# Silicone seat breeches and calfskin



## Elizabethian (Feb 3, 2021)

Most of the riders at the barn have calfskin saddles of various brands. During discussions in the past I’ve always warned them not to wear sticky seat breeches in their calfskin saddles because it could damage the calfskin. The owner of a local tack shop told me that many years ago and I’ve always taken it as gospel. During our last group lesson a couple of them said they couldn’t find anything about not wearing sticky breeches in calfskin saddles, and confronted me on where I had heard that. I told them my source, but then went to google, and can’t really find anything other than a couple of forum threads mentioning the sticky seat breeches can be harmful. Does anybody have any leads on actual sources I can present as evidence should the topic come up again?


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## AragoASB (Jul 12, 2020)

My trainer wears sticky seat breeeches with her own dressage trainer lessons and she rides a $5000 saddle of some kind.


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## Elizabethian (Feb 3, 2021)

AragoASB said:


> My trainer wears sticky seat breeeches with her own dressage trainer lessons and she rides a $5000 saddle of some kind.


I wear sticky seat breeches in my $5000 dressage saddle, but it’s not calfskin.


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## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)

Could a calf skin saddle cost as much as your $5k one?


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## MaddyLovesHorses (Jan 29, 2021)

I just googled for you, but couldn't find a thing. I, myself, have a silicone seat and a leather saddle and haven't found any difficulties. Maybe it's per type of leather different or how sticky the silicone is.


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## Elizabethian (Feb 3, 2021)

MaddyLovesHorses said:


> I just googled for you, but couldn't find a thing. I, myself, have a silicone seat and a leather saddle and haven't found any difficulties. Maybe it's per type of leather different or how sticky the silicone is.


Yeah, all I could find were forum threads with people saying not to ride in silicone breeches or jeans in a calfskin saddle.

I do know that calfskin is a thinner leather, and it’s recommended to use calfskin stirrup leathers on a calfskin saddle.

I just felt a bit silly when I have been passing on what the tack shop owner told me, and when confronted about it I couldn’t come up with any actual proof.


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## Elizabethian (Feb 3, 2021)

tinyliny said:


> Could a calf skin saddle cost as much as your $5k one?


Oh gosh yes. Sorry, my point was more that price does not equal what leather it is made out of. French made saddles are almost always calfskin and new are in the $5k - $8k range. British made saddles are almost never made with calfskin (which mine is a British brand) and are typically top out at $5k.


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## AragoASB (Jul 12, 2020)

I had a dressage saddle made in India out of water buffalo hide. It lasted just fine being trail riden in the hills for 20 years, then burned up in a fire. I wore blue jeans.


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## Elizabethian (Feb 3, 2021)

AragoASB said:


> I had a dressage saddle made in India out of water buffalo hide. It lasted just fine being trail riden in the hills for 20 years, then burned up in a fire. I wore blue jeans.


Buffalo leather is super tough stuff, so I’m not surprised.


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## SierraGrace (Dec 13, 2021)

I was just told this by my Stubben saddle fitter. The silicone breeches left silhouettes on my current saddle, but I cant say that they were permanent. I only rode in them a few times. The saddle fitter told me they would wear out the leather very quickly on the new saddle I was purchasing.


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## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)

I had some silicone breeches that I hated, becuase it was a solid sheet of silicone sticky material. It made it hard to reposition yourself, AND, it squeaked!!! the cheaper ones with little 'dots' of silicone don't do that, but the dots do wear off.


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## horselovinguy (Oct 1, 2013)

It is on the internet,,,, 
I googled, *are silicon seat breeches a problem with leather saddles.*
Much came up regarding this but where it came from, those links are not appreciated here so you must do a bit of searching yourself. _sorry..._

It is said that many saddle manufacturers today include a disclaimer about wearing silicon breeches and the impact they have on saddle longevity and wear or staining with "leather" and depending upon the kind of leather the results can be disheartening seen..
Haven't bought a new English saddle since before silicon breeches were invented, so never did I see paperwork about such a thing.
I get the idea of stick-um to the saddle, but there is a point that it is to much too...
You do need to be able to move some and my knowledge as I don't own these type of riding pant is "0"...
Choose your attire carefully...
🐴...


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