Cindeye, you cracked me up! I agree with the poster that said,"It’s not cheating unless you break the rules."BTW, people do still get tied to their tack (stirrups to girth).I’ve never been tied LOL, but sure have seen it here and there over years 8-). All laughing aside, it is sort of cool that people are interested in being ethical and “earning” a good position. There are thousands of ways to have a little advantage.Saddle tite-used it once- I would consider a little advantage- LITTLE.The WB mare I lost last year-was a big advantage.:)Nice leather vs cheapo leather, a quality cc saddle that puts you in a correct position vs anything else AP etc…The one I hate is being rude in the hack to derail somebody. Anyway, FOR KNEE ISSUES-Off topic- but there are rubber wraps that go around the footbed-look kind of tacky- that are fabulous for a bad knee!!
I personally don’t like the flex stirrups, so I have the wraps around a traditional pair of fillis irons. They give a bit more surface area- I think that’s what helps the knees. :-))
Yes it’s always nice to know when you win an eq class that it was all your own hard work. Although the sticky stuff can really help, doing 10-20 min of no stirrups can have the same effects.
[QUOTE=hellerkm;4485007]
… gymnasts use the same “sticky stuff” to keep their bodys suits from riding up,( exposure will drop them points) or hair spray… [/QUOTE]
really? I didn’t know that. Huh.
Learn something new every day! :yes:
THANK YOU!!! I feel exactly the same way! I always thought I was weird that I don’t have a saddle preference and that, after warming up, I forget that they’re even different!
[QUOTE=Oldenburg99;4491039]
If you think saddle-tite is cheating…then what stuffing their ears with poms-poms? or trainers clucking from the rail for a change? “lucky braids”?(or as I like to call them panic buttons - letting novice & amateur riders know where to put their hands for a crest release). [/QUOTE]
:eek: Is that REALLY why people started doing “lucky braids”?!? I just always thought it was because it was cute! (That’s why I’ve done it, anyway…)
Not in EQ
IMO… those types of enhancements shouldn’t be allowed in EQ. In EQ, rider should have to go without the gimmicks to prove their equitation. That’s the whole point of EQ.
I use the MDC stirrups because my ankle and hip doesn’t bend like it used to. They don’t really give me a leg up because I still have to put my heels down and control my leg. I used saddle-tite when I rode saddle seat because those pants are total polyester…and slick.
I’ve used the stick stuff once, and I will NEVER use it again. At the last show I went to, the zippers on my boots broke and we had to get a new pair that I needed to be able to ride in the next day. We used the stick stuff before I rode. My horse launched himself at a jump, and I went forward, but my legs didn’t. I pulled something pretty severely and couldn’t walk for a couple days after. Ugh.
But I do agree with the previous posters, a good leg position is simply mandatory. If the rider can’t keep a good seat and leg, and need the stick stuff, they shouldn’t be showing at whatever level they are until they get their leg fixed.
I like the sticky stuff. I put a touch on at shows, and I feel like it makes it easier to have my leg stay still vertically. My horse is SUPER springy, and I actually have my leg move vertically against my saddle, esp at sitting trot. I feel like it offsets the disadvantage of having a super springy jumper doubling as my eq mount.
I ride with whatever residue of it is left at home… but after 3-4 weeks with regular cleaning there isn’t any.
It’s a wax. If your leg is really loose, it will still swing. I feel it helps a little, but it’s not going to hide obviously bad legs.
And if you’re coming off, it won’t save you. I’ve fallen off at least a four or five times with it on my boots and saddle.
It comes off with a little saddle soap, and it doesn’t damage the saddle.
I think its use is so widespread that NOT using it you’re putting yourself at a disadvantage. At that point it’s not what I’d call cheating.
I totally agree! If I sink my heels down as far as they go without the bendy stirrups, it is too painful to ride. I love my solid plate irons.
[QUOTE=CBoylen;4484960]
It’s wax, not glue. If you’re coming off, you’re coming off.
It doesn’t make enough of a difference to worry about it, although it might make someone feel more secure.[/QUOTE]
True…it did actually make my leg feel tighter though when I used it years ago.
And yes, it is waxy and if not cleaned off the boots and saddle, it’s a bit messy.
This fixed me .
On a funny note… I asked my trainer about something i could use to help my posture while riding. I was really considering getting the Equifit Shoulder’s back.
She told me she had my fix… She threatened to tap tacks into the back of my sports bra. Boy did i fix my posture real quick :lol:.
But, on the using the so-called cheats. I definitely feel like saddle-tite and wax doesn’t help to the extent that you would call it cheating (nothing is truly going to keep you in the seat except for discipline/training). It might make you feel more confident. Which, anything that makes you feel more secure can be better for you in the long run.
I think i might still consider getting the Equifit to use during the day to help my posture, which in the long run will most likely help my posture riding (I just won’t tell the trainer ;))
It cracks me up that some people consider “Saddle-tite” a cheat! That is like saying that you are a cheater if you ride in a Butet instead of a Wintec, or you have an unfair advantage because you invested in some nice, well-oiled leather boots instead of rubber Wellies.
“Saddle-tite” is no stronger than the leg holding it against the saddle! And it certainly can’t find the jumps for you, or get you that lead change, or hold your upper body back…or even keep your swinging leg still.
But I’d still like to use all the technology available…no plastic saddles and rubber boots for me! I need all the help I can get.
I don’t consider it a cheat, just a gadget. Having grown up with a trainer who did not allow me* to wear full chaps due to my inability to seamlessly switch to boots and breeches because of the extra stick the chaps provided…it’s fairly easy to see why I would feel the way I do about Saddle-tite, etc.
Just like any gadget, if you’re using it as a training aid, great. If it becomes a crutch, not so great.
And I will roll my eyes if you’ve used so much saddle tite I can hear you squeaking around the ring.
*Others were allowed to wear full chaps…just not me. And yes, that rule did make me a better rider with a better leg.
Do people use saddletite outside of shows? I think it shouldn’t be used everyday, but we always slapped it on at events.
My hubby is the jumper in our family. He has an orange-see-it-a-mile-away Hunterdon. He rides in only standard fillis style stirrups… etc etc :eyeroll:
Me? Super-glue my happy ass to that saddle if you have to. IF I am able to get to show, it’s between taking care of the kids, and the horses (he’s the barn princess! 
)…
I do agree that time in the saddle will work wonders. However, there are those of us that are always going to be Amateurs, riding our OTTBs. Some of us have old injuries, and some (me, personally) have not lost thir “baby fat” from when they were broodmares themselves…
Meh… my philosophy in life is… “I don’t care what you do, as long as it doesn’t directly impact me…”
If you are going to use saddlie-tite or something of the sort, please use your own saddle. I have no horse, so my saddle is my “baby”. Guess my expression when I found some of that sticky stuff after an IHSA show. (Made sure to tell the coach and captain because it is illegal in our region 
Ew, not cool. That’s why we used this leather conditioner on our boots at IHSA shows. It made the leather a bit tacky, but didn’t make the saddle messy. Same for not polishing the insides of our boots. Putting black marks on someones saddle pad when they’ve been nice enough to loan a horse is also not cool. Thanking the owner for loaning their crazy green OTTB or the hunt seat trained saddlebred, quite cool. Even is they were a bad equitation draw.
I don’t really see saddle-tite and things of that nature of cheats. They aren’t going to hide the major flaws.
Now things like ear pieces while on course… that’s a different story.
I think if you need the sticky stuff you aren’t that good and are no threat to those with tight seats. I don’t think there is any advantage. They have a lot more to learn if their seats are loose. Maybe the placebo effect is the best it will do. Don’t be angry at that comment it just doesn’t make sense to use it or need it.
[QUOTE=BridalBridle;4615001]
I think if you need the sticky stuff you aren’t that good and are no threat to those with tight seats. I don’t think there is any advantage. They have a lot more to learn if their seats are loose. Maybe the placebo effect is the best it will do. Don’t be angry at that comment it just doesn’t make sense to use it or need it.[/QUOTE]
I don’t think anyone NEEDS saddle-tite, but with brand new boots it does make for a much more pleasant ride. I can ride for a full 30 minutes w/o stirrups, but god forbid I have to ride in new tall boots with a bit of ‘stick’ to help:)
