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Kind of a Spin-off of Western Saddle for life long English rider... can y'all HELP?! Yikes!

Endurance and Trail Riding
#1

I have been trail riding my most awesome QH, who is as wide as a mack truck. I bought a new saddle because it felt comfy in the store, however, I can’t stand to sit in it for more than an hour without immense pain. I had a Wintec western prior to this, and found the same issue. My seat bones HURT. Almost like they are deeply bruised. Is there something with these saddles that are doing this to me? I don’t feel quite confident enough to ride this particular horse on trail in my english saddle. What should I be looking for to help my achin’ butt bones? It’s making riding NOT fun and making me not want to partake in the many rides and activities that I’m invited to. Can anyone give me any suggestions?

TIA!!

#2

You can get a pad for the seat — I believe Cashel makes one and there are other types around.

#3

There are sheepskin seat savers that helped me a bit (I’ve tried the real sheepskin ones, good and thick, not artificial fleece). As Donkaloosa mentioned, Cashel makes a “Tush Cushion,” though I never loved mine — it moved around too much for my taste (on an English saddle). Thinline makes some relatively inexpensive neoprene-ish ones that might be worth a shot…

But my best suggestion for tush heaven would be seat savers from Acavallo, if you don’t mind the $$. Seriously comfy, and plenty of squish to protect your bones. That said, I don’t know if they make them for western saddles.

Or, and I know what mental/wallet pain this might bring, get another saddle. Some saddles are just better-padded than others, or will suit your particular seat bone configuration better. I wanted to love a Thornhill jump saddle that fit my horse well and seemed buttery-soft at first, but after 45 minutes my seat bones were screaming. I sent it back and bought a different brand that made my butt happy for longer rides. (Not my hips, alas…but that’s a different thread.)

Darned expensive, these equines. :eek:

#4

Thanks for the suggestions. I have a gel pad, and a fleece pad, neither of which are helpful. Maybe if I got the real fleece, it may be better :slight_smile: I have thought about the fact that maybe I need a new saddle, but I haven’t a clue as to where to even begin. I don’t know what kind of saddle I need to satisfy this little problem. :frowning: Is there a certain size, make, model… :confused:. I have no idea. I thought what I bought would be SO comfy, and so many folks recommended it. It’s great for the first 10 or 15 mins, then agony.

#5

I think you’re riding in a seat that’s either too narrow or too broad in the seat bone area. Your bones are hitting the fiberglass or wood tree and no amount of padding will change that. Or it is too short in the seat and you’re stuck in a poor position. What did you buy, any photos?

I bet it’s sort of too flat and too broad over the seat. Saddles with narrower seats include Tuckers, Allegheny Mountain, Eli or Henry Miller, or anything marketed to women specifically.

I have a custom hardseat saddle I could and have ridden in all day that my husband cannot abide, it hits him all wrong.

2 Likes
#6

It is a Rancher Extreme by Billy Royal. Let me see if I can get a link… :slight_smile:
https://www.sstack.com/western_saddl…cowboy-saddle/

Doesn’t show too much of it, but that’s it. I noticed one of the reviews said the twist is too narrow causing pain in the pelvic area. I honestly am not well schooled on saddles and different sizes, twists, etc., but maybe this is my problem?

#7

Ouch…1800 bucks. Men’s saddles are often just wrong in the seat department, the twist for men won’t suit women even if they are similarly built. …our pelvises are different

#8

Yeah, luckily, I got it on sale for 1200! hahaha :slight_smile: So, I should look for a saddle that was built with women in mind?

#9

Yes. if you don’t mind synthetic, the Fabtron Trail saddle is remarkably easy to sit in and use. I had a student get one and I couldn’t believe how well it sat (and I’ve ridden in probably several hundred western saddles in my life).

https://www.sstack.com/western_saddles_trail/fabtron-supreme-lady-trail-western-saddle/

#10

I agree that the pain is related to saddle fit and what position it puts you in, and seat savers aren’t the best solution.

#11

I use a real sheepskin seat cover, and it makes a huge difference. I don’t have much natural padding back there, so I would get really sore, too, on long trail rides (think 5-6 hours). When I went to Colorado for a pack trip, where it was 10 hours in and 10 hours out, plus daily rides of 6-7 hours I used two pads. I was mocked, I’ll admit, but I also wasn’t bone sore each day.

1 Like
#12

I have a Lady Fabtron and it was very comfortable for me. It did not fit my horse unfortunately; but the padded seat and the really narrow twist were really comfortable.

#13

I had a similar problem in a Tucker. I agree with the earlier poster that the seat is likely built wrong for you. I realized (after buying the Tucker…) that I needed a saddle that’s fairly broad in the seat. In my case, the gel seat would be lovely for about 30 minutes then my seatbones would be in pain. Gel/sheepskin pads did not help - I had to find a different saddle :frowning:

#14

Back when I was young and trail riding (not for hours, though!) I loved riding in English saddles. I also found them more convenient and secure-feeling. No horn, so no stomach injuries when ducking tree limbs. Easier to mount again if you have to dismount for any reason – let down the stirrup, mount, shorten leather, go – and if we’d ever gotten into a situation where I had to bail, it would be easier for me to get off quickly with the English saddle. People trek all over Britain and Ireland in English saddles, so why not here? :slight_smile:

I like Wintec dressage and AP saddles, but have heard the western ones compared to cement. One friend who does very long trail rides used a treeless saddle and a fleece seat cushion back when I knew her, then moved on to a Tucker with a seat that floats above the horse’s back.

#15

I agree with the above poster. I have an older Wintec Isabella dressage saddle, faux suede.
I love it for trail riding. They’re super sticky so should give you a secure seat. It has adjustable gullet and cair. I ride for hours in it.

1 Like
#16

I have a Wintec AP 2000… wonder if it would fit on his big fat back! :lol: It does have the adjustable gullet and cair as well. I also liked riding in the Wintec dressage saddle, though I don’t own one. Hm.

1 Like
#17

I have a bony butt and have 2 saddles that work for me. One is made by Sycamore Creek, the other a Specialized Saddle. They both are comfortable and have an “oh $hit” bar instead of a horn. The Specialized looks like a dressage type.

#18

I was able to test ride for a week and buy the Specialized gently used from private seller

1 Like
#19

I have ridden for hours on some very vertical trails in my dressage saddle.
It’s an oldie, no thigh blocks or knee rolls.
​​​​​
I found it a LOT more comfortable than the borrowed Tucker or even the treeless Bob Marshall I tried.
Both torqued my knees so badly I ended up dropping the stirrups.
Seat on the Tucker was also not the most comfortable, treeless was better.

#20

I just looked them up. The Ultralite is a lot like the old McClellan saddle I used to trail ride in. Very comfortable! (Of course I was 40 years younger then, but still had padding of my own. :smiley: )

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