Has anyone dipped into padded pants for long trails, like cyclists wear? Actual cycling shorts under breeches seem like they’d be too tight and hot. I popped up a rub in what I can only describe as my “thigh pit” which I can only see with a mirror :). Going to put a gel bandaid on for my next ride.
My underwear and breeches have performed as well as could be expected, my saddles fit, I think might have done this on a recent camping trip with a 5 hour mountain ride.
if your clothing has fit well up until now, maybe you want to try something like Body Glide before changing anything else? Did you notice your breeches having loosened as you rode or did you get wet from sweat or rain during the ride?
I ride in my normal bikini-cut underwear, yoga tights, and cotton crew socks at home and can do so comfortably for up to about 25 miles (the farthest I go at home). At competitions, I change to boy shorts that stop a few inches above my knees and compression socks under my tights, and apply body glide from ankles to crotch, taking care to get my thigh pits (good term!) thoroughly. So far, that has solved any issues I have had with rubbing unless I get soaked and have to ride that way for many miles before being able to change (and honestly, I am not sure any clothing on earth would help that for me).
Would padding create additional bulk that would only make more rubs? Something you may try would be pantyhose under your breeches - I know several endurance riders who do this and they say they have no issues with heat.
Hmmm
Yes I’ve used body glide. If this rub started up when I think it did, I had body glide on. But it was an excessively long and steep three days of riding, way out of normal.
I rode in pantyhose once as a teen, pantyhose with polyester gabardine dress pants, and found it crazy slippery!
I find a lot of boy shorts have seams in the gusset that irritate in a different way.
I don’t know what the overall effect of padded cycling pants would be. The bike and the horse are built very different. I assume if it’s a good idea, some endurance or trail rider has tried it out … If no one has done it ever I’m sure there’s good reason.
A good sheepskin seat saver solves many problems.
I’ve used Bodyglide with miraculous results in running races. There’s also the mysteriously effective Anti-Monkey-Butt powder, created for cyclists.
But check the seams in your underwear. Seams are often culprits for chafe. I bought some nearly-seamless underwear at Duluth Trading Company; they are cooling as well as very smooth. In the photo their seams look more 3-D than they are in person. I find them just forgetably comfy and no rub lines.
https://www.duluthtrading.com/s/DTC/womens-armachillo-cooling-briefs-33758.html?color=DRR
Agreed that seams are the devil… the ones I have don’t have any in the crotch at all I don’t believe (not sure how that is possible but pretty sure it is true… I will go out to the trailer tomorrow and check what brand they are).
I put on my underpants and looked with a mirror, and it seems the rub spot is outside the area covered by underpants. I thought it could be the leg hole edge but no.
I wear only Jockey Classic full brief cotton underpants for riding, the leg hole edges are covered in cotton, they’ve never bothered me before.
I go for the most breathable underwear with no cotton and the flattest/ most non-existent seams. Those paired with a quick dry type riding tight and a real sheepskin seat saver seems to do the job well.
I’ve been curious about sheepskin seat savers but unsure te how stable they would be on a dressage saddle. I can do some pretty steep and gnarly back country in my dressage saddle, anything I’d send my horse up or down. But if there was any slip from a seat saver I could be in trouble.
As long as you get the one that’s made for the type and size of your saddle it should not slip and I’ve never found them slippery to ride in either. Most of the endurance riders I know use them in some form or another on all kinds of saddles - so plenty of steep ups and downs and moving along down the trail. I have this one on my Stubben dressage saddle
Oooh nice. I see one strap goes down the gullet. But the other one crosses under the panels. Does the horse feel that at all? I ride with just an Ogilvy baby pad.
Not that I’ve noticed at all
What kind of pad do you use?
I think I need this.
Btw, I used one of those gel bandaids on my thigh pit rub, left it on several days in including through showers, and the rub healed up perfectly. I will pack these for future adventures.
depends on how long a ride usually- an hour or two generally a Weatherbeeta or LeMieux pad. More than that, a Thinline quilted dressage pad.
How would those compare to an Ogilvy baby pad? My saddle is stuffed for just a cloth pad. I was thinking of getting a LeMieux cooling pad which is a little thinner.
I’m honestly not sure because I don’t think I’ve ever seen an Ogilvy one in person but the LeMieux one I have a pretty basic cotton type pad- not super thick
Ok! Now when I look at the photo you linked to, of the page installed, I realize I don’t see that cross ways elastic where I’d expect it to be from the underside.
If you get one that fits your saddle appropriately, they are very stable:
Never had an issue with the strap under the panels and we use plain quilted cotton pads for all our conditioning rides (same saddle as above picture, just in everyday riding mode):
I would try that over more padding on you.
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