OMG on the thongs. I know that I am old, but that may be your problem right there.
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And without going into TMI, you should let the saddle fitter know that you find yourself up against the pommel of both of your saddles. I’m betting that person, if they are good at fitting, will be able to have a positive impact and a more comfortable outcome for you. Good luck!
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OP Just wanted to get a little more particulars.
Is your discomfort from chafing or is soreness from pressure? Or Both?
if it is chafing besides the other good ideas that have already been mentioned,
what kind of fabric are your breeches?
I ask because I made the mistake of ordering ribbed breeches. If you have round thighs just don’t. I had blisters where I had sweated and it caused my skin to be rubbed raw.
I bought some control top underwear and that solved that problem.
If you are sore because of pressure then with respect to you your saddle is the wrong shape for you. And just because someone is a pro it doesn’t mean they are right.
trying to a find a saddle that fits both horse and rider is an adventure.
I don’t like the saddle I have now but it fits my horse so…
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I’m convinced my conformation and my personal saddle don’t mix. An all-purpose saddle with a somewhat deeper seat. Yesterday was a perfect example. I wear a mini-pad as a bit of padding and when I got home to change there was blood on it - not unusual if I do a lot of trot-work. I’m literally rubbing myself raw.
However, when I take lessons at a different barn, I use the barn’s Pessoa jump saddle with a flatter seat and don’t seem to have near the problem.
When I can afford to, I plan on replacing the deeper-seated saddle with a jump saddle.
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That sounds AWFUL.
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Really trying hard not to sound vain here, but then what do you do to avoid VPL, especially in the show ring?
A great tip about the bareback work though! I will find a time to try that. As I say, I haven’t done it in years, but I don’t remember major issues when I did.
Do you find panti-liners to be large enough to add cushion of any significance?
Sorry, to clarify - saddle fitter has to come anyway, since it’s that time of year. Should I bring the issue up during the fitting, or mess around with shims first and then give that info when they come?
This sounds like me - always a problem, some worse than others. Thank you for the tip! Will try that ASAP.
I find it tough to say. I feel pressure when I ride, which isn’t inherently uncomfortable, but as one sits the trot, any shifting can creating…pinching, I suppose. Of parts in the front that I would not like pinched. When I get off I often feel fine, until I go to the washroom or jump in the shower, at which point it’s all I can do to keep from yelping. I feel back to normal just about overnight, which leads me to believe that the damage isn’t severe, but it’s painful and routine. Not sure if you’d call that chafing, exactly, but I don’t have a better word.
My breeches are a technical fabric. I had this problem prior to these breeches and haven’t noticed a significant change before or after. I have ridden in ribbed breeches before and don’t have that particular issue in them - my issue is at the front of my pubic bone, but the rest of me fortunately seems fairly hardy.
Wondering if I’ll end up like you - the horse comes first, and if he loves the saddle, he gets the saddle.
That has absolutely happened to me before - I feel your pain!!! Fortunately, the current saddles cause no bleeding, which is wonderful. There is nothing worse.
Do you find the mini-pad to make any kind of difference? Do you find in the other saddle that you still have some discomfort, or does it entirely go away in the Pessoa?
If you care more about VPL than your own comfort, I feel sorry for you, for having such misplaced priorities, and recommend you rethink those priorities. My advice to you would be either ‘get over’ the concern over VPL, or wear thicker fabric or looser breeches. BTW, not all panties these days cause lines, but if you’ve not shopped for undies other than thongs in awhile, you may be pleasantly surprised.
Ditch the thongs and buy some full seat breeches. I use full seats for all phases now. I am a converted hunter rider and used to ride in only knee patches - but that was back when I still perched like a good little hunter princess. Once I started actually having to use my seat for long periods of time, I realized the great value of a good full seat breech.
Re: VPL… the trick is to just stop caring. But they also make longer underwear that is supposed to work for this purpose. I just wear what I want though… one of the great things about coming into the eventer world was realizing how much less people judged me.
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Excellent post, and I agree completely!
Can you have someone video your lesson so you can see yourself ride?
You may feel you are riding correctly but if you keep having pain then something is wrong.
Trainers don’t always have an educated eye. Or your trainer has noticed but doesn’t see it as a problem.
If you decide to try bareback see if you can borrow a bareback pad. It will provide cushion without changing how you sit.
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My comfort IS my first priority, which is why I made the thread. However, comfort does encompass many factors, and I have never been particularly comfortable in larger underwear. If need be, I will make a personal choice as to which type of uncomfortable I would like to be, but I admit I was optimistically hoping for a “best of all world’s” situation.
Besides the ability to insert additional padding, I’m not sure what larger underwear could improve about my situation, but I’d love to here from those who use padding to see if it’s made a difference for them. Thank you for your time, and your suggestions.
I’m absolutely a long-time knee-patch-lover. What about the full seat do you like? Minimal slipping/shifting? Do you like it from a riding perspective or a comfort perspective?
I’m not so worried about the opinion of others as my own personal preference - I don’t love layers as I find they tend to twist and distort, so I tend to opt for minimalist undergarments where possible (this applies to all types of clothing - if I wear a sweater I tend to do so without a shirt underneath, that kind of thing). Another poster has suggested trying no underwear - I may try this and then if not successful, try the longer option as you suggest here. Thank you!
Have you always ridden in a thong, in all these years on different horses in different saddles? Maybe that is the common denominator. I tried it once for a show (dressage, white breeches, VPL) and regretted it tremendously. Most thongs are not only narrow between the cheeks but also in front, and the narrow front part can cause some serious chafing. I’d try normal bikini-style panties at least a few times to see if it helps. If it does, at least you can make an informed decision and look for some combos of panties and breeches that meet your aesthetic needs as well.
I feel your pain. It’s happened to me on and off over the years. Not for some time though and I can’t think of what has changed actually. I did use Chamois Butt’r for a while. I did find that it stings if you put it on skin that is already chafed so it really has to be a preventative measure only (for me anyway). I did not find that padding helped because it just added to the bulk against the saddle and added another layer of things that could get bunched, distorted, etc. It’s all worth a try though, especially since it’s not clear whether your problem is pressure or chafing. Also consider a yeast infection. I had bleeding and weird, deep pain during “other activities” (canoeing, not for kids) but no itching or anything obvious like that, and treating for yeast resolved it.
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I’d say yes try that and bareback before the appointment. The more info you can give your saddle fitter the better!
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Full seats provide extra grip and extra protection for long periods of time in the saddle. I once wore knee patch breeches for a 2+ hour XC schooling outing and experienced chafing for the first time ever. Yes, they can be hotter and slightly less comfortable to walk around in, but you get used to that and it’s worth it for the comfort.
Kerrits breeches tend to feel more like “diapers” than some of the other brands. I have some cheap Grand Prix breeches that I got on TOTD for like $35 and those are by far my favorites for schooling. Light, breathable, and still have a nice full seat. My show breeches are Goode Rider and those are very comfortable too.
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Here’s what VPL says to onlookers: “hey, I’m wearing underwear”. Is that so bad? You should at least give underwear a try and see if it makes a difference. There are types out there that claim not to leave panty lines, but I haven’t really tried them out. I’m okay with people knowing I wear underwear.
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