. My question is this: shouldn't we expect some muscle tenderness as we progress in training? I mean, I know that whenever I push my own body beyond its comfort zone I am muscle sore.

Or should I worry? ( which is what I'm doing anyway!)