Painful Privates - Will Sidesaddle Help?

[Gidget]

UPDATE FROM ORIGINAL POSTER

Hi everyone!

I hope you’ve all been well.

I promised you an update and here it is:

A couple of weeks ago, I talked to my barn’s CWD rep about my “issue.” He had me try a saddle with a flat pommel and narrow twist. It definitely felt a LOT better, but there was still some chafing going on. I plan to try it again while wearing a pair of JellyPantz this weekend before making a decision. I figure if I’m going to spend $4,500 on a new saddle, it had better damned well solve the problem. (I know…and I thought riding was painful!)

On a happier note, I finally got to go down to Chino Hills for a couple of side saddle lessons. OMG, everyone, the minute I sat down it was like the heaven’s opened up and angels starting singing! I have never felt SO GOOD while riding ever, ever, EVER!

Granted, the horse was so well schooled a dead person could have ridden her, but still it felt really comfortable and (dare I say) “natural.” Best of all, there was NO CHAFING WHATSOEVER. If my instructor will let me have my way, I’d just as soon switch styles and be done with it.

I posted a video on YouTube if anyone’s interested. Just type in “Gretchen’s 2nd Day in a Side Saddle.” (My realy name’s Gretchen.) Just promise you’ll be kind. :lol:

[romewhip]

Honestly, if it was that much more comfortable to you I’d say go for it. You look fabulous in your video, very natural and balanced, nice posture- I don’t know anything about sidesaddle but you definitely look very natural and maybe that’s just your ‘thing’, and forget about riding astride.

[Gidget]

Hi Romewhip!

Thank you so much for your generous comments. Yes, I think you have a point: if it WORKS, then why fight it?

The biggest challenge facing me right now is finding the right horse. I can’t afford ownership, so I’m limited to what’s available at my barn.

Then again, where there’s a will there’s a way, right?

[LuvLHDachshunds]

Gidget…my friend uses sheepskin seat cover and loves it. Something for you to consider…http://catalog.windridertack.com/browseGroup.cfm?item_group_id=46434

Hope you find a solution to your problem. I used to have problems with my seat bones, but I discovered that riding lighter on my seat solved the problem.

[Gidget]

Thanks LuvL! The owner of my barn said she has one and I may try that, too.

[Simbalism]

I also was going to suggest a fleece seat saver. I would spring for a real fleece one, not imitation fleece.

[Gidget]

Thanks Simbalism! I didn’t realize some were synthetic. (Do they make ANYTHING like they used to these days? Jeesh!)

[french_fry]

I haven’t had the chance to read every page of this thread but have you tried Monistat chafing gel? It is the best stuff ever. I have super sensitive skin and actually use it on my face as a primer (it’s a “dupe,” as they say in makeup lingo, for Smashbox photo finish primer.)

Everyone is different but this really only happens to me when I’m tipped forward too much on my pelvis, particularly when I’m trying to get out of a saddle with a deeper seat. I do better with a much flatter seat.

[Foxtrot_s]

It is refreshing to see such a frank thread - but at the moment I do sympathise with you because, after a winter of not riding much I went out a bit too long yesterday and am suffering today, something that has never happened before.

My horse is big moving and at the walk she makes my back and girl parts move a lot.
Can you try a smoother horse?

I wonder if all the saddles you tried were school horse cheapies - they do vary.

Without knowing your exact problem, an awful lot of athletes suffer from a similar problem…triathletes in particular from being on the bike so long. Many women
are not conformed properly and if the labia is large, there is a surgical solution
that is almost essential for some poor woman and has nothing to do with vanity.

[Foxtrot_s]

Forgot to add - so glad you were comfortable riding s.s. - but hopefully you can become comfortable riding both ways. Buying a saddle is one thing, even used, but finding the right horse is another.

[asb_own_me]

You look fantastic! Balanced and so happy! Side saddle is so fun, and IMO easier than most people think. I hope you’re able to continue

[Gidget]

Hi French Fry!

It doubles as a face primer? That’s hilarious!

Thanks for the tip. You never know what the “magic bullet” will be.

[Gidget]

Hi Foxtrot!

Thanks for chiming in. Sorry to hear you can “sympathize” lately. Chafing is the DEVIL!

Right now, I’m on the smoothest horse at my barn. In fact, his name is “Smoothy.”

The lesson saddles I’ve been using are definitely crummy though, because I could tell a big difference once I rode in a better (aka EXPENSIVE) one. I would say it made about a 70% difference…more or less.

Fortunately, my labia aren’t overly-large, so I don’t think anyone would advise surgery. I can TOTALLY understand why someone might go that route if they really needed it though.

I’ll get it figured out eventually. Right now, I’m still leaning towards side saddle though. If for no other reason than it’s just SO cool! :lol:

[Gidget]

Hi asb!

Thanks for the encouragement. That really means a lot to me.

Yes, it was much easier than I thought it would be. Easier than riding astride, that’s for sure. At least, in my case anyway. I couldn’t get my heels down and my legs around the horse’s barrel if my life depended on it!

[CHT]

I only read pages 1-2 and 5, but I am wondering if you are riding in saddles with too scoopy a seat, (I call them crotch bruisers) and are then riding with a hollow back? It needs to be your core holding your upper body up/back.

A while back a boarder had me get on her horse with a saddle that had a curved/scoopy seat and high pommel. Even sitting correctly it was going to bruise my crotch…she thought that was normal for dressage! OUCH! A saddle should have a flat portion for you to sit in, and if dressage, the cantle should be higher than the pommel. I would be curious to see a picture of the saddles you normally ride in.

[frisky]

Getting a saddle that fits you or the horse better will absolutely help.

I had an old saddle that fit me horribly. I cannot tell you the pain. I think the rise was too high and wide for me. Perhaps I had gained weight. Unrideable.

I have adjustable saddles now and when the saddle doesn’t fit my horse, the saddle doesn’t fit me.

I don’t think the saddle needs to be super fancy, it just needs to fit a little differently.

I agree with CHT.

[bluecharm7]

I didn’t read all of the posts, but I glanced through them here and there.

I had this problem when I went to a trainers barn before. The exact same problem that you are having. And it was caused by a saddle that did not fit me right.

I was rubbing on the pommel when I posted too. You need to take some time off from riding for the area to heal first of all. Then if you can’t get a new saddle then try riding in theses, they are a little weird at first but you get used to them.

I don’t think that you need to buy a $4500 saddle yet but I would try looking for a used saddle that has flatter seat, my problem was I was in a very deep seated saddle with a very high pommel.

http://www.doversaddlery.com/equetech®-equestrian-padded-riding-brief/p/X1-3560/?ids=hac2c555mpqyq5my4ftje155

[Gidget]

Hi CHT!

Yes, I’m convinced it’s primarily being caused by the saddles I’ve been riding in. My instructor had my in her old dressage saddle for a while and it was AWFUL. Also, anything with a wide tree (aka “leg spreaders”) and a curved pommel is OUT.

I’m willing to say it’s partly my position, too. My instructor & I both think I may have been compensating for ill-fitting saddles for so long that I need to “retrain” myself to sit correctly. That’s okay. I’m always seeking to improve.

We’ll see how it goes. I’m still looking at cross saddles as well as side saddles. As much as I want to pursue side saddle exclusively, I don’t know of any fitters in my area. From what I understand, they need to be rebalanced from time to time so they don’t hurt the horse’s back. (One more obstacle to consider.)

[Gidget]

Hi Frisky!

I had NO idea how much of a difference there was between saddles until I started speaking up at my barn. I just always assumed I was a crappy rider and the pain would go away once I got better. (Silly how we think sometimes.)

[Gidget]

Hi Bluecharm!

Thanks for the advice. Those deep seats are a killer aren’t they?

You know, I acually ordered those briefs from Dover a while back, but it seemed like the padding only covered the front of the pubic bone, so I sent them back. (They usually don’t let you return underwear, but the girl felt sorry for me.) Do they really protect your “bits & pieces?”