Dressage and "Down There"

I’ll start by saying that I’m just getting into dressage as is my horse, so this could easily be a beginner issue. However, I am taking regular lessons and we are improving, but the “issue” is getting worse.

OK, so it seems that after I ride, especially after a lesson (i.e., a longer, harder ride and especially when I am riding correctly, for the most part in front of my trainer) I get all kinds of rubs where my thigh meets my crotch and a sore crotch overall. Maybe I’m not wearing great undies for the sport, but in huntseat, I’ve never had this issue.

So, is there something that no one told me about riding dressage that I need to know? And if so, what can I do? Panty recommendations? Shaving or not shaving recommendations? Some kind of powder or cream, like when riding a bike a long distance?

I bet your saddle doesn’t fit correctly and the seams are rubbing.

you could try Monistat’s chafing relief powder-gel.

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Perhaps you need to check out different saddles.

Or make a change in position. While some instructors are great in dealing with the horse/rider combo, they neglect to see that the rider/ horse situation needs some tweaking. :wink:

Have spent many hours in the saddle, sometimes on many horses a day, never had that problem.

Maybe try a puff of powder before you ride??

In the Bit of Britain catalog, John Nunn mentions that “the whole dressage community” uses Body Glide. Is that true?

Regardless, you might try it. It is very helpful for my running. You can find it at running/sports stores.

UnderArmour underwear. I get rubs in the spot you describe if I wear regular cotton undies, no matter how comfy for other things. The UnderArmour stuff is genius (and it comes in bikini or boy short style which is nice for no lines), and while a bit pricey, it lasts forever.

[QUOTE=KCsToo;4002476]
In the Bit of Britain catalog, John Nunn mentions that “the whole dressage community” uses Body Glide. Is that true?

Regardless, you might try it. It is very helpful for my running. You can find it at running/sports stores.[/QUOTE]

Lol, no. : )

I would start with saddle fit and position, then full seat breeches. :smiley:

The bodyglide is also available online and at Dressage extensions. I heard about it from a strength andcondtioning coach. Tri-athalon athletes swear by it. I can’t survive without it. It is also great to put on before you get rubs so they don’t happen. And it works after the rub, welt or blisters appear and it doesn’t smell or stain your clothes.

I am the person who invented the sheepskin seat saver way back in the 1970’s. This is more subtle and legal for competition.

I agree with the comment on saddle fit, but the gaits of a big moving horse can do it too. I didn’t find the fullseat britches to help with rubs. Microfiber panties without a center seam and contoured to stay put around where one’s rump meets one’s leg have been my best bet. You might try jockey brand no ride-up, stay put style. They are not horribly expensive and come in a lot of colors.

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Do a search on “Inverness Problem.” It’s all there.

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I’ve been there! If its not your body position, and mine wasnt, its your saddle. I had a LOVELY keiffer i used that seemed to fit practically everything, it put me in a WONDERFUL effortless position, and thoroughly rubbed me raw until i bled… I put up with this for a year thinking it just must be me, i never heard others complain… But eventually, i gave myself a UTI from it and had to start looking into other options. (And no, i do NOT ride on the front of my crotch, this was from rubbing and bleeding around the middle area!

I tried saddle after saddle. I even gave up and used a Bob Marshall Treeless western saddle which was like sitting on a pillow and rubbed not one bit! It was very bittersweet selling it when the time came!

But i did eventually find a saddle that worked and have sat in a few others that work for me now that i know more of what works for my body.

I had to kiss a narrow twist goodbye. No matter how much i may like it for my leg, it did not work in the sensitive area… I do not do well with wide twists, but a good medium twist with a seat that flairs out to hit my seat bones well works very nicely. If your seat bones are “falling” off the seat around the saddle, its putting more pressure on the center of your crotch… YOUCH.

I have a wow that i love that fits one of my ponies perfect, but not the other. I am presently trying treeless for the other one, i had a brand not available in the US shipped to me, but of course they sent me the wrong size, so i’m now waiting for the right one to come back… But as for comfort in that area, (and this is sitting in a 16" not a 17" i normally ride in) it was VERY soft and comfortable. I do not know if all treeless saddles ride like this one, but for comfort in that area, i was thrilled. So perhaps treeless may be an option for you if it works for the horse.

But basically, sitting a trot or a big moving canter in a narrow twist anything will murder you. I think some of us women are just prone to be much more sensitive in that area and this issue effects other activities outside of riding too! For those women, try a more “medium” twist or if your body conformation can swing it, go with a wider twist, something that will not “ride up” into your crotch. I have found different underwear made no difference, riding with a pad made it MUCH worse, more padding is not the answer, its just more to push up there and hurt you. However, heaven forbid you try to ride for any length of time in a tampon, that about kills me, so then, i have to wear a pad and do different things that day, do some two point work, or double post to work on my leg position and balance, things that do not require a more deep seat.

Hope that helps. If its not your body position (and yes, it very well could be) then i would look at the saddle! You are not alone! But there are “happier” options available! :slight_smile:

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try riding in a friends saddle without a narrow twist and you might find your problem solved.

keiffers are notorious for this issue. of course i found that out the hard way.

sore

pm sent!

I agree with a few others. The problem may be your saddle fit.

Don’t start buying a bunch of stuff just yet!!!

For me it was an equitation issue
believe it or not it was coming from my leg being too far forward. once i spread my pelvis, and stretched the ligaments of my groin, and brought my leg back i was able to post correctly. My instructor gave me the visual of “pet the pommel” with my crotch, but i was unable to use this visual until the above was corrected.
in the interim i did find that bike shorts (the ones made for cycling not the gym), or silicone lube helped the situation the best. monkey butt powder was a bad idea

[QUOTE=merrygoround;4002442]
Perhaps you need to check out different saddles.

Or make a change in position. While some instructors are great in dealing with the horse/rider combo, they neglect to see that the rider/ horse situation needs some tweaking. :wink:

Have spent many hours in the saddle, sometimes on many horses a day, never had that problem.[/QUOTE]

agree

agree with the saddle… might not fit you, might not fit your horse.

I accidentally tacked up my horse yesterday and had the saddle slid a hair too far forward (I frequently make this mistake :no: ) same saddle I’ve been riding for a month. I ride and keep interfering with the pommel in an uncomfortable manner and finally become sore… after the ride I dismount, look at the saddle position and its rocked up a bit in front (too far forward for a saddle that just barely fits).

Are you riding on the triangle created by your two seat bones and your pubic bone, or on your buttocks? Is your back hollow, or swaybacked, or rounded and “roached” like the h/j people call it?

Try sitting more on your buttocks, with the rounded, roached back. It will get you off of your crotch, and onto your buttocks and free up your lower back. Look at photos of George Williams, and go for his position.

Sorry, but I think going out to but a new saddle should be a last resort. This may be a simple fix in the position.

Good luck!

I had the same problem when I started. I finally worked up the courage to ask a friend and she admitted to having the same problem back when she started. We now affectionately call Keifers ‘crotch busters’! Anyways, it is your saddle. I went through 2 before I found one that I love. The full seat breeches helped and I tried the heavy underwear, but the only thing that made it go away was a well fitted saddle.

mmmmmm body glide, used to have a stick of it… loved it.

but it could be any of the aforementioned things.