Is my saddle the problem or is my position causing the "Iverness" issue?

[Bugs_s_Mom]

If we aren’t allowed to at least reference the Iverness problem please delete.

Here’s the deal: I recently started riding a different, wider (not severely but noticeable) horse as mine died. This “new” horse is basically free leased until I am ready for the next one. So the main problem is I now have a painful netherland. I had some mild issues before with my horse and same saddle if I went on long rides (2 hour trials) but not as painful as I feel right now at my desk. I know I likely don’t have the best of positions riding and did consult the Google and tried tucking my pelvis under in my chair just now. That was uncomfortable to my back, maybe my muscles are weak who knows.

The reason I am thinking the saddle could be cause is a friend rode my horse a few times over the years in my saddle and complained about the same issue. She started riding as soon as she could walk and took lessons from lots of different trainers. Her exact words concerning my saddle were “you like to really sit forward don’t you, because that saddle forces you to sit forward I can’t sit back and I don’t know how you ride in it”. I thought nothing of it as I was not experiencing those issues at the time. Now I am and really just want to sit on an ice pack! I do not have boils or bleeding or chaffing issues, just the pain. It isn’t severe but it is uncomfortable for sure.

For reference I have an old, but only used lightly (2 times per week max) for 4 years Throroughgood Maxim. I love that it is synthetic and it fit my horse well. It fits the “leased” horse fine too but it is not fitting me! I have no problem looking for a new one and having it fitted once I get another horse but that will be months as I have to pay off the vet school first. So in the mean time what can I do. Also when I start to look do any of you have suggestions for synthetic English saddles that you like. I just trail ride and do some very basic dressage training ( with another experienced rider), no showing.

[Against_All_Odds1]

The only time I have had this issue was a saddle too narrow with flat panels and riding up “into my business”.

[MissAriel]

Without pictures it is hard to say what the source of the problem is - your position or the saddle, although the fact that you had the issue to a milder extent with your previous horse makes me think it wasn’t a great fit for you, even then.

I have definitely sat in the same saddle on different horses and felt more comfortable on one horse vs the other, so the horse can certainly have an effect on how you are sitting in it now.

Just because your friend was miserable in it, doesn’t mean that it doesn’t fit you either. We come in all different shapes and sizes and the critical parts for saddle fit don’t always correlate to standard height and pants size measurements either.

[S1969]

@MissAriel

Without pictures it is hard to say what the source of the problem is - your position or the saddle, although the fact that you had the issue to a milder extent with your previous horse makes me think it wasn’t a great fit for you, even then.

Agreed.

Can you ride in anyone else’s saddle for comparison?

[DiamondJubilee]

As others have said, its hard to say without pictures. I’m not pro at saddle fitting, but I had the same issue. I’ve owned a 17.5" Bruno for almost 2 years and rode the same ponies in it. At the beginning of this year, the saddle was killing me! To the point that I was bleeding and pretty much crying. I couldn’t take it anymore! I really have no idea why it was ok for over a year and then it started to bother me so much. I’m still scratching my head at it really…

The ponies never changed shape and I don’t ride any differently. The only thing I could think of is I did lose a bit of weight and the seat is a little too big for me. I was riding up on the pommel and I just couldnt sit back. I would try my hardest, but I would always slide forward.

I just traded it in and purchased an Antares in a 16". It fits my ponies and myself perfectly and no more issues!!

Here is a picture of me in my Bruno and you can see how far forward I’m riding in it. Perhaps your seat is too large for you as well?? See if you can borrow some different saddles that fit your horse and see if its any better for you. I thought it was the way I was riding as well, until I tried some smaller saddles. Just a thought.

[Bugs_s_Mom]

@S1969

Agreed.

Can you ride in anyone else’s saddle for comparison?

I do have a second one of my own, I can also try someone else’s saddle next time I ride.

[Bugs_s_Mom]

@DiamondJubilee

As others have said, its hard to say without pictures. I’m not pro at saddle fitting, but I had the same issue. I’ve owned a 17.5" Bruno for almost 2 years and rode the same ponies in it. At the beginning of this year, the saddle was killing me! To the point that I was bleeding and pretty much crying. I couldn’t take it anymore! I really have no idea why it was ok for over a year and then it started to bother me so much. I’m still scratching my head at it really…

The ponies never changed shape and I don’t ride any differently. The only thing I could think of is I did lose a bit of weight and the seat is a little too big for me. I was riding up on the pommel and I just couldnt sit back. I would try my hardest, but I would always slide forward.

I just traded it in and purchased an Antares in a 16". It fits my ponies and myself perfectly and no more issues!!

Here is a picture of me in my Bruno and you can see how far forward I’m riding in it. Perhaps your seat is too large for you as well?? See if you can borrow some different saddles that fit your horse and see if its any better for you. I thought it was the way I was riding as well, until I tried some smaller saddles. Just a thought.

I can say my weight has not changed. My legs have toned more over the last 2 years but no change at all in weight or even pants size.

[Posting_Trot]

I think you probably need to try a different saddle for a while. It may be that the saddle you’re currently using fits your horse fine (or seems to), but something about how it sits on the horse (or how the saddle is making you sit on this horse) is causing you pain.

Really, your saddle shouldn’t be doing this to you. Here are some good links that deal with saddle fit for the rider:

https://www.trumbullmtn.com/2011/08/saddle-fit-for-the-rider/

https://www.smithworthington.com/images/images/updated%20fit%20to%20rider.pdf

[Bluey]

Also consider what breeches and especially underwear you are using.
Have any of those changed?

When people had spoken of that problem, a larger percentage were riding other than leather saddles.
Don’t know why that would be, but changing to leather fixed the problem.
Maybe try a leather one and see if there is a difference.

Then, some rider conformation may make some more apt to have that problem others never experience.
That does make harder to find a saddle that fits.
Just have to try different ones, as OP is doing.

[Bugs_s_Mom]

@Bluey

Also consider what breeches and especially underwear you are using.
Have any of those changed?

When people had spoken of that problem, a larger percentage were riding other than leather saddles.
Don’t know why that would be, but changing to leather fixed the problem.
Maybe try a leather one and see if there is a difference.

Then, some rider conformation may make some more apt to have that problem others never experience.
That does make harder to find a saddle that fits.
Just have to try different ones, as OP is doing.

I have not changed breeches or underwear. I fortunately don’t have the bleeding or boils just pain from what feels like trauma (for lack of better way to put it).

[Bugs_s_Mom]

@Posting Trot

I think you probably need to try a different saddle for a while. It may be that the saddle you’re currently using fits your horse fine (or seems to), but something about how it sits on the horse (or how the saddle is making you sit on this horse) is causing you pain.

Really, your saddle shouldn’t be doing this to you. Here are some good links that deal with saddle fit for the rider:

https://www.trumbullmtn.com/2011/08/saddle-fit-for-the-rider/

https://www.smithworthington.com/images/images/updated%20fit%20to%20rider.pdf

Thank you! I will try my extra saddle and also when I do get another horse find a fitter and see if I need a new saddle. Maybe the backup one can help with the lease horse for the time being but I know I should feel like I was pommeled in the nethers after a simple walking trail ride for less than an hour!

[Bugs_s_Mom]

@DiamondJubilee

As others have said, its hard to say without pictures. I’m not pro at saddle fitting, but I had the same issue. I’ve owned a 17.5" Bruno for almost 2 years and rode the same ponies in it. At the beginning of this year, the saddle was killing me! To the point that I was bleeding and pretty much crying. I couldn’t take it anymore! I really have no idea why it was ok for over a year and then it started to bother me so much. I’m still scratching my head at it really…

The ponies never changed shape and I don’t ride any differently. The only thing I could think of is I did lose a bit of weight and the seat is a little too big for me. I was riding up on the pommel and I just couldnt sit back. I would try my hardest, but I would always slide forward.

I just traded it in and purchased an Antares in a 16". It fits my ponies and myself perfectly and no more issues!!

Here is a picture of me in my Bruno and you can see how far forward I’m riding in it. Perhaps your seat is too large for you as well?? See if you can borrow some different saddles that fit your horse and see if its any better for you. I thought it was the way I was riding as well, until I tried some smaller saddles. Just a thought.

Looking at the lack of extra room in my picture versus yours I would say if the size is wrong it may be on the small side versus larger size? There is so much about this I don’t know.

[Bluey]

Have you tried a thin seat saver?

They have some very thin and still cushy ones.
One may make your saddle a bit smaller, but the extra cushion could help:

https://thinlineglobal.com/shop/engl…CABEgKx8PD_BwE

[DiamondJubilee]

@Bugs’s Mom - I was going to say that the saddle looked a little small for you but its a bit hard to tell from the angle of the pictures. Some people also like the feeling of a smaller saddle, so I didn’t point it out.

Do you have a saddle fitter that could come out and help you? I had a couple out to fit myself and my ponies to make sure I could get the best fit possible.

Here is a couple of pictures of me on my 13.1h pony and 14.2h pony in a 16" saddle. It is not the one I bought but it was one that I borrowed from a friend to see if I would still be sore after riding. I wanted to see if a 16" would work for me as I also needed something smaller for my medium ponies. Luckily I’m short and it fit the both of us really well. My friends saddle has no padding, knee rolls and is plain jane as they come (it had the hardest seat possible! It actually hurt my seat bones as there is honestly no padding at all!). But it worked great and I felt great. I was able to ride for hours with no issues!

Then I had a couple of 16 and 16.5" different brand of saddles and I saw which one fit me and my guys the best. I took my time choosing as I wanted to make the right choice.

[Bugs_s_Mom]

@Bluey

Have you tried a thin seat saver?

They have some very thin and still cushy ones.
One may make your saddle a bit smaller, but the extra cushion could help:

https://thinlineglobal.com/shop/engl…CABEgKx8PD_BwE

I have not tried that and may grab one for the time being as I don’t want to sink money into fitting a lease horse.

[Bugs_s_Mom]

@DiamondJubilee

@Bugs’s Mom - I was going to say that the saddle looked a little small for you but its a bit hard to tell from the angle of the pictures. Some people also like the feeling of a smaller saddle, so I didn’t point it out.

Do you have a saddle fitter that could come out and help you? I had a couple out to fit myself and my ponies to make sure I could get the best fit possible.

Here is a couple of pictures of me on my 13.1h pony and 14.2h pony in a 16" saddle. It is not the one I bought but it was one that I borrowed from a friend to see if I would still be sore after riding. I wanted to see if a 16" would work for me as I also needed something smaller for my medium ponies. Luckily I’m short and it fit the both of us really well. My friends saddle has no padding, knee rolls and is plain jane as they come (it had the hardest seat possible! It actually hurt my seat bones as there is honestly no padding at all!). But it worked great and I felt great. I was able to ride for hours with no issues!

Then I had a couple of 16 and 16.5" different brand of saddles and I saw which one fit me and my guys the best. I took my time choosing as I wanted to make the right choice.

looking at your pictures I think mine may be a tad too small. I will look tonight/this weekend as I know I have more straight on pictures saved at home (replying at work…shhhhh). The poor fit may have been masked by my horse’s build but is now being exposed on the lease horse.

I will be budgeting for a saddle and fit when I get the new horse. I know there is a guy in my area, he does a lot of western saddles so I need to see about English (or should it be similar?). I admit I don’t know much about saddle fit when it comes to the rider. I know my horse was happy with the saddle and it fit him well but it seems like it may not fly for me.

[rothmpp]

FWIW, to me you look a little tipped forward in that saddle to me. It may be that on the lease horse, while the saddle may fit him ok, it is making you sit just a touch more on your crotch and/or the new horse may be a bit more uphill, thus ramming the pommel into your nether region more.

Try the different saddle and see if it helps.

[Bugs_s_Mom]

@rothmpp

FWIW, to me you look a little tipped forward in that saddle to me. It may be that on the lease horse, while the saddle may fit him ok, it is making you sit just a touch more on your crotch and/or the new horse may be a bit more uphill, thus ramming the pommel into your nether region more.

Try the different saddle and see if it helps.

The lease horse is absolutely more uphill than my horse (pictured) was! The lease horse is a TB with maybe a bit of WB in him. He is a classic uphill horse so you are likely right on the money!

Thanks!

[MMavin]

For quick short-term help, try Chamois Butt’r

[ObviousAlter11]

Reviving my alter to try to help a fellow sufferer. I had (still have, if I get too casual and forget to take my tried-and-true preventative measures) a similar problem for most of my riding career. Here is my thread: https://www.chronofhorse.com/forum/forum/discussion-forums/eventing/9875148-female-saddle-fit-may-be-nsfw

The takeaways: for me personally, I believe it is primarily a human conformation issue. It’s been consistent across my entire riding career, in any of easily 100 saddles and throughout 20 years of coaching and position improvements.

To put it as delicately as I can, I just have nether bits that are less anatomically protected and can more easily be caught up in seams/creases/what have you. Like you, I never bled or had boils, but was very uncomfortable nonetheless. My solution has been a combination of a product called BodyGlide (looks like a stick of deodorant, purchased at any runners store - apply to whatever normally hurts after a ride) and not wearing underwear when I ride. It basically just minimizes the risk of anything ending up where it isn’t meant to, and allowing everything to move out of the way of any pressure that does occur as I move about the tack.

Only you can say if your anatomical situation is similar to mine, but I have never seen anyone else write about this and frankly, being embarrassed about it is not worth not riding my horse. So I talk about it (albeit using an alter like a chicken) in the hopes it will help someone else. Good luck!