apparently someone beat you to the velcro idea…
http://www.barrelracers.com/products/sure_grip_saddle_seat.php
Sticky stuff does NOT keep you leg still-only lots of hard work does that! What it does do, when applied to new breeches, keeps you from sliding around in the new fabric!
When I was showing, I didn’t have much money. I had an older Prestige saddle that fit me and my horse, but the previous owner had NEVER kept it oiled and clean. By the time I got it, it was twenty years old and no amount of effort on my part could much revive it. It was SLICK. But it was a good saddle and it was all I had to work with. So I used the sticky stuff EVERY ride.
If using that is cheating, so is riding in a newer, cared for saddle.
[QUOTE=CBoylen;4484960]
It’s wax, not glue. If you’re coming off, you’re coming off.[/QUOTE]
I’ve sprayed 3M sticky spray on kids before, per their trainer’s instructions :no: That was adhesive, but more like, um, post-it note quality?
I never knew saddle-tite was illegal in IHSA. My team always used it!
[QUOTE=alteringwego;7344999]
I never knew saddle-tite was illegal in IHSA. My team always used it![/QUOTE]
We had a team or two in our region who used it on all their riders, and one of our thinner skinned, clipped horses returned to his stall early due to being rubbed nearly raw. I’ve never used Saddle-Tite or any kind of stick product. Personally, I think in most cases hard work will fix the underlying problem. But after watching our horse get rubbed almost raw from ill-placed and overly used stick product, I flat out hate it. People should lose the irons for a couple of weeks already, and stop thinking that garbage is necessary.
[QUOTE=Angelico;7344810]
If using that is cheating, so is riding in a newer, cared for saddle.[/QUOTE]
That’s the most ridiculous justification I’ve ever heard. :rolleyes:
[QUOTE=ThePerfectFit;4485132]
That shoulders back thing by equifit (or any posture-type bra thingy) is another common “cheat” in equitation. Many riders wear it under their show shirts, and you really cant tell the difference between that and a sports bra. I’ve never (and will never) wear one, but thats another “problem” in the eq ring.[/QUOTE]
I’m not showing. I have a general problem keeping my shoulders back every day. I don’t have good posture. Has anyone used this, would it help, and if I am size 34 B in a bra what size would be good for this? I also have bad back pain at work (groom dogs so I’m always bending over). I think the pain would be lessened if I had better posture. But I wont buy if it doesn’t work well.
Anyone who thinks that Saddle-tite is going to prevent their legs from swinging has some serious delusions. To each their own, but those “tricks” don’t bother me, because at the end of the day if their leg isn’t strong enough to stay in place a little swipe of “glue” isn’t going to keep it there. I grew up showing in the Eq and Medal classes. Glue wont keep your legs in place, proper schooling and conditioning will.
Now the “shoulders back” deal- that I don’t agree with. Sure, school in it at home if it actually helps, but leave it at the barn.
It isn’t very sticky and won’t keep your legs from moving. It is useful, however to keep your boots from squeaking against your saddle.
[QUOTE=PoohLP;7345169]
It isn’t very sticky and won’t keep your legs from moving. It is useful, however to keep your boots from squeaking against your saddle.[/QUOTE]
I’ve actually found it to be very loud and squeaky. My boots never squeak on my saddle but the riders that regularly use Saddle-tite have a very telling squish-squish-squish as they ride by.
I don’t think I would ever use a stick product as it goes against what I believe is right, but if someone else really feels like they need to use it, fine. Honestly, if they are so worried about their leg moving that they need a product to help that ruins their saddles and boots, well, they are probably worried about a lot of other things too.
I know some jumper riders who use friction wax sometimes- they admit that it doesn’t really do much, just gives them a little more mental comfort (makes them a bit more confident walking in the ring). I can see it if you have an old, slick, grain leather saddle- it would just give you the effect of riding in new calfskin that’s been made tacky by lots of lederbalsam. Or if you are in new, stiff boots, it would help make that less slick until you can break them in.
But like an above poster said, it really doesn’t do that much. If you’re coming off, you’re coming off. And it definitely won’t help a swinging leg, either.
Cheese grater pads I LOFF. Seriously, those things are great. I don’t know why, I just find them more comfortable than the thick white rubber pads- the ball of my foot is happier; I have no idea why.
I know people with joint problems who swear by bendy stirrups, personally I hate them, but I know they make riding possible for a lot of people, so I don’t really mind them. Again, if you can’t ride, they aren’t going to work miracles for you, but if you have some joint pain, they can really help.
[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]
This! I’ve used it for a little extra grip working with my hot, spooky mare. It is not strong enough to magically keep your leg in the perfect position. If you have an unsteady, swing-y leg, you will have a slightly less unsteady, swing-y leg. If you have a steady leg, you’ll get a little better friction grip.
If someone wants to use it I don’t consider it a cheat or the easy way out, just that they need to feel more secure.
[QUOTE=RugBug;7345241]
I’ve actually found it to be very loud and squeaky. My boots never squeak on my saddle but the riders that regularly use Saddle-tite have a very telling squish-squish-squish as they ride by.
I don’t think I would ever use a stick product as it goes against what I believe is right, but if someone else really feels like they need to use it, fine. Honestly, if they are so worried about their leg moving that they need a product to help that ruins their saddles and boots, well, they are probably worried about a lot of other things too.[/QUOTE]
When I got a new saddle, my boots, which also were somewhat new as well, squeaked on it horribly. The stick stuff made it stop. It does not hold my legs in place.
Does the shoulders back actually hold your shoulders back, or just create a reminder pressure? I don’t see how it could actually hold them back, it just looks like a sports bra.
Sadl-tite, Sporty Sit-tite and shoulders back might give a rider a bit of an edge but horses have a way of evening the playing field. That rider that uses Sadl-Tit might have a horse w/ an incredibly bouncy trot or awfully uncomfortable canter, the person using Shoulder’s back might have bad posture as opposed to riders with good posture. Why shouldn’t someone with poor posture use something that helps improve it?
[QUOTE=smm20;4485048]
We used to use the sticky stuff in IHSA.[/QUOTE]
Lots of people did. And then the day after the show I’d have to sit around and scrape it off our saddles. Thanks a bunch!
I hate hate hate that stuff. No one is coming near my saddles with gummy crap that’s going to smudge off onto them!!! Super annoying!!!
I’ve known plenty of Eventers to use Saddle-Tite for a little extra traction on XC. Its not as if it really matters where our legs are, so long as they get over, so I don’t see it as much of a big deal. I’ve got a buffalo leather jump saddle, so I just put a bit of extra lederbalsam on before showing, which accomplishes about the same thing, while being good for the leather.
I don’t like the bendy stirrups, because like some others have mentioned, I have a really flexible ankle, and with those, I feel scarily unstable. I’ve got boring old fillis irons on both my saddles, but with either the ProJump or Super Comfort pads, because I find the regular old rubber pads way too slick if you’ve got any kind of dirt/moisture/footing on your soles. Those aren’t going to keep you from loosing your stirrup if something happens, but they’re going to make it a little safer if you’re hopping on early in the morning with dew on the soles of your boots, or a bit of mud.
[QUOTE=gottagrey;7345595]
Sadl-tite, Sporty Sit-tite and shoulders back might give a rider a bit of an edge but horses have a way of evening the playing field. That rider that uses Sadl-Tit might have a horse w/ an incredibly bouncy trot or awfully uncomfortable canter, the person using Shoulder’s back might have bad posture as opposed to riders with good posture. Why shouldn’t someone with poor posture use something that helps improve it?[/QUOTE]
Because these quick fixes don’t fix poor riding. One should work hard, build muscle and fix their flaws the correct way. I’ve also found that ballet helps with correct posture, not some device that’s marketed to do the work for you. Especially for a rider showing in the Eq. I’m not opposed to riders schooling with shoulders-back at home, but that’s where the product should stay.
Also, I too have noticed those who use saddle-tite are louder than those without. A shiny, slick saddle needs more conditioning not wax or adhesive. At best, the product helps put your mind at ease.
I rode in Herm Sprenger stirrups until I went to a clinic with a clinician who made me ride in his saddle (Tad Coffin I believe with regular steel irons). His theory was the flexi stirrups had too much give and didn’t give the rider a true, solid base of support. I noticed a big difference in my leg/position over the jumps in his saddle, especially with my horse who had a hard, round jump. Since then, I switched to MDC traditional irons (they just twist at the top so your leather lays flatter and doesn’t rub your calf).
I use the sticky boot spray on some occasions at shows because my saddle and boots are always more slippery at shows because they’re clean! Once they get some dirt and dust on them, they’re not so slippery 
I don’t think that’s cheating. If you have a good leg, you have a good leg. The spray doesn’t mean you’re going to win your eq class.
We used to put little sock balls under our heels in our tall boots (back before zippers) to make it look like our heels were down much more than they really were. Kind of like stuffing a bra I guess! I’ve seen heel lifts for boots before and wondered if anyone was using them for the same thing.
Sticky stuff is not going to make a winning leg overnight, but tying stirrups to the girth with heavy weight fishing line was a little sketchy. Super illegal if you get caught with it. I have never seen it done, just heard about it.
