I have a shear comfort over a cashel for the seat but my legs are getting pinched! Even with half chaps. I have sensitive skin anyway. Would I be better to suck it up and fork over the money for a full sheepskin cover?
Where exactly are your legs getting pinched?
Try these over your stirrup leathers:
https://www.thedistancedepot.com/Shear_Comfort_Sheepskin_Stirrup_Leather_Covers_p/ftr-scsl.htm
I bought a full sheepskin cover and ended up not really liking it as it added too much bulk. Even that small amount made the twist feel wider (but I’m pretty picky about that). It was very soft and nice though! Now the cat would like to use it as a bed, I don’t know if I’ll use it again (pricey mistake!).
I was getting rubs on my legs, and I just got sheepskin stirrup leather covers similar to the ones in Lieselotte’s link. They’re awesome! I just did a 50-mile ride in them and finished with no rubs for the first time ever.
I had the shearling tubes that go over the leathers too, but they were a little shorter than pictured (they will work down some, so don’t trim til they break in). I found them a little bulky when they came all the way up to the stirrup hanger. But yeah, really solved the pinches on the inside of my knee.
Its the inside of my knees that pinch but the insides of my thighs will get chafed too in hot weather, especially if I shave north of my knees on the insides of my legs.
The wide twist part does worry me. I hate a wide twist.
So, ya hate a wide twist.
Sounds like you are in the market for a new saddle then.
Are you wearing half chaps?
Are you wearing tights with a knee patch?
Why would I need a new saddle? This one doesn’t have a wide twist, it fits my very picky horse, and its comfortable for me.
Looks like I will try the leather covers before I go with full sheepskin if the full sheepskin makes the saddle that much wider than just the sheepskin seat cover.
btw, the sheepskin stirrup leather covers felt bulky to me when I first put them on, and I wasn’t too thrilled about them. But they compressed after one or two rides, and now they’re fine.
I would also recommend the stirrup leather covers to try first. As BHLH says, they do feel bulky for a few rides (don’t put a new pair on before a 100 mile ride…big mistake!!!).
I did also purchase the whole saddle cover and didn’t like the wider feeling as others have mentioned. That was an expensive mistake. Mine also had velcro to secure under my fenders on my Freeform FreeWest saddle and it rubbed my horse raw on her sides in one ride. Not happy.
