Friction

On Sunday morning I rode Loki without stirrups. It's a brutal but effective way of learning to sit deep in the saddle. Especially at a canter when the survival instinct is to grip with your legs. This is Wrong Wrong Wrong! One must relax the legs, in fact one must lift the legs out sideways from the saddle and make contact with the horse only with one's bottom. (Believe me, this is a true test of mind over matter.)
On Monday every muscle in my back was aching.
Today I rode again. My bum stayed in the saddle at a canter. It looked good, it felt great, but now I'm suffering from a curious complaint - I have friction burns, two pretty pink stripes, on my buttocks. Allegedly caused by my bum making contact with the synthetic saddle. I'm trying to think positive, I'm calling them my badges of honour, but I'm in agony every time I sit down.