Inverness? Help with raw lady garden acreage

[Peabody]

Well. I am learning to ride in a deeper seat than my old hunter ways, really sitting down in the canter is a new concept for me. The last two rides I worked hard on sitting the canter and my crotch area is on fire. Yesterday I actually rubbed hair off and I can’t decide whether to laugh hysterically or cry because it is still so raw and sore down there it’s just awful.

I think I must be tilting forward because it is the, um, front yard area of the lady garden as opposed to the side or back yard area?

I can’t find the Inverness thread- anyone got any help for me please?

[sheltona01]

Check your seat size, block position and balance of your saddle. All of these can cause this issue. I also find if you have too narrow of a twist in the saddle can also cause this. To check the twist, try riding with a shim under both of your tight right over the stirrup bar area.

[Heinz_57]

I can’t find it either, but maybe somebody else can come up with the link if it’s still around.

It does sound like you are tipping - most likely, IF you are actually sitting up straight, you are probably dragging your pubic bone forward in the ‘scoop’ phase of canter instead of ‘scooping’ with your seat bones. And before somebody jumps on me, by ‘scoop’ I do not mean actually moving back and forth in the saddle seat, just the rotation of the pelvis/SI.

I would also look at how the saddle fits you - are you using a new saddle? Different stirrup length? Is it balanced front to back? Too big or too small, narrow or wide twist? And carefully consider underwear and breeches choices. The usual rec’s for Inverness are things like chamois butter or other anti-chafe products, maybe some padded underwear but it doesn’t sound like that’s what’s ailing you.

In the mean time, if you are suffering from raw spots or other superficial pains that hurt to walk around with, get thee some Dermoplast spray at any drugstore. Use liberally and try not to work on sitting deep again until you’re healed! I wish I’d known about that stuff before having a kid, it would’ve come in handy after some saddles.

[Nova2000]

Also check the fit of your breeches. If too large, your pants will stay will the saddle while you slide around inside them. You want them to move with you, not against you. I hope that made sense?

[Gardenhorse]

I think this is the original Inverness thread:

Practical Protection for Private Parts - or - "Get Thee to a Nunnery"

Last night I made the mistake of taking a lesson with Kennett Square – wearing jeans. Now, I don’t know about the rest of you, but if I were to make this a habit, I could end up divorced. I’ve preliminarily concluded that in order to ride in jeans one must meet one or more of the following criteria: celibacy; enjoyment of masochistic sexual practices; insensitivity (also known as “numb nuts” in gender-specific terms); imperviousness to pain during urination, or, severe dehydration; Employmen…

[Heinz_57]

Disappointingly, there appears to be quite a lot of posts missing from that thread now

[Gardenhorse]

Hmmm. It did seem shorter than I remembered it being, but I haven’t looked at in quite a while. ETA: Oh, wow. Yeah, it seems like most of the thread is missing.

[Sherry99]

@Peabody my guess is that you are tilting forwards with your pelvis, your upper body may be upright but with a big curve in your lower back. In dressage when you sit “deep” at the canter you should predominately be on the points of your seat bones. If you’re not sure where the “points” of your seat bones are I recommend you sit on your hands on a hard chair/stool/mounting block. Make sure that the tips of your fingers are touching each other, then rock your pelvis forward and back until you can feel the bones and when you are sitting upright on the points. During the canter you will rotate your pelvis a little, but you shouldn’t really have the points facing out behind you (maybe just a touch here and there if your horse has really big stride), they should be straight down or pointing forward a little at the end of your scoop (pointing behind you could be at the very beginning of the scoop when your butt is more towards the cantle if that makes sense).

[Simkie]

The thread is still archived on wayback! It takes awhile to load, but I think is all still there:

https://web.archive.org/web/20180321020323/https://www.chronofhorse.com/forum/forum/archives/favorites/3790-practical-protection-for-private-parts-or-get-thee-to-a-nunnery

Hey @Moderator_1 we have something wonky happening with an ollllld thread that didn’t import to the new platform…

Actually, looking at the thread here, it looks like all the posts are there just in the wrong order…? Maybe?

[BatCoach]

There are some saddle brands that are just plan murderous on the lady garden. Sounds like the seat might be too small? What works for your trainer or barn-mate might not work for you. Try riding in some other saddles with different brands and sizes if you can.

If you absolutely love everything about your saddle and don’t want/cant get a new one, something like a gel or sheepskin seat saver https://www.ridingwarehouse.com/Acavallo_Ortho-Pubis_Jump_Gel_Seat_Saver_w_Dri-Lex/descpage-AOPJ.html
might be helpful.

Padded riding briefs or maybe switching to a seamless tight could help as well.

[Paint_Party]

I’ve had both a western saddle (looking at you, Tucker trail model) and an older Albion that gave me sort of a mustachioed look in Eve’s garden. Peeing was so painful that upon “investigation” (come on, who hasn’t used a hand mirror?) it became apparent that I had what amounted to road rash.

Ultimately I believe what caused it was that both of those saddles were very deep, like a bucket seat formation. So I ended up locked between a high cantle and a high swell or pommel area. Making it worse was that I ride a lot of green horses so milady’s parts were getting banged around more than usual.

Now I ride in a Blue Ribbon reining saddle and a CWD and no issues. Oddly, though, the hair has never grown completely back, which I realize is probably way too much info.

[TheJenners]

I am dying Lady Garden and acerage. I’mma start calling mine Lady Garden too, tho it got umm defoliated on a whim about 15 years ago and I uhh decided I preferred that to any landscaping

In all seriousness, what is your underwear sitch? Maybe try silk or a tech fabric? Cotton is NOT your friend in, um, humid gardens, when there is a chance of uhh yard play or… Hell I cant keep it up, cotton when you sweat plus friction can result in abrasions in tender places. You want slicky material.

[Sing_Mia_Song]

Agree with this - I have one horse with a ginormous wither and the only saddle that fits him is distinctly uncomfortable for me. A good quality sheepskin seat saver (I have a Mattes one I scored off FB Marketplace) lives up to its name!

[Spudsmyguy]

@Simkie

Actually, looking at the thread here, it looks like all the posts are there just in the wrong order…? Maybe?

I had that happen with an old archived thread I was looking at too. The posts were out of order.

[PNWSunnyDay]

The only times I’ve traumatized my lady garden area is when I tried sitting gaits in a saddle too small for me. I have a noticable anterior pelvic tilt (pelvis forward) when not focusing, and I am still pain free if the saddle is large enough. Granted, the Hermes hunter saddle is flat and my Crosby dressage saddle is older-school and doesn’t have me in a locked in position.

Still, don’t put yourself through this thinking it’s normal! If you’ve sorted the underwear and breeches variables, look to saddle fit. Poor lady garden.

[Jealoushe]

Heard good things about these… https://instagram.com/equespante?utm_medium=copy_link

[Blugal]

This doesn’t sound like your exact problem but it could be helpful, so I’ll share. If you are suffering from what I call swamp butt, when the combination of heat, humidity, sweat and chafing combine to give you a monstrous case of diaper rash all down there, use diaper rash cream (zinc ointment). Important to wash and dry the area first.

I always keep some in my horse trailer cause it seems to happen often at horse shows.

[Emmagc1974]

Oh I am lying here laughing and crying with you, as I am no longer able to sit on my lady garden after my first lesson after an 18 month break due to injured horse. I was only in walk and trot but my lady garden and acreage are also suffering abrasions and bleeding ! Geez I must be really bashing around in the saddle! Guessing it comes from having a bad anterior pelvic tilt and bashing my flower against the saddle ! I tell you going for a pee tonight was not fun - imagine vinegar on a cut on your finger !
Hoping everyone’s lady gardens are back to normal soon haha I will definitely be talking to my coach about correcting my pelvis - thankfully my coach is female too hahahah

[Spudsmyguy]

This might be it:

Practical Protection for Private Parts - or - "Get Thee to a Nunnery"

Last night I made the mistake of taking a lesson with Kennett Square – wearing jeans. Now, I don’t know about the rest of you, but if I were to make this a habit, I could end up divorced. I’ve preliminarily concluded that in order to ride in jeans one must meet one or more of the following criteria: celibacy; enjoyment of masochistic sexual practices; insensitivity (also known as “numb nuts” in gender-specific terms); imperviousness to pain during urination, or, severe dehydration; Employmen…

[PNWSunnyDay]

Oh how some universal topics unite us.