They increase the feel. I used to feel the same as you do until I was gifted a pair which was put into the rotation and noticed the difference.
For me and my bum, when I ride in knee patch breeches, I have too much ‘play’ in my seat. The breeches and my bum easily glide on the saddle. When I ride in fullseat, my bum glides in my breeches allowing me to give very precise aids.
The description of ‘feel’ is different for everyone, but I do notice a difference.
It is unhealthy as base athletic wear in 90+ degree weather.
I hate being or feeling stuck. I don’t care if I’m riding a big moving Warmblood or a couch like Quarter Horse. Many saddle manufacturers are beginning to advice against the silicone full seats because they’re not good for the (longevity?) leather.
Full seats also give me mega swamp ass in the summer, so I often switch to knee patch for the summer. It doesn’t really impact my riding that much. It took me a long time to start to like full seats. I don’t know why.
No, it’s not.
Point me to any study that says occasional wearing of shapewear has a detrimental health effect. Heck, in any weather.
You’ll live. We’re talking about a sport that has people wearing tall leather boots, high collared shirts, and coats. It’s not exactly performance apparel to begin with, and shapewear isn’t required.
If you’re not comfortable in shapewear don’t wear it. If you feel it’s such a problem in hot weather, stay off the horse in that weather and go lounge in air conditioning wearing linen. Nobody’s forcing anyone to horse show or wear spanx.
I guess, like so many things, it is a good thing they make both types of breeches - those that allow some stick to the saddle and those that do not stick to the saddle at all. That way the stick to the saddle crowd can enjoy what they like and the don’t stick to the saddle crowd can like what they like and neither side has to prove the other wrong about liking what they like.
That’s boring though 
I just want to be able to look down my nose at people that choose to wear different breeches than I. There are even barbarians out there that ride in…yoga pants. Never mind those heathens riding around in jeans! scoffs
I think full seats evolved for the same reason cowboy chaps or buckskins evolved. They’re just partial buckskins or cowboy chaps, if you will. Meant to protect the nether regions from all that sitting in the saddle.
Totally with you on the silicon. Especially for dressage. I like to be able to slide a little. Once owned 2 pairs of FITS I picked up at 50% off & loved them but haven’t bought any “nice” full seat breeches in years due to the expense. I’m wondering if my riding has evolved since the FITS & I won’t like any full seat anymore or if it is just the silicon ones that are too sticky.
I’ve done jiu jitsu for years. We put a rip-stop fabric gi that weighs 3- 5 lbs on over an Under Armour-type compression base layer & proceed to crash around for an hour or two in an un-air-conditioned gym where the temps climb to 105+F in the summer in Virginia. Most people still prefer long sleeves/full length pants as a base layer even in hot weather because bare skin tends to get pinched.
I’ve done this for 10 years now & I’m obviously still alive & healthy or you wouldn’t be reading this. While I personally think Spanx is unnecessary, if it makes someone feel more confident riding their test, it is perfectly fine for the maybe hour total it takes to get ready for & ride two 2nd level tests. Even in FL in the summer.
What about sleepants…are flannel jammie bottoms ok? (asking for a friend).
clutches pearls
Clearly your friend needs to be locked away!
even if they’re burberry plaid?
When I returned to English riding lessons I wore jeans with some lycra for the first couple years. This was before jeggings were a thing. They were OK but not entirely comfortable.
When I decided I needed new riding pants I realized that finding jeans that were totally comfortable for middle aged me was going to be a big search plus realistically in the CAN$ 70 and up range.
So I went to Greenhawk brand knee patch breeches that were considerably less than that on discount at that time. I was in h/j lessons. Super comfortable but wore out too fast.
When I started riding dressage I discovered full seat breeches. I started with some as new second hand breeches with real leather seats but those are very rare now, so moved over to fake suede.
They give a little more stick than knee patch but the big thing for me is they cushion and protect the nether parts. I do long trail rides (well, up to 4 or 5 hours) in my dressage saddle.
I did just buy a pair of winter fleece breeches with silicon stickies but no suede. I dont see anymore stick than with suede but I am definitely feeling more saddle rub. I won’t be buying any more.
I find that the silicone fullseats make it hard to get in & out of the leather seats in my car! 
Solved that problem by putting them in the dryer a few times. Much less sticky, but still good for riding. But they do leave little carrot-shaped marks on my saddle!
I’m an outsider…completely. The only dressage I’ve done is within eventing back in my much younger years. In a few weeks I am taking my young horse to do his first Intro tests (A and B only) and, because of this thread, it came to my attention that I had nothing legal to wear at a USDF show. 
Between my eventing years and now, in the small amount I have ridden, I switched to black breeches. I love black breeches. I’ve shown in my breed circuit with them. No one cares, and it’s actually more preferred now-a-days. I don’t own beige anymore. Never owned white. Everything I have is black…or some variety of schooling colors.
I went to Dover on Sunday to get white breeches…my oh my…what an experience. I’m tall. I’m not big by any means…slightly out of condition/soft, relatively speaking (up until Feb 2020, I was an ultra marathoner, but got injured and have not laced up running shows in almost a year now). I rarely say, WOW, I Look BAD. Typically, IDGAF to be honest. I do not follow many, if any trends. I wear what I like and what is comfortable because I think the performance is what should matter, not whether or not I look ‘traditional’. Don’t get me wrong, I’m turned out nicely, just not typically ‘on trend’.
Those white breeches were 100% a come to jesus moment. Knowing I had to do it, and being so defeated in the mirror…that was rough. I felt like such a lump…I don’t think I have ever been more displeased with breeches - ugh.
So, as an outsider coming into this world with nothing, I’d love to be able to wear my black breeches in my silly Intro test. I don’t mind conforming if we are to move up, but when I’m just an adult rider trying to find a walk trot class to take my young horse in for some experience, buying a whole new wardrobe is rough. And, yes, I could have gone to a schooling show, but there were none in the time frame I needed. whomp. Can I also be sad about the lack of walk/trot adult options?
That said, tall, slender build riders, what are you favorite white breeches that are under $150(preferably closer to the $100 mark) that aren’t totally see through, don’t have pockets to make more lumps, and aren’t stiff and uncomfortable? Do they exist?
Are you entering a recognized dressage show? If not, you can wear your black breeches.
Don’t forget that tan & buff are also allowed at recognized shows.
I think your issue is likely that often the lower the price, the flimsier the fabric, which is going to be less forgiving of any…less than taut skin.
I’m not a good source for breech brands - I have a very difficult time finding breeches that I like as I have a insanely long torso and the trend to lower waist or even “mid rise” breeches often make me feel like I’m endlessly tugging them up. About the only ones that work for me are Romfh.
Yes. It’s recognized. It wasn’t the way I wanted to do things, but here we are. I was hoping to hit a smaller breed show in May, but they took the dressage out of it. This was the only option in the three month time frame I was looking at.
I was going for tan, but they didn’t have my size. I will try to make it to another store before then, but I work until 5 and that’s when everything closes. Silly as it may sound, I’ve been hoping for rain so I can cancel my after school practice and go to the tack store 
This is my issue as well. I am very long. And, I don’t mind paying more, but it was a hard pill to swallow on Sunday when I was grappling with purchasing an entire new outfit. It’s okay though. Thank you for the suggestion. I’ll look into them.
I will also add that I was in a major time crunch on Sunday when I went to try stuff on. It was hard to think I was being ‘cheap’ putting on $130 breeches, but I completely understand as well. Shoot, my running shorts are $60 a pair…lol. So, I just need to get in a better mindset about it. I do appreciate the suggestion of Romfh - I’ll see if I can track them down locally so I can try some on. Thanks again.
Au contraire. Chaps, origin of the word comes from chaparral, are intended to protect the riders legs from brush. One’s derriere and nether regions are explicitly NOT covered/protected with chaps!
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