# Question for the ladies



## stevenson (Sep 12, 2011)

are talking about chaffing ? if you have any other issues then something is wrong.


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## InStable (Mar 3, 2014)

stevenson said:


> are talking about chaffing ? if you have any other issues then something is wrong.


Yup!!!! 

I'm thinking the darn saddle is either too small or should be made of marshmallows. **sigh** Then again, I could be sitting too far forward on my seat bone...

Is this rare?


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## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)

I had a really nice saddle (dressage, Crosby) that I loved. but, five minutes of sitting trot on that thing and I was looking for celibacy for days. it was the shape of the seat that just jammed me too hard up against the front part of the saddle. my more recently used saddles just dont' do this. so, it's really got to be the saddle, and/or you are rolled too far forward onto your pubic bone.


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## InStable (Mar 3, 2014)

tinyliny said:


> I had a really nice saddle (dressage, Crosby) that I loved. but, five minutes of sitting trot on that thing and I was looking for celibacy for days. it was the shape of the seat that just jammed me too hard up against the front part of the saddle. my more recently used saddles just dont' do this. so, it's really got to be the saddle, and/or you are rolled too far forward onto your pubic bone.


Oh sitting trot... Yowsa... :shock:

Maybe it is the front of the seat. It seems to curve upward right where I am meeting the saddle. So, it really sounds like a change in saddle.


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## GreySorrel (Mar 5, 2012)

Never had a problem or issue with any saddle's I used to ride, be them english or western. Hmm...hope you find out what the root cause is to the issue and are able to fix it...


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## Clayton Taffy (May 24, 2011)

There are padded panties that help, Dover and State Line have them.


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## InStable (Mar 3, 2014)

Taffy Clayton said:


> There are padded panties that help, Dover and State Line have them.


Seriously? LOL They might be nice in the winter actually. :lol:


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## frlsgirl (Aug 6, 2013)

It's actually a common problem especially among Dressage riders. According to the Schleese saddle fitting rep, certain saddles that are built on hard plastic trees will cause that and yes there are all kinds of padded underwear and inserts you can buy to buffer that effect.


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## InStable (Mar 3, 2014)

frlsgirl said:


> It's actually a common problem especially among Dressage riders. According to the Schleese saddle fitting rep, certain saddles that are built on hard plastic trees will cause that and yes there are all kinds of padded underwear and inserts you can buy to buffer that effect.


Oh that is nice to know. The leather saddle that I use for dressage is the one that messes me up. I have a soft synthetic saddle that I ride on that feels like air. I don't think my horse likes it though. So, I'm in the market. Any suggestions are very welcome. My horse is a draft cross though, so he's a wide boy.


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## Clayton Taffy (May 24, 2011)

Padded Riding Brief | Dover Saddlery

http://www.doversaddlery.com/equetech®-equestrian-bikini-brief/p/X1-3562/

And for the other side......

Comfy Rumps | Dover Saddlery


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## frlsgirl (Aug 6, 2013)

InStable said:


> Oh that is nice to know. The leather saddle that I use for dressage is the one that messes me up. I have a soft synthetic saddle that I ride on that feels like air. I don't think my horse likes it though. So, I'm in the market. Any suggestions are very welcome. My horse is a draft cross though, so he's a wide boy.


It's not so much the padding but the tree material and tree shape. A lot of the traditional Dressage saddles were made for a man's conformation which doesn't work for most women. I would stay away from KN and Kiefer saddles as they are known to cause chafing due to the hard plastic trees. The most important aspect about saddle fitting is that it fits your horse and you from a shape perspective. If the saddle is shaped to fit you, you shouldn't have any problems. I tried to find a fitting saddle on my own, and wasted precious time and money. Since we don't have a saddle fitter nearby, I ended up doing long distance saddle fitting and couldn't be happier. Everything fits and nothing hurts.


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## InStable (Mar 3, 2014)

frlsgirl said:


> It's not so much the padding but the tree material and tree shape. A lot of the traditional Dressage saddles were made for a man's conformation which doesn't work for most women. I would stay away from KN and Kiefer saddles as they are known to cause chafing due to the hard plastic trees. The most important aspect about saddle fitting is that it fits your horse and you from a shape perspective. If the saddle is shaped to fit you, you shouldn't have any problems. I tried to find a fitting saddle on my own, and wasted precious time and money. Since we don't have a saddle fitter nearby, I ended up doing long distance saddle fitting and couldn't be happier. Everything fits and nothing hurts.


That is probably what I need to do. Thanks for the advice. 

My boy hates being uncomfortable and so do I.


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## InStable (Mar 3, 2014)

Taffy Clayton said:


> Padded Riding Brief | Dover Saddlery
> 
> Bikini Brief* | Dover Saddlery
> 
> ...


Hehehehehe.... Got enough padding already on the rump!


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## Foxhunter (Feb 5, 2012)

It is the twist of the saddle that causes the problem.

Most saddles have a narrow twist, designed by men for men, for many years. 

You can pad all you like but will still chafe until you get a saddle with a wide twist. 

My old dressage saddle had a twist of about two inches. When I had a saddle made I was measured by sitting my seat bones on the edge of two chairs. When the saddle came back the twist was about five inches. No rubs at all.


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## smrobs (Jul 30, 2008)

^^Does "twist" on an English saddle have a different definition than "twist" on a western saddle? In western, a narrow twist is generally considered a ladies saddle.

Anyway, OP, I suspect it's either the shape of the saddle or the way you are riding....or perhaps a combination of both.

Granted, I've never ridden dressage but everything I was ever taught said that a person's seat should be balanced, sharing the weight equally between the seat bones, pubic bone, and butt unless you were asking for something by a weight shift. My first thought is that you are likely riding with your back hollowed, which is tilting your pelvis and putting the majority of your weight on your hoo-hah like in the first illustration in this pic


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## TessaMay (Jul 26, 2013)

I guess I should be glad I've never run into this problem :lol:

I have hurt myself riding bareback by getting bounced forward onto a horse's withers when trying to post... that doesn't feel good. Also had blisters on my bum twice... still not sure how I managed that since I don't _remember_ riding differently.


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## jaydee (May 10, 2012)

Try something like this
Ultra Cell Orthopedic Seat Saver | Dover Saddlery


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## Foxhunter (Feb 5, 2012)

smrobs said:


> ^^Does "twist" on an English saddle have a different definition than "twist" on a western saddle? In western, a narrow twist is generally considered a ladies saddle.]


The twist is the centre piece of the front of the seal of the saddle thar runs from the pommel and flares out to make the seat. 

Why would a narrow trust he for women? Think about the build of a woman, her pelvis is a lot wider than a man's therefore the need for the twist to be wider. 

I do know there have been times when I have ridden is saddles that do not fit me. Times when I have chaffed my legs with no top boots or half chaps, times when the buckles of the stirrup leathers are particularly bulky and have bruised the inside of my thighs but, nothing was worse than chaffing I received over a couple of weeks when I was taking some serious dressage lessons, blistering and bleeding! I can assure you I wasn't leaning forward! Once I changed to a wide twist the problem was solved.


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## smrobs (Jul 30, 2008)

I must be built funny then, because having a narrow twist in the ground seat is what is comfortable for me. Every saddle I've ever ridden that was built for a man was far too wide and flat in the seat to be comfortable and I end up in pain in just a short time.


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## Remali (Jul 22, 2008)

For me it all depends on the saddle. I swore by my Circle Y equitation saddle, it was like sitting on marhsmallow. And my English saddle, those were much more difficult for me to find, I bought a used County saddle, they aren't cheap unfortunately, but they really are worth it, I never had any aches or pains at all.


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## Foxhunter (Feb 5, 2012)

There is a big difference between riding English and western especially when doing dressage.

I have ridden for several hourse Fox Hunting in narrow twist saddles, never bothered me at all because I was not sitting deep for the duration. An hour or less, working with a deep sitting trot in the same saddle left me raw.


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## DuckDodgers (May 28, 2013)

TessaMay said:


> I guess I should be glad I've never run into this problem :lol:
> 
> I have hurt myself riding bareback by getting bounced forward onto a horse's withers when trying to post... that doesn't feel good. Also had blisters on my bum twice... still not sure how I managed that since I don't _remember_ riding differently.


Lol, this reminds me of a friend of mine. She has a high withered TB that she likes to ride bareback. When she transitions from a canter to a trot she puts her hands down behind the horse's withers so her crotch doesn't slam into them!


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## SueC (Feb 22, 2014)

InStable said:


> Oh that is nice to know. The leather saddle that I use for dressage is the one that messes me up. I have a soft synthetic saddle that I ride on that feels like air. I don't think my horse likes it though. So, I'm in the market. Any suggestions are very welcome. My horse is a draft cross though, so he's a wide boy.


I'm riding in an Ascot Romana AP, especially designed for wide horses, and it's like riding on a cloud, sitting trot as well. Had it for nearly two years now and have never been so comfortable in my life, and neither has the horse.

If your "bits" are chafing, definitely look at getting a more user-friendly saddle, and sorting out any seat issues you might have. If you're sitting still in the saddle rather than bouncing and sliding around, you won't chafe, especially if you avoid synthetic underwear. It's just not easy to sit still in a saddle that doesn't suit you or your horse, so if that's what it is, get a saddle that suits your horse, and get it fitted professionally for your build as well as the horse's - and adjusted exactly to your horse's back. Well worth it! 

PS: If you overdo the citrus fruit you may also get sore riding!
PPS: Don't try jumping bareback on a high-withered horse. You will be celibate for weeks! :rofl:


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## Viranh (Apr 7, 2013)

I had a youth Stubben dressage saddle that would do this. It was ok on my pony mare (whom it fit), but on a horse with a wider back, the pommel ended up jammed in my crotch and it was miserable. The saddle was a little small for me and when it wasn't exactly balanced, there was just no room for my big butt. I got a wider tree 17.5" short flap dressage saddle custom made for a rider with similar height and build and have not had a problem since. It could be saddle fit, either for you or the horse. May be time to saddle shop.


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## NorthernMama (Mar 12, 2008)

Well, learn something new every day. I have never had this problem - any horse, any saddle. How odd. I can't even imagine how it could happen. Maybe I have tiny lady bits??


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