Chafing problem? Here's the answer!

[SillyHorse]

If you’re a man, you probably want to close this thread right now, lol.

So, in the past I’ve had a serious problem with chafing, so serious that I often had blood in my underwear after riding. At one point I thought I would have to stop riding because the pain in the hours and days following a ride was so severe. It didn’t matter what horse, what saddle, what breeches, I was always very chafed. Padded underwear was no help, either.

A friend mentioned she had been having a similar issue and had found some relief by applying a good blob of antibiotic ointment directly to her lady bits. I tried that and it helped some, but I didn’t understand why I needed an antibiotic, and maybe just could use the petroleum jelly that was the base. And not applied directly, but to a thin menstrual pad.

I attach a thin pad (I use Always Infiniti Flex Foam) to my undies, smear it in the center and front with a good amount of petroleum jelly (like Vaseline), and I’m good to go. The pad keeps my underwear from becoming saturated with Vaseline. It has made a huge difference for me. I hope it will help some others, too.

[SuzieQNutter]

Hmmmmmm petroleum jelly is not good. It has petroleum. You are not supposed to use it on skin.

Add to that the ladies who have won a case against talcum powder as it caused cancer because they were using it internally…

The antibiotic works if you have an infection which causes redness.

Prickly heat is a powder that will help if the problem is from sweating.

Have you tried riding in non sticky-bum jodhpurs?

[Scribbler]

Petroleum jelly is a component of many skin creams. It can’t be that bad for you.

I think the talcum powder thing was about babies exposed to it who grew up to have problems. And sued as adults obviously.

I just discovered Lanacane antichafing gel but my problems were not nearly as bad as the OP.

[merrygoround]

Body glide.!!!

[fledermaus]

I am going to cut and paste a whole recent FB post by a friend of mine, a saddle fitter. I have the JellyPantz she links to and that, with Body Glide (endurance riders use it a lot) has helped me a great deal although I still suffer on rides over 4 hours or so. Bike shorts/underwear did not help me (I think you sit on a different part, and the problem isn’t pressure it’s chafing from movement), nor did add-on saddle pads. JellyPantz are a silicone pad that velcros to underwear (not a slot as stated).

From: Lise Krieger’s New England Saddle Fit, posted in the Friends of Hampshire County Riding Club group July 17 2018

<quote> Saddle Fit Wisdom of the Week Specifically for Women!

Do your private parts hurt when you ride? If so, there are a number of things that may help.

FEMALE SPECIFIC SADDLES

There are basic biomechanical differences between the sexes that might affect saddle comfort.

Because both English and Western riding trace their roots to traditionally male-oriented activities --military and ranching–saddle have historically been designed to fit the male anatomy.

In recent years, however, saddle designers have taken the difference between the male and female anatomy into account and have started making saddles specifically for women.

Schleese (https://schleese.com/) is a pioneer in developing saddles for women. I “tried” one out to see what it felt like and ended up buying it because it was like nothing I had ever sat in. But not everyone can afford a Schleese (I couldn’t either, but…)

Other saddlers (both Western and English) who are making female specific saddles are:
Synergist (https://www.synergistsaddles.com/)
Easy Fit Saddles (https://www.easyfitsaddles.com/)
Gullickson-Baines. (http://www.equineinspired.info/)

-There is a saddle on the European market that has an entirely cut out center area that is popular with endurance riders. It is called Setzi. (www.setzisaddles.com). I can get access to such a saddle if anyone is interested in trying one.

WHAT TO LOOK FOR IN “REGULAR” SADDLES
Not all non-female saddles will be uncomfortable for women. When looking for a saddle you might try:
-a wider seat
-a more narrow twist
-a flatter pommel or one with a slope that isn’t abrupt
-a longer flap or a monoflap that will allow your leg to lie closer
to the horse
-a smaller thigh block that will allow more room for your upper
thigh and not push you back into cantle
-stirrup bars that allow your leg to hang straight down
-crotch padding or a cut-out like in Schleese saddles.

OTHER HELPFUL PRODUCTS:
I have found a few other products that can alleviate the potential pain of being in the saddle too long.

The Acavallo Gel Seat Saver Ortho Pubis is made specifically for the pubic area, while the Acavallo Gel Seat Saver Ortho Coccyx is for your seat bones. http://www.acavallo.com

Jelly Pantz are underwear with slots for gel inserts. https://www.jellypantz.com/

And there are always bicycle shorts or bicycling underwear!

LICHEN SCLEROSIS:
I have had a few clients and riding friends who have complained of having bloody, raw private parts after riding and have not found relief no matter what they have tried.

There is an auto-immune condition called Lichen Sclerosus (https://www.mayoclinic.org/…/l…/symptoms-causes/syc-20374448) that attacks a woman’s genitalia, causing thinning of skin and resulting soreness and tears. This condition is treatable and riders who have it can get back in the saddle. A trip to the gynecologist is highly recommended if you think this might be you. </quote>

[fledermaus]

From Lise Krieger’s New England Saddle Fit (copied in entirety from a post on Friends of Hampshire County Riding Club, a FB group)

"Saddle Fit Wisdom of the Week Specifically for Women!

Do your private parts hurt when you ride? If so, there are a number of things that may help.

FEMALE SPECIFIC SADDLES

There are basic biomechanical differences between the sexes that might affect saddle comfort.

Because both English and Western riding trace their roots to traditionally male-oriented activities --military and ranching–saddle have historically been designed to fit the male anatomy.

In recent years, however, saddle designers have taken the difference between the male and female anatomy into account and have started making saddles specifically for women.

Schleese (https://schleese.com/) is a pioneer in developing saddles for women. I “tried” one out to see what it felt like and ended up buying it because it was like nothing I had ever sat in. But not everyone can afford a Schleese (I couldn’t either, but…)

Other saddlers (both Western and English) who are making female specific saddles are:
Synergist (https://www.synergistsaddles.com/)
Easy Fit Saddles (https://www.easyfitsaddles.com/)
Gullickson-Baines. (http://www.equineinspired.info/)

-There is a saddle on the European market that has an entirely cut out center area that is popular with endurance riders. It is called Setzi. (www.setzisaddles.com). can get access to such a saddle if anyone is interested in trying one.

WHAT TO LOOK FOR IN “REGULAR” SADDLES
Not all non-female saddles will be uncomfortable for women. When looking for a saddle you might try:
-a wider seat
-a more narrow twist
-a flatter pommel or one with a slope that isn’t abrupt
-a longer flap or a monoflap that will allow your leg to lie closer
to the horse
-a smaller thigh block that will allow more room for your upper
thigh and not push you back into cantle
-stirrup bars that allow your leg to hang straight down
-crotch padding or a cut-out like in Schleese saddles.

OTHER HELPFUL PRODUCTS:
I have found a few other products that can alleviate the potential pain of being in the saddle too long.

The Acavallo Gel Seat Saver Ortho Pubis is made specifically for the pubic area, while the Acavallo Gel Seat Saver Ortho Coccyx is for your seat bones. http://www.acavallo.com

Jelly Pantz are underwear with slots for gel inserts. https://www.jellypantz.com/

And there are always bicycle shorts or bicycling underwear!

LICHEN SCLEROSIS:
I have had a few clients and riding friends who have complained of having bloody, raw private parts after riding and have not found relief no matter what they have tried.

There is an auto-immune condition called Lichen Sclerosus (https://www.mayoclinic.org/…/l…/symptoms-causes/syc-20374448) that attacks a woman’s genitalia, causing thinning of skin and resulting soreness and tears. This condition is treatable and riders who have it can get back in the saddle. A trip to the gynecologist is highly recommended if you think this might be you."

[chantal]

My 2 cents (YMMV)-do not wear bicycle shorts, not the liners or anything. They chafe in other places as they are not designed for contact with a saddle (equestrian saddle that is, a bike seat is also called a saddle). The seams left marks and it looked like I was still wearing them. I raced bikes for a while and taught cycling for a number of years so I’m a fairly serious cyclist and cyclists deal with this too.

Surf Butta is my new go to with a little extra A&D ointment or the like.

I would think that adding a pad would hurt more than help, anything extra is not good in my experience. Seams are the thing I hate. I have to use the bodyglide/surf butta where the seams hit.

[DressageChic2]

so, to add to this, own personal anatomy has a lot to do with this, as well as saddle.

discussion amongst friends revealed that those of us that, erm, are more flappy in that area, suffer more than those where everything is more tucked up!

arena work is fine for me but what always without fail rubs me raw is long hacks in my dressage saddle(no other saddle options).

i use cracked nipple cream(its the lanolin that works i think, its even better than vaseline) and apply that liberally and then a panty liner shaped cut off of an old 5mm gel pad like the acavallo ones, between flesh and knickers.

its the only thing that works for me.

[Lord_Helpus]

LOL. Waaay back when, this problem became a great thread. I believe the title was “Get thee to a Nunery”. It was posted by a long time (back then) poster named Inverness, and so it has always been called “The Inverness Problem”

[fledermaus]

I have the JellyPantz (a panty-liner-sized gel pad held on with velcro is all it is), and those with body glide do help but do not cure past 4 hours in the saddle. Had zero luck with saddle pads and bike shorts.

[Myout]

I had issues with saddles including Schleese but after riding in a Moffett Vogue, no problem even in riding jeans which I never thought would be possible. The list of saddles is enormous and included client horse/saddle combinations, stock and custom…pretty much every brand. At one point I even had my show Pikeurs lined with cushion material over the leather inside. Nothing worked. Weirdly, smaller saddles worked better than the 17/5 or 18 inch models that everyone always thought I needed.

[ThreeFigs]

I don’t see any problem using petroleum jelly, either, if it works – just not internally. Petroleum jelly was “discovered” as a skin remedy by early oil field workers. The “jelly” collected around the external parts of the oil wells and the fellas found out that it protected and helped heal their raw hands.

I’m dealing with what I hope is a temporary problem. My horse has changed shape so much over the last few months (went on a diet, laid up for a period of time – long story) so that his regular saddle doen’t fit now. got another couple of weeks before the saddle fitter can come out to either fix things or recommend a new saddle (oh, joy – not).

I have an old Neidersuss that fits horsie pretty well, but not my ever-expanding butt. It used to, 20 years and 10 pounds ago. I could not ride in it without causing extreme discomfort – even with a fleece saddle cover and Jelly Pantz. The problem is the seat is very deep. Not a problem back in the day, but it’s a problem now.

So, I cut a pad from a foam sleeping bag mat shaped somewhat like the padded seat of bike shorts. I shoved that under a Thinline seat cover and the problem is solved. Basically, I’m making the seat surface flatter. Not perfect – I feel like I’m sitting on a camel, not a horse, but I feel secure, Horsie can still feel my seat aids through all that and best of all, no pressure on my pubic region.

it’ll get us by till the fitter gets here.

[chaserider]

@DressageChic2

so, to add to this, own personal anatomy has a lot to do with this, as well as saddle.

discussion amongst friends revealed that those of us that, erm, are more flappy in that area, suffer more than those where everything is more tucked up!

arena work is fine for me but what always without fail rubs me raw is long hacks in my dressage saddle(no other saddle options).

i use cracked nipple cream(its the lanolin that works i think, its even better than vaseline) and apply that liberally and then a panty liner shaped cut off of an old 5mm gel pad like the acavallo ones, between flesh and knickers.

its the only thing that works for me.

Yep, got the same anatomy issues. Will try your suggested “cure”. And the saddle definitely makes a difference. Sadly, my own Collegiate All-Purpose causes problems. I’ve been using my instructor’s Pessoa and don’t have nearly the chafing with it. This past week, the Pessoa wasn’t available and I had to use a Berney Bros. saddle. I was in such pain I almost had to cut the lesson short.

[GraceLikeRain]

For people wanting to avoid petroleum a water-based personal lubricant may be worth pursuing since it is specifically designed to be safe with extended contact and friction. If water-based is not long lasting, coconut oil or an oil-based lubricant with a liner to prevent grease stains could be worth exploring.

[Magicboy]

I’ve never had this problem but offer my sympathies. Sounds awful. One friend likes jellypantz

[sheltona01]

As a saddle fitter, I deal with this problem with my clients. I do not believe in a female saddles, it is a marketing tool to sell their saddles. They actually copied Albion who used it in the 70s, I believe.

It really depends on find a saddle that works for your personal anatomy. There are so many reason why this could be happening. I just was helping a client and it just turned out that the saddle was not correctly balanced. I have also seen it happens in too wide and narrow twists, too wide/narrow seats, too steep of rise, wrong seat seat(small and large) ect.

[netg]

@sheltona01

As a saddle fitter, I deal with this problem with my clients. I do not believe in a female saddles, it is a marketing tool to sell their saddles. They actually copied Albion who used it in the 70s, I believe.

It really depends on find a saddle that works for your personal anatomy. There are so many reason why this could be happening. I just was helping a client and it just turned out that the saddle was not correctly balanced. I have also seen it happens in too wide and narrow twists, too wide/narrow seats, too steep of rise, wrong seat seat(small and large) ect.

Written like the expert you are.

Obviously, as we age (or have any physical issues like the health issue with a cure mentioned by a previous poster) we get more sensitive.

However, most people I know who have had issues, either had saddle fit or position issues. And we all need different types of saddles. I NEED a flatter seat - scoop shapes which don’t have a flat spot kill me. I have a tendency to tip forward on my crotch, and have realized my pelvis floor is angled - so I need the very steep rise pommel which can wreak havoc on some women (and my male trainer isn’t so fond, either.) I also have to have both a very narrow twist (and saddle flocking to raised the middle/not thicken under the top of my thighs really helps me with that), but a wider seat - because I have a large backside, and a narrower seat can basically give me a saddle wedgie which isn’t as huge a chafing issue, but still uncomfortable. I have friends who need the exact opposite.

One hint to what you’ll need is looking at your shape standing. Most people who tend to get “saddle bags,” who tend to have a thigh gap at least when thinner, and who tend more toward a flat butt, have hip sockets which point more outward. In my small sample size, that shape individual more commonly has more chafing problems, as saddles tend toward narrow twist more often these days, and they need a wider twist.

For those of us who naturally have larger quads and butts, and tend toward more of an arch in our lower back naturally, our hip sockets tend to point more forward. We’re the ones who tend to be tighter and more restrictive in our seats, and also need much narrower twist saddles. We’re the ones for whom things like Monkey Butt Powder is more likely to be all we need to help.

Generalizations, of course, but…

[MaryC]

Monistat Chafing Relief Powder Gel! Best.thing.ever. I, too, suffered from bloody bits. This is made for private parts, and is just slickery enough that the chafing just doesn’t happen. I never ride without it! CVS and Walmart have it in the personal lubricant aisle.

[SuzieQNutter]

As for your skin? According to Denno, Petroleum jelly can create the illusion of moisturized, hydrated skin, all the while suffocating your pores. It’s water-repellant and not water-soluble, meaning it merely seals the barrier so that moisture does not leave the skin. So while you might feel the instant gratification of a softened surface, you’re actually drying out your pores by keeping out air and moisture. What’s more, the thick texture makes it difficult to cleanse from the skin, so never slather Vaseline on an unwashed face if you want to avoid breakouts. “It essentially seals in the dirt,” he said.

https://m.huffingtonpost.com.au/entry/vaseline-petroleum-jelly_n_4136226

[fledermaus]

@SuzieQNutter

As for your skin? According to Denno, Petroleum jelly can create the illusion of moisturized, hydrated skin, all the while suffocating your pores. It’s water-repellant and not water-soluble, meaning it merely seals the barrier so that moisture does not leave the skin. So while you might feel the instant gratification of a softened surface, you’re actually drying out your pores by keeping out air and moisture. What’s more, the thick texture makes it difficult to cleanse from the skin, so never slather Vaseline on an unwashed face if you want to avoid breakouts. “It essentially seals in the dirt,” he said.

https://m.huffingtonpost.com.au/entry/vaseline-petroleum-jelly_n_4136226

that link reads more like an ad than a science-based article.